Pixiemom

Some of you who have known me for a while know that I have always been interested in sign language. When I was young, I was given a book to show the signs and I used it quite a lot. My sister and I enjoyed pretending that I couldn’t hear sometimes and she would talk and use some signs and I would sign back to her. It was fun. In college, I met Michelle and she showed me some more signs and we took a class at a church in signing some of the church songs. Jeremy did that with us as well. I’ve used it often since then so I wouldn’t forget, but it wasn’t enough to have a really good conversation with someone though I could converse a bit.

Recently, there had been some talk at church of having me teach a sign language class for anyone interested. I refused this time because I don’t know enough, but I did teach the babies in the nursery for the last 11 or 12 weeks some of the signs like please, thank you, more, help, excuse me, mommy, daddy, milk, cookie, hungry, and all done. It was a whole lot of fun.

For my own education, I have been looking up words as I want to know them on the internet. As I was looking up some words on the American Sign Language University (ASLU) site, I found that they offer free lