Well, today was a long day to say the least. It was a good day, just a long one.

This morning we went to a gun show in Puyallup. I finally settled on the Tanfoglio Witness 10mm. I went between it and a Beretta for quite awhile, but finally made up my mind. After all of the deliberation, we found out that they don't take plastic...and we couldn't use it as a debit card at an ATM. Maybe later on this week we'll be able to look at some of the shops around here, and see what they have as well.

Tonight we went to Olive Garden. This is usually our go-to restaurant, as the service is usually decent, and it's just where we always go. Kind of like some people have "their song," this is the same thing. Let me start out by saying that I've worked in my share of restaurants, so I know about being a server, working crazy shifts, everything.
We got there and had to wait almost 30 minutes. Fine. They were busy, I can understand that, as it's 630pm...but there are empty tables all around, as there is no server for them. Why wouldn't you have a full wait staff in the middle of the dinner rush?
So, we get seated and Ivan is fussy. This really doesn't bother me, as I come equipped with two milk making pacifiers. Pretty cool, huh? Anyways, as I'm calming Ivan down, our server comes over and lets us know that she'll be right back over in two minutes. She holds up one finger. She then realizes that she said two minutes, and is holding up only one..She gives a confused look, and then holds up two. She comes back, and says something about giving us more time, and then disappears for 10 minutes..then comes back again, and asks if we want water or something. Luke gets his food..eats everything and I still don't know where mine is. I easily waited 20 more minutes for it to show up...after I had to ask another server for it.
After all of this, our original waitress brought us our check. It was $114. Takes her another 10 minutes to fix this.

I'm very upset, very frustrated, and want to leave.

We end up tipping a guy who wasn't our server, but that took care of us when our incompetent server couldn't. She got $1.30 and he got $5.

That's what happens when you give crappy service and your tip-o-meter starts going down. At least I didn't leave her a note like I did the last bad waiter that we had.

Somewhere, over the rainbow...

Well, Luke got orders...we're moving to Kansas, baby!

I won't lie, I was upset at first...I mean, it's Kansas. But the more I think about it, the more excited I get! I don't like that the high there yesterday was 18, and I don't like how people keep telling me that there is nothing there..but they have thunderstorms! And they have tornadoes, and it'll hopefully be the "small town" feeling that I love so much.

Maybe I should get a head start on making friends, since it took me over a year to really click with anyone here. Either way, the idea of moving to Ft. Riley is really growing on me. I'll then be within a 12 hour drive of my family (instead of 5 day), and maybe I'll get to see them more than once a year! Maybe I'll even make a special trip for Christmas.

Luke also has TDY in Monfreakingtana at the end of March. He leaves on my 21st birthday. Can you tell I'm NOT excited about this? I started out upset, and then I got mad, and now I just don't care. I might fly to see my family in TN, or I might just stay home and celebrate alone. I'm leaning towards just staying here, because it will cost extra to put Wrinkles up for the week that the two of us would be gone. I mean, I could always just go out with Ivan and get myself a dessert and a glass of wine, right? That could be fun.

I'm also getting another tattoo for my birthday (sorry mom!) It's going to be a sea turtle with Ivan's name/initials in the shell. This is another thing I'm excited about. For awhile I was only having one person do all of my tattoos, but I've also had the guy that does Luke's work do one on me, and this time I'm probably going to have a shop out here, Spider Monkey, do this one. I'm thinking I'll either put it on my shoulder or the back of my calf. I really haven't decided yet. I could always do one calf, and then do the other calf when we have another baby!

Speaking of which, I want another little one! If someone would sponsor us to allow me to adopt a child, I would be forever grateful to you. I really wish that I could make a difference in the life of someone else, but Luke and I can always have another child of our own, and then after they are grown and gone...I could adopt and add on to our family. It might not be what I'm going to be blessed with, but if it's what God wants to give me, then I'm game!

Whatever, dude.

This post is going to be me being frustrated, me being mad at the system, and also me just being confused.

Those of you who know me might know that I've had problems with my knee since I was a freshman in high school. Well, with starting the Couch 2 5k program, the high impact-ness of it has really done a number on making my joints hurt again.

Today was week 2, day 2 for me. Luke and I set off from the house with Ivan in the jogging stroller and I didn't even make it halfway through the first run. My knee has so much pressure inside of it, and it was hurting to even move it. I wanted to continue on, but my wonderful honey thought it would be best if we headed home so that I could rest it a little bit. We got home and I decided that I was going to head to the Walk In Clinic near our house just to see if there was anything that they could do to help me out.
I went by there about 2 months ago because I was so sick that I couldn't breathe and I was just 100% miserable. At that time, the receptionist had me sign a paper saying that I would pay whatever portion Triwest didn't pay. Apparently they had been having problems with insurance paying because people were using an Urgent Care center for their everyday doctor, like when kids needed shots and someone had a cold.

Now for the part that confuses me: You're supposed to go see your normal doctor if you can, because an UC center is for the "I'm hurt/sick and need to be seen now. I can't wait for an appointment next week." WELL, this facility always asks for a referral from your regular doctor..that way Tricare "covers it." WOULDN'T I HAVE MY NORMAL FREAKING DOCTOR TREAT ME INSTEAD? Why in the hell would I wait a week to see my regular doctor to get an unneeded referral to an urgent care? Seriously?

I'm sure none of this makes sense, but I'm so frustrated!

Couch to 5k, Week 2.

Last week I started the C25K program. I wasn't happy that I had to run, but it's starting to grow on me. Yesterday I started week 2, day 1. You have a 5 minute warm-up walk, then alternate between running 90 sec and walking 120 sec, then another 5 minute cool-down walk. I'm not really dying like I was the first week, and I only took a 5 second break, where I walked instead of jogged. 

Ivan doesn't like being in his stroller, which makes it hard for me to get out and run during the day. Yesterday I made it a little over 5 minutes before he started screaming (not just crying, he was SCREAMING). I turned around and came back home, and then we had take 2 today. 

I've also been going to the gym here lately, but I don't really "work out." It's more of a running on the elliptical for 10 minutes before I get frustrated and quit. Then I go walk a mile or so, and then maybe sit in the sauna for another 10 minutes. By the time I'm done, I know that Ivan is probably screaming at home, and that Luke is needing a break. I load back up in the car, and head home, upset with myself for not sucking it up and doing more. I don't use the machines because I don't know how. I hate working out in front of people for this very reason. Maybe if it was me and one other person in the weight room, until I figure out how to use everything...then maybe I would use the machines. For now I'll stick to things that frustrate me, yet I know how to use them. 

Not a lot besides that has been going on out here in WA. I've made another friend (hi kearstie!) but that's about it. However, it's nice to be able to talk to someone else who has a baby that is Ivan's age. Now we just need to get the boys together to play! 

I don't know what having a baby has done to me..but I'll be domesticated in no time. I'm going to try my hand at making dryer balls this weekend. I'm hoping that they help with my cloth diaper problem, but if they don't, it'll at least help cut our electric bill. A big thanks goes out to Jean Van Effen for the wool yarn & roving- I almost sent Luke into work tonight to pick it up so that I could get started already! 

One other thing of importance is coming up...My mother and aunt are going to be here in two weeks! We're going to go to Pike's Place, the Space Needle, we might go to see the troll under the bridge, and we'll probably go shopping at some point. I am EXCITED. As much as I love my sweet angel son, it'll be nice to go out for an hour or two with Luke, and not have to worry about who will hold him first while the other one eats. I'm going to hate leaving him at home..but I know that he'll be in good hands with them.