Technology and Me

Today, in the course of a discussion with Desi, it slipped out that I had started this blog. The fact is, I am basically writing it for my children and grandchildren - but I don't really think that there will be much of interest for them - at least until I am gone. And some might argue that might not even happen LOL. Anyway, because of the discussion that ensued Desi helped me with the finer aspects of the blog (like color, wallpaper, etc.). In fact, if you could have been here while she tried to help me put up a picture of Glory on the 7th you would have died laughing - we nearly did! And to her credit - she was absolutely the most patient person in the world - didn't even make me feel stupid - but I am sure she must have thought so!!!!LOL Thanks so much Des - I'll be calling you;)

And to Cherstin - thank you for being interested! And for your comment! (I learned about them from Desi this morning when she was helping me but I never dreamt that I would get one!) And did you see Chuck this evening? We have finished the 1st season and after watching last night and tonight's there is obviously a lot we don't know! We're waiting for netflix too!

Thought that I would continue my 2009 in review - and this might be a long process so I think I'll do this in bites. So, I'll finish out January tonight. I just am verbose - what can you say?!

When I had packed out of the house in 2008 in preparation to move I had hurt my knee. I had an mri done on New Year's Eve and finally saw an orthopedic dr. in January. He told me that he could do an arthroscopic knee procedure and clean out the debris and the miniscus that I had torn. I didn't feel great about that - so I got a different opinion and went with that option. He gave me a steroid injection into the knee and that helped immeasurably while he started the ball rolling for insurance approval for a series of injections called synvisc that he thought might give me some help. Basically, the knees are shot - both are bone on bone and need replacement...but he feels that I am too young to do that unless he has too. The goal is to get me through the next five years first. However, losing weight and increasing muscle is the absolute best thing that I can do - and a year later (2010) I am right where I was on that front then...but I am working on it!

In January Dan deployed to "the desert." He would be gone for the next four months so Cherstin, Abby, and Emmett came to be with us while he was gone. It was so much fun - for me and Rich! But, first we have to get them here so I flew out to Oklahoma so that we could drive out to Tennessee in her van with the kids.

I remember vividly flying into Oklahoma City. For some reason the view I had was spectacular and very impressive. All the roads and bridges, skyscrapers, farms, and industry that surrounded me caused me to marvel and to wonder. I realized that most of the "heavy lifting" of society and the dreaming of how to make life easier and better was done by men - in a very macro way. Good, decent men who sought to tame a wilderness, land, infrastructure, the internet, provide safety and security for individuals and a world, to build cars and trucks, homes, and businesses by which I, as a person, so take for granted. Do I know that there are some dirtbags out there - yes, do I realize that some do these things only for the money, power, or self-aggrandizement - yes. But the vast majority of the men I know go to work everyday to make life better for me and for my family and for their families and for the rest of society. I was filled with gratitude for men and all the work they do. Too often the feminist movement and society in general has mocked, ridiculed, or trivialized men and their work and indicted them for being "male." And, they have just put up with it. Often times they have taken the criticism and tried really hard to make life better, more fair, more equal for the women of their lives and for society. I am grateful for that and have benefited by that too - but then - isn't that just another example of how much they do to make our lives better? But unfortunately, too often the indictment has been wrong and to those wonderful men who are just that - wonderful - thank you. You deserve our sincere appreciation and respect. You need to know that you truly do make a difference that blesses all of our lives and that we couldn't and probably wouldn't do it. But then - I suspect you already know that we (the women of your lives) are so focused on our immediate families (the micro part of the equation) that we don't even think in these terms. I suspect that is why the scriptures record that God created the earth - not our mother in heaven. Two totally different focuses - both vitally important for His family. Thanks again, guys.

Cherstin and the kids met me at the airport and we picked up some lunch and headed right out of town, travelin' to Tennessee. The kids did wonderfully! Movies and cd's sure make quicker trips. We stopped at Walmarts to stretch, and McDonalds to eat and play...but all in all it was a wonderful trip for me. When we got back home (the apartment) it was early in the morning - but Emmett and Abby were so excited to be out of the car - I'm afraid that Cherstin didn't get to bed until 4-ish but I was grateful that the trip had been so good and that we had arrived home safely.