December 2008

HELLO! Well, it's one of my favorite times of the year again. CHRISTMAS! I love it. Since the Abel family has Christmas in August - it is easier to enjoy this season - with less stuff to do - and people to DO for - I try to relax and enjoy. As I have mentioned before - being a mother during the holidays is like being a movie producer / director. So I am still very busy. Now that the kids are older - and I thought they would be easier (haha) they are busier. Grace is at drama practice everyday after school and Ben has Odessey of the Mind practice. So we have two different buses or pick ups to schedule (thanks to other mothers who are invaluable with ridesharing too!) Let's just say - its not the relaxing joy I thought it would be a few years ago but still - my favorite time! I got the house decorated, and Ken helped with the outside lights - very nice. I still have the christmas cards to get done - but the shopping is almost all done - just a few odds and ends - I think I'll wrap next week to get a complete grasp of what I really have done. We are on top of that - but still need the tree- which I love to decorate. (Not take down though) I even got the Christams plates out this year - I think I missed last year. I'll post photos of the tree next week when we get it - after Grace's play. YIKES- its already 10.30 and I need to go to bed - and its raining ice. YUCK. PEACE. JESS

I AM - A poem by Ben

I am a positive person who likes playing soccer I wonder if I'll get credit in Art class I hear a crowd I see a wave I want to get a new video game I am a positive person who likes playing soccer I pretend to be a comet I feel a ball hitting me in the face I touch the sky I cry when I think of my first dog and my Great-Grandparents I am a postivie person who likes playing soccer I understand that I won't live forever I say let kids drive I dream that I will become a pro soccer player I try to be a better person and a better person I hope my parents will let me bake cookies tonight I am a positive person who likes playing soccer

September is Soccer for US

Well, School has started - Grace is in the seventh grade and Ben began the sixth grace. Both will still play soccer - but this year not for the town rec department - Ben will be playing what is called "U12" and Grace will be trying out for the Junior High team. Exciting times! Both still seem to like school and have many friends. Ben seems to have more friends but they seem (to me) superficial - where Grace seems to have fewer but deeper friends. I meant to start church again this fall today but didn't.... Maybe next Sunday. The kids are not interested in Sunday school - and even I think they are too old for that - just regular old church service from now on - thats the key - if I can get off my duff and get there!! The summer was great- we went on a river clean up that my team mate pioneered with whole foods in portland, we beached a few times, played in the pool a bit, {it rained most of August}, we camped twice - we did our August Christmas with the Abels, I went to New Jersey for a work training, ben had his buddy Zach over a few times and Grace and Emilee hung together often including a week long stay at Mechuwana church camp this summer, we had camp-fires and cookouts and slept late. In other words - we had a good summer. I've attached some photos from this summer as well. Peace to you all! Jess

Stagnation

I guess it is not just our economy that is stagnating. My Blog has been severely ignored for the past months! I'm even writing directly in - you know - rushing - so I am surely making errors. Kids are doing well. Both are anxious for school to be over. Grace has bridged up from Junior Girl Scout to Cadet - today. Ben has decided to try out for the soccer team this summer - we have tryouts on Saturday. Grace will be going camping with her scout troop for the weekend. work is work - not much happening for me. I really need something to hang on to there - I get bored doing the same thing over and over - its been EIGHT years there total - and FIVE years doing the sales thing - and I am ready for a change. Maybe something more in the project management area - or marketing. I applied for a marketing job they posted but never heard back - I think I made the final cuts - two friends that also applied heard that they had not been chosen - so I choose to look at it as if I was not NOT chosen. Convoluted? You make the call. THis is how I make my daily life tolerable at work - choosing which reality I will participate in and with. Oh no - now I've ended a sentance with a preposition- Mrs Walters would not be happy. My contacts are still driving me nutty! Don't get me wrong - I appreciate vision - more than I ever have - but wish I could still have it without thinking about it constantly - like back in the day! Still- seeing is good. As I always say - its the blind man who wishes he could wear glasses!!

My life # 582816544662232 Keratoconus – it’s not pretty to see!

Keratoconus is a degenerative non-inflammatory disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve. Keratoconus can cause substantial distortion of vision, with multiple images, streaking and sensitivity to light all often reported by the patient.. If afflicting both eyes, the deterioration in vision can affect the patient's ability to drive a car or read normal print. In most cases, corrective lenses are effective enough to allow the patient to continue to drive legally and likewise function normally. Further progression of the disease may require surgery including transplantation of the cornea. Despite its uncertainties, Keratoconus can be successfully managed with a variety of clinical and surgical techniques. Between 10% and 25% of cases of Keratoconus will progress to a point where vision correction is no longer possible, thinning of the cornea becomes excessive, or scarring as a result of contact lens wear causes problems of its own, and a corneal transplantation or penetrating keratoplasty becomes required. Keratoconus is the most common grounds for conducting a penetrating keratoplasty, generally accounting for around a quarter of such procedures. from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keratoconus My Keratoconus has progressed into my right eye now. It bothered me a few years ago when I was diagnosed with this in my left eye – and I intellectually knew it could/would progress to my right eye as well but last week hearing that I can no longer wear a soft contact lens and no longer wear glasses (to even minimally correct my eyes for evening use only). Now glasses cannot clear my vision. I have no eye correction options except for the Gas Perm Contact lenses – known in the real world as ‘hard contacts’. I love them because I can SEE with them- but they are not as comfortable nor can I wear them for as long as I could my soft lenses. At night when I used to put my glasses on for TV – I can no longer do that. I also noticed some Ghosting, some multiple images (not as bad as photo) and Halos (why I don't like to drive at night - many with myopia have these though!)(see photos) When I read – The top half of the words seem darker and I have a hard time telling certain letters apart – so I use large print books, cheater reading glasses and may need a magnifying glass soon. All in all not a great addition to my March stress. I will be going to the eye dr to get my new contacts fitted – not as easy as just getting my old softies. I liken it to not being able to wear ‘off the rack’ contacts – they now have to be ‘tailored’ specifically to my messed up corneas. Lucky me!

