Christmas Time

We had a nice Christmas. Christmas Eve at the Bravo's until midnight and then Christmas Day at the Avery's. There was lots of delicious food wherever we went and lots of fun. This year my parents and two little brothers went to Peru so I was a little sad that they weren't here but I'm glad they got to spend it with my grandparents. Apparently, one of my little brothers almost blew off his hand with fireworks. My other little brother was taken to the hospital because they thought he might have malaria or dengue fever, but the results came back negative.

Jesse and I have had all week off from work, which has been great except sometimes we've been a little bored so we try to find things to do. At least we have been sleeping in all week long, it's been great. Hope you all have had a great Christmas!

Melissa

Happy Birthday!

Today is Jesse's 28th birthday! Happy Birthday!!!! We had a nice family dinner at the Avery's house, ate ribs, pasta and chocolate cake. Good Times.

Couches and Best Husband

Jesse and I finally got real couches, some black leather ones. We got them off of my mom's friend. They are really nice. I was scared that our IKEA couches were going to break when we sat on them one day.

Jesse is the best husband...he downloaded all my favorite boy band songs from the 90's. I like Jesse.

Missing Girl and My 3rd Near Death Experience

If you are the praying type please pray for Veronica Ruiz and for the safety of my co-workers and rangers. She is the missing hiker from Mill Valley, who was hiking on Mount Tamalpais. She is my co-worker and this is a very sad situation. I can't explain everything, but it's a horrible thing that no one should go through. It is very heartwrenching for me because yesterday I was looking for Veronica in a beautiful place, on a mountain by the ocean, but all I could think about was my co-worker is out there, it's dangerous and we need to find here. In my line of work we will do anything to save our own. I can't even imagine what her parents are going through.

Yesterday, I was on the one of the rescue teams searching for Veronica on Mt. Tam. I was on a team of four people consisting of a Ranger, Jr. Ranger, one of my co-workers and myself. We separated in pairs and went two different directions but we were going to meetup eventually. I paired up with the Ranger. Every was going fine, other than not finding Veronica, covering as much ground as we could (3 or 4 miles).

I first notice my hands were itching but didn't think anything about it. I climed to the top of a hill and yelled for Veronica and I felt that my mouth was kind of tight. I felt my face and I started to have welts and bumps on my face. I ran to the Ranger, when I felt that my throat was starting to close up. Then my whole body started itching like if I had ants biting me all over my body. What scared my the most was the last time this happened to me my throat was almost closed up in less than 5 minutes after I found out something was wrong with me. We were far away about 1 hour hike back down to the fireman's station.

As the Ranger called for help I calmed my self down. The ability of being able to breathe was slowly being taken away from me so while the Ranger called for help I called Jesse. Jesse said I sounded calm but in my mind I was thinking, "I'm going to die, I'm going into respiratory arrest, please Lord help me, help me." I kneeled down to try to control my breath. Thank God I was trained to control my breathing when I was OC'ed (pepper sprayed) in my face, during my Georgia training. The faster I breathed, the faster the allergy would go through my body.

The Ranger didn't have Epinefrin and Benadryl, the medicine I needed. What felt like an eternity, was probably 15 minutes before the firemen came. The Ranger and the firemen felt like my angels. I was REALLY bad by the time they came to me. The firemen gave my oxygen, while they prepared the epinefrin, and benadryl. Epinefrin is pure adrenalin, which made me cold, somewhat disoriented and was very shaky. When I finally got to the ambulance, they stabalized me and took me to the Emergency Room.

My symptoms got better on the way to the hospital, but I felt and still feel like crap. When I arrived they hooked me up to some steroids to make sure my allergic reaction completely went away. The bad thing is that they don't know what I'm allergic too. I have to go see an allergist to see if he can determine the source of my severe allergic reation. So for the rest of my life I have to walk around with an Epi-Stick (self injection of epinefrin/adrenalin) in case I start feeling the same thing again.

