Well THERE you are!!!

Hey there, ho there. Been awhile eh? I stumbled across this blog today while bored at work and reading through my old posts about Nathaniel, his milestones and everything we were doing at the time, made me so melancholy. So I definitely think this is something I need to maintain regularly. I've already forgotten so much, most of it by choice, the rest as the result of old age and my own negligence. Since Nathaniel is likely going to be my only child I don't want to forget a minute of his childhood.

Nathaniel is growing up so fast. Last week we celebrated his 5th birthday. Can you believe that?? On the 11th we had Jason, mom, Dwayne, Merisa, Aunt Dana, grandma, Dave, Amanda, Shanna & her kiddos at Northrock for a bowling party after seeing How to Train your Dragon. Nathaniel was so much more concerned about presents than he was about eating pizza or bowling but it was a good time. Jason and I are taking him, with Susan and her granddaughter, to Walking with Dinosaurs on Saturday, which was Bud's big birthday gift. He bowled maybe 2 frames with Devin and had enough, lol. Since his birthday was actually on a Tuesday we made sure to have cake and sing to him because he understood all too well that he wasn't actually 5 until his "real" birthday. He's so proud.

We've nipped the hitting thing in the bud for the time being. I hope it continues because "bribing" him with toys every week is breaking me, seriously. Nathaniel seems to have made one really good "bestie" at school and that thrills me to no end. I remember longing for the days that he could successfully "parallel" play with other kids and now he's got a best friend!! He also spends a lot of time with the next door neighbors, Brandon and Abby. They're both older but they all play so well together.

So what's going on with me?? Good question. Nothing really worth reporting other than things are hard right now. Money is more than tight and I still get no financial support from Jason which baffles me. It may be time, after almost 2 years of separation, to talk about child support. Speaking of . . . work sucks, as always. I have however, had several successful cases in the last few weeks that have brought me some recognition at work which helps but doesn't get me through more than a day or two. The state budget crunch has dropped office morale to an all-time low. Everyone is paranoid and stabbing each other in the back. It's a jungle in there, kill or be killed.

My HUGE backyard is starting to take shape. However, I left the 5 just-purchased tomato plants in the box on the picnic table in the backyard until Jason could get my aunt's rototiller and turn my garden over. That plan has fallen through at least 3 times now and in the meantime Shorty annihilated the box AND the plants. I think I can salvage most of them but they HAVE to get in the ground soon!! I'm also planning on planting okra, green beans and green onions. Hopefully next year I can expand the garden and plant a lot more!

I'm starting to fill the backyard with all the freebies that friends and family can spare. I got an evergreen and some kind of yellow leaf bush from my mom and Dwayne. Susan, my secretary, came over and helped me plant catalpa, elm and mimosa trees which are all coming along except the mimosa. :-( I got tons of day lillies and rose of Sharon from another one of the secretaries and I have plans to raid another co-worker's mini-farm sometime this weekend for day lillies, phlox and raspberries. Soon I'll also have a compost heap going so I have some good fertilizer for the garden next year - FOR FREE!

Anyway, I think that's enough updating for now. I really hope I can maintain this regularly. Life is speeding by too fast for me to keep up!!

Back again....

I was sitting here on the most beautiful spring-like Sunday in January I can remember, thinking I haven't blogged in a while. I didn't look back to see when my last blog post was but I'd venture to guess it's been at least a year, although I could be wrong. As I sit here, my amazing little Nathaniel is going through a photo album of Jason and I circa 1995, and accurately recognizing us despite the changes that nearly 13 years, childbearing and rearing, 16 years of combined higher education and countless lost hours of sleep have imposed on us. That feels good.

So much has changed in the Counter house since I last put fingers to keyboard on this blog. Jason's job has certainly made the most noticeable change to our lives as it now takes him from Wichita to Hutch to Omaha to Springdale, Arkansas to Tulsa more frequently than we'd like. Unfortunately that means he's missing out on a lot of the fulfilling (read: frustrating) days of parenting a toddler and has added more than a few new gray hairs to my already graying head. It also means that I'm getting more of a taste of single motherhood than I ever intended, but then again, who does intend single motherhood? But thanks in large part to the family that brought us back to the ICT, we're surviving if nothing more fulfilling than that.

We're also buying a house!! Finally. We've been here 2 years in April and it's about damn time. Here are a few links to the new house:

http://sckmls.fnismls.com/publink/default.asp?GUID=c7a11755-b2a6-484a-b666-41c924884d12&Report=Yes

http://www.russmeiervtours.com/vtours/mls224589/index.htm

Sadly the refrigerator isn't staying so our unfortunate white, apartment-sized fridge will have to do. Closing is slated for January 24th with possession on the 26th but we're locked into a lease here until the end of May so we'll have ample time to clean, paint and gradually move in before cleaning this place up, which is nice for a change. The new house is almost directly across the street from my grandma which would be uber-nice if she babysat, but nice nonetheless (I think).

Work for me is still just work. I've made it one of my five New Year's resolutions to find joy in my work. I spent most of last year working on that one so I think I've effectively broken the golden rule of not making New Year's resolutions you can't keep. Not that the other four are any more attainable but they are what they are.

Finally, to those of you reading (if anyone is): Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and it's nice to be back.

What's in a name?

HowManyOfMe.com

There is 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

A Picture Speaks 1,000 Words.......or so

Christmas was, well, an experience. We managed to push through 5 Christmases in 24 hours, it was a marathon of sorts. Nathaniel got absolutely spoiled, by everyone, which was totally to be expected. He even managed to get his little grubbies on a coveted TMX, aka Tickle me Elmo, this year's most sought-after children's toy. It really is amazing. It doesn't just laugh, it's a full-blown robot. He rolls over, sits down and stands back up again all by himself.

Here's Nathaniel opening his 483rd present of the "Wichita Christmas Marathon 2006":



It was a good 2 days for all of us though, long but satisfying. Jason and I managed to rake in some loot and I spent much of the day after Christmas scouting deals and wrangling 50% off Christmas trees.

New Year's Eve was relatively quiet, oh, well with the exception of the police, ambulance and fire rescuers showing up at the door at 2:30 am. That's another blog. :) We went to the inlaws' for karaoke, lame I know, but we had a good time.



Nathaniel and I even sang a pretty little ditty together.



Since then it's been back to the grind and I'm none to happy about it but such is life. I gotta work to pay the bills. Happy New Year!!!!

Virtual me

Quiz Show

Your Life is Like

High Fidelity

What John Cusack Movie Are You?

Oh great.......

You Are Most Like Samantha!

For you, dating is the ultimate sportYou're into guys with power, looks, or a lot of money.You rather have a great two weeks than a great forever.But even you fall victim to love from time to time. :-) Romantic prediction: You'll find love in the next few months... But you'll be the last one to realize it.

Which Sex and the City Vixen Are You?