Duck and cover!

I have grown up in tornado alley.  Currently, in central AR we are NOT in
tornado alley.  Now this is difficult for me to believe considering the
amount of tornadoes we have every year.  Last night was the first time in
many years that I have actually taken cover for a tornado.  The last time I
remember doing it was in high school during the school day.  Our "cover" was
out in the hallway.  You would think a north Texas school might have some
kind of a "safe room", but who knows, the hallways may have been built to
withstand tornadoes...?? 

Anyway, last night as I was driving home, I was listening to warning after
warning going on south of us.  I figured it would head our way soon.  I
wasn't concerned at the time b/c warnings are such a usual occurrence this
time of year.  We made it home and had dinner.  I flipped on the news and
saw that the storm was still going on.  Will wanted to play outside, ha!
Anyhow, around 7 or a little after it became clear that this cell, which had
produced tornadoes in Hot Springs, was now on a direct path to the tiny
little town we call home.  Queue sirens.

I'm watching the radar and that part of the line of storms that bows out was
centered on us.  Uh oh!  I actually felt the panic!  That is rare if you
know me at all.  At this same moment, John called to say he was heading
home.  He was northeast of home, and therefore safe (for the moment) but I
didn't want him driving directly into the storm now did I??  No, I did not.
So I asked him to stay with a friend (with a lower level to their spiffy new
house...) till it blew over.  He initially protested, "If something happens
to you guys I want to be there!"  Noble, yes, but a viable option?  No.
Because what if something happened to him while he was trying to get to us??
I don't want to be the one left behind.  Call me selfish, but I hope I'm the
first to go.  You know, after 80 or 90 more years. 

So it's been settled, John to friends house, baby, dog and myself to the
hallway.  I told Will we were going to get all our pillows and watch
spaceman (toy story 3) in the hall!  He could not have been more pleased.
We got all set up, and I went back and forth to watch the weather reports.
As the storm approached, we lost power.  Of course.  Wireless internet went
out and so did cell phone service.  I was actually really glad to be with
Will because I stayed relaxed for his sake.  I guess the power was off for
5-15 minutes, it was hard to gauge.  It seemed like a long time.  Oh and
that was when the quarter size hail started falling.  Will loved that.  Ice
balls?  From the sky?  Please can we go outside?  No.

I went to see the hail and grabbed some green beans out of the fridge.
Because you know, if our house got hit and we were trapped under some rubble
we would really be wanting some cold green beans...haha.  It wasn't too much
longer before the cell passed over us, and the tornado touched down about 8
miles north.  Exhale.  I saw videos of people in neighborhoods around us
that actually captured the wall/hook/touchdown of the tornado on their home
videos.  It was nuts.  To think that was going on in the sky right over me
and my firstborn.  And Winston, bless his little houndog heart.  He was
curled up under my legs.  Praise be to God who kept us safe. 

Another less organized cell passed by as well and John made it home sometime
around 8:30.  No damage for us, but not the case for others in AR and
surrounding states.  Please pray for those who lost property and loved ones
in this event! 

Note: I learned last night that DUCK is an acronym for tornado safety:
D-downstairs
U-under something
C-center of the house
K-keep away from windows

Be safe out there y'all.

I'm a pint low

I gave blood Friday.  I try to give as often as I can, but it boils down to
about twice a year.  I'm just kind of a weenie about it, I mean, it's a huge
needle in my arm depleting me of 1/8th of my life sustaining fluids.  They
don't say that in their ads, that wouldn't be appealing! 

When I was younger, our church seemed to do a blood drive every few months.
It was always on a Saturday, and I would go with my Dad.  He claimed to need
my help driving home (stick shift:).  I remember the big van, how cold it
was inside, the tiny cans of orange juice and the graham crackers he got to
munch on.  It just seemed so cool. 

At my first opportunity, a couple of months after I turned 17, the
blood-mobile came to my high school!  I was really excited.  Really.
Anyway, they sent me to the nurse to get weighed (I kept my backpack on,
that brought me up to 111 lbs!  Ha!) and proudly marched back to the big
cold van.  I guess I'd never paid too close attention to my Dad when they
got down to business...They stuck that needle in, and my whole breakfast
came up.  I blacked out and when I woke up I was covered (face, stomach and
arms) with cold, wet, compresses.  I threw up again and requested they
remove the needle from my vein. 

I felt so defeated. 

I had a series of bad "blood drawing" experiences after that.  It wasn't
until 2004 or 5 that I even attempted another donation.  I just really felt
the need.  I went with friends and it was fine.  Here's my pro's and con's
list, maybe you'll find a reason to give if you don't already!!

Pros:

1. Knowing you are doing something to help someone else.  Did you know that
only about 5% of the population donates blood, but that 25% of the
population will require at least one transfusion in their lifetime??  Are
you helping??

