And I'm Back

Yikes, I haven't updated this in far too long. I have been pretty busy with all sorts of crazy stuff. Two weeks ago I was visiting my parents. Curt was in Pennsylvania with his family staying in cabins. Sounded pretty rustic to me. 

On August 14 my dad had heart surgery. Here's the after result, taken in the last couple days:

Pretty gross, huh? He had mitral valve repair via the da Vinci surgery robot. The big gash near his nipple was where the surgeon also had to cut him open a little more and go in with his own two hands. That's the biggest cut, and it's only 3.5 inches or so. We were really blessed with medical technology in Grand Rapids, without that robot it would have been open heart/slice him apart surgery. You'd be looking at a much different picture if that was the case! The other big hole is where his chest drainage tube was. That was the last thing to come out. The rest it just nasty bruising from all the hemming and hawing the doctors had to do. Most importantly though, a smile on his face. He's feeling tons better than last week when he was stuck in the hospital. It was pretty bad for a few days, but he's home now and my mom even let him stay by himself today. He can't lift his right arm over his head, that will come when he heals a little more. We are so thankful that he is doing well and will soon be back to his old self! 
So his surgery was on Thursday, and we spent ALL DAY in the hospital. At 6:50 Friday morning, I boarded a plane to meet Curt and his family in PA. That made for a very long couple days, but I was happy everything worked out. 
Friday night we attended the rehearsal dinner for Curt's uncle, who was getting married Saturday. We stayed at this cute little inn near Kate's (the bride) family farm where the wedding was. Friday night I slept like a rock for the first time in a week. Saturday we all got ready for the wedding, then off to the wedding we went. 

It was such a beautiful setting over looking the hills. Greg (the groom) made that alter, he's very handy.

Kate was an absolutely gorgeous bride. Her whole ensemble was so her. 

We had a wonderful time at the wedding, it was a perfect afternoon, although the evening did get quite cold. Everyone let loose and had their sweatshirts and jackets on while dancing the night away. 

Sunday after the wedding we made our way back to Michigan with Curt's family. From their house Curt & I made our way back to Grand Rapids. We were worried that we would then have to make our way from there to Anderson, but luckily (?) I didn't get a job I was planning on, so we stuck around GR for a couple days. 

Monday my sister moved back to college, so I stayed at the hospital all day while my mom helped her move in. I never want to spend that much time in a hospital again, what a drain! Amidst all that chaos, my mom's car had to go into the shop (turned out to just be a headlight that needed replacing - how embarrassing) so we were shuffling cars around. 

I forget when we actually headed back for Anderson, but that day we also had to drop Curt's dad's van off at the Grand Rapids Airport because he was flying in. Curt drove it in, parked it, and then I went in after him. I felt like maybe we were doing something illegal, but we didn't get caught and they haven't chased us down yet. 

So here we are back in Anderson for a week or so now. I've been applying for a job, we need something because we are both just left with substituting, which doesn't really pay the bills. I have an interview tomorrow at Sears. Not the place I want to work for the rest of my life, but working there for the time being will help us get by. 

In the past week we have been busy getting settled in the house again. I finished these socks:

We caught this spider:

Gross, I know. We killed it shortly after this picture was taken. RIP, spider. 

Let's see.. what else have I been up to? Besides that spider moving in, we have also dealt with hornets and ants. I can't figure out where the hornets are coming from, I found their hole on the opposite side of the house, and that goes into the basement. I think they are coming up into our living room through the basement via the heating vents or something. Is that possible? We need an exterminator. 

Yeah, that's all I can think of for now. I need to finish a baby quilt and then start a horse quilt for my cousin. Best get to that now before I land a job that will take all my time.. 

 

Back From Vacation Again

I have been camping in Muskegon for a week, and really enjoyed myself. We have been going to the state park for my whole life, so I consider it more our summer home. We were able to hit the beach everyday and my tan even caught up to my sisters, who has been a nanny all summer that takes the kids to the pool everyday. So needless to say, my weeklong tan is much more impressive than her summer-long tan. I much prefer myself tan!

Can we talk about the olympics? Like how the women's gymnastics were throwing away the competition? Falling on their butts, stepping out of bounds, totally screwing up? At least a couple of them were able to pull it together and qualify. Gymnastics is just about the only sport I will go out of my way to watch. I do enjoy the other sports, but there is just something about gymnastics that has always inspired. 

Swimming has been exciting; lots of record breaking. Oh, and this afternoon we saw synchronized diving, which was very cool. Also, did you see the pouring rain happening at the beach volleyball? That would not be a beach day at all, glad that wasn't my beach! 

While at the beach this past week I finished "Baby Proof" by Emily Giffin. I love this lady and her books. I have also read "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue" and now I can't wait to get my hands on "Love The One Your With" which is her latest. Her books are smart and funny, easy reads but more depth than my typical beach books. They take twists and turns you never see coming, but they all end with a satisfying touch. I insist every lady read them. 

Now I am reading "The Appeal" by John Grisham. I also love his books, I still have many to read unlike my mom and Curt, who read them as they are released. I have been slowly working my way through his collection; read a book, what the movie adaptation (the books are always better.) I am only a few pages in, so I can't give a review yet. 

11:30? That means it's time for me to go to bed. What a loser; my parents have gotten me on their schedule so I now get tired around 10 pm and wake up at 9:30 am. Much different than my and Curt's 4am/1pm sleeping/waking schedule. I have to stick to this early to bed, early to rise nonsense though, because school starts August 18 and now that I am a permanent substitute, I have to get up even earlier. Curt better not try to mess my schedule up, he always does. Yup, definitely time for bed. I'll stay up a few more seconds to catch the end of this swim relay ... they are shattering the world record ... USA should get the silver ... oh my, the announcers are screaming ... USA TAKES GOLD right at the end! Plus a new world record. "That might be the most incredible relay sprint I have ever seen in my life" - NBC announcer. Wow, that was close, neck-and-neck, wow. The announcers are still going crazy with 80 different angled replays. Michael Phelps is going crazy, the whole team is going crazy, everyone is going crazy; expect that is, France. This is why I love the olympics. Dang, now I have to stay awake and watch the medals and after-race interviews. Wait... TV in the bedroom, thanks, Mom & Dad.