Water bottle recall

If you or anyone you know has been using a water bottle like the one pictured below, stop using it!

A colleague of mine asked her boyfriend to buy one for her after I told her that I owned one and how great it was. Well, he went to Moosejaw to buy one and there were none left. He asked an employee about it and they said they were recalled because something in the plastic has been causing cancer.

By the way...I'm 9 days away from marrying the love of my life!! I'm obviously VERY excited about this!! I can't believe it's so close!!

I've been subbing a lot in one classroom at Heartwood. It's been a blessing...other than getting sick from one of the kids...and a challenge. I was hoping it would turn into a long-term sub job to the end of the year, but no such luck. A parapro is coming back and can't work in a room with lifting, so the room I've been in is the only place they have to put her. So, my last day in the room will be next Tuesday.

I'm hoping all of this has made a good impression on the principal and will help me get a position in the fall. I get so many compliments and so much encouragement from the parapros...hopefully their compliments and opinions will reach the ear of the principal!

Ok, God. What's going on here??

So, the last week or so has been pretty trying. The biggest blow came Friday...but I'll start at square one.

(In an effort to shorten this post, I'm sparing the details)
Basically...Sean made some really minor, common mistakes at work and was fired Friday. They won't tell him why. I also had to be taken to Urgent Care on Wednesday due to my IBS. I could barely walk it hurt so badly.

We're back to square one. We were counting on his job in so many ways. I can no longer only be a sub parapro. I have to find something part time, at the least. Sean is going to paint apartments again in the meantime, though the pay isn't as good as Alro was. Even more sacrifices will need to be made, but luckily, neither of us has ever been concerned with being rich! We may not get to go on any wine tastings on our honeymoon or do some of the things we were planning on, but honestly...all that doesn't matter. We'll finally be married!

It's pretty frightening, but we know that God will provide. We'll get by somehow. These are the times when your trust and faith is truly tested. Any prayers and/or job opportunities are encouraged and greatly appreciated.

I just want to say how amazing God is. We're not having a difficult time trusting God at all. Things will be tight, but we'll make it. Everyone has been very encouraging and helpful...telling Sean and I about job opportunities. So thank you to those who have done that!

Overheard

I think it's time for some more Overheard at Heartwood....

This happened a while ago, but nonetheless.
Student: I'm gettin married after I graduate.
Me: Oh yeah? To who?
Student: Oh, I don't know. [Looks around the gym, then points to another classmate] Maybe her!

Same student, but this happened today....
Student: [Points to me] Hey! Do you gots all your veins in there?

Some other funny things were said, I just can't remember them. I want to just write it all down immediately, but that probably wouldn't look good.

I can't explain....

I feel like my life is pointless. I don't know where I belong.

I know I'll feel better in the morning.

I have to start getting more sleep.
And praying more.
And reading the Bible.

Aaaalmost What I Was Thinking....

Well, I satisfied the creative bug a bit. Not anything like what I was inspired to do when I wrote my last blog...but it was something. I just made two paintings for the apartment.




























See. Not anything spectacular. The one on the top (for bedroom) is basically a carbon-copy of a painting I saw on Target.com. I just changed the colors. And the one on the bottom was inspired by a rug I got for the living room. Colors in the photos aren't entirely accurate...at all. Low lighting.

I do have to make some gifts that I do have some more artistic ideas for. So that's exciting.

Not much else to report of in the Land of Oz. I felt like having a slightly less emotionally-loaded blog post.

A Longing....

I've been looking at some artwork online on various sites...Flickr, RedBubble, etc.
Suddenly, I became overwhelmed by this desire to create a work of art. Not necessarily by using my camera.
I want to paint something. Or draw something. I want to use various mediums to create it...a collage of paint, paper, twigs. Something not normal. Nothing revolutionary, just...different. Especially for me. I can be such a "think inside the box" kind of person.

I began to miss the days when I was in art school. I realized that in the past, I wanted my artwork to be praised and admired. Especially when I was at St. Francis University because the school is known for having a great art program.

I was always jealous of great artists. Both famous artists and fellow students. I wanted someone to be jealous of my talent. It was selfish and I fear most of my endeavors to create such masterpieces was in vain.
It seems cliche to call this an epiphany...but that's just what it is.

I simply have a desire to make art for art's sake.

The problem is...I can't go buy paint. My dad has some he's going to give me, but I forgot to get it last time I was in Indiana.
I'm afraid this "itch", if you will, might disappear if I don't act soon.

Say...what?!

I've never been a big Wal-Mart shopper, but Sean recently read/heard about a pretty sick story that pretty much sealed the deal that I will never personally go spend money there. I will not support a company that does this to their employees:

"A collision with a tractor-trailer seven years ago left 52-year-old Deborah Shank permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Her husband, Jim, and three sons found a small source of solace: a $700,000 accident settlement from the trucking company involved.

After legal fees and other expenses, the remaining $417,000 was put in a special trust. It was to be used for Deborah Shank's care."

"Two years ago, [Wal-Mart]'s health plan sued the Shanks for the $470,000 it had spent on her medical care. A federal judge ruled last year in Wal-Mart's favor, backed by an appeals-court decision in August. Now, Deborah's family has to rely on Medicaid and her Social Security payments to keep up her round-the-clock care."

"The reason is a clause in Wal-Mart's health plan that Deborah Shank didn't notice when she started stocking shelves at a nearby store eight years ago. Like most company health plans, Wal-Mart's reserves the right to recoup the medical expenses it paid for someone's treatment if the person also collects damages in an injury suit."

"In cases such as the Shanks', in which injuries and medical costs are catastrophic, accident victims sometimes can be left with little or none of the money they fought for in court. Health plans increasingly are adopting language such as Wal-Mart's, which dictates that it is to be paid first out of any settlement, regardless of what remains for the injured person. Moreover, the victim is responsible for all legal costs in pursuing the suit."

What also scared me about this is the article stated "like most company health plans". So, apparently Wal-Mart isn't the only one.

Nonetheless, I won't be shopping there anymore. I won't go so far as to call people who do shop there terrible people...or vow to never set foot in Wal-Mart...I just won't spend my money there.