Welcome to February 2006
2/14/2006:
This is my Valentine's Day present from Bruce....a dozen roses...6 whites and 6 reds...on the card, it says:
"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO MY LOVE, MY LIFE, MY WIFE, AND MY DIANA. LOVE ALWAYS, BRUCE"
We arrived home at the same time this afternoon, and they were delivered to our door about 20 minutes later!
That Mr. Van Bruggen is a darn smart cookie, he is! :)
"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY TO MY LOVE, MY LIFE, MY WIFE, AND MY DIANA. LOVE ALWAYS, BRUCE"
We arrived home at the same time this afternoon, and they were delivered to our door about 20 minutes later!
That Mr. Van Bruggen is a darn smart cookie, he is! :)
2/13/2006:
Today, I just have the lovely dregs of my cold, while Bruce now as it full-force. Like me a few days ago, he just is hurting all over and is tired. This evening, he took meds, and now has been sleeping a good deal. My work schedule will help him as well, because he'll be able to sleep without my snoring in his ear.....I'll be working the overnight shift at work (and from there straight on to teaching in the morning....so we won't SEE each other first thing on Valentine's Day, but it's going to be healthier for Bruce and better for our pocketbook).
Tomorrow will be our second Valentine's Day together. We'll both get home at about the same time (though I'll be much more tired by then! Teaching an elementary school on Valentine's Day just *invites* a lot of candy consumption and very little relaxation time! LOL!). Then, in the evening, we'll be going to our first membership class at our new church together. Sometime before and after that, we'll be sure to fit in a few Valentine kisses! :) Happy Valentine's Day to all of our readers! :)
Today, I just have the lovely dregs of my cold, while Bruce now as it full-force. Like me a few days ago, he just is hurting all over and is tired. This evening, he took meds, and now has been sleeping a good deal. My work schedule will help him as well, because he'll be able to sleep without my snoring in his ear.....I'll be working the overnight shift at work (and from there straight on to teaching in the morning....so we won't SEE each other first thing on Valentine's Day, but it's going to be healthier for Bruce and better for our pocketbook).
Tomorrow will be our second Valentine's Day together. We'll both get home at about the same time (though I'll be much more tired by then! Teaching an elementary school on Valentine's Day just *invites* a lot of candy consumption and very little relaxation time! LOL!). Then, in the evening, we'll be going to our first membership class at our new church together. Sometime before and after that, we'll be sure to fit in a few Valentine kisses! :) Happy Valentine's Day to all of our readers! :)
History Of Valentine's Day
How did Valentines day came into practice as it is today? The origin of this lovers day goes back to as early as 270 A.D from when the history of this day begins. Just read on and discover the true meaning of this festival.
As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice... They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier.According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed."From your Valentine"While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.
As early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice... They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier.According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully. On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed."From your Valentine"While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.
2/11/06:
Two nights ago, Bruce had a phone interview concerning a new job at Cardinal (a health care company; NOT a bank, though he would still be processing cash/numbers). It is a supervisory position, and he claimed that he was his own worst critic after speaking to the HR representative who was part of an interview company who seemed to know NOTHING about Cardinal or processing cash/numbers. He said that she asked him to clarify things that were simply a huge "DUH!" for anyone in his business. I'm sure that he clarified it all very well. They said that he'll hear back in about 10 days. :)
Today, Cardinal has a job fair, which Bruce plans on attending; so HOPEFULLY a better, more satisfying job is in his near future.
Last night at work (my art therapy group of teenaged sexual offender boys), my bosses asked me if my Fridays would possibly be clear during the day as well, so that I could join the partial hospitalization staff for their (paid) Friday staff meetings. My thought? "DUH!" My verbal answer? "Yes! I'd love to! Thank you for asking!" They said that they had been discussing my work with my boys, and would like to have MY input as well. I believe that things are progressing on my quest to have a full-time art therapy position in this difficult Columbus market! :)
Two nights ago, Bruce had a phone interview concerning a new job at Cardinal (a health care company; NOT a bank, though he would still be processing cash/numbers). It is a supervisory position, and he claimed that he was his own worst critic after speaking to the HR representative who was part of an interview company who seemed to know NOTHING about Cardinal or processing cash/numbers. He said that she asked him to clarify things that were simply a huge "DUH!" for anyone in his business. I'm sure that he clarified it all very well. They said that he'll hear back in about 10 days. :)
Today, Cardinal has a job fair, which Bruce plans on attending; so HOPEFULLY a better, more satisfying job is in his near future.
