Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I do want to say a few words about my Dad.

Daddy, I'm amazed by you. You are strong, loving, funny, smart, wise, generous, handsome, gentle, a hard worker, an awesome Granddaddy. You love God with your whole heart. I have never doubted your love for me. You have always been there when I needed you, but respected me enough to let me make mistakes and grow from them. Thank you for all that you are to me, and to my family. I always have been, and always will be, your little girl. I love you, Dad. Happy birthday!

Nothin' much

All I have to say is... I PASSED!!!!!

Does adrenaline burn calories?

I hope so! I awoke at 3am, completely alert, and starving! Obviously, I'm not pregnant, so it has to be the adrenaline coursing through my system. This is the first time I've ever had a snack at 3am joined by my cat. I'm sure George will make sure to be awake if anyone gets up in the wee hours again. It might result in a bowl of milk for him.
I've already showered, and I think I'm ready to go, so now I'm just passing the time until mom comes to retrieve me. I hope I stay this way until after the test is over!

Scary thought

Tomorrow is my CCA exam. I think I'm ready for it, but... I'm always rather unsure of myself before a test. And this is the biggest test I've ever had to take. If I pass, I will be certified. That means, when I get a job, I will get paid more because I know what I'm doing. At least, that's what it's supposed to mean. Anyway, if I don't pass... well, I can still get a job, but it will mean less money at first, and I can't take the test again for at least 3 months. And there is pretty much no such thing as a local test. And it's $200 every time I take it. So, I would prefer to get it right the first time.
Please pray for me. Pray for peace and that my mind will be like a filing cabinet with the right files available at the right time. I had a little freak-out session yesterday. But I got lots of prayers, and I feel better today. Pray that I stay that way. How can I be so excited and so petrified at the same time?
I have enjoyed these classes so much, and I really feel that God has had His hand in it the whole time. I have been begging Him to give me wisdom in what to study, and good recollection. Please, God, don't let me fail!

Sweet Thing

I went to pick up Sophie from the vet yesterday, and it was very entertaining. I started talking to the girl at the front desk, and she asked me if I was Sophie's mom. I said I was, and she responded by gushing about how sweet she is. Then someone else entered the room, and she said,"Are you talking about Sophie? She is so sweet!" They told me all about how she would try her best to get everyone's attention when they walked past her cage, and she was very spunky, and doing very well for all she had gone through. Purring, stretching, rolling on her back for a belly rub... Every now and then, as we continued to talk, others would enter the room, and they all would say the same thing. "Are you talking about Sophie? She is so sweet!" It's funny how something so silly can make you feel proud. It was almost like they were talking about one of my kids.
And she really is doing remarkably well. You wouldn't even know she's had surgery.

Poor Sophie

Our little kitty is getting spayed and declawed today. She is such a sweet little thing. I feel bad for her. The kids were all over her before we dropped her off. Nobody wanted to leave her. But I know she's in good hands, and we will be able to go get her tomorrow. She will be missed today, especially by George. We picked up a new toy for her to play with when she gets home. Hopefully, she won't be in too much pain. She will definitely need a little extra tender loving care.
It's funny. It's been a long time since I have had cats that have given me as much pleasure as these two do. I can't say I ever remember MISSING my cats when I or they were gone, but I miss these guys. They have become such a part of our family. It's almost like having more kids. Not quite, but almost. I want to know where they are, and I get worried when I can't find them. I miss them when we are on vacation, and call my neighbor to check on them. I love the fact that they call to us when things are too quiet and they want to know where we are. I love that George comes and sits on my night stand in the mornings and watches me intently until I move, at which point he starts talking to me to wake me up.
They each have very unique personalities that are perfect for our family. Sophie is our snuggler. She loves attention of any kind, and actually enjoys it when the kids manhandle her. She is a great companion to George, who loves to wrestle with her. They enjoy each other so much. George is more serious, and doesn't like to snuggle, but he does like to be near us, and has is own way of showing that he loves us. He like to lay right in the middle of whatever you happen to be doing, especially if you have a book lying in front of you.
You know, I have noticed recently that George has changed quite a bit since Sophie has arrived. He doesn't knock things over any more. He doesn't cry as much. He's not as likely to get into things he's not supposed to. I think he just needed a friend.

It's All Good

I got my stitches out a few days ago, and I'm very happy to report that the path report came back clear. The scar that's left is amazingly unnoticeable. Dr. Yu told me to wait about a month and then get some Mederma to minimize it's appearance, but I don't think I'm going to need it. It's not even red, and it's only a week and a half old. Right now, I'm not even putting concealor on it. Thank you, Lord, for such a wonderful outcome. I couldn't ask for more.

Skin Cancer

This past Wednesday, I spent the afternoon in a plastic surgeons office, getting a basal cell carcinoma removed from under my right eye. I'm very thankful that it was just a basal cell, and not malignant melanoma. Dr. Yu did an excellent job, and did his best to minimize the scarring that will result. Currently, I'm waiting for him to call me with the pathology report to find out if he got it all or not. Please pray that it comes back ok.
This was definitely a test in the vanity department at first. It's not that I think I'm gorgeous or anything, but I am pretty happy with the way God made me. I know that He protected me and allowed me to catch this early. However, I must admit that I was kind of freaking out when I found out that it was cancer. I was happy with the way the shave biopsy had healed up, and was hoping not to have to go back. When Dr. Yu showed me how big of a section he was going to have to take, I really struggled for a bit. But God gave me peace, and I was able to relax during the procedure.
I was pleasantly surprised when he handed me a mirror so I could see the end result. The incision is a little over a centimeter long, and I have 6 very tiny stitches. They will come out this Wednesday.
I am a tad paranoid now. The bump I had didn't look like anything, and the dermatologist thought it would be nothing. So, next time I go see him, I'm going to have him look at every little questionable bump, mole, discoloration, or whatever! Better safe than sorry!

ATT for the CCA

I got my ATT for the CCA! What that means is: I got my admission to test letter for the Certified Coding Associate exam. I have scheduled the exam for Aug. 26, at 9am in Savannah. Please pray for me! I will spend the next weeks studying for it. Once I take the test, they should tell me right then whether I passed. If I pass, I'm certified!(Not certifiable, although I might feel that way by the time this is over!) I hate taking tests, but I'm actually looking forward to this one. I'll let you know the results!

Fun and Beautiful!

Yesterday, we went to the Aquaduct park around 11am and stayed until about 1:30. If you've never been there, it's a wonderful place to visit. The water is very cold, like in the mountains, and there is a small waterfall on one side that trickles down into a big pool. There is usually more water than this coming down it, but it varies.
On the other side of the pool, there is a sliding rock of sorts. The only thing is, the amount of water coming down can change at any time. In this picture, you can see that there is a rather strong flow of water. It certainly doesn't stop people from sliding, but I'm not as adventurous as some.
Off to the right of the sliding rock is a train trestle that goes over the water as it flows away from the aquaduct. While we were there, two trains went by, and the conductors both waived and honked at us. The kids loved it!
We had a great time there, and definitely plan to go back. I think it's our new favorite place here in Augusta.
FYI: If you plan to go, where shoes that can be worn in the water. Those rocks are slick!

LOL

Robby, clutching his stomach: "I need something to hold me down!"

Me, trying not to crack up: "Do you mean 'tide me over'?"

Robby: "Yeah, that! I'm starving!"