I call it my 3rd near death experience because it was. The 1st time anything like this happened to was this same experience in Georgia, 2nd time my car accident, 3rd was yesterday. I really don't like almost dieing, I'm not scared of dieing because I know I'm going to heaven because Jesus lives in me, but the pain, and actual process and the realization of "If I don't get help I'm going to die" is not fun. But I'm still here, happy and alive.

Melissa

Funny!!

This is an actual picture from the streets in Richmond, CA. Funny!!

Weight Gain Weight Loss!

After my car accident I gain approximately 12 lbs, due to not exercising and not being able to cook as much as I did because I was in pain. Therefore, Jesse and I ate out more than we normally did. 12 pounds doesn’t sound like a lot but on a 5 foot petite woman like me it was a lot of weight.

Once I got my strength back and was physically able to exercise (primarily weight lifting and running) I really started to get back into the habit. After three months of working out and running like crazy, I actually had not lost a pound but actually gained weight from my muscle gain (or fat but I prefer to think it was muscle). It was ridiculous! I was lifting the most I had ever lifted and was running 6 miles 3 or 4 times a week and nothing was happening.

I decided that if exercising wasn’t helping me lose weight that I would have to change my eating habits. I was debating between starting the Nutrisystem or Weight Watchers, but I eventually chose Weight Watchers because it fit my lifestyle that I have.

First couple of weeks I was quite hungry but my appetite eventually changed. Slowly but gradually the weight starting coming off between 1-2 lbs a week since mid September of this year. Hiking Machu Picchu made not only me lose weight but Jesse too. Jesse lost like 10 lbs hiking in Peru and I lost like 5 lbs. Weight Watchers completely changed my point of view on eating; I’m eating and feeling SO much healthier. I have horrible migraines and ever since I starting eating better my migraines have drastically reduced to almost never happening.

All in all, I have lost 16 lbs with only a few more pounds to go just because we all want to lose those 5 extra pounds, eating and exercising better (though I haven’t exercised since Peru, but that’s somewhat understandable). I still eat my pizza, chocolate and other yummy bad food but now I know what junk food costs me. That doesn’t mean I’m staying away from them forever but only once in a blue moon.

Melissa

Tourist Visas

Janette got denied her tourist visa on Monday, the reason given being that she didn't make enough money. Melissa and I filled out Affidavit's of Support, got them officially notarized and everything, declaring that the visiting alien would not become a drain on the system while she was up here and staying with us, specifically so that wouldn't be an issue.

Anyway, with a few exceptions (notably Europe) everyone who wants to come to the US on a tourist visa has to pass an interview and overcome an assumption that they will immigrate, just stay here once they get here. That's reasonable, given our situation as the most kick-ass nation on earth, but it's crazy that they'd keep visitors out specifically because they won't enforce their own rules. If it were more difficult for companies to hire illegals and harder for illegals to find work, then it would be easier to bring in visitors, legitimate visitors, without the fear that they'd stay. That makes sense all the way around, except that our salad might be more expensive.

I'd like to rant and rave, but I know that people have limited attention spans.

Excited

Melissa is lying, she knows why she's excited. Her cousin Janette is interviewing with the US Consulate in Lima on monday at 7:30 in the morning to see if she gets a US tourist visa or not. Most are denied, but we hope she get's through. So if you're the praying type please pray for Janette (to get her tourist visa).

Random Thoughts

I'm excited and I don't know why. Maybe about Thanksgiving and Christmas, having great times with families and friends.

I'm glad it's fall almost winter. Jesse's birthday is next month, my work situation is better, I feel healthier. Rocky's not that much of a butthead. I had lunch today with Jesse so that is always a perk. We lost the BMW but now we don't have a car payment and our insurance is WAY cheaper, we only really need one car.

Life is good.

Melissa

Gym

If you're a man and you go to the gym, don't ever do this:



Please.

Car

I have lost another BMW. I got rear ended monday morning by a Chevy Tahoe, the backside of my car got all messed up, but not so much that I couldn't drive to work. The insurance claims it's a total loss, so there it goes.

