So much for keeping up with a Blog! Sorry Folks!

Well, obliviously keeping up with a blog has proved to be a challange for me. Between a church calling, 2 jobs, family, and "me" time . . . wait, whats "me" time? Who has time for "me" time any more these days? So, here we go for some brief updates. On New Years Eve, I went to a YSA Dance in Idaho Falls, I was in charge of drinks for the dance and borrowed mom's beautiful 5 gallong glass water jug. (I'm sure you all know where this is going . . .) After the dance, I started to help clean up, and went for the water jug, which someone was nice enough to take into the kitchen already. So, here we are at about 12:45am on New Years Day 2008, cleaning out the water jug. 1st step of cleaning it out is to dump the contents out, 2nd is to break it, or was it to rinse it out. . . Well, obliviously I missed the memo cuz it exploded and broke in my hands. I wish I had pictures to show you the glass everywhere in the kitchen, but I was more concerned about breaking moms glass jug and appologizing to everyone for leaving them the glass mess to clean up as my friends, Eric, Leanna, and Alora Kotter were taking me out of the building to the ER with my hand on top of a pile of papertowels and sitting in a puddle of blood. Crazy enough, I was the most calm one in the kitchen and everyone else was doing the panicing. I was telling people what was mine that needed to be brought to me later, where my coat was, where my car keys and cell phone was, that I needed to be taken to the ER cuz there was glass in the hand and it was bleeding badly and probably needed stitches. And as I was being escorted out to the Kotters car, I had Leanna call Mom & Dad and turned to her and said, "Well, Happy New Year!" Here is some pictures I took of my hand.






This is the topical view of all 3 knuckles that got cut. The middle finger if you look closely, looks like a check mark (Check, I'm done!), the ring finger my roomy, Micki, now calls and "alien eyeball", and the Pinky finger (better view below) Sister Belnap says,
"looks like Harry Potter's scar."

Well, before I went to the hospital, Sister Belnap had noticed my shirt had been cut from the glass as it had exploded and fallen to the floor. It didn't look like it had any more damage than that, I didn't feel that there were any cuts in my abdomen, so I just said ,"It's a shirt, who cares!", and went about trying to get the hand to stop bleeding. Well, while at the hospital, just after my folks arrived, Brother and Sister Belnap came in to the ER to check and see how I was doing. Mom notice a lot of shards of glass on my shirt and decided it best to take it off, I had one of my Down East undershirts on and noticed that not only had the glass cut the button up shirt I was wearing, it had also cut the hem of that shirt as well. So, Mom checked to see how far it went, and low and behold, it had not only gone thru the outer and undershirts, it had also cut the jeans too. It cut thru the top layer and to the outer layer of the pocket, but didn't get any further than that.

Talk about count my many blessings that night! Not only did I have glass literally explode on my hand and cut it up, but it dang near gave me another appendectomy with it too! And most cases of glass exploding like that did, people end up in surgery doing major repairs, and I just had 3 cuts and was glued shut. There is still glass in the hand, but it will either make a home, or find its own way out. A plastic surgeon I saw a few weeks after said it would do more damage to the nerves togo in after the glass, than let it stay. Below is a picture of the outfit I was wearing that the glass cut thru. The shirt is one I got from some Christmas money from Grandma Hansen. Thanks Grandma, I enjoyed the shirt while I could!

I have lovingly named the glass in my hand as Larry, Curly, and Moe, after the 3 Stooges. And lovingly refer to the scars as "My Harry Potter Wannabe, Alien Eyeball, and Check! I'm done!scars." I may as well have something to look back and laugh about, it helps get thru the tough times. I just can't wait for the day that I can pick up my flute again and play it for hours like I used to. I think that was the hardest part of the whole deal for me, and still kinda is. My flute has been my stress releaser for about 17 years, and this time I wasn't able to go to it to find my peace. I have learned to look to other music for that peace. Now, I just pop in a CD or turn on the radio, turn the volume up, and sing along with it and not care what anyone else thinks. I'm even teaching myself to play the piano to help get the strength back in my fingers to play the flute again. Between typing and playing the piano, it's become great therapy for the fingers. And singing has become a great therapy for a stress release and building confindence.

I am so greatful for my family and friends who have helped me thru my many tuff times and accidents. I know Steve and Mindy sometimes feel guilty for asking me to watch the boys, especially after finding out about an accident, or having been busy and rearranging my schedule so that I can. Truth be known, it's not an inconvienience to watch any of my niece or nephews. If there is a way that I can watch them, I will be there to watch them. They are my "Chocolate" in life. Those kids bring such joy into my life, and I'm so glad to have them as part of the family. Niece and nephews are great treasures to have, and I treasure every moment I have with them. Thank you so much Steve, Mindy, Kev, Nettie, Kellie, and Paul, for raising such fun and beautiful kids. And Mom and Dad, thanks for raising us and being such great examples to all of us. And thanks for all of your love and support you've given me thru life.

Love you all!

Melanie :)