Last night at work (my art therapy group of teenaged sexual offender boys), my bosses asked me if my Fridays would possibly be clear during the day as well, so that I could join the partial hospitalization staff for their (paid) Friday staff meetings. My thought? "DUH!" My verbal answer? "Yes! I'd love to! Thank you for asking!" They said that they had been discussing my work with my boys, and would like to have MY input as well. I believe that things are progressing on my quest to have a full-time art therapy position in this difficult Columbus market! :)
2/1/2006:
Welcome to February!
The upset stomach that I've had the last few days now appears to have passed (thank goodness!). We just finished dinner, and, let me say, after all of the soup and crackers of the last few days, food with substance tastes great. We had mexican, and because of a special promotion (think: the Van Bruggen coupon-lovers! lol), we had something that I've never had before and wanted to try since I was a kid: fried ice cream! IT IS *GOOOOD* STUFF!! Why did I wait 32 years for that?!?!? :) :)
Welcome to February!
The upset stomach that I've had the last few days now appears to have passed (thank goodness!). We just finished dinner, and, let me say, after all of the soup and crackers of the last few days, food with substance tastes great. We had mexican, and because of a special promotion (think: the Van Bruggen coupon-lovers! lol), we had something that I've never had before and wanted to try since I was a kid: fried ice cream! IT IS *GOOOOD* STUFF!! Why did I wait 32 years for that?!?!? :) :)
2/7/2006:
After a few minor difficulties with this site during the last few days, we are now back!
On Sunday, we both watched THE GAME (the Superbowl....with an ending score of 21 to 10...with the Steelers having won, of course). Bruce claimed he's going to convert me yet <to be a Steelers' fan rather than a Browns' fan>...well....perhaps if pigs fly....but for right now, I'm happy being a loyal supporter of BRUCE, and if that includes the Steelers well, so be it. How about that? :) Bruce watched it from home, in his Steelers t-shirt, on the couch, with his pizza, "Terrible Towel", and "Steelers kitty" <Abbey>. I watched it at work and we called each other several times to comment on a touchdown or a Superbowl commercial. By the end of the game, I had a very happy husband who's now searching for a new Steelers t-shirt. :)
As soon as I got to work, I gained control of the clicker so that we watched the pregame, the game, and even some post game. I figured that in that house of adult MEN, I think it's sad that they are always subjected to lame soap operas, B.E.T., or cartoons. Give them some FOOTBALL! The house manager (who tends to put on the Game Show Network <30 year old game shows>) asked one resident, "Bob, do you WANT to watch the Superbowl?" Bob answered with a resounding, "uh, HUH!!!!" So, the guys got some age-appropriate mental stimulation. :)
For about a week now, Bruce has been in a lot of pain (especially at night) concerning his wisdom tooth (even with his dentist-prescribed meds every 6-8 hours). Now, he has a dentist appointment this afternoon (Tuesday), followed by a consultation with an oral surgeon on Thursday, and then (hopefully) the extraction of that one tooth on Friday morning. Keep your prayers going for him.
After a few minor difficulties with this site during the last few days, we are now back!
On Sunday, we both watched THE GAME (the Superbowl....with an ending score of 21 to 10...with the Steelers having won, of course). Bruce claimed he's going to convert me yet <to be a Steelers' fan rather than a Browns' fan>...well....perhaps if pigs fly....but for right now, I'm happy being a loyal supporter of BRUCE, and if that includes the Steelers well, so be it. How about that? :) Bruce watched it from home, in his Steelers t-shirt, on the couch, with his pizza, "Terrible Towel", and "Steelers kitty" <Abbey>. I watched it at work and we called each other several times to comment on a touchdown or a Superbowl commercial. By the end of the game, I had a very happy husband who's now searching for a new Steelers t-shirt. :)
As soon as I got to work, I gained control of the clicker so that we watched the pregame, the game, and even some post game. I figured that in that house of adult MEN, I think it's sad that they are always subjected to lame soap operas, B.E.T., or cartoons. Give them some FOOTBALL! The house manager (who tends to put on the Game Show Network <30 year old game shows>) asked one resident, "Bob, do you WANT to watch the Superbowl?" Bob answered with a resounding, "uh, HUH!!!!" So, the guys got some age-appropriate mental stimulation. :)
For about a week now, Bruce has been in a lot of pain (especially at night) concerning his wisdom tooth (even with his dentist-prescribed meds every 6-8 hours). Now, he has a dentist appointment this afternoon (Tuesday), followed by a consultation with an oral surgeon on Thursday, and then (hopefully) the extraction of that one tooth on Friday morning. Keep your prayers going for him.
