My Engizer Bunny

This is just one of the assignments I turned in last semester for my writing assignment. I may have edited slightly even more. :)

Let me first describe the car I have been driving for the last 9 and half years of my marriage. When I got married on the first of July in 2000, I inherited this 1991 Ford Escort hatchback. It was in fair condition then, the stereo worked great, the heat and a/c were alright, and it got great gas mileage, 30 miles to the gallon to be exact. Since that time, the car we have come to call the energizer bunny has detiorated. The new free enhanced features include the cracked bumper from 2 different car accidents my husband was apart of. The odometer has been turned over twice from mileage on it. The heat just got worse, to the point that I have been wearing gloves and full snow gear to and from work this past Christmas. During the summer I felt like I needed a shower after each car ride because the lack of air conditioning. The black color of the car didn’t help the heat either, just kicked up the temperature a few degrees as it sat sun bathing while I was taking a respite away from it. I don’t really want to mention the sweat beads from the summer prior. The door handle on the drivers side broke off entirely, and my husband being the ingenious man that he is got a good old sturdy belt and bolted it to the door, so that we had a handle. The ceiling fabric decided it needed a semi-separation from the rest of the car, to the point that it decided to tear off and hang down in my face every time I drove to let me know that it was dissatisfied. The automatic shoulder belt that it came with also decided to start being stubborn and decided that it wasn’t moving for anyone. So manually I have been buckling my self in, to this supposed automatic contraption. A large crack that was originally quite small, has now covered the width of the dashboard, and serenades me by rattling at stop lights. This car has kept going despite so many things wrong with it I can’t help but have some affection for its fortitude.
This car has brought home 2 out of my 3 children from the hospital. She has taken me to work at all hours of the day, with little complaint as long as she was allowed her time to wake up if it was cold outside. She has survived at least 4 flat tires, all at separate times and convinced my husband that I know how to find every nail, pot hole, surprise curb any where inside the Salt Lake Valley.
When the stereo started to go out, it started out slowly. If you gave it a good hard hit to the side of the upgraded stereo system it would usually turn back on at first. It became more fical and decided that it was too good or too new for the rest of the car after a while and just decided that it wasn’t going to work for any one or anything despite the abuse it would receive to get it to work. It would surprise us every now and then and sporadically turn on for a few minutes to let us know that it deserved better, and then quickly turned back off again. This has lead to many conversations between my husband and I, as well as many home sung kids songs to keep the kids entertained. Conversations about life and what my kids saw on the way too and from stores, politics, what made things work, and/or hopes and dreams.
The heat combined with the rolled down windows made my oldest child accustomed to having wind in her face from a very young age. My son has made jokes that he felt more alive when the wind was in his face because of the rolled down windows.
The windshield had traveled behind many a semi truck on rocky roads. At dusk and dawn the windshield had tiny little sparkles of light hit it just right and you thought you were seeing a work of art from how many little tiny dizzy stars reflected light across the whole of the window. It blinded you with its beauty, and you would have to concentrate hard to see that you weren’t going to run into the car in front of you through its dusk and dawn artwork.
It has outlived 1997 minivan that we had for a time. While the ’97 minivan only lasted us the 3 years it took us to pay for it, this energizer bunny that was paid for the day it was purchased lived a longer less luxurious life.
This car has also hit a dog. It was a very sad day, and we thought for sure that it was seriously hurt. Until we see the dog sprint back up and run to its owner across the street. We felt very sorry for it, and started to apologize profusely for my husband’s brick foot. The owner simply stated that the dog couldn’t die. This particular dog had been purposely poisoned by ill intentioned neighbors a few times and she simply refused to die, also that this was her 3rd time getting hit by a car. I think that my car saw a kindred spirit and had to say hello. I think it had to take part of the dog with it. We had noticed that part of the dogs ear was gone and wasn’t sure to be concerned. The teenage owner wasn’t overly concerned so we let it go. Until about a month later the brakes were making a screeching noise. So my husband and father in law took what would be a reoccurring theme of looking at the noisy brakes. My father in law was laughing with my husband when I came down to ask how they were doing and if they had found the problem. My father in laws sun weathered face hid a slight snicker, and then he put on a straight face as possible and said that something had gotten caught in the brakes. “What was it?” I asked. My husband pulled me into the crook of his shoulder, and said “You remember that dog we hit? We think it’s a part of his ear.” My cars memento had to be taken away. I don’t think it was entirely okay with that.
This last year as I would travel the I-15 for a half hour, the car started to politely let me know that it wasn’t feeling well. It started out with a slight rattle, that turned into an extreme shake as the speedometer approached anything close to 60 mph. After a few weeks of this it decided to say that it was going delirious and the speedometer would fly all over the place if you went any speed above 30 mph. After informing my husband he took it to the doctor, and paid more to the mechanic than what the car was worth to fix it to working order.
A month later I felt my nerves begin to fray when I had to apply the brakes on my energizer bunny. It made a horrible screeching noise and felt my foot skip a little with the depressed brake peddle. It again needed to have something checked. After my husband and father replaced both the brakes and the calipers on the car, my husband told me that we had to get a new car. He was done working on this car. He was afraid that it would need more constant repairs and that we couldn’t keep fixing it. Also that he was fearful of me driving it to and from work and that he lost sleep whenever I had to drive the car home from work late at night. I married my husband not his car, and as much as I was fond of the Energize Bunny I was going to have to buy a new car.
As I vacuumed, washed, dusted my old friend to sell her to the highest bidder, I found my 4 year olds binky from when she was a baby. I found wood chips in the crevices from when they “decorated” our car on our wedding day. I got the pennies that were stuck to the cup holders from leaked soda pop. One penny was stubborn and I couldn’t get it out and figured that is was my cars memento of us. I had to say good bye to this friend who had served its purpose well.
I feel kind of like I’m abandoning an old friend in my energizer bunny, but I like the new friend I’m making in my 2007 used Galant with only 48,000 miles on it. She keeps me warmer, and defrosts the back window for me, so I don’t have to get out and scrape it. The air conditioning freezes me out if I don’t pay attention to the setting. The radio with CD player works great, along with an MP3 connection port. She smells nice and non musty. I just hope the Galant serves me as well and as long as my Energizer Bunny did.

Summer is over way to fast

As I get ready to do everything I need to head back into school. I look over the past 2 months of summer and wonder where the time has gone. I am still as tired when I was in school, maybe not as entirely as stressed. So what have I done with my time?
Well, I've gotten my gallbladder removed. Gone on Vacation for my 10th wedding anniversary down to Cedar City. I've played with my kids a bit.
I was going to go through another de-junking session this summer. My husband was thrilled at the idea. I did get rid of 2 boxes worth, but still far from where I want to be. There were things I wanted to post through out the summer and never did. A few of my writing assignments I wanted to post as a blog, because I didn't think they were half bad. So over the next few days you know what you will most likely find on this blog. One will be an ode to an old reliable car. The others is about my father in-laws study, pre-make over.
So the real point of this blog, is like many others, a quick update.
Oh, and thats right I celebrated Pioneer day last night in the ER with Trev because he ran into a small rose bush. After we had tried to pull out all the thorns and branches in his one leg, there was one spot we could not pull anything more out of tweezers, pocket knifes, and pinching his poor leg. There was something still in his leg that we could just not get out. So we tried the Instacare at the new Riverton Hospital out here. It was closed at 5pm because of the holiday and we got there shortly before 9pm. So we ended up in the ER before the mad rush of idiot laden firework stupidity rained into the emergency rooms doors. The were able to get it out after numbing his leg and digging around in the wound a bit to get the tiny piece of wood out of his shin. The took x-rays to make sure that they got it all out. Learned also that if it was from gravel, or rock, or metal they would be less worried about taking it out. They said that plant life will run a higher risk of becoming infected in a wound. Also they would have stitched it back up, but because of the risk of infection they won't. So we set off fire works in the front yard tonight at 7pm, with it still very light out for my sons benefit because he missed the nights before. I can't help but wonder how crazy the neighbors think we are right now. :) We did them early because Ali and Trev both go back to school tomorrow. So such ends there 3 weeks off for the summer.
Mad dash for school again in the morning.
So here is back to school for all involved. May it be as fun as it always has been, or perhaps a little more fun. :)

Summer here yet?

Just a quick update. I'm still in school. OY! So tired, can't wait for summer. The kids are doing well right now. Trev is reading on a sixth grade level in 1st grade. Ali also reads at at least that level, other than her comprehension isn't very great when she reads that high, so she is having to build her comprehension skills. Brie still loves Miss Sandy. She gets upset when she finds out that she doesn't have school in the morning. That and she gets upset when she finds out that I do have school or work that day. Matt is now the reading parent in Ali's class, and is volunteering more at the school, he continues to cook, do laundry, and supports me in going back to school. I think he misses me kinda though. I miss seeing him more. Mostly the time we just get to be in the same room together instead of seperate ones while I do homework, and he falls asleep waiting for me to finish my homework. Speaking of sleeping and homework, I should be doing one of those 2 things right now. I have a Math midterm on Wednesday, and a major paper due on Buffy the Vampire slayer season 2 episode 6 for my writing class. I had other options, but proving a paper on Buffy was a lot more fun. So good night to all, or good homework with the way my brain is fried. :)

homework help?

