As many of you know spring decided to come and go as winter was still passing in North Carolina.  We were treated with 80 degree weather just last week.  Now it's like 50 degrees and my little toesies are cold.  But anyway.  Because of the springy weather, we're getting that spring rain...for reals and for me, metaphorically.

I hadn't hung out with my hilarious and wonderful friend Susy in a little bit so she invited me to Sunni Skies on the eve of it's re-opening (March 1st).  I like ice cream way too much so of course I said yes.  Then she asked me to dinner.  I jumped at that chance because Susy makes incredible dinners that are also very healthy.  Because her babies were obviously in need of bedtime more than ice cream, we opted to go together.  That's when craziness ensued.  I was walking out to the car - in my flip flops - and walked on the edge of her driveway and thought I'd get a smooth surface transition to the grass.  Instead there was a bit of a ditch and twist & crack my ankle went.  Immediately it looked like this:



Yes I was in pain but mostly feeling unlucky.  After talking to my mom, it was decided that I should go to the Emergency Room.  I don't know why I still needed my mom to tell me that!  So Susy drove me to the newly opened ER in Holly Springs.  Turns out that one closes at 8 pm SHARP!  We were redirected to the Apex ER.  No biggie.  The doctor there was cracking Susy and I up, though.  He found out her sister lived in Ohio and that I was born there.  Being a naive Ohioan he immediately felt the need to tell us all about going to a recent ball game and crying through their fight song and blah blah blah.  The whole time we're thinking, "um I'm in pain, can we get this going?!?!"  But it was still funny.  Also I am so glad Susy took me.  She makes me laugh so hard and helped me forget about my balloon foot and the pain.

Then X-rays came.  That was a painful experience, my friend.  Having to twist so they can get the pictures straight was not my favorite thing.  Turns out that my ankle is slightly fractured and severely sprained.  There's not really a term for it.  Because I broke the same ankle in high school a bone decided to grow out of place which means that the healing will take longer.  THAT SUCKS!!  I was given an air cast (even though Susy & I really wanted the real thing so we could sign it) and crutches.  Normally I'd be fine-ish using crutches except that I now have to put all the weight on my right leg.  For those who don't already know, I have terrible sciatic pain in my right hip.  It was flaring up the Monday before, something awful.  So after finally getting the pain under control, now it's coming again because of dumb crutches.

I must also give kudos and thanks to Susy's hubbie Todd and their neighbor Jed who came to my rescue right before we went to the ER and gave me a blessing.  I love living so close to church members.  And I love that they are willing to help me.  I have an amazing ward.  Also thanks to my parents for picking up Sydney so I didn't have to deal with taking the little one in and out of the house.  Now she's having a puppy sleepover with her cousin puppy Zoey thanks to Kristin & Michael.  Love my family for that! LOVE.LOVE.LOVE.

Friday I spent in bed (much to my dismay - I really wanted to go to work!) and on lots of drugs.  I was so grateful for all the phone calls and well-wishes that I received that day.  (and the tasty treats!)  Then I heard some news about an old acquaintance that shook me up a little. The rest of the day I couldn't focus and also the pain was worse.  I just sat in bed feeling so helpless.  I told my sister that I feel like a burden to myself and to others.  I love to help people out but am one of those stubborn persons that doesn't think to ask for help when I need it.  I have no problem receiving help, I just don't think of it.  I don't want to put anyone out!  Also as a result of not being at work I felt beyond terrible because it was such as busy day.  I still feel horrible for people having to pick up my slack just because of my lack of luck and a silly accident.  Like, I'm still crying (for reals) that this had to happen.

Yesterday I got a good look at my ankle and while the swelling has gone down, it's not gone.  But the black and blue have now shown up more.  On Saturday I was determined that if I was going to expose my feet to people I needed to do something about it.  So it took all my energy and the nicest man at the nail salon to get a pedicure.  I got purple because well, purple makes me happy!

See? One beautiful skinny foot and one large Marge foot - my toes are even swollen! (This picture was taken yesterday.)