My Life March 2008 # 54689146579853

Hello! March was an exciting and crazy month for us! First – March is full of birthdays! Both my father & sister-in law have early March birthdays (and I almost always mix them up – luckily they are in the same week so it is OK). My father has a mid-March birthday and Ben has an end of March Birthday. This March Ben wanted a friend birthday party so he invited five friends for an over night and snow tubing day. He forgot to let me know that he had done this – so when his friends called for information – I was very surprised. Both Ken and I were not happy – but together with Ben and a calendar – decided that the first weekend in March WOULD be the best for his party. So we called everyone and got tickets for tubing and the sleepover was ON! Five boys are very different from Four girls. Let me just say I was very tired. We had a great time tubing and most importantly – Ben was thrilled. Then I flew off to California – Anaheim – for a work Expo – where for four days strait we gave out samples and sold sold sold things! It is always great to see my team in person and to see my buyers! However – it is exhausting – like being a waitress again. Feet, Back and headaches – lots of coffee, water and ibuprofen helped a lot! YUCK! When I got home it took a few days to adjust back to Eastern Time – each year it gets harder to readjust! Then it was time for Ben’s play – Willy Wonka Jr – He had been practicing for over three months and had three shows- 3/27 & 3/28 & 3/29 – Oh yea – forgot to mention I helped out on the show behind the scenes so while all this was going on I was volunteering at the school being a back stage manager – trying to keep 55 middle school students quiet and focused – Not easy – but luckily they really were great kids and wanted to do a good job! (photo of Ben & friend after the high school teaser for the show- which I had to miss since I was on a business trip). With March almost over – I ended up getting sick – too much stress stress stress - - Oh yea – and work was nutty. I had to spend a week putting orders in and all the while not having any idea of my performance work-wise other than a general feeling that I was not doing well at all….. STRESS – it was the straw that broke me – literally – I had a day I just couldn’t function. I just stayed home in bed. I’m still struggling a bit with everyday functioning – my hair is thinning and I have been told that I look like I am losing weight – (the last time I lost weight for stress was my divorce – that’s how bad things are here!) Well – that’s all for March – I’ve got to work on my April post next – this will address another stressor in my life – MY EYES! PEACE. JESS

My Life #58546451564656423

Hello Friends! A quick update to keep current! January has been quite the snowy month! Work even closed one day! Same with February – work closed again. Quite a bit of snow (photo) – but it’s the rain and ice that is dangerous. That and the nuts who think four wheel drive makes driving on ice and snow safer – so they go faster. Four wheels can spin on ice- but they will be very helpful to get you out of that snow bank you drive into if you don’t kill me first! We had Graces birthday! (Photo) Snow tubing and a sleepover with chocolate covered fruit, presents and cake – PERFECT! As I say so often – I am so fortunate to really like all of Grace’s friends! I appreciate it daily. In January – I learned how to drive our new dump truck/plow. Actually I learned the plowing part – I can drive a standard easily – it was the way I learned to drive. It was not a easy as I had imagined – but it was quite fun! Unfortunately – now I can get to work even with tons of snow… oh well. Ben tried out for the drama – Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory – and got the part of one of Charlie’s friends. He has a small solo singing part as well as some dancing. He had to give up his volunteering at the elementary school until after the play – it takes quite a lot of practicing. The directors are doing a great job of keeping the kids busy during practice – it is much improved over last year! Grace won the Geography Bee for her entire grade and participated in the whole school Bee at an assembly in January. (Photo) February has sped along too! Of course snow and snow days from school – I think they will be going to classes into July this year – not fun in a building with no air-conditioning! We went to the parent teacher conference and heard all great things. We do appreciate all that the children do and how seriously they take their roles as students! We all took school vacation off – and have had a mix of busy and relaxing. We did go to the ‘big city’ museum, swimming, watched the ENTIRE lunar eclipse (photo)- and out to eat quite a bit! We are hoping to include some more snow tubing for the weekend – but I just looked out and it is snowing again. SURPRISE! I hope you all winter well. I am headed to Anaheim next month – Just when I really need a break from the snow – I hope its still strawberry season there! PEACE. JESS