Random Thoughts

So I get a call tonight from my father in law to tell me that my nephew Steve has passed away apparently from an overdose. At this point he isn't really sure of too many details but that's the least of my concern. I just feel terrible for my sister in law Kim. Steve was such a bright guy and had a whole lot going for him. Yes, he had been struggling with some issues lately (relationship/job loss) but that is true for a lot of people. It makes my heart sad to think that whatever problem he had, he didn't think he could resolve it and he would have to take such drastic measures. I've lost a family member before to suicide and so many questions remain from that and now this.

Wow....my brain is still trying to wrap my head around it. My husband is really upset. They were only about 10 years apart in age so he didn't think of him as just a nephew. They were closer than that. All I can do at this point is pray for Kim and that she can be strong in the next couple of days. Her other two boys are going to need her to be there for them because this will be tough on them too.

I think I'll go to bed now....It has been a long day.

There have been a lot of layoffs at Disney (where I worked so long ago) this past month but they really stepped it up this week. It's such a shame to see good people be let go of a place they have worked for years, decades, basically their entire career! I've been praying a lot lately about it because I know how rough the job market is, especially here in Orlando. They aren't done yet (I heard that the culling should end next week) but I hope it's not as many as this week.

On top of that my father-in-law was admitted to the hospital with a blood infection and pneumonia last night. That's bad enough but he also has diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease that he deals with. Hopefully he will be released by the weekend so he can rest up at home. It's my mother-in-law's birthday today but she had to spend the day at the hospital. That's not my idea of birthday fun. :(

Next week can only be better, right? Crossing my fingers on that one!

Holy smokes! It's been a hot minute since I've written in this thing. Nothing too interesting has gone on though so one one has missed much! :D

Let see....Ethan turned a year old on Jan 25. I can't believe a year went by so fast! He's babbling a lot more and finally has the walking thing down. He's so darn cute! He still needs hair though. My friend Dale calls him the Golden Child. Such a dork! Anyhoo...My hubby James had his birthday last week (a very young looking 37) and my birthday is coming up next week. I can't believe I'm gonna be 32 but after 4 kids and nearly 9 years of marriage....I guess I'll have to!

I've been super busy with work. I tell you that stuff never seems to end. I like what I do but the idea of me moving on to a new job is always in the back of my mind. With the economy the way that it is though...I'm not going to look too seriously yet. If I were single, I probably would be more willing to take a risk and start something new but when you have a family, you can't just think about yourself.

I will say this. There is a older man I work with, we shall call him Wilbur, that drive me INSANE! He apparently has the worst allergies in the world and can't stop snorting and swallowing all day instead of using tissues. Eww!! Not only is it gross to listen to but it just gets really annoying after awhile. Kinda like nails on chalkboard for me. I have to pray for patience on a daily basis but it always feels like I'm short supply of it. It doesn't help that I am always answering this mans questions so the nastiness is always right there.

Hmm...not too much going on I think. I'm sad my friend Haley will be moving out of FL in May to move to TX. I could always go out there to see her but it won't be the same like having her be just a couple of hours away. :( I'm going to try to visit her a couple of times before she goes though so that should be fun.

Okie dokie...I'm going to try to go to bed early tonight since the whole "spring forward" nonsense has screwed up my time clock again. Hopefully it won't be a couple more months before I write again! :)

If you know my husband James, you know how much of a pack rat he can be.  I have tried to convince him over the years to de-clutter his closet or his car (some call that his walk-in closet he has so much stuff in it!) to no avail.  Well, I think I've had all that I can take.  Our poor apt is full of stuff that we don't use and is just taking up space.  One reason it's been getting on my nerves is that my kids are starting to act the same way!  I try to go through my closet once a year and donate what I can and throw out what can't be given.  If I try to do that with the kids stuff they tend to freak out because they don't want to see their stuff go.  I've been threatening to do something drastic and I'm finally going to see that promise through.  It will probably take me all month since there is a lot of things to sort through but hopefully a nice organized space will be the ultimate result.

It sounds kinda weird but the idea of that makes me so happy!  I'm sure I'm not the only one that has this problem.  People tend to collect items and then forget about them.  James has a closet full of rock t-shirts that he hasn't worn in years.  Really...is there a need to keep them?  I can understand if there is a autograph on some of them but they are just regular old t-shirts.  Plus, many of them are too small for him to wear.  Oh...he has like over 600 cd's too that I would love to see go.  He has imported most of the ones he wants to iTunes anyway so why does he need to keep the cd's?  I could go on and on about all the "stuff" he has but that would be a really long post.  :)

I've never been the one to keep things for a long amount of time and after 10 years, I think James needs to follow that example too.  This will be a excellent chance to teach the kids about what is really needed so they don't become pack rats too! 

