Meet Virginia

"Is that a bruise?" Everyone asks me about Keira's arm.

"No it's just a birthmark."

"You know, I have a birthmark too. Right here on my leg. I had forgotten about it until today." She was a thin woman of 92, wrinkled from head to toe with wispy white hair. She hiked up her skirt to show me the mark her thigh which I was unable to distinguish from the age spots. I couldn't imagine being so comfortable in my own wrinkled skin. It was admirable, yet disturbing.

She went on to tell me about the time she died. She had her gall bladder removed when she was in her 20s and died on the operating table. She told me her memories from the other side of the veil and how they sent her back because she still had a purpose on earth. Her subject matter of choice made me wonder if she was old and senile or if she had treasured knowledge to share.

She went on to tell me about how she knows things before they happen, citing an instance where she dreamed of a rock slide that blocked a river. A few days later, there was a rock slide in Yosemite, exactly and she dreamed. I believed her because I have the same gift of knowing things before they happen and the spirit testified as to the truth of her words. Her pale blue eyes stared straight into mine as she told me the importance of documenting important things that happen in your life- something that I try very hard to do.

She took me by both hands, looked me straight in the eye and said, "I don't know why I'm telling you these things, but I know that I love you. There is something very special about you and I know I was supposed to give you this message and I love you very much."

Tears filled my eyes as I felt a connection I had never felt before. The feeling of souls communicating. Looking at her felt like I was looking in a mirror. Though we had just met, I knew we were not strangers. Her name was Virginia and I hope to meet her again.

Green Trees

I love my new apartment. It is on a quiet side street and has the greatest density of trees in the whole city. My car and house are never in the sun and I finally have a window in front of my kitchen sink providing an awesome view of the beautiful shade trees outside.

There are green trees everywhere... including my bathroom. It's true. Green, beige, gold, silver metallic leaves. Who was the fool who decided that this was the perfect wallpaper to put in every unit and then decided not to allow tenant alterations??? Maybe it was some kind of cruel joke? I'm not really sure, but I did the best I could with the horrible hand I was dealt. After visiting several stores and making a few purchases and returns, with the help of my mom and sister I managed to pick out a shower curtain, towels, and a few accessories to dull the disgustingness. I still need to put the pictures on the wall and add a couple finishing touches, but it is definitely looking better than it did.

Little Walkie Girl

Keira is 10 months old! She is looking much more like a toddler these days than a baby, which makes me very sad. I think baby's need to grow about half as fast so we can enjoy them twice as long. In the past month...

She learned how to WALK and can walk across the room now!

She got to go on the swings at the park and LOVES them.

She says Mama all the time and has even said Bye Bye. She has said Grandma, Dada, and Uh Oh before but she hasn't said them since!

She learned how to open the cabinets and drawers in the kitchen and likes to pull everything out.

She started making the most hilarious ornery face when she wants to get her way. She sticks her out her lips and breathes in and out of her nose all loud. Like so...

She got her first tooth on top, which makes a total of 5 teeth. It's not the middle tooth though, it's on the side!

She learned how to make a kissing sound.

She loves to play a game where she tries to sneak places she is not supposed to be then when you see her and say, "HEY!" She squeals then takes off all fast.

I sure love my little walkie girl.

On The Move

As it turns out, Keira isn't the only one on the move around here. Now we're all moving! After 3 years in our little apartment, nearly one year of it sharing our one room with the baby, we are finally moving into a 2 bedroom apartment!

We put in our 30 day notice yesterday, but you couldn't pay us to wait that long to move. We're so done with the crazy upstairs neighbor who stomps as if she weighs 300 pounds. No longer will we be able to hear our neighbors pee in the toilet above our heads. No more late night bedroom activities and bi-monthly breakups. Girl Upstairs, I say unto you, "Good riddance!" Unsympathetic Landlord, the same goes for you!

In just a week and a half I will be enjoying my 2 bedroom, 2 bath single level apartment with washer and dryer hookups, fireplace, and garage and nothing can stop me! Moving day will be Saturday, August 22nd so feel free to come help!

A Step in the Right Direction

Keira is a very special baby. At such a young age, she has already received a miracle of healing allowing her to overcome her spinal cord cyst and regain her strength. She went from being way behind in her development to being ahead of most babies her age. It's as if God didn't want us worrying any more, so he left us no doubt about her physical abilities.

As soon as she could stand, that's all she wanted to do. She much preferred being on her feet than crawling. Then as soon as she could stand, she took a great interest in walking. She quickly learned how to walk around furniture and walls and loved when we would walk her across the room saying, "Walky walky, Baby. Walky walks!"

Every time she stood up on her own, I would encourage her to take steps with no luck- until today. I stood her a few steps in front of me and let her get her balance. Then, while Art watched, I let go and she took her first two steps. She did it two times in a row! She hasn't totally taken off across the room yet, but she is definitely walking at nine months old just like I did.

"Standy Uppies, Baby!"

A New Life

I finally got my braces off today and I never expected this day to be full of so many emotions. I am so excited just to have straight teeth again and hopeful that my corrected bite will result in some relief for my jaw joint disorder. I have suffered for the past three years with my jaw telling me when I'm done eating instead of my stomach. I can't bite into an apple or eat corn on the cob. I can hardly make it through a sandwhich or a hamburger. I can't kiss, I can't even smile like I used to. You don't realize just how much you use your jaw for until it doesn't work right.

As a young adult with braces, I have been very self conscious about my braces for the past two years and constantly felt like my appearance dwarfed my professionalism. I am already very young, working in a world of people twice my age, so I feel like I have to constantly fight to prove I'm not a kid which is hard to do when you have braces on. I'm just glad that my appearance will reflect my age now.

More than any other emotion I have felt today, I feel a huge sense of accomplishment and independence. When I got my braces on, I was under the impression that my dad's dental insurance would pay for half of the cost. The day after I got my braces on, my dad e-mailed me and told me that he took me off of his insurance. I was devastated. Even though it has been difficult for me to pay the approximately six thousand dollar bill, I did it- and I did it myself. Looking back, I realize that was the final tie I had to my father and it solidified my independence from him and helped me learn I can provide for myself entirely.

Lastly, I am so glad to be done with the conflict with my old orthodontist who totally screwed me over. I feel like I finally won the battle. It's so good to not have a daily reminder of him in my mouth any more. Never ever go to Dr. Donald Snyder. EVER. I mean it. I do, however highly recommend Dr. Bruce Havens, who finished up my braces when no one else would even take a look at them. Even though it cost me more to have them finished somewhere else, I knew I had to stand up for myself and defend the truth.

I feel like today was the dawn of a new life- a life without braces- a life of independence.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER