Well, I've been keeping busy doing things. Work, genealogy, church, friends, etc. Some how my life has filled up. Clint's been busy lining up interviews, and I've been working frantically on genealogy trying to tie up loose ends on the Payne line before I needed to pick up all my papers. Since we only have one desk, and Clint occupies it regularly now, I drag my papers out and they end up laying around the living room where I can sit under the fan and use the laptop.
Clint and I had gone to see his doctor a few weeks ago as a result of his 4th blood sample he'd given. The doctor advised Clint to see a blood specialist-hematologist/oncologist. He said a hematologist and onocologist just go together. Clint went and they took more blood-but analyzed it right there and his blood levels were back to normal range. They're smearing his blood under a microscope just to check it out because it isn't normal for your levels to drop and then return to normal. He has another appointment Thursday to get the results.
We had our final stage in the adoption process this last week-the dreaded home study. We haven't made our adoption choice very public because we have attempted the process so many times and made it farther each time, but as you know-nothing final ever happened. BUT, all we have to do now is get a few beds, Clint a job, and wait for our study to be typed up and approved. We'll then be ready to foster/adopt children. We are going through an agency that places children that are with Child Protective Services. We are excited about the opportunity to bring children into our home and help them to grow and be the best they can be.
I got a second calling on Sunday. I was worried when I got the call Sunday morning to meet with a conselor to the bishop before church. I had no idea what they would ask me to do, but was very willing to accept the call to serve as the Ward Family History Specialist. Our Stake President wanted see an increase in family history with the members of the church and our bishopric all thought of my name - imagine that. I talk about it regularly when given the chance. They apologized for asking me to do double duty, but I said it was a pleasure and Clint later replied to the counselor that I am already doing it, no need to think it's additional work. I'm excited and I believe I've found the person who was calling for me the other day (about a month ago I blogged an account of hearing a voice).
Life is bright and hot around here. Just in time to walk around and track down fire hydrants. :)
Monday, July 28, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
New Job and Clint's news
Well I finally started my job this week. Who would of thought that I've have to have a drug test, flexibility test, hearing test, eye test and a physical-all before I could fill out new hire paperwork and start a part-time job. But I obviously cleared with flying colors and began yesterday. I will be heading up a fire hydrant inventory project with the City of Garland. I will have to go and visit every fire hydrant in th city-not so bad right? I got onto the GIS intranet site and selected the fire districts, the fire houses, and then I selected the fire hydrant option. The city changed from 11 colored areas to a leparous red. I just about dropped my jaw in amazement and wondered exactly how many of these little red hydrants there might be. My boss popped his head in the door and I asked him. Oh, about 7,000 he said. WOW, not just a few hundred, but several thousands. No wonder they hired me-I won't be returning to school and leaving the project unfinished next month. It'll probably take 6 months to complete. Then I went to a meeting with the water department and the fire department heads to talk about the project. We wondered what information they would want to know about the hydrants and if we could get their help. I'd heard that fire fighters had had a few problems of fire hydrants not being in the location that the map showed when they'd pull up to a fight a fire. I then learned that sometimes the hydrants will be there, but not work. Wouldn't that be important information to know before you got to a fire? So, I'm very excited to be working on this project-it makes me wonder about the hydrant across the street. I might call the fire department and ask the last time it was checked or had maintenance...hmmm...
Clint and I went to have physicals a few weeks ago. We have different doctors, but I believe I'll be switching to his from now on. My doctor wasn't as thorough as Clint's. His doctor asked him a bunch of questions. Also, he spent 2 1/2 hrs at the doctors and I spent 1/2hr. But, when the doctor heard my heart beat they didn't hook me up to an EKG like Clint's did. His pulse was below the normal 60; it was in the 40's. The nurse had a look of shock when she took his pulse. After the EKG the doctor asked Clint a few questions that Clint confirmed and then he gave the diagnosis: Sinus Bradycardia, which means Clint's heart is so good he just might live to be 130-his goal.
Another thing that's come from the doctor visit is that Clint is in no danger of having a heart attack. His cholesterol is so low it's abnormal. No family history ever of anyone having a heart attack, and I've tried to have him cut down on his fat intake-no need, he has a 'no stick' policy with his veins. He says just call me "Teflon Don".
The last thing is that his platelet count is low. So, he went back on Tuesday for another blood test. Then he went back today for yet another blood test. The second blood test showed low hemoglobin and low hematocrit. So this third time around they took more blood than the first 2 times and we think he probably has anemia, but we'll wait to hear what the doctor says. Meanwhile Clint's spending hours at the computer applying to jobs-that's his new job. ha,ha,ha.