So now in the past 2 weeks I've gotten in a car accident, had terrible back/sciatic pain, hurt my foot, got bad news, and felt like I let my team down.  I know it sounds like I might be feeling sorry for myself or being too hard on myself.  So no need to give me the pep talk about not feeling those ways.  I have really been trying to recognize the tender mercies of the Lord, the blessings in my life, and the happiness for others that I have been asking for that has been granted.  I am leaning heavily on my family and friends who show their love daily and sometimes minute by minute to me.

On the way to see Les Mis, I got in a car accident.  I will tell you that I am still amazed every time I think about what when down that no one was seriously injured or even killed.  I was getting off the highway and about to merge onto the street when all of a sudden my car hydroplanned out of control.  It spun twice across four lanes of traffic hitting two cars.  No cars were coming from the other direction.  That was a miracle.  My car was hit in the front and the back and hit one car in the front and one in the back.  No other damage.  Miracles!!!

The events still are a blur to me.  I will be honest and say that by the time the car was spinning my eyes were closed while still gripping the steering wheel.  I thought that if I was going to die, I didn't want to see it happen.  Foolish?  Perhaps.  My sister was in the passenger seat and my brother was in the back seat.  Elizabeth can tell you better what happened, so ask her.  The car eventually ended up on the other side of the street in sort of a ditch.  No wheels came off, nothing wrong with the suspension, just pretty banged up.  No seat belts cuts, no bruises, no scrapes, no blood.  And that's on everyone involved.  That is a miracle too.

I've come to to the conclusion that I just don't mix well with the elements.  Driving in the snow and rain is just not for me.  Therefore it will be my life-long goal to be able to afford a driver.  I don't see any other choice.

I must give a full nod to the Raleigh Police Department.  They were incredible.  Three different cops came out to help.  They were all super nice and I really appreciated that.  One even got my car out of the kind of ditch it was in and sent us on our way to see the show.  I love him for that.  The police woman writing up the report was so nice too.  Finally a positive experience with the police!  Wait, that didn't sound right.  You know what I mean, though.

And just so I don't go the whole time without providing real pictures in my posts, enjoy the damage that my safe, reliable car withstood to save us.  Miracles, I tell you!!!

I had this post in my mind right before going to see the brilliant Les Miserables last Thursday.  Then I had a "minor" debacle that has consumed my time until this point.  (I'll share that later.)  But seriously I don't think I could put it any different than Ashley did on her blog.  But, here are my (late) thoughts:

• I will agree that I was so impressed that they started exactly on time at 7:30.  It ended right on time at 10:25 too.  That's 25 years of experience working for you!
• I was disappointed with Fantine.  While she sang beautifully like a lark on a spring morning, she sang too angry.  I have always pictured (and listened to) Fantine's voice as sweet and innocent.  I wanted that.  I know everyone has to make a well-known character their own, so I don't discredit her at all.  She worked it, just not how I wanted it.
• Holy Amazing Sets!  While they didn't have the rotating stage or barricade that I've heard about, their other sets were frankly effortlessly and seamlessly intertwined and changed as such between scenes.  When people see shows they will oftentimes just take them at face-value.  But let's not forget the crew.  They make believable sets and move them perfectly so that the flow of the show can still carry on.  Color me impressed.
• My favorite song is still Bring Him Home.  This Valjean sang it beautifully and almost moved me to tears.  I felt the raw emotion that he conveyed through this song.  Amazing! Amazing! Amazing!
• Dang if girls can sing while their dying!!!  Fantine and Eponine were belting it out right before they kicked the bucket.  But somehow it was believable just for right then.  They can do that thing with their voice where they sing quietly but also so crisply.  They were perfect.
• Speaking of Eponine, I think she's turned into one of my favorite characters.  Maybe it's because I've always loved someone that was always in love with someone else.  She was beautiful, funny, cleaver, and sang perfectly.
• I'm a sucker for the funny.  And that's just what I got from Monsieur and Madame Thenardier.  HILARIOUS!!!!
• It's so different listening to a musical soundtrack and then actually seeing the play.  You miss the in between dialogue and mini songs.  When I say "you" I really mean "I."  I miss the in between dialogue and mini songs.  They really tie everything together (obviously).  Now when I listen to the soundtrack I can imagine the songs and people in my head and hear everything.
• Yes I need to mention Javert.  I think I like him better now that I saw the play.  I didn't NOT like him before.  But this guy was fantastic.  His voice was so deep and delicious.
• My sister and I agreed that hearing the orchestra made us reminiscent about playing our instruments.  The togetherness you feel as you're learning and playing music is like none other I've experienced.  My little heart got a little tender after listening to the grand sound.  That orchestra worked their tails off and I applaud them for it.  I am very close to pulling out my flute and pretending I'm a master musician.