Peru

Our trip to Peru was awesome, I'd love to spend several thousand words describing it, but I know how hard long posts are to read and how boring I can get. Plus I'm not really sure how to describe two such diverse weeks, so I'll just post some entertaining bits:

- Iquitos, where Melissa's grandparents live and where we spent week #1, is the world's largest city which is inaccessible by road.

- The moto-rickshaws that serve as taxi's in Iquitos consistently charged Melissa, myself, and her cousin Janette 25% more than normal fare for a ride. Supposedly it's because they thought I was down there stealing their women and they were exacting their revenge.

- We had no running water the whole week we were in Iquitos, which is in the middle of the Amazon rain-forest. Hello bucket showers.

- In Iquitos there are no readily available sources of dairy.

- Lima, the capital of Peru, reminds me of a giant, dirty version of Oakland. It wasn't pretty.

- I am too big for Peru, I couldn't stand up on buses, I made motocarros list to whatever side I was on, and if I didn't duck I'd hit my head on almost every door frame in the country.

- Cusco is a really cool city. We stayed here. In the highest room, at the highest hotel, in the highest city in Peru. We got winded every time we walked back to our room.

- On the second day of our trek to Machu Picchu we crossed the Incachiriaska Pass, which is over 16,000ft. It was hard, I'd walk twenty feet, catch my breath, then repeat. The people who crossed the pass that afternoon and the next day had to do it in a foot of snow.

- If you walk for most of a day in a nice thick jacket and get a little wet and sweaty you'll smell bad later. Really bad.

- I'm no boy scout. I set my tent up poorly on the second night, when it rained pretty hard and Melissa and I spent the night on a small lake.

- Our tent and sleeping bags were great, despite the rain and the poor set up we were warm and dry every night, we were the only warm ones the first night.

- Machu Picchu is well deserving of every good thing you can say about it, it's awesome. Not only is the site cool enough alone, but it's sitting up at the top of incredibly steep and sheer mountains which are covered in thick, jungle vegetation. It's just amazing.

- The United States of America is the best country ever.

Peru Pictures

If you want to see our Peru pictures just click on the "Pictures" link on the right side.

Back Home, California!!

We are so happy to be home. After sweltering in the jungle for a week and then hiking close to 50 miles we are so happy to be home. Here's a quick picture, more to come later.

Melissa

AHHH!!

We are going to Peru in three days!! We'll be staying the first week in Iquitos, Peru (on the Amazon River) which is the largest city in the world that can only be reached my plane, right in the middle of the Amazons. The second week, one of the new seven wonders of the world Cuzco/Machu Pichuu.

Dentist

I went to the dentist this morning because one of my teeth hurt when I bit down on it. My dentist told me that my tooth seemed like it was starting to die. Apparently I had a larger than normal nerve in my tooth which was very close to the surface of my tooth, that was nicked by a previous dentist when filling a previous cavity. It just takes years for the nerve to die, and apparently it wants to cause me pain before I go to Peru. My dentist said that if I wasn't going to Peru in a week that he wouldn't not suggest doing a root canal, but since I am he did a root canal. Pre-emptive strike, I like it.

Every I know has told me that a root canals are horrible, but I really didn't feel anything because 1) my tooth did not have a cavity in it, it was just dieing 2) My dentist shot me with Novocaine like 4 or 5 times AND gave me laughing gas which was a lot of fun. He finished the whole thing like in one hour. My jaw hurts more than tooth, but I still am taking some pain killers and anti-biotics. That was my morning. I just didn't want to have some Peruvian dentist pull my tooth out.

Melissa

Before the Sunrise.....

No one is driving around in the streets at 3:30 a.m. in the morning unless:

1) You have my job
2) Are a truck driver
3) Have MAJOR, MAJOR problems.

I'm tired. =(

Melissa.

Update

Rocky with his new hairstyle at the dog park, I know he looks like a girl but he looks funny with short hair so we let it grow out.

In other news, we are leaving for Peru in three weeks. It seems really close but the both of us have a TON of work to do (for our jobs) before we leave. I can't wait to see my grandparents and hike in the mountains.