I guess the same thing could be said about other unnecessary things in our life.  I tend to hold on to friendships even though they aren't good for me or that I have grown out of.  That is harder for me to let go of but sometimes it has to be done.  Just like a shirt that doesn't fit or a cd that I don't listen to anymore, there is no point in holding on to something that I don't need right?  I'll answer that and say yes!  A new year, a cleaner house and letting go of stress that I shouldn't have anyway?  Sounds awesome to me!

What a year it has been.  We had a new baby in January and it just seems like the year sped by so fast after that.  Work was hectic with a lot of people moving on or being let go but we still needed to get the same amount of work done.  :(  My other children are getting older but it's still hard not to look at them like they are babies.  My oldest son turned 9 in November and my daughter is 7 (going on 17) and my other son is 4 so he can go to school next year!  It's amazing to think in a couple of years Lucas will be in middle school and Maria won't be far behind.  Kinda makes me feel old but I guess in a good way. 

I really hope that next year will be a great year.  I'm not one to make resolutions because I know myself and I can't stick to them but I'm gonna try anyway next year.  I want to be more patient because that is something I have a problem with.  I need to stop procrastinating about everything!  I do it with work, housework, just about everything really.  I want to be better about keeping up with friends and not just calling or emailing a couple of times a year.  That isn't always easy to do when you have as many small children as I do, but I want to work on it.

Most of all, I want to work on spending quality time with my family.  I mean, I'm with them all the time but sometimes just being there doesn't cut it.  Life is hard and trying to balance a home life with a job is frustrating.

If I don't write again before Christmas, I hope that everyone has a great one!  My folks will be here in a week and it will be so nice to spend time with them.  Que Dios te bendiga!  (God Bless you for the non Spanish speakers!) 

So...I've been listening to this soundtrack over and over again since I got it on Tuesday and I have to say I'm pretty happy with it. I'm normally not a soundtrack person but there were a couple of artists that I'm a fan of like Paramore and Linkin Park so I figured I would try it out.

Honestly I think I like every song on this album but I do have my favorites. Decode by Paramore and Full Moon by The Black Ghosts are awesome! I've liked Paramore for a long time now and Haley really has the chops to belt out those lyrics. Its a little Gothy (is that a word?) sounding but still pretty cool. Full Moon has the best bass line in a song I've heard in a long time. The album starts out great with Supermassive Black Hole by Muse. It's really catchy and I love to listen to it loud while I driving. :)

Rob Pattinson (Edward the Vampire ;) has a really unique voice and it sounds so haunting with just the guitar and the lyrics. I was kinda surprised since I didn't know he was a singer too. The Iron & Wine song and the instrumental called Bella's Lullaby ended the album on a slow note. I just hope that they make all songs fit with the scenes! I hate it when you are wondering "Why did they put that there?".

I have yet to read one book from the Twilight series. I just bought the first book the other day but it seems like a good storyline. If I believe my friend Haley, I will love all of them but I guess I'll see when I actually get around to reading it huh? ;)


Track Listing
1. Muse—"Supermassive Black Hole"
2. Paramore—"Decode"
3. The Black Ghosts—"Full Moon"
4. Linkin Park—"Leave Out All The Rest"
5. Mute Math—"Spotlight (Twilight Mix)"
6. Perry Farrell—"Go All The Way (Into The Twilight)"
7. Collective Soul—"Tremble For My Beloved"
8. Paramore—"I Caught Myself"
9. Blue Foundation—"Eyes On Fire"
10. Rob Pattinson—"Never Think"
11. Iron & Wine—"Flightless Bird, American Mouth"
12. Carter Burwell—"Bella's Lullaby"


I thought I would post the Decode video too....:)

Wow. I'm not sure what else to say after watching this video. How can anyone refuse to give care to a living breathing baby? How can a DOCTOR strangle a baby that had been born alive? How can Obama stand behind his decision not to give care to these precious infants? I'm kinda sick to my stomach right now. I'm sorry, I could care less about the health of the mother once that baby has parted with her body. If there is even a slim change that baby could be saved after an attempted abortion that should take precedent over anything else. May God forgive these men and women who participate in this. I thought that was part of the Hippocratic Oath all doctors have to profess is "Do No Harm". Just because a fetus (or infant once its outside of his mothers body) can't tell anyone "this hurts or it burns" that doesn't mean it can't feel just like you and me. Babies can hear and feel touch inside the womb, ask anyone that been pregnant before.

I'll admit it. Up until recently I've been a wimp as far as looking at pictures or watching videos like this because I was too afraid of what I would see. Well, it confirmed all of the horrible ideas I had running through my mind. I've been incredibly blessed to have my children. I don't understand why these women don't feel the same way about someone that is part of them. Even if there are horrible circumstances behind the pregnancy, that isn't the child's fault. There are so many women who would love to be able to carry a child of their own but can't and to see this....it just makes me wonder why these partial birth/late term abortions are still being allowed.