It's 50 degrees... let's have a fire!

Today we celebrated the life and mourned the passing of a dear friend's Father. We voted (and you should too). We grocery shopped. Then we came home and did this shiz...

 

 It took me 900 years to take this picture, that's why he's not looking at the camera...

 

First fire of the season

2 ingredient lemon bars- eh. Not my favorite thing ever. But if you're interested (a Pinterest find): 1 box Angel Food Cake Mix, 1 can lemon pie filling; Mix and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. They taste...off to me. Too sweet, maybe? I'm not sure.  

Puerto Rico, represent.

 

Currently on the iHome...

 

Tomorrow we're celebrating my Grandaddy's birthday at my Mom's house. Hopefully he'll have a great day and enjoy his presents. 

Update: Patio Garden & Health Issues

So, it's a hot Texas summer... and I was worried about our little patio garden. For the most part it's doing well... but we do have some dead stuff. Boo.

 Our last ripe tomato- I assume a bird got to it (it was perfect looking, but not quite ripe less than 24hrs before this pic). I hope we have some more, but our plant is looking a little (a lot) dry.

 We re-planted our herbs because they were growing too big for their current home.

 Three were thriving (Basil, Lemon Basil (so tall!) and Oregano...

 Thyme and Mint... not doing so well. So I tossed the Thyme and planted some more seeds.

 Rosemary- same ol', same ol'. Hasn't grown any taller, though.

 I planted some Vincas (I thought they were periwinkles, guess not)... and they looked great at first... but... (wilted pic at the bottom)

 New Thyme started growing in about 2 days- yay!

 I was able to save one tiny Mint plant... and planted more seeds around it... haven't seen anything new popping up yet.

So, I totally wasted Bill's money and didn't read the instructions on how to care for Vincas until AFTER I crammed them all together in the herbs' former home. They were so pretty for a couple of days and have gotten tons of sun and water since we've had them... but you're supposed to plant them 10" apart. OOPS. Sooo... they're getting pretty wilty. I don't expect them to last long.

Enough about the patio garden, let's talk about ME (heh). I went to the doctor with complaints of cramping, vomiting, severe abdominal pain (all over, but mainly in my ribs), headaches and severe upper back pain. They did a urine test and blood work and referred me to a imaging tech to have abdominal and pelvic sonograms.

A few days before my sonograms and my follow up visit with my Dr- they called me and told me that my blood work came back with severe inflammation and that my white blood cell count was high. She put me on Zofran for nausea, antibiotics for my white blood cell count (they thought I could be fighting off an infection), Symax Duotabs for cramping and Fiorinal for headaches (I'm not supposed to take any Tylenol or other OTC headache meds because my liver is taking a major beating with all of the meds I'm on.)

Longish story short: sonogram came back and I have to have my gallbladder removed. Booo. Apparently tons of people have gallstones- but in my case, since I'm so symptomatic (especially vomiting a lot- not a good sign) I gotta' get mine yanked out.

I made an appointment with a surgeon and I go this coming Monday to discuss my options (I guess). But this past Wednesday and Thursday were really really bad (all my days have been bad and majorly uncomfortable lately, but Wednesday and Thursday were horrible) and I thought I maybe needed to go to the ER. But, I didn't. I took the maximum dosage of Symax and passed out and woke up feeling a bit better.

Yesterday the Dr's office called to check on me and told me they were going to write me yet another prescription- a low dose of Hydrocodone for the pain... and that if my pain gets any worse or I start running a fever or continue to vomit while on Zofran- I need to go to the ER.

MAJOR BUMMER.

I'm really hoping that I can make it through this without having emergency surgery- because I'm sure a trip to the ER, staying multiple days in the hospital and emergency surgery would cost me an arm and a leg (you're already taking an organ- let me keep my limbs!). So... send me good thoughts that I can make it to scheduled surgery without any emergencies.

I've been taking it really easy, taking lots and lots of medication and have been off work (which is REALLY bad, because how in the world am I going to afford said surgery while not being paid what I normally make??)