My older brother, Ricky, had heart surgery today. They reached his left side of his heart through his femoral artery in his upper left leg. During the surgery they found more complications in the right side of his heart and had to do a second surgery, which they reach through the main vein in his neck. My brother is a trooper. He was awake during the whole surgery which took six hours. I'm glad he is still alive.

Funny Water

I went running yesterday with Jesse and my dog Rocky (3 miles). I like to weigh myself before and after I run to see how much water my body loses and I lose an average 2 lbs of water loss. For some reason yesterday, I lost 8 lbs of water! I felt "fake skinny" for a little while, but I retained most of the water loss by the end of the night. It was nice to see a lower number on the scale though.

By the way, best work out song: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, and a crazy dog named Rocky to run with.

Shots, Shots and More Shots

Since we are going to the jungles and mountains of Peru we have to get four specific shots/medicines.

1. Malaria medicine/pills: Which I hear make you sick anyways.


2. Yellow Fever Shot


3. Typhoid shot


4. Altitude sickness meds: Make you sick too.

Oh well, I guess it worth it. Jesse might need more shots since he hasn't have all his immunizations. I think we'll be extremely sick even before we go to Peru. It's very sobering to know that Iquitos, Peru is the #2 malaria capital of the world. Lovely. I guess that is why we take all these shots and meds.

Chicago!!

Jesse and I are going to Chicago the last week of August for my friend Jessica's wedding. I'm so excited to see her and to be in Chicago. Everyone one I speak to says Chicago is a great city, so if you know places to go let us know.

Melissa

Peru

We just bought our tickets to Peru. Fun in the Andes then the jungle for two weeks. Machu Picchu, here we come!!

Most Favorite Picture

I like this picture of my nephews and my little cousin.

Running

I ran a little over 5 miles today in about 1 hour, so approximately 12 minute miles which is not all that great. I haven’t done that since my training times in Georgia, and I'm not in shape at this moment in time (partially due to my car accident and laziness). After about 2.5 miles, I can’t feel my body anymore and I can run forever but my laziness takes over and I stop. I’m just glad that I didn’t stop running.

Melissa

Research

The people on the radio today have all taken the time to talk about this new study that finds muscular guys get more girls than non-muscular guys. It all reminds me of that Onion headline:
"Teen Sex Linked to Drugs and Alcohol Reports Center for Figuring Out Really Obvious Things."

Link.

Hot Days and New Car

Boy it's really hot. Everyone was dieing during bible study today, so we made it short and sent the boys to the pool. I love it when it hot, I guess it the Peruvian Jungle blood in me.

So I finally finished a big report I've been working on for the past eight months and I'm sooo relieved. Hopefully it doesn't come back to haunt me. But on the good side in my work world, I got a brand new work car. Don't want to say what it is but I can turn the engine on with my remote key button thing, it can use ethanol (but there are no ethanol stations in California, go figure), and a MP3 hookup. It has other things but I don't know the car yet. It makes Jesse and I want to buy a new car.

I hope I can post Mexico pictures later.

Mexico Mission Trip

We are back from Ensenada, Mexico. We arrived in Fremont, around 11:00 o’clock at night very tired and dirty. We’ll post more about our adventures in Ensenada but a quick overview.

Twelve people went with our group. We sent four of our people out to other groups as translators. Two others helped another group build a roof and the rest of us painted the clinic and poured concrete. No one was left in Mexico, but we did get stopped at the border for fruit smuggling. We’ll post pictures and more stories. Overall, we had a great time serving the Lord in different ways. Also, thank you Danny for making us laugh so much that our abs hurt.

By the way Ricky Borba, I wrote cemetery wrong because in Spanish it is spelled with an “n”.

Hmm.... Is there something in the water?

Wow, two couples at our church are now pregnant literally within two weeks apart. One couple has been married for a couple years and the other not even a year. It seems like everyone that I know has the pregnant bug or already has babies. Per my Hispanic side, I should have three kids by now, but I don’t. All of my Hispanic friends are very surprised that I’m not pregnant yet. I’m just happy being married to Jesse and being with our annoying little dog.

