Thank you!

Grandpa is doing exceptionally well. The tubes are out of his throat, replaced by a small oxygen mask that fits in his nose. He is talking, eating, and comprehending. He even brushed his teeth by himself tonight! The doctors say that he is doing great, and the cardiologist wants him in surgery as soon as he is strong enough. Hopefully that will be soon -- so keep praying! The worst part is over, and he looks tremendous compared to Saturday at midnight, but he is not in the clear, and still needs his heart valve replaced. The doctors say, however, that once that surgery is complete he will be better than new.

I appreciate your prayers, as does the rest of my family.
Keep them coming!

<3

Please pray.

My grandfather is in the hospital with sudden and serious heart issues... they have to operate on him to correct a defective heart valve which caused his congestive heart failure & pulminary adema. Yesterday was awful, but today he is looking better - more peaceful. They have him mostly sedated, but he has tubes in his throat and stomach and it's really awful to see him like this.

Just pray for him, and for my family, if you get a chance.

Thank you.

So.

I have the most incredible job in the world.

I'm downstairs in [Aunt] Tracy's giant house, trying to fall asleep. It is incredibly silent here. It's weird. [I think I'm going to have to buy a crappy, noisy fan like the one I have in my room at home.] My body is tired but my brain is awake.

Tomorrow, I officially start my job as a nanny. I'll be watching Matthew all morning and into the afternoon, and I'll be here for when the two lovely girls get home. I'm excited but I'm nervous, too. This summer is going to be... a growing experience. The good kind. The kind that you desperately need, no matter how scared you are or nervous as you begin. I need this badly. I'm going to have two different homes this summer, and that is an exciting thought.

Pray for me, if you think about it.
I'm going to have a whole new schedule.
It's going to be awesome.

I took a quiz a few years ago, annnd, I was a winter.
This other website said this about winter-colored people:

Positive Traits
Loyal to friends and family
Natural poise
Good listener
Truthful
Sensitive
Creative
Perfectionist
Committed

Negative Traits
Somewhat self-centered
Worries what others think of them
Worries about everything
Moody
Lacks confidence
Neglects friends
Pessimistic
Expects perfection from all

At work, Winter people need:
• Plenty of time to adjust to a new plan of action. Time to analyze and think out projects before proceeding.
• Lots of encouragement to develop and use their creativity.
• Direction and detail of just what is expected
• Co-workers who are helpful and appreciative
• Short cut methods to eliminate boredom for the creative mind.
• Optimistic co-workers who keep them from being depressed and self centered.

...it's actually creepy how accurate it is.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

do i even bother?

So, I haven't written in a while.
It hasn't been that long, of course, but long enough.

I don't really know what to say; between the emotional overload from David Cook's win (yes, I am unabashedly in love with that man) and the epic American Idol finale last night and all the work we've been doing between the two houses, my brain is sort of fried. But I'll try my best, for anyone who cares enough to read.

We're officially moved in to the old house! Well, we have technically been for a couple of weeks now, but the other (evil demon!) house is devoid of our belongings in all the main rooms. The attics still have to be cleared, but they're fairly neat and we'll empty them as soon as we get a contract. We've been touch-up painting and cleaning and removing tons of stuff... Oh, my, geez. You don't realize how much crap you really have until suddenly it's time to move it all. I was going to take pictures for everyone to see, at least of my room, but it's a freaking mess right now so those pictures are just gonna have to wait. Haha. <3

My job search has taken a backseat to the giant challenge that moving has been for us, but hopefully I'll get to tag along with my dad on some of his upcoming jobs (because God is amazing and gives us what we need, right on time) and make some extra cash. I'm sort of sick of being broke, but my time and effort has seriously been needed elsewhere. It's all about God's timing, too; I don't want to ditch my family when they need me just to make some money. Besides the fact that I'm not really looking forward to the whole minimum-wage monotony cycle starting over again. Is it so wrong to want a job I can sort of enjoy? Pie-in-the-sky-Dani just wants to sit down and write her novel and become magically successful overnight, so I can do what I love all the time. But of course, realist Dani understands that everything -- especially having a 9-year-old German car! -- takes serious money, and sitting around daydreaming and living in a fictional world just isn't an option right now.

My latest obsession is the 4-year-old iPod that my dad gave to me; it's 60GB and I'm freaking out because it's going to hold a lot of media! The Dell Digital Jukebox that I currently own and have loyally used is only 15GB, and I still haven't filled it. The only concern I have (besides having to buy new cords and a case for it, haha) is that it won't play videos. I don't know what generation it is either, all I know is that it's from 2004 and it is completely dead right now and I can't find the USB hookup so I can't find out on my own.

Anybody know anything about such iPods? [I'm pretty sure it holds photos but I have nooo idea about the videos.]

I let out a heavy sigh within my mother's car.

Someone driving past turned her head.

I think she heard me.

I'd like to think she empathizes.

Today is good.

Because... God is good. In the little things, in the big things, in everything.

We moved the weekend before last. My bathroom is officially complete. Clean, organized, decorated -- complete. My bedroom is on its way there... it's taking a long time to consolidate everything.

I don't know what else to say... I love music, and things getting accomplished, and Jesus.

And this guy.