Do you see anything dripping out of my ear?

I'm dying. Will this stinking weather decide if it's going to be winter or spring? OMG! The stupid barometric pressure is bouncing around like a manic-depressive who forgot to take her lithium, and my sinuses feel like they're going to explode. I'm not much of a complainer, but when it feels like my brain is slowly oozing out of my eyes, ears, and nose I just hafta. Do you think my colleague noticed my furrowed brow and hand pressed to my temple while she was talking? I bet she thinks it was her.

I think I would prefer it if I was actually sick--you know, real infection with yucky mucus (how do you spell that?) and fever. But, no, it's just my body's ridiculous reaction to changes in the atmosphere. It feels wimpy somehow. Like, "What kind of Midwesterner are you?"

New photos are up

After putting it off several days--I'm not entirely sure why, either--I've finally updated my photo albums. I've got some shots from my jaunt down to Springfield for the ISPA Convention, as well as our old-fashioned slumber party here. Nala has also been posing for the camera, lately.

And now, a preview of my photographic genius! Ah, the prairie . . .

Aww, Honey!

The other night, while I was typing my latest missive, my darling comes padding quietly into my den. I turn. He is grinning, holding his coat before him in one hand and a button in the other as if to say, "See, I'm so cute! You just HAVE to sew on my button!" Well, of course I will dear. Then, he proceeds to explain that, when I sew it on, I need to make sure I sew a "gap" between the button and the coat so it has "room" to button. "Like these," he says, pointing to the remaining buttons. I take the coat, the button, and reply, "Honey, that's what you do when you sew on a button like this. You create a shank--that's what it's called." He seemed just mystified! "How do you do that?" "Well . . . "

I may be married to a 12-year-old*, but what a cutie!

*No, he's not REALLY a 12-year-old.

Impending motherhood?

Before any of my female relatives, who may be reading this, become overly excited: I AM NOT PREGNANT.
That being said, the one thought consuming my precious cognitive resources these days (other than trying to plan a trip for 3 to the UK) has been motherhood. The one "New Years resolution" I have not made public is our plan to have a baby. Clearly, this is not something written in stone: Thou shalt conceive on 10 october 2005. But, it was within the "5-year plan" BJ and I chatted about shortly after we got married. You know, first I would finish grad school, then get a job, then buy a house, then have a baby. And, at the time, we threw out 05-06 because, of course, my pregnancy has to coincide with the school year for maximum bonding time. And, here we are. I am absolutely flipped--all on the inside, but flipped nonetheless.
Don't get me wrong--it's not that I don't feel ready. Who could ever really feel ready? Nor do I feel any pressure that it needs to be this year. It's time (or almost--a March conception doesn't fit with the plan)!
In fact, I have full-on baby lust. When I see children, I want one. When I see pregnant women--and they are everywhere, who is inseminating you?--I want to be one. I can't wait to see BJ as a father and I smile every time I see him playing with his cousins or friends' kids. I can't wait to see our child. But, I'm still flipping out.
I think it's because I'll be the first. BJ and I are the oldest kids in our respective families; we don't have any neices or nephews. I don't really have any friends with kids. There are a few sorority sisters whom I haven't seen in ages, much less their offspring, so I don't think it counts. None of my friends have children, and the vast majority aren't even thinking about it. I don't have anyone with whom to commiserate! Or, at least, I didn't.
This is the point when I realized that nearly all the blogs I frequent are written by mothers in varying stages of motherhood. I eat this stuff up! Yeah, I could talk to my mom (and I do!) or older friends/relatives, but there's something missing. I guess it's the newness or freshness of it all. (Don't take this the wrong way, mom) My mom talks about how she loved being pregnant--really? All the time?
So, thank you to all who came before. Thank you for sharing that you are/were freaking out. Thank you for answering questions I didn't even know I had. Thank you for making me feel even more anxious but even more excited. Your frankness can never be repaid. I can only offer links.
And, to my devoted readers/lurkers (you know who you are--ha!): In the words of Samuel L. Jackson (Jurassic Park) "Hold on to you butts"--I think I've found my outlet.

Temporary Absence

Today was my first day back to work after 5, yes 5, full days away from the office. Ugh, it was hard to get up . . . although, I know my dear friends in the corporate world would like to smack me. BJ says this morning in the shower, "Now, do you remember where you're going this morning? I would hate for you to get lost. And, remember--you're a school psychologist. You're supposed to help people." Thanks, Beej.
Where was I for 5 days? Let me tell you! 2 days were spent in lovely Springfield, IL, our state's capital. It was time once again for the Illinois School Psychologists Association convention. School psychs are a real interesting bunch. I think only Comdex is geekier. So, yes, I'll admit I had fun. My colleague, Sarah, and I had a couple good "groaners". Then I darted back home for a good old fashioned slumber party! It was me, D & J (K wasn't feeling well--sniff!), snacks, and cats. You see, D has 3 black cats--very cute.
To top the weekend off, Monday was Casimir Pulaski day--NO SCHOOL! Woo hoo! Shopping!
At this point I must interject in my narrative. I recently downloaded some belly dancing music from iTunes (gift cert). The song playing now is called "Beware the Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke)" by Panjabi MC and it sampled the Nightrider theme--it cracks me up!