By the way, we are building Rocky the coolest dog house ever; it even has a small deck and columns. We spent all weekend building it. Pictures will soon follow. Rocky doesn’t know how lucky he is.

Special Olympics Run

Today I ran in the Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run. A couple of my co-workers and I ran it with Colma Police Department. It was only 1.3ish miles not very far but it was fun because we had lots of motorcycle cops riding around us and a really old Pontiac Muscle Cop Car riding along us. We ran further than we were supposed to (up a slight hill). Oh well more exercise. I was just happy that I was not the last runner and that I carried the torch for about 1 minute. I got a free t-shirt. By the way if you've never been to Colma there a lot of dead people in that city, it's FULL of cementaries.

Melissa.

For those Interested

One of my favorite authors, Dan Simmons, has just posted a fantastic article on his web site about Iraq. Go read it, you'll be smarter.

Mostly Moved In

I like having a much bigger place. We actually have room for our stuff, plus I always love going to IKEA to buy things. Once everything is settled we'll have some type of get-together.

I don't know why ever since we moved to this house Rocky has become somewhat aggressive. Maybe it's the different dogs in the neighborhood or that there are cats around.

Melissa

Thoughts on My "Dia De Cumpleaños!"

Today is my birthday and I am turning 25 years old. I’ve always liked my becoming older. I don’t dread it and I don’t think I ever will, because I’ve been using anti-wrinkle cream since I was fifteen years old, hehe! I don’t know what to write on the day of my birth so her are some thoughts of mine:

1. I think I should celebrate my mom on my birthday because I didn’t do anything, she did.
   
2. My hairstylist, Sanjay, found a one white hair in my head the other day. He gasp and cut it, but not pulled it because he says seven more will come back. Sanjay makes my hair look beautiful!
   
3. I love my husband, Jesse. He is my best husband ever…
   
4. I love my doggie, Rocky.
   
5. I will have kids within the next five years, scary!
   
6. I can finally rent a car.
   
7. I’m still the youngest in my whole field office at work, I think.
   
8. I’ve played the piano for 18 years of my life.
   
9. I still feel like I am 16 years old.
   
10. I don’t ever want to be in another car accident again.
    
11. I have a REALLY BIG family.
    
12. I can’t wait to see my grandparents in Peru this year and hike Machu Pichu and see the glorious Andes Mountains and Amazon Jungle.
    
13. My mom was in labor for 30 mins when I was born. I was born in the Emergency Room at 2:40 a.m.
    
14. I will be 30 years old in 2012.
    
15. I love my family.
    
    Melissa

The Answer

We got Rocky's pedigree and it turns out that his maternal grandparents were brother and sister. I think that might explain in part why's he's slow in the head, even for a dog.

We're Moving

We are moving in the next two-three weeks to a townhouse a half a mile away from our apartment. Yeah, more closet space!

Crazy Dog

My dog is a crazy dog. I took him running this morning a little over 2 miles and when we finished he wasn't even panting, then he started darted back and forth in our apartment hallway. You would think that because he is a Shih Tzu, a supposed lap dog, he wouldn't like to run but apparently he doesn't want to be a lap dog, he has a little piece of a lab's heart.

Melissa

Vacation Pictures

On the road to Vegas, Rocky loves Jesse.

View from MGM Grand.

I will write about the second part of our trip later.

Best Vacation Ever

Melissa and I went to my cousins wedding in San Diego and the Las Vegas last weekend, and it was awesome. On thursday night (we left friday at 5:00AM) we discovered that my official wedding shirt we'd just purchased still had the RFID tag on it. I have a drill, but that's a big tool for a delicate job. Anyway - it took a while, but it came off after much stressing out by Melissa.

Friday morning when we left it was raining, and it kept raining and kept coming down harder as we headed down 101. Somewhere north of San Luis Obispo we stopped at a rest area, Melissa started driving and the car started shaking hard whenever we'd try to accelerate. In the middle of nowhere we tried a few times to get going, but it was really bad so I called the mechanics who had done my engine work back in January and they tried to help me troubleshoot the problem. We couldn't find anything but a loose wire on an air intake valve, so we tightened that and tried to get going again. The car was better, but still shaking.