I'm really glad to know what's wrong (and that I'm not crazy or that I don't have some scary mystery illness)... but now I'm just really wanting it to all be over with. I want my gallbladder to go away, I want to be healed and back at work and back to having fun!

Fingers crossed.

I'm a lucky girl to have such a wonderful, caring boyfriend and helpful, supportive family. They've really made this whole "being a sicko" thing less stressful.

My oldest little brother

Re-post from my Mom's blog...

"Josh spent the afternoon having his annual echocardiogrm.  I am praying for good results.  He has to go each year and have his heart monitored, as many of the chemo drugs and the high doses of radiation can cause damage to his heart muscles.  At this last appt, the oncologist handed me a flash drive with all of the medications Josh has had with all of the potential side effects to watch for in the future :(

Going to the hospital always brings back memories for me.  Many bad memories, but many good memories too.  Cancer is really really hard on a child and a family. There is a lot of bad, but there is also a lot of good.  So many people made such a difference for Josh and our family....some people that we didn't even know.  I will always hold a special place in my heart for each one of them.

My family is forever indebted to this man.  He is our true hero.  I will always wish there was a way for me to pay him back for saving Josh.  He never hesitated for a minute to be his bone marrow donor.  I pray for him and his family each day.  I can never thank him enough.  He did what I couldn't. I plan on writing a story for this blog about Josh's battle with cancer and his bone marrow transplant and including better pictures. For now, I say....'Thank you Christopher.  You will never know what your gift means to me and my family.'"

Fun fact (well, not so fun when Josh needed a donor... devastating fact at the time): My brother Josh and my sister Katie don't match any of the family members who got tested to be a bone marrow donor. But my brother Ryan and I match each other... and our personalities are very similar, more than anyone else in our family- coincidence? ... or is it in the blood? (Not to start a whole nature/nurture debate.)


On a serious note: I am in the National Bone Marrow Registry... and can only hope that one day I'll be able to donate to someone in need, just like Christopher did for my brother. I would do it without a doubt, in a heartbeat if given the chance. You can join, too! -

http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/index.html?src=tabjoin

I love you, Josh! (Even though I'm 99% sure you're not reading this,

because you are far too cool to read my stupid blog. And if you DO read it,

I'm totally sorry I posted a pic of us in dorky Christmas outfits. Thanks, Mom!)

Little sibs.

A picture my Mom took of my little sister, Katie in the bluebonnets this weekend.

My brother, Ryan and his girlfriend, Kelly
while they were skiing in Keystone last week.

My brother, Josh at El Paseo-
 we all went to dinner on Friday for my Mom's birthday.



Well, hellooo...

I decided to go ahead and start a blog as a place to post all of the pictures I've collected that inspire me (mainly decor, but some randoms... and I'm sure I'll post some personal pics and a video or 20).

I'd also like to document a very special time in my life... my love moves in this weekend- we're very excited. We'll in my teeeeeny tiny one bedroom apartment until September '11 (when my dumb lease is up). Slowly trying to furnish (and find) a bigger place in DFW, TX. AND we figure if we don't rip each other's heads off in this small space- it'll be smooth sailing from there. ;) Also- it's a zoo around here with our dog and two cats... but we love them all dearly.

A little about me: I'm Emily. I'll be 28 in May. I've lived in the DFW area all my life but have been lucky enough to have traveled to other amazing places- my favorite, Italy and I have a deep love for Austin, TX. I have a sweet, smart, hilarious boyfriend, Bill. I have a great Mom, amazing Grandparents and 3 siblings- Josh (21), Ryan (19) and Katie (14). I also have a second family- my tightly knit group of friends... I think we're pretty awesome. If money wasn't an issue- I'd travel. Everywhere. I sing. I like Wes Anderson films. And sushi. And a lot of other stuff and things that I'm sure will come up eventually...

                                                        Ryan, Katie, me and Josh

  Bill & I headed to the Dallas Zombie Walk '10

My ladies- Steph, Al, Hil, me, Ash and Baby Charlotte

(MIA Heather)