Yeah, I know I'm slacking. I just have to choose carefully what I slack at right now. School, work, kids and sleep. All of those need to take precedence in my life right now, so why am I up typing on my neglected blog? Quite frankly I'm hoping for some inspiration. I have a short writing assignment due on Wednesday, and lacking inspiration. Both girls are sick, Trev's fine, I'm a little sleep deprived, because Brie was keeping me awake most of the night. We have come to the conclusion once again, that having one of our kids sleep in our bed makes us all cranky the next day. My first 2 papers I could find inspiration, from a little guidance the professor gave. Well, since class was canceled last week, last minute, I'm a little unclear on what he wants me to write about. So I was hoping some one had something that they would like to hear about that I could talk about for about 500 words. I'll take any suggestion.

Can you spell.....

Too much going on. Not that, that in and of its self anything new. Getting ready to start school again next week. Nervous as cat getting a bath. Not ticked as said cat though. Matt's Great Grandma Thacker is back in the hospital, they found blood clots in her lungs. She is a wonderfully stubborn woman, and I'm quite sure this will not stop her. Just another bump along the way. (this is the same woman who had a stroke a year ago, and still managed to make her homemade chocolates for her kids and grand kids for Christmas. She is not going to stop fighting, and I'm proud of her for it!) Kids are back in school. THANK HEAVENS!!! I know... I know... I sound like every other parent out there right now. Just wait till you have to send your kids to bed just on the basis that you are so tired of hearing them fight over who got to say the prayer on the food last, or who pushed who over the cliff on Mario Brothers. I wouldn't trade them for the world.
So the funny blurb-or inappropriate blurb for the day. Trev came home and asked Matt "Dad spell I cup for me please." Matt of course saw right through it and told him it was inappropriate. However, it did not stop him from asking his grandma Thacker, who fell hook line and sinker into it, and she laughed. So of course we had to have the lecture again on how it would not be appropriate for that to really happen.

Emotional Gush.

So here I am blogging under my influence of sleepiness. LOL! I think it is the only time I blog. I have to say that there is so much to be grateful for in my life. I have three little sleep kids that are currently all healthy. (meaning they are all off antibiotics finally. We have had strep go through our family twice...) A husband who is softly snoring next to me, who worried about me the whole drive home from work on slippery roads. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, people who love me and care for me. I have employment. I have a relationship/talking with all of my siblings. I still love each one of them despite all of their faults and their trials, and I would not trade a single one of them. I know that my Mom and Dad love me and support me through a lot, and never reserve the love they have for me. That is a huge blessing that I don't think I could put a price too. I am grateful to have good in laws that have brought more family to spend time with that help my husband, my kids and myself in other aspects of our life. I have a good mother in law who has a heart of gold and tries to do everything she can, to the point where she stays up later than she usually does. (Reminds me of my mom) I have a good Father in law who has helped fix many car/house hold repairs, (much like my own father). I have great family. We haven't always been this way, and I know that it won't always be perfectly peaceful among all of them. I do know that I will always love them, and that because we are family we love each other unconditionally, and try to work past our differences of opinion, and love each other. We all have financial struggles, illnesses, trials, hurt feelings, frustrations. But I know that when I need to call one of them that I can, and that they love me even if they can't help me right at that moment. WOW! I'm gushy mess!
Something also occurred to me today. While I was at work I was talking to one of my sisters on the phone and before I hung up, I told her I loved her. A coworker of mine found it odd that I would say it so freely. I simply stated that I love my sister and had no problem saying it. It's nice to feel loved, and hearing it can never happen enough. I'm glad I was raised that way. :)

Can't sleep

I'm looking for a cure. Not a huge cure, just something that will work. You see it is now 45 minutes past midnight and I am still wired awake. Why you ask? Simple, I worked a 13 hour shift today and I can't wind my brain down. You would think I would be exhausted. I am that, my feet are killing me, my back says lay down, relax, but my brain is going on full bore. So does any one have any cures that will be able to help me fall asleep sooner.... I know there are sleep aids, but I can barely handle NyQuil....so I'm more than apprehensive about that.... So any normal methods of winding down that might help me?