We made it as far as Santa Maria when the car made a sound like something fell out, we got off the freeway with just as the car died. It started again and got us two hundred feet into an Office Depot parking lot. They let us use their internet there and we tracked down a mechanic who would work on BMWs, he was two miles away, which took about fifteen minutes with the slow and dying car that sounded like a lawnmower.

The good folks at Rizzoli's Auto Repair had a look at the car even though they were supposed to be going to lunch and determined within fifteen minutes that none of the spark plugs from back in January had been properly tightened, one had come loose, shattered the coil, stripped out its socket, and was making the noise that made the car sound like a lawnmower. We started stressing out about rental cars and local hotels and stuff because we had to get to the wedding, but within four hours they'd tracked down the parts they needed and fixed it, one of the guys even drove thirty miles to Santa Barbara and back to get the last piece they needed.

We were only four or five hours off schedule so we kept on down the coast, driving through Point Mugu, Malibu and Ventura, so it turns out that not all of Los Angeles is horrible - just 90% of it. We stayed in downtown San Diego, had lunch in La Jolla the next day and went to my cousins wedding at the Prado in Balboa park. This post has gone on long enough I think, I'll let Melissa fill you all in on the wedding and Las Vegas.

For Marla, Love Rocky!

Ball Game

Last night Melissa and I took Kevin and Josue out to the A's opening game. We got the best seats I've ever been in, just a few rows back from first base, right next to the Sox dugout. The A's lost, which sucked, but really, the last few games I've been to have been complete blowouts for the visitors, so this wasn't too bad.

Anyway, in the eighth inning people started to jump ship in our section and a couple of pretty girls in their early twenties showed up and sat right in front of us. They seemed kind of odd, and after ten minutes Melissa determined that they were trying to hook up with the Sox players. Sure enough they were constantly fixing their hair and trying to get the attention of the players, but really only got Ozzie Guillen's attention. At one point the blond one was talking and turned so I could hear her and she was telling her friend: 'these guys cheat on their wives all the time. I know, I used to be one of their girlfriends.'

People are weird.

FYI

We haven't posted in a while. Things have been going better for us. I (Melissa) am starting to feel a lot better. I haven't taking any drugs for a while. Still a little stiffness in my neck but overall I'm feeling a hundred times better. I even started to work out again, yeah!

Jesse's been feeling a little sick lately, but he's happy I'm feeling better. We are both happy because it seems like our noisy, pot-smoking downstairs neighbor has moved out. So no more weed smoke coming into my house.

We are going to San Diego in a couple of weeks for Jesse's cousins wedding and then we are driving to Las Vegas to have some fun. Jesse's never been to Vegas and I love it there so we should have a lot of fun.

Rocky is enjoying his new haircut. He got shaved and now he can see through the hairs around his eyes. Now we can see his eyes and we've noticed that he has sort of a lazy left eye.

Dear Mr. President...

I work for the government. I have worked in the private sector in the past and it’s a WHOLE different world than the government. I only have two things to say:

1) I've had my job for over three years now, (my longest and first real job ever) and a few weeks ago and I was thanked for doing something good. I was taught that in the government to never expect to be appreciated or thanked for doing something good, but that if you are noticed by your superiors it was because you did something wrong. I was thanked and it made my day, which is pretty sad if you really think about it.

2) There is so much irony in the government that it just makes me laugh. Some irony is good and other irony is bad, but today the government irony went my way it was good, real good.

I’ve been having a tough time at work for a few months due to my car accident, other dumb issues and having to work too much, but overall I think things are going to get better.

Bass

I got a new bass yesterday. The Peavey Millenium 5 AC BXP, it's a five string with some 'active' pickups, so I get even heavier notes and more punch, it's pretty cool. It's the red kind and it lives in a coffin case - now it needs a name.

Any ideas?

Dog Tricks

Rocky can now play dead if you point at him and say *bang.* It's pretty funny.