2. Potentially helping yourself; did you know that if you give say, 10 units
of blood, then if you have to have surgery and need a transfusion, you will
not be billed for the blood you use if you have donated enough to cover it?
Even though your actual blood will probably be going to someone else, it's
just their way of saying thanks and saving you some dough!

3. Fee snacks!  They let you, almost insist actually, that you sip a soda
while your arm is being mutilated.  I really do need this, it gives me
something else to think about.  They say the high sugar helps to keep you
from passing out.

4. New friends.  Because I am so squeamish, I definitely do not watch myself
get poked or anything after, and I have to keep talking or something to keep
my mind distracted.  I usually flag down anyone within eyesight that's not
too busy and make them stand and talk to me!  I have met several people from
my building and gotten to know lots of Red Cross workers this way :)  We
talk about kids, sports, weather, books, you name it, as long as there is
never a silence!

5. Cool sticker, I am the dork that keeps the sticker on all day!  "Be nice
to me, I gave blood today!".  Someone told me that there's a real reason to
wear it: if you happened to be in a car accident or something, the
paramedics would automatically know that you are short a unit of blood.
That would greatly influence the type of care you got.  And they would
probably pump that unit of blood right back in, ha!

Cons:

1. The sticking part.  Blah!  My arm aches, the needle is huge! (I think,
I'm not positive I've ever really seen it...) 

2. I am usually a little woozy for an hour or so.  But I also help myself to
as much food as I feel like that day b/c making new RBC's takes extra
calories!!

3. Lingering bruise.  (but it looks tough)

So you can clearly see that the positives outweigh the negatives.  If you'd
like to learn a little more about blood donation, click
here:http://www.mayoclinic.org/donate-blood-rst/know.html and get out there!
You too, could be a pint low :)

It's potty time!

So the day Will started walking I ran out and bought him a little potty chair.  I had read somewhere that if you have one around, they will get used to seeing it and one day start to use it.  I was really doubting this advice.  Will uses his potty as a toy holder.  A seat to sit on when he's tired.  His friends have used it as a hat, a stool or sometimes a weapon.

Most of the time I get followed into the bathroom and I will often ask Will if he wants to sit on his potty too.  He always says no, usually with indignation.

But last Saturday, he eagerly agreed!  And so it begins...

I have realized that I do not actually want to potty train Will.  We rarely have leaky diapers, we don't have to know where the nearest restroom is everywhere we go, we can go for a long drive without a second though, and while I don't love wiping other people's rears, (even cute ones!), I really don't love wiping poo out of a plastic potty chair!!

It really has been cool watching him get more and more interested in the process.  I wasn't even planning on starting this for many, many months.  But once he did it, it seems we've got to go ahead and pull the trigger.  I sure am not looking forward to the "accidents" in our future...

We have a little box that I covered in polka dot paper and Will decorated with stickers full of candy.  He gets to pick something out every time he goes.  Bribery is ok in this instance, right??  Tomorrow I think we're going to be taking a trip to pick out some big boy undies.  Since I work part time, I don't know how much consistency he'll get.  It may just be an "at home" thing for a long time.  Who knows.  

Not that we have totally known what we were doing this whole time, but we are definitely in uncharted territory now.  Oh well, that's parenting, right??  

Feel free to leave your advice below.... 

Peek a boo!

This is actually not about Will.  Although who would have thought that "peek a boo" could be such a hit of a game for the first 2+ years of a kids life?!
 

I peek at things.  

Anything that could possibly be a surprise in my life, I will try to ruin for myself.  I don't think I can help it.  As a child, my parents would hide birthday and Christmas gifts in the top of their closet. Every. Year.  For a while, I didn't even try to restrain myself.  But as I got older, I realized that there is much more joy in the actual opening of a gift if you are genuinely surprised.  So I tried to stop, but it didn't seem to take!  Sorry Mom and Dad!
 

In elementary school we played a great game, "Heads up 7 up".  Oh yeah, you remember loving it too!  Anyway, I would angle my face down so that I could see people's shoes!  How rotten am I?  I guess that falls into the category of cheating, not peeking...ugh.
 

When I knew John was ring shopping for me, I actually snooped in his wallet
for notes.  That one was pretty bad, I'll admit.  But I already knew a good
amount of detail, I was looking for a DATE!!

When I read books, and I am afraid someone I really like is going to die, I'll flip to the end and just skim for their name to try to determine if they made it!  I just can't seem to wait!

We will never be the couple who doesn't find out the sex of a baby.  And if you want to surprise us, steer clear of anything I have access to! 

Last year John put together a surprise birthday party for me (big 3-0) and it really was a surprise!  I will give him big time credit for that, bless his heart, he has to live with me and curiosity...

Whew.  I feel better.