I was watching Angelica Houston on Jimmy Fallon and she said that she moved to New York because that's where her show Smash is filmed.  (Duh, of course I watch that!)  She told him that she sees a show every night.  One day this will me be!!
 

Today is the day that we extraly express to our friends and family how much we love them.  For boyfriends, girlfriends, spouses, and partners they have a little extra pressure to either send flowers or get that something special.  Unless otherwise specified, flowers, chocolates, and presents are ALWAYS acceptable!!!  Also I think it's sweet when children (or dogs) get things for their parents, even if it's a hand-made Valentine.


I was thinking in bed this morning about how I don't really have a Valentine (which I'm okay with, bee-tee-dubs) and how I could sulk all day about this.  But then on the way to work I decided to direct my thoughts to the love which I see all around me.  So I asked myself, where is love?  (And then I hummed the song from Oliver! to myself, which is actually a sad kind-of song, but I don't care.)

For me, today I saw love in letting someone turn left during a heap of traffic.  I stopped my car in the middle of the road hoping that a driver in the right lane would follow suit and stop.  It only took one car to realize what we were doing and then left-turner happily got to their destination without having to beg for mercy at the incoming traffic and wait that much longer.  Then further down the road, the stupid people driving three cars in front of me decided to stop short, creating a domino effect and making it so that I almost rear-ended someone and then got rear-ended myself.  I saw the love when I decided to quickly get in the median lane (thankfully just yellow lines and not concrete/grass) to avoid this collision.  I was grateful that at that point in the road there was a way for me to turn off and not get in an accident.

When I got to work I continued to smile (smiling really does help).  Instead of remembering what I don't have, I smiled at what I do have.  And then I came to my office and found the sweetest card from my BFF Becka.  It's like it was made for me.  The perfect message and fully of daises!  And she found it and wrote the nicest thing.  Even before I was married, then during, and now that I'm not, Becka always makes sure to tell me that we are true Valentines.  I love her for that.  This year she even got me a giant Reese's heart.  That girl knows me so well.  (Peanut butter & chocolate...yum!!)

The head of our department at work also brought in donuts too.  And she took the time to express her thanks and love of working with us.  I mean, who does that?  Not everyone.  And actually, I know that she means it too.  She is a great person and a great boss.  She even told me personally that she loved me.  Love that!

I also am filled with great love for my family and also my nieces and nephews.  Also I call my nieces and nephews my babies.  I love seeing my babies.  I love playing with them, kissing them, laughing with them, and tickling them.  Today I see the love in being an auntie.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, being an auntie is my favorite thing ever!!!!


I also have to mention my love for being a dog-mommy.  Little Sydney is one of my best friends.  She's such a good little pup (when she's not being a rascal).  She's so soft and cuddly.  This morning before I said my usual thing before I go ("Mommy loves you. Be a good girl, Buh-bye") I also made sure to tell her that I loved her and wished her a Happy Valentine's Day.  She is my Valentine forever!!  I feel the need to state that I do not consider my dog to be my baby.  She is my family and I love her, but human family rules over dog family.


So now, I ask, where is the love in your life?