A Weekend Retreat

Jesse and I took a small weekend retreat to Yosemite this weekend. Here are some pictures.

Mirror Lake.

Bridalviel Waterfalls.

Rocky is being amazed by the majestic views of Yosemite. He's so cute. Rocky got really wet in the snow and rain, lets just say he was very tired by the end of the day.

This was our small walk up to Bridalviel Waterfalls. It was somewhat chilly and rainy on Sunday.

Jesse and Rocky frolicking in the snow. It didn't snow while we were there but there snow in some areas.

The Man

Just so the world knows -
Ben Vose is the man.

Doctors Visit on Valentines Day

Yesterday I went to the doctor because I could not stand the pain in my back and neck anymore. The night before I only slept 3 hours due to the pain, which causes Jesse not to sleep well. I had a pinching sharp pain at the end of my neck near the vertebrae and shooting pain from there down my back and out to my arms.

We waited a little over an hour for my 2:30 p.m. appointment at Kaiser. When I finally see the doctor I explained all my ailments and he decides that I should received trigger point injection. Trigger point injection is where the area of pain is anesthetized with a very thin needle. The doctor also pulled a cramped muscled in my neck forward and pushed down on my shoulder muscles, which was very painful that is forced tears to my eyes.

The doctor proceeded to prepare the injection into MY NECK NEAR MY SPINE! It wasn't a quick injection, it took almost 3 or 4 minutes. There was only one entry point but he moved the needle around in my neck to numb hurting muscles. That was also very painful. At least Jesse was with me to hold my hand. After he finished I felt most of the pinching pain go away. It should last a couple of days or maybe a week.

The doctor gave me Darvocet and and Flexeril. Darvocet is a narcotic and Flexeril is a muscle relaxant. Let's just say I slept EXTREMELY well last night, which I haven't had in a long, long time. I just feel a little weak and sleepy right now. That was my Valentines Day

Melissa

The Rock Man

Rocky likes to sleep on the floor with his little doggie. He's awfully cute when he is not being bad. Overall he is a really good dog. He loves people and is getting over his fear of other dogs. He is almost completely socialized. I think he will be pretty small because he is almost 7 months old and he weighs 7.8 lbs. I hope he stays small so I can sneak him into stores. Now I need an expensive purse to carry him in!

Melissa

Injuries

I have soft tissue damage to my neck and back. My physical therapist told me that the pain will probably last nine months. The pain will decrease as the months will go by but I will have pain for at least nine months due to the severity of my accident.

My physical therapist gave me some electrode things that give my muscles tiny massages, because my muscles are so damaged. I can only start with small exercises like moving my head. The pain is also causing me to lose sleep and will continue for a while.

Melissa

Yay for Jesse!

I'm proud to announce that my husband Jesse has passed his state certification for the Engineering-In-Training exam. Jesse you are so smart! Now on to the Professional Engineering exam in 3-5 years!

Melissa

This Morning

If you were on 880 South this morning around 8:30 to 9:00ish. I'm sorry.

I was in a car accident when I was going to work, which caused a lot of traffic. Someone rear ended my car really bad, but I'm o.k. I just have a big bump on my head and was very dizzy for most of the day. I was taking an office chair to work, which ended up slamming into my head. I went to the emergency room and was checked out, but nothing too serious except for the pain and swelling that awaits me the next few days. My neck, shoulders and back hurts right now.

Melissa.

Andrew, Little Belle and Me

I just like these pictures of Andrew, Belle and me. Andrew and I were playing lucha libres. Belle and I were hanging out taking beauty shots.

The Dog

I like having a dog, even if he's a girly wimpy dog. He's forced Melissa and I to get up before 11 on the weekends and he gets us out walking more. It's great. I came home early for work the other day and wanted to be lazy, but I figured that Rocky had to go get exercise, so I went running around the lake with him. Everyone should own a dog.

-Jesse

New Haircut

Jesse decided he needed a new haircut. Last night, at my parent's house I shaved Jesse's head. Then my cousin Daniel decided he liked Jesse's new haircut, so I shaved Daniel's head too. Pictures will soon be posted.