2/8/2005:
Well, it's now 1:54 am, and my "fun" of about 8-9 days ago appears to be back. Just like then, today I felt fine until late in the evening, and then my stomach slowly started displaying signs of distress...until the climax, when I (once again) just became very sick; and now my body won't let me lay down. It is SO rare that I physically get sick, and now it's been x3 within little over a week. Also, every time I have the trauma of getting sick, it makes me apprehensive that a seizure might be soon following. Back to my soup and crackers diet. I hate this, and I just want to sleep. Happy 4 month anniversary...hopefully the rest of today will go better!
(later entry)
Today was full of a migraine/slight fever for me, and a mouthful of pain for Bruce's wisdom tooth. Caring for each other is how WE spent our evening. It's amazing what can be said without words.
Well, it's now 1:54 am, and my "fun" of about 8-9 days ago appears to be back. Just like then, today I felt fine until late in the evening, and then my stomach slowly started displaying signs of distress...until the climax, when I (once again) just became very sick; and now my body won't let me lay down. It is SO rare that I physically get sick, and now it's been x3 within little over a week. Also, every time I have the trauma of getting sick, it makes me apprehensive that a seizure might be soon following. Back to my soup and crackers diet. I hate this, and I just want to sleep. Happy 4 month anniversary...hopefully the rest of today will go better!
(later entry)
Today was full of a migraine/slight fever for me, and a mouthful of pain for Bruce's wisdom tooth. Caring for each other is how WE spent our evening. It's amazing what can be said without words.
2/19/2006:
Bruce went through his dentist and oral surgeon experiences on Thursday without a problem, other than the fact that the drugs really knocked him out. (And the one pill is SOOOO hard to crush up! my goodness!!) He was asked to bring his ipod to listen to (and help calm him) while his wisdom tooth was being extracted...but the oral surgeon (HIGHLY recommended now, by the way...his name is Dr. Jackrit in Westerville) said "the tooth just popped right out!" Bruce said "it was finished before the second song was done!!!" Now Bruce has an appointment three weeks from now with our regular dentist to check the wisdom tooth area and install his permanent crown on his other tooth. (His temporary crown came off the second day it was on! The dentist's temporary solution? "Fixadent"!! lol!!!!) So it'll be annoying for the next few weeks...and Bruce is SO waiting until he can finally eat peanut butter and caramel again in 3 weeks...he hasn't been able to because of his teeth since December, and is really craving them now!).
We have both been active on looking at apartments for where to move once our lease here runs out. Although we still have many more yet to visit, we both think that yesterday we found our apartment. It's fairly new, in a very good neighborhood & school district (the neighborhood where I grew up and teach in now....what could be better than myself as a reference? :) ), and is a two-bedroom, townhome-style with a finished basement....three bedroooms really.....1700 square feet, big great room area, a nice 24-hr finess center with a whirlpool, AND I'll be able to plant flowers....I miss having a garden....
We also wanted to put here a joy and a concern to share:
First, the joy is that our nephew, Justin Benton, is (unexpectedly) going to be in his school's district-wide spelling bee in Kentucky on Tuesday. He said that if he would've known that he was going to win and be moved onto the next level, he wouldn't have entered in the first place; because he was just looking for a way to get out of school for the day! :)
Next, the concern is that our sister-in-law, Sheri Van Bruggen, called a few days ago to say that one of her moles was found to be cancerous (melanoma). On Tuesday, they are going to go in a little deeper to see if it can all be cut out or if it's gotten into her lymph nodes.
Please keep both Sheri and Justin in your thoughts/prayers on Tuesday the 21st.
Bruce went through his dentist and oral surgeon experiences on Thursday without a problem, other than the fact that the drugs really knocked him out. (And the one pill is SOOOO hard to crush up! my goodness!!) He was asked to bring his ipod to listen to (and help calm him) while his wisdom tooth was being extracted...but the oral surgeon (HIGHLY recommended now, by the way...his name is Dr. Jackrit in Westerville) said "the tooth just popped right out!" Bruce said "it was finished before the second song was done!!!" Now Bruce has an appointment three weeks from now with our regular dentist to check the wisdom tooth area and install his permanent crown on his other tooth. (His temporary crown came off the second day it was on! The dentist's temporary solution? "Fixadent"!! lol!!!!) So it'll be annoying for the next few weeks...and Bruce is SO waiting until he can finally eat peanut butter and caramel again in 3 weeks...he hasn't been able to because of his teeth since December, and is really craving them now!).
We have both been active on looking at apartments for where to move once our lease here runs out. Although we still have many more yet to visit, we both think that yesterday we found our apartment. It's fairly new, in a very good neighborhood & school district (the neighborhood where I grew up and teach in now....what could be better than myself as a reference? :) ), and is a two-bedroom, townhome-style with a finished basement....three bedroooms really.....1700 square feet, big great room area, a nice 24-hr finess center with a whirlpool, AND I'll be able to plant flowers....I miss having a garden....
We also wanted to put here a joy and a concern to share:
First, the joy is that our nephew, Justin Benton, is (unexpectedly) going to be in his school's district-wide spelling bee in Kentucky on Tuesday. He said that if he would've known that he was going to win and be moved onto the next level, he wouldn't have entered in the first place; because he was just looking for a way to get out of school for the day! :)
Next, the concern is that our sister-in-law, Sheri Van Bruggen, called a few days ago to say that one of her moles was found to be cancerous (melanoma). On Tuesday, they are going to go in a little deeper to see if it can all be cut out or if it's gotten into her lymph nodes.
Please keep both Sheri and Justin in your thoughts/prayers on Tuesday the 21st.
2/22/2006:
Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be at work, so I will be unable to log this info; I hope it is still relevant by then:
It will be exactly one year since my last seizure. That is a marvelous thing, since I have had them for 15 years now; and I used to have them regularly, sometimes even 1-2 every 2-3 months. Especially when times of extremely high stress had just ended. I always have very descriptive dreams and nightmares, and last night, I had a nightmare in which I had another <bad> seizure. Obviously, the fear of one occuring is greatly on my mind right now; but as I've said before, Bruce has been a wonderful medicine for my *entire* body. Since we've been together, my seizures at first greatly decreased, and now, have stopped. Please send some good thoughts that his medicine continues to work.
Tomorrow (Thursday), I will be at work, so I will be unable to log this info; I hope it is still relevant by then:
It will be exactly one year since my last seizure. That is a marvelous thing, since I have had them for 15 years now; and I used to have them regularly, sometimes even 1-2 every 2-3 months. Especially when times of extremely high stress had just ended. I always have very descriptive dreams and nightmares, and last night, I had a nightmare in which I had another <bad> seizure. Obviously, the fear of one occuring is greatly on my mind right now; but as I've said before, Bruce has been a wonderful medicine for my *entire* body. Since we've been together, my seizures at first greatly decreased, and now, have stopped. Please send some good thoughts that his medicine continues to work.
2/27/2006:
Just now, I was reminded of our romance. I was sitting here in our office, putting stuff up for sale on Ebay and listening to "Delilah" on the radio, while Bruce was in the living room watching the World Wrestling Federation on tv. Dull on both ends? Perhaps, but we were both enjoying ourselves.
On Delilah, there was a 6-month newlywed bride talking about how much she was in love with her new husband. Well, Bruce & I are now almost at our *5* month point, and I completely felt what the woman was saying. After telling her story, she asked Delilah to play a song from her wedding ("When You Say Nothing At All" by Allison Krauss), which was also a part of our wedding, too. So, I called Bruce into the office, he heard the song, and we slow danced. Just the two of us: Mr. and Mrs. Van Bruggen. And about 30 minutes later, ANOTHER song from our wedding was played ("Grow Old With Me" by Mary Chapin Carpenter)...so, we danced again.
On a lighter note, tomorrow, our cat Snezana will turn 10 years old...what an old lady...makes ME feel old, too, since she was just 1 1/2 when I inherited her. Like her mama, she's a little chubbier than she was back then! She just got some "Fancy Feast" for her birthday cake, and didn't even have to share any with Abbey! :)
Just now, I was reminded of our romance. I was sitting here in our office, putting stuff up for sale on Ebay and listening to "Delilah" on the radio, while Bruce was in the living room watching the World Wrestling Federation on tv. Dull on both ends? Perhaps, but we were both enjoying ourselves.
On Delilah, there was a 6-month newlywed bride talking about how much she was in love with her new husband. Well, Bruce & I are now almost at our *5* month point, and I completely felt what the woman was saying. After telling her story, she asked Delilah to play a song from her wedding ("When You Say Nothing At All" by Allison Krauss), which was also a part of our wedding, too. So, I called Bruce into the office, he heard the song, and we slow danced. Just the two of us: Mr. and Mrs. Van Bruggen. And about 30 minutes later, ANOTHER song from our wedding was played ("Grow Old With Me" by Mary Chapin Carpenter)...so, we danced again.
On a lighter note, tomorrow, our cat Snezana will turn 10 years old...what an old lady...makes ME feel old, too, since she was just 1 1/2 when I inherited her. Like her mama, she's a little chubbier than she was back then! She just got some "Fancy Feast" for her birthday cake, and didn't even have to share any with Abbey! :)