Clint and I went to have physicals a few weeks ago. We have different doctors, but I believe I'll be switching to his from now on. My doctor wasn't as thorough as Clint's. His doctor asked him a bunch of questions. Also, he spent 2 1/2 hrs at the doctors and I spent 1/2hr. But, when the doctor heard my heart beat they didn't hook me up to an EKG like Clint's did. His pulse was below the normal 60; it was in the 40's. The nurse had a look of shock when she took his pulse. After the EKG the doctor asked Clint a few questions that Clint confirmed and then he gave the diagnosis: Sinus Bradycardia, which means Clint's heart is so good he just might live to be 130-his goal.
Another thing that's come from the doctor visit is that Clint is in no danger of having a heart attack. His cholesterol is so low it's abnormal. No family history ever of anyone having a heart attack, and I've tried to have him cut down on his fat intake-no need, he has a 'no stick' policy with his veins. He says just call me "Teflon Don".
The last thing is that his platelet count is low. So, he went back on Tuesday for another blood test. Then he went back today for yet another blood test. The second blood test showed low hemoglobin and low hematocrit. So this third time around they took more blood than the first 2 times and we think he probably has anemia, but we'll wait to hear what the doctor says. Meanwhile Clint's spending hours at the computer applying to jobs-that's his new job. ha,ha,ha.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
4th of July
Since we live in the country now, and a major firework holiday is upon us, there are several firework stands around us. Three of them are literally down the main road about 2 miles. Clint and I took a walk the other night into the back part of our neighborhood where there are ponds and corn fields. While there we saw and heard fireworks going off on the main road in our subdivision that almost goes to the lake. There aren't any houses off this part of the main road yet, so no big deal. Then we've heard and seen a few more fireworks around the streets near our house.
Well, last night at 11:30pm there were fireworks going off in our backyard (practically). The weather is so nice and cool at night that we open up our windows and enjoy the cool breeze that comes through. Well, if you can image what it's like to be awakened while in the middle of sleeping to fireworks going off right outside your bedroom window, then you will know what we went through. We are awakened to bright lights and loud noise. Then it stops and we grumble and then 2 minutes later it happens again. Clint gets up to look out the window and try to determine where they're coming from. Then after it stops he says ' I know what'll happen if I go out there, they'll say -it's 4th of July coming up man." Then he says, 'oh, and it just happens to be the day before the day before the 4th of July.' So, Clint decides to get dressed and go outside anyway and he comes back a little while later. He crawls into bed and askes if anymore fireworks went off. I said no. Then he tells me, that while he's going around with a flashlight looking into peoples backyards he realizes that the security camera (posted on our street by the builders) is probably filming him and he might just look like a burglar. Ha, ha, so he stopped looking and came back in. Hopefully we won't have any more late night firework shows. We can only image slightly what it would be like to live in a war zone. We couldn't quite wake up and we couldn't quite go back to sleep because our brains were on high alert, but our bodies weren't willing to follow.
Oh, I forgot to mention that it's against our HOA rules to shoot off fireworks in our subdivision. But, hey we're in country now right?
Well, last night at 11:30pm there were fireworks going off in our backyard (practically). The weather is so nice and cool at night that we open up our windows and enjoy the cool breeze that comes through. Well, if you can image what it's like to be awakened while in the middle of sleeping to fireworks going off right outside your bedroom window, then you will know what we went through. We are awakened to bright lights and loud noise. Then it stops and we grumble and then 2 minutes later it happens again. Clint gets up to look out the window and try to determine where they're coming from. Then after it stops he says ' I know what'll happen if I go out there, they'll say -it's 4th of July coming up man." Then he says, 'oh, and it just happens to be the day before the day before the 4th of July.' So, Clint decides to get dressed and go outside anyway and he comes back a little while later. He crawls into bed and askes if anymore fireworks went off. I said no. Then he tells me, that while he's going around with a flashlight looking into peoples backyards he realizes that the security camera (posted on our street by the builders) is probably filming him and he might just look like a burglar. Ha, ha, so he stopped looking and came back in. Hopefully we won't have any more late night firework shows. We can only image slightly what it would be like to live in a war zone. We couldn't quite wake up and we couldn't quite go back to sleep because our brains were on high alert, but our bodies weren't willing to follow.
Oh, I forgot to mention that it's against our HOA rules to shoot off fireworks in our subdivision. But, hey we're in country now right?
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