WHAT? HE DIED?

When I got up this morning, I turned on the news and found out that M*chael J*ackson died yesterday. I am SHOCKED! He has been one of those familiar voices you never think twice about not hearing live again. It is very disturbing to me.

When all of us kids were young we used to listen to him on the radio all summer long. It wasn't something our mother approved of but when she was at work we would turn on the radio and there he was. I remember calling the radio station on our Mother's 30th birthday and asked them to broadcast it on the air. Of course, we had to leave it on when she got home so she could hear them announce her birthday to everyone listening and in the mean time... There he was, singing away: Just C*all M*y Name and I*ll Be There. I thought for sure we were going to get in trouble or have to turn it off and not get to hear them say Happy Birthday. I guess it was good it was one of his more kosher songs cause we didn't have to turn it off.

I always loved it when Wierd Al sang his spoof songs too. Just Eat It was such a cool version of MJ's B*eat It.

As an adult, I never got excited about hearing him but his presence was more nestalgic then anything elce. It always took me back to those rebellious moments of the 80's. Eesh.

75th %

Madeline just had another Dr. visit. She has been such a peanut most of her life... UNTIL NOW! Since February, she has grown an entire inch and gained 8.5lbs. I didn't believe her when she said the new (to her) shorts that her auntie Rachael just sent her were too tight. Thankfully not all of them are but, surprisingly some of them were and they are a size 10. A SIZE 10!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LORI!

Happy Birthday lil sis! (I have to specify lil here cause Ryan left a comment on Natalie's blog about the 3 little girls and Lori.) I'm glad you were always older in a lot of ways cause think of all the things we would have missed out on if you hadn't skipped your Junior year in high school and graduated with me. I will always cherish that year that we were together. Having a sister like you was the next best thing to being a twin. Having a built in friend is priceless.

Remember being sent to the principles office for fighting over our babies. We had to carry around those dolls for mairrage and family (was it part of health or was it part of religion?) and our babies were identical cabbage patch dolls. You left yours in the trunk of the car and tried to steal mine which lead to a knock-out, drag-down fight during English class. Eeash! When we got into the principles office we started laughing while they got out the first aid kit and then we sang that song from the Barney sound trac You Are My Sister. Remember me begging you in class to help me with my homework assignment that was due and we were discussing it in "ARP"? Our teacher spoke "OP" but because it was the same idea, we were totally busted.

Oh, and getting our drivers license together. You passed your test first but generously let me get my lisence first so I could have mine before you. Nice job on your specialty: paralell parking. It must of been a good job afterall cause you passed!

Your are the best (18 whole months younger) sister I could have ever asked mom for. She sure did a good job filling my order. remember being really young and playing Debbie and Stacie? I forget who was who but we always ended up adopting babies that were left on the other side of our bedroom door and we would play House for three days in a row. I know we played alot with our 3 foot tall Kristy dolls that had really bad hair but we had little dolls too. It was so much fun.

Wish I could be there with you today. Have a fun day!
Love,
Shannon

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB!

Happy Birthday to the best Step-Dad and Grandpa in the whole world! You are such a blessing to our family. I wish today wasn't so scattered with Mom being gone to Oklahoma right now for Grandma Annie. We will have to celebrate as soon as she comes home.

For now though: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Love,
Shannon and Madeline

CHARLIE: WITH THE DETAILS

WOW! Tomorrow sure did take forever; has it been 3 weeks already since I promised to post more tomorrow? Sorry about that.

So Charlie is a Labradoodle. The mother is 50% standard poodle and the father is 50% chocolate lab. And, is he ever adorable! He is right around 3 years old and weighs about 75lbs. Laying on the floor all stretched out, he is almost the same length as ms. Maddy Paige.

Madeline's school bus driver Cindy, (who has been transporting her back and forth for 2 years already) gave him to us. His name was Huggs when he came to live with us. Not keen of the name, we changed it. We asked her if she would be offended and she said it was fine with her.

Evidently, Cindy has 5 large breed dogs including Charlies' sister (a standard poodle). She recently had to downsize her living situation and could not keep all of them. Charlie is one of her favorites and she had not planned on parting with him but as fate would have it... An answer to prayer in more ways then one. Madeline was praying for another dog and Cindy was praying for help in deciding on what to do with her menagerie; a blessing all the way around. Cindy was able to find a good home for one of her dogs and we got an awesome pet. As a bonus, she gets to see him on school days too, because Charlie is outside in the mornings and in the afternoons waiting with or for Madeline. When Cindy opens the bus door, Charlie sometimes goes in and says hi to her (and everyone else on the bus). And the biggest bonus? He doesn't run out the door as soon as the opportunity is presented and he can be without a leash as long as I am out there with him.

OUR NEW DOG

So, here he is: Charlie, our newest family member. Adopted 3/29/09.

ITEM 86

Of course I graduated from Nursing School, but I still have to pass the NCLEX*. The official test date: March 19, 2009.

Preparing for the NCLEX*: an article I happened to read the day before I took my state Boards...

"Oh my, the computer didn't shut off after item 85-what will you do? The computer hasn't made a decision about your competency either way at this point. Therefore, you must continue your partnership with the computer. If the computer was sure that you weren't capable, it would have definitely shut off. Now all you have to do is prove on the next several items that you are capable of bearing the title. The average number of items on any candidates exam is about 110. Item 86 is your friend-do well."

THEN WHY DID MY COMPUTER SHUT OFF AT ITEM 85?!!!

Fortunately, it was on outdated article that I read and the official test gives a minimum of 85 questions. So, basically, this is what I went home with: Either I did really well and it only took 85 questions to know if I was competent enough or not... OR... I must be really stupid because the computer sees no hope of recovery, even by offering me 125 more questions. And, now I wait 48 hours to know.

I PASSED!!!!!!!!! I am an official Nurse! Whooh Hooooh!

(I know I waited a long time to take this darn test but I was REALLY scared).