That I took less than two hours to write what was supposed to be a three hour exam?

I'm done exams! Now I'm working on revising my paper and then by the end of today I will be done with my second year and the never-ending semester from hell that this has been.

Good ridance!

Thanks to everyone for all the vibes and support. I look forward to returning to the world outside the library and hope to be a more active and reciprocal member here! MWAH!!!

1. Dyanmom's grat list
2. Last exam tomorrow 9am - been studying all day & feel okay about it...we'll see!
3. Then just have to edit a paper left on "to do" list
4. DS went with MIL and FIL to visit MIL's parents today. They all had a good time & are home safely.
5. Glucose numbers were good all day with MIL!
6. DH is on his way home to take care of DS & I don't have to cut my study time short to get home.
7. Just confirmed weekend at beach with girlfriends from school - DH, DS & boyfriends will come along too!!!--read more >>

1. The sound of a pencil writing.
2. The water droplets that hang from DS' sweet soft ears in the bath.
3. When I got home from school yesterday DH had made dinner, cleaned up the kitchen, & was in the backyard with DS - playing on the obstacle course that had created through the day.
4. I am down to the last few days of a particularly long and draining semester.
5. I took the time to get myself a coffee this morning & still managed to miss traffic on my way in today.
6. Been having sweet dreams of my grandfather.--read more >>

We buried my Grandfather yesterday. The week has gone by so quickly and has been so long at the same time. I am exhausted in spite of having gone to bed the same time as DS three of the past four nights! --read more >>

My grandfather passed this evening. He had his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren with him. It was as peaceful as one could hope. I am so sad to have lost him.

Tomorrow morning I have to go take a final. I know this seems so tedious relatively. But my full scholarship rides on my grades and I am honestly unprepared. I would be very grateful if you had any good hipMama vibes to help me tomorrow.

And more importantly, I would like for you all to know that a truly great man has left this world.

Thank you.

I've written before about my maternal grandfather having Alzheimer's. He is not doing well and today when my mother, aunt and grandmother went to visit him they found him in very bad shape. They don't want to leave him as they think the end is near. I know that they want his suffering to end but this is extremely hard on them and if anyone has some comforting vibes to spare they could use them. Thanks. --read more >>

Has anyone ever been to rent court? I was supposed to attend court to observe to write a paper for my class, it is due in like a day & I just havne't been able to get there. Has anyone had problems with a landlord and gone to court that you could just explain to me what happened. Did you fail to pay rent b/c conditions were bad? If so, what was the judgement?
PLEASE!!! I just need a story to apply the law that we've studied to but I need someone to provide the facts for me. Anyone? Please, I'm desperate - especially with exams in a few days!!! --read more >>

Hi Ladies,
Just checking in. This time next week I'll be just beginning my third and final exam in three days. Ugh. Finals are in less than a week & I'm not nearly as prepared as I had hoped to be. But from this afternoon on I have reserved some fair sized blocks of time to study & I'll do my best. Then I just have a few things to wrap up for my fellowship and a paper to write for another class & I'll be done year TWO! --read more >>

So, they totalled my car and DH is picking up our new one tomorrow. My question for you ladies is this...which bumper sticker should I put on it?

#1:

OR

#2:

I have an opportunity next week. I honestly can't see going, but my Dad thinks I should. I just can't see subjecting myself to be civil and polite to a man who I DESPISE!!!

What would you ladies do?

So it has been a rough past few weeks.

At the time of my accident, a few weeks ago, I felt like I needed to cry but in the midst of everything going on I held it in when it was an immediate need and then in the days following decided I was just going to act as if the accident hadn't happened. As there were no real consequences in my life I was just going to move on from it. --read more >>

i was once with child
and since have been.
surviving
the times which have
been tender,
and even those bitter to my heart.
tasting not the now,
but the then,
and the if only.

yet sweetness still comes,
an apricot nape,
sneaking into my passing moments of tears.

when i fear the fragile.
failures,
causing harm,
and having been unkind.
i hope to find
something gentle,
something brave.

i hope to find
that i am true,
my shoulders strong,
and that those passing moments
will again find me.
able to cry.

1. DH, DS and FIL went to the beach for the weekend. The primary motivation for this was to give me an uniterrupted time to prepare for my upcoming finals. Through the course of the semester I had managed to get ahead of the work but lost that lead after my accident and DS' birthday weekends. So this is much needed time for me and I know they will have a great time "just the boys." I am very aware of how lucky we are to have the availability of IL's place at the beach and that DS is so close with his grandparents.
2. Had DS' four year old picture taken on Friday:--read more >>

LOTS of pictures from DS' party yesterday. We had a good time and I think he did too. It was the first time we had a fair amount of kids & it was wild & fun!!!

Chicky the homemade pinata:

Family Shot:--read more >>

Here's another of DS' watercolors. This was for a local park's art contest. The minimum age group was 1st-3rd grade but he wanted to enter so I just entered him as being in first grade. So anyway, we went to the park and he won an honorable mention - it was displayed with a big ribbon and when he saw it he said, "No. Way. Jose!" Anyway, just thought we'd share! Happy Monday ladies!--read more >>

God, I am exhausted! I have been fighting a cold since two weeks ago & my body is just lagging today. I've been cleaning and preparing all day. (Wonderfully, my FIL called about 10 this morning to see if DS wanted to plant some seeds...they've been gone ever since and his sugars have been great!--read more >>

If you have any to spare, please send some positive, healthy vibes my way tomorrow afternoon. Thanks in advance!

DH got sick that morning. He was in bed all day and we were hoping he'd rest up and manage to go with me. This is one of the few occassions we get to get dressed up for and go out with adults in the year; we were both looking forward to it. We decided it was better I go alone than drag him along looking and feeling like hell. I had a good time, I saw everyone I wanted to, had a nice dinner with friends, didn't drink much and came home early - all in all it worked out pretty well. I didn't take my camera but here's a pic from a friend's:

My three close girl friends at school:--read more >>

Last night it occured to me that I could do a search through the state courts' database. We did this all the time when I was working with DV last summer. Anyway, I found the guy who they suspect hit me and he had two criminal cases against him. One for second degree assault with a deadly weapon against a girl and another for malicious destruction of property against the same girl. I'm 99% sure from experience that she was his girlfriend at some time. He is young, like 21 or so...--read more >>

...for all of your well-wishes. I'm still feeling pretty sore, but nothing more than that. I think that mentally I'm barely beginning to process. After Etta voiced some concern I thought I'd pop-up to say I am still a-okay! And what better way to do that, than with some grats?

1. Guardrails
2. Seatbelts
3. Kind strangers
4. Paramedics
5. Cell Phones
6. Supportive and generous friends
7. Supportive and loving hipMamas
8. DS being blissfully unaware and taking having his mama with him for granted
9. DH has been taking care of all of the insurance dealings
10.Guardrails

I am fine but I was involved in a hit and run accident this afternoon while going to school. DS was thankfulyy not in the car and everyone says it is a miracle I was able to walk away from the accident.

Below are two pics DH took when he got to the scene. They made me go to the hospital to be sure & after x-rays, scans & ultrasounds they let me go home. I'm very grateful and feel like the luckiest person alive, just somewhat sore.--read more >>

Last week I sent my mom a thank you note. Just a general, "thank you, and even though your efforts often appear to be taken for granted they aren't and are very much appreciated" kind of note.

I was just thinking about all she did to create a nice Easter Sunday for all of us and it occurred to me that I should/can/will write a thank you note to her each week with more specific examples of the loving and giving things she does. --read more >>

I mentioned before that he won an art contest at the Children's Hospital. Well today was the "award ceremony" at an ice cream social. He was so adorable and so talkative. The local TV station's anchor lady was the presenter and they had a camera man there. They paid quite a bit of attention to DS and he hammed it up. He did not hesitate to go to the podium to accept his award ($50 gift card) and was very talkative as the woman asked him about his art. And, my favorite part, they are going to use his design on tee-shirts for the Children's Miracle Network telethon they'll do in June.--read more >>

Sorry, I just can't help myself!