It's late and I'm wide awake, like usual!

Well, it's 4:30am here and I'm sitting up on the computer. That's nothing new though. I've been off work for a week now due to being on Worker's Comp. I was walking to the building from my car last Friday and there was new snow on the ground. It was covering ice... which I happened to fall on. I bruised my hip and sprained my wrist. It hurt like heck! I got in the building and immediately had to state filling out paperwork, before I could even get myself an ice pack. Go figure! Anyway, I finished my paperwork and they sent a replacement in for me so I could be seen by a doctor. Nothing was broken, just banged up pretty good and they sent me home. I went to work Saturday morning, but I wasn't supposed to be there due to my restrictions for my wrist. Yea, management isn't so great about letting you know those things. Probably because they don't want to get out of bed and drive to work at 8:00am on a Saturday morning either! My supervisor came in at noon and told me I couldn't work with my wrist because I wasn't able to physically restrain youth or protect myself, so she told me to go enjoy my week off and get my paperwork filled out.

I spent the first couple days at home on a heating pad and with my pain meds and muscle relaxers. I really didn't do much but sleep and watch TV when I was awake. My grandparents took one of the dogs so I didn't have to worry about that. The other dog just sleeps all day so he wasn't a problem. Ryan helped me out a lot so I didn't have to get out of bed other than to shower or hit the bathroom..... you get the picture. For some reason the pain meds made me really emotional and I cried on and off all day Tuesday thinking about my birthday the next day. I just got caught up on the idea that because I'm getting older, so is everyone else. I thought that this is the age I am going to get married and try to start a family and that really hit me. The thought that my children may never actually remember my grandparents, who practically raised me, was very upsetting to me. I desperately want my children to remember them, to know them. I talked to a good friend of mine that day and he told me that no matter what happens, my grandparents and parents will live on through me and my actions. That statement gave me some comfort and relief thankfully.

Wednesday was my 26th birthday. It seems strange to say 26, not sure why, but it has affected me more than 25. It's probably just because I am getting married in 8 months and will actively attempt to make a child. Wow, that's huge for me!! Anyway, my grandma drove down to meet me for dinner at Applebee's and my sister and niece met me as well. It was really nice to be with some of my family that day since I had been so emotional. Dad couldn't make it to dinner, but he drove down to give me my present and a hug earlier in the day. That made me happy! Of course they told them it was my birthday and they did the embarrassing singing thing. I still enjoyed it though. I also got well over 100 text messages and messages on Facebook from friends and family. That made me feel really special! It is nice to be reminded that people love and care for you sometimes.

After dinner, Ryan and I met up with my best friend, her boyfriend, and some of our guy friends at a local restaurant. We had some drinks there and had a great time! We moved to another bar a bit later and the night was just great! Ryan seemed to enjoy me being so laid back and happy for once. I am always overly anxious and tense, but not that night. I gave up around midnight though because he had to work the next morning. I had a really good time.

We are leaving for St. Louis in the morning for the weekend. I am so ready to get out of this town for a few days. We have an awesome hotel room near Union Station for free thanks to my mom. We are going to meet up with some of my friends from college, I am thrilled! My best guy friend is meeting up with us for dinner tomorrow night. I haven't seen him in over a year! Saturday we are going to see our friend who is also a tattoo artist. I am getting my tattoos touched up and Ryan is getting a new side piece. It looks like is it going to be amazing! Then, we are going out for drinks and to see a band that night. Sunday we are getting massages and then going to the Science Center. That has be a favorite of mine since I was a little girl. I can't wait to go again! So, we have a busy weekend, but I am looking forward to it.

Ok, I think I've said enough for one night. It's not really too interesting yet, but this is a journal after all. It's still my life, as boring as it might be! Until next time....kwa heri!

It's been too long!

It's been a while now since I've actually had the time or energy to sit down and write. With my grandparents being in the hospital, my great grandma going to the hospital, and me getting a severe head cold, I just haven't had the energy. Things are better now, except for my cold. It's just nasty! I can finally hear somewhat today though. That's nice! My great grandma really isn't faring so well though. She's had congestive heart failure for several years, she's 97 years old. The drained the fluid off of her lungs and sent her back to the nursing home. They don't expect her to live much longer and she doesn't look very well. I am going to take Ryan up to meet her next week. I think it is really important that she meets the man I am going to marry and vice versa. I know she will approve.

Ryan and I adopted a new dog this past Thursday. He's adorable! I went to the shelter last week with no intention of getting a dog. I was just feeling a little bit down and wanted to play with some of the dogs. That always makes me feel better. I played for a while and as I was leaving I notice a scruffy little silver and brown dog in a kennel in the front office. I hadn't noticed him on the way in the building the first time. I asked about him and if I could play with him for a while. I took a couple pictures to show Ryan. He was so sweet and gentle. They told me he was a one year old pure bred shih-tzu. His previous owners had to leave him at the shelter because they were military and they were getting deployed, so they couldn't take him with them. He looked nothing like a shih-tzu because his hair was so long, matted, and dirty. I really loved playing with him! I called Ryan after I left and told him about him and how much fun I had. To my surprise, Ryan told me to turn around and go pick him up! I wasn't expecting that at all! So, I went right back to the shelter, filled out the paper work, and took him home with me. His previous owners named him Junior.... yea, we weren't going to call him that! We really didn't know what to call him, but we asked around for ideas. We got stuck on names from the TV show, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia because we watch it all the time. Now we have a new dog named Mac!

When I got him home I cut off the matted fur and gave him a bath. He did really well with it all and was so happy after he got dried off. We played for a couple hours and showed him were he is allowed in the house. Ryan came home and really liked him and his temperament. Didymus, our pug, wasn't so sure about having another dog at first, but he warmed up to him quickly. Well, that is as long as we were giving him the most attention! He's the baby and he knows it! We took Didymus and Mac to the groomers on Saturday. Mac was not the same dog at all that he was when he went in!! It was clear now that he was a shih-tzu, he finally looked like one! He seemed incredibly happy that all that long, dirty hair was gone and he could see with the hair cut out of his eyes.

Now we are just working on housebreaking him, it seems to be pretty difficult while it's so cold and the ground is covered in snow. I can't say that I blame him though. He did manage to destroy my Master's degree diploma that I just got though. Not too happy about that one! Guess I will just have to order a new one! He has also developed a really bad cough and coughing up some nasty stuff I won't explain. We're pretty sure he has kennel cough. If it isn't better in a couple days we are going to take him to the vet. Well, we need to anyway to have him checked and get his vaccinations.

Work seems to be going pretty well right now. The boys in my group are going great and making a lot of progress. The "warden" is up to her usual tricks. She came into my dorm tonight just to "remind" me that we only get two fifteen minute breaks a night per policy. I just looked at her and replied, "yea, I know. is there a reason you're telling me this?" She didn't have an answer to that. I finally got frustrated enough I left a letter for the facility managers about her behaviors. I'm fed up and I know so many coworkers are as well. She is a horrible group leader and every time she works the morale plummets. She's just out to get anyone in trouble for anything she can possible think of. I just can't stand people like that. I really wish some people could just learn to be happy, stop trying to bring others down. Ah, what am I saying.... that will never happen! I can, however, remove myself from that job and get something worthy of my education and experience. I am in the process of applying for jobs now though. I am aggressively searching out new employment. I want out of there by the summer. I can't wait to be a supervisor for once and not be on the bottom of the hierarchy. It will be a relief and it will be something higher paid!

Well, this is getting a little long for one entry so I'm out of here for tonight. Until, next time, bye-bye!