A Big Ugly Bug

Sorry there are no pictures. Only a great story. *** side note, I found a picture on the internet ***

Tony was driving, Lisa next to him, Austin behind me, Alexis behind Tony. We were driving on the North Dallas Tollway, at the posted 70 mph. The twins are chatting and all of a sudden Austin starts screaming like a little girl. He screams for Lisa to get the "bug." Tony thinks it is a joke and while driving, he looks at Austin who apparently had a very scared, open eyes, look on his face, in between screams. Lisa looks over and there is some bug on the back right shoulder of Tony.

Now, keep in mind that Tony is allergic to bee stings. I don't know if wasps also cause a reaction, but I wasn't interested in trying out that hypothesis. This bug was a flying bug, with regular, not colored wings, slender body and back end like a wasp with a red stripe. A nice pointy, stingy end.

So putting on my magical mommy reflexes, Lisa flicks the "bug" off Tony. That solves the one problem of Tony getting stung, but creates a new problem of where the *bleep* did the bug go? Alexis hates bugs with a passion. Austin didn't know what or where it was so he is still screaming. Thank goodness for the heroic karma which had the bug land on Lisa's shirt. She, quick as super-mom, rolls down the window, cups her hand and shoes it outside, closing the window quickly.

Please also realize the family is still all screaming, This entire event has occurred in about 4.25 second or less. Austin was screaming from the beginning, Alexis after she sees the bug and Tony while he tries to figure out what is going on without wrecking the car.

Luckily Lisa isn't joining the noise brigade and tells everyone the danger is over and to calm down. While she is full of adrenaline. Very full.

And in case you didn't notice, today is our wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary to us. ROFL

Home Ownership. [sigh]

Last year, 2010, was a year of home improvements. I completed numerous projects that I am very pleased with. Built food storage under our stairs complete with a light and a switch. Redid the decor in our master bathroom. Painted the kitchen a happy yellow. Repainted the jack and jill bath a nice soft blue color. Painted Alexis' room a pretty lavender. Replaced all the toilets with dual flush high efficiency ones. Put new tile in all the bathrooms. It was a good year for home stuff. The nice thing about improvements is they are by choice and on my own timeline.

Now I believe we are jinxed in 2011. Our AC has gone out for the 3rd time. The natural gas line to heat the pool in the winter rusted clean through. I really should post a picture, it was quite alarming. We are planning to fix it ourself but aren't sure how to get the black pipe replaced in the middle of the line. Now that I write this, it seems that those two issues are not so bad. The pool itself is going to need attention sometime, but hopefully not this year.

And our heat! I promised not to complain because the winters are so mild in Texas compared to Utah. I just checked. DFW is at 13 days and counting of triple digits, over 100. Today is supposed to be 104 with a heat index of 110. I finished mowing the lawn, while it was a balmy 95 degrees, after getting more gasoline. Talk about drenched in sweat! The poor flowerbeds are screaming for attention, but not today. Maybe tomorrow morning!

Blog - a contraction of the term "web log"

So why am I blogging? What am I up to? This started as lists in a steno pad, which is my current notebook of choice. Then I realized that I enjoy writing and it makes a difference to sort out the thoughts in my head by getting them down on paper. But in this day and age, down on paper means recording on the internet and sharing with others.

Do I consider this a journal of sorts? Not really. I view this writing as my own stubborn methodology of getting my life to work. Because right now listening to the voices in my head doesn't work. So if this can be an outlet and can assist me to manage my boredom and my apathy, then more power to me.

I don't petition followers but I do want the people who love me to have a chance to hear what is going on in my life. My observations and relationship to food. My pet peeves and how I react. Things I love and dreams I have. My commitment to conquer paper clutter in my life. My love for my friends and how we each impact each other's lives. The comedy of breakdowns and breakthroughs. The Life in my life.

This came out of my goal to scrapbook my autobiography, which started as an exercise in The Wisdom Course with Landmark Education. As a scrapbook instructor, I love to see the breakthroughs and confidence of my students. I am committed to Preserving Memories and Creating Legacies and one expression of this includes Me! You could say this blog is a bold experiment to then be able to make a difference for others.

Mom loves Two Boys

I have called my sons "Two Boys" since they were little. It occurred to me recently that they have become two young men and I shouldn't call them two boys any longer.

My Joe is 21 and is on an LDS mission for the Mormon Church in Atlanta, GA. His mission includes Alabama and he is doing fantastic with his growing maturity and his love for people in general. I am so proud of him. He returns in Nov 2011 and has said he would like to attend BYU Idaho when he returns.

My Rob is 19 and is on an LDS mission for the Mormon Church in Kampala, Uganda. His mission includes Ethiopia where he is currently serving. He was called to an English speaking mission but has been working on learning the languages of Africa. I am so proud of him. He left in May of this year and will return in May 2013.

Because their missions overlap, they won't see each other for almost four years. But I think it was the perfect choice for them to serve when they did. Tony says I am positively beaming when I get our weekly emails from them. Yes, I think that is true.

They both are over six feet tall. They are maturing and growing into the potential husband and fathers that I have hoped they would be. It will be interesting to see where everyone ends up logistically. The largest percentage of the Jan Van Clan now live in Utah County. Another interesting tidbit: I am the oldest and 13 years older than our only brother, who is the youngest, John Hirschi Van Orman. JHVO was 10 when Joe was born. JHVO and his wife, Jen, are expecting their first baby this September. So it is likely that Joe and Rob as cousins will be regarded more as Uncles to those kids. I hope we will all be able to see each other often.

They say that boys follow their wives who like to be close to her family. Tony asked me where I see myself living in my old age. As much as I object to living in Utah, I desire to be close to family and that may end up back in Utah. And for those of you who don't know, I consider my home to be Arlington, VA, just outside of DC, since I graduated from High School there. So many people just assume I was born and bred in Utah, and I wasn't.

I am pleased that I haven't ever wanted more kids, I look forward to being Grandma Lisa someday. And maybe the Scrapbook Lady. And definitely a puppy mom to two maltese.

Me and My Lists

My mom used to write lists on the back of used envelopes. I found a book of lists I started in 8th grade, at the ripe old age of 13. I have been the goddess of lists for much of my life. At Landmark Education, people would comment on my notes, writings, and lists. I am not sure what compels me to go on and on with lists, but I do. I complain that at any time I could write a list of 100 things to put on a to-do list, and I embarrassingly share that is accurate. Productive lists are beneficial. Being all consumed with keeping it all straight is exhausting.

I could be considered an expert in the philosophy of Franklin-Covey. And Time Management with Mission Control. I participated with The Communication Program with Landmark Education to the point of being a very effective coach.

This is how I feel:
http://blog.iqmatrix.com/mind-map/time-management-mind-map

If you have any epiphanies, please feel free to share!

Welcome to Join Me

Sometimes it just helps to write. I want a blog that can assist me to clarify my thoughts. I spend a lot of time thinking about what I want out of life. There are so many goals I have set and achieved. I look at my life and feel that I am hitting the half way point: just as much life in front of me as behind me.
I am so proud of my boys who are serving missions for the Mormon church. I love my husband and I worry about his health. Frankly, I worry about my own health, also. I am pleased to share that I caught up my health checks: mammogram is fine, bone density is improving (yeah!), blood work is normal or good. Now if science could only test for brain chemistry balances, we would be golden!
Thanks for sharing my life and coming by!