Lots of Big New lately

Sorry not much posted lately - but there's been a lot going on for us that's for sure.

I had a final recently and ended another class for graduate school (my 2nd class as a non-admitted student). Things went well - I think I should end with another A.

Next was getting some moles removed. 5 total, 4 on my face, all of which were either cosmetic or necessary as my OCD didn't allow me to leave them alone. That was interesting, as I went to a plastic surgeon to hopefully avoid scarring and I totally didn't realize what I was in for (my only previous mole removal was a "scraping" ending in a band-aid). I got shots in every location (including the rim of my eye-lid) this mixed with my nerves, making me very hot and nauseated. I thought I might get sick on the surgeon! When it was all said and done I ended up with 12 stitches in my face, and 5 in my leg. A LOT more than I thought I was going to end up with (he never mentioned stitches at all and I never realized it would result in any).

When I got home that day I had news in the mail that I had officially been accepted into the University of Iowa's Masters in Social Work Graduate Program (after a long application and writing process). I should have been really excited but I think I was just drained from the procedure and also a little let down that the back-up plan I'd created wasn't going to come to fruition. I'm more excited and optimistic now.

While WD has been in his toddler bed for a while now and doesn't get out as much at night, he has mastered the ability to play for hours in it without going to sleep. He didn't go to be last night until about 10:05! Then he was up at 6:45am (when usually we like him to be asleep by 8:15pm). This has created a temperamental toddler (and not just from his age but from lack of sleep). At least he cute...

Then last Friday (4/16) I had my follow-up appointment at the plastic surgeon's office where I was to get my stitches out (YEA!). Well - he stopped in the room long enough to tell me that it was a good thing I came in as one of the moles (the one over my right eye) wasn't a cyst but was skin cancer.

He said he's send the nurse in to remove my stitches and then he left. HUH?!?!? Yeah - that was it. Talk about him not SENSING OTHER'S NEEDS!!! Wow - thank goodness for the nurse as she told me more about it. It was Basal Cell Carcinoma, that they had clean margins so they were confident it was all contained in the tissue they removed (from my eyebrow). She told me that this would make me more apt to develop further skin cancer in the future as compared to someone who has never had skin cancer before.

In shock I went right to Walgreen's and got Mederma for my scars and high SPF sunblock for all over. I called Dave and he was just as shocked as I was, but it apparently has made him take a look at his behaviors as well as we are now in the market for big-brimmed hats for the entire family.

God Bless my cousin Kristan, she found out and told me under no circumstances am I allowed to use her tanning bed ever again. :-) Thanks Kristan - but even more so - I hope this gets you (and Cass and Brenna) to take a look at your behaviors! I haven't used a tanning bed regularly for at least 6 years, and I have been more diligent with sunscreen in the last 2-3 years. I even wear makeup with SPF 15-25 and use a moisturizer with SPF 15-25 in it. This cancerous spot I have had for less than 6 months! I just thought it was an ingrown hair from having my eyebrows waxed, but it wouldn't go away and I couldn't leave it alone. That's the only reason I wanted to have it removed - so that I didn't keep picking at it. Neither my GP or the Plastic surgeon thought anything of it, even saying that it could be a cyst.

Clearly if it can happen to me - it can happen to anyone - ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO TANS REGULARLY!!! So please be careful and cover up!!!

So yeah - we've been a little busy - or at least preoccupied. Hopefully things will be calmer this summer... yeah right.

Pasty. It's the new black... at least for us.

Easter Egg Hunt

The weekend before Easter - the Easter Bunny made a stop at Ray & Karyn's farm and had an egg hunt for all the kids. The sun shone, but the wind made it a bit chilly. Just who was that masked bunny??? Maybe we'll find out next year. :-)

WD checks out the Easter Bunny. He wasn't as shy or scared as some of the other kids. Is that good or bad???

Front L-R= Cael Scholefield (friend), Rowan Forsythe, Kael & Ella (on lap) Hutchinson, Jared Patterson (seated), Sutton Forsythe. Back L-R= Pete Sarver (friend), Amy behind the EB, and
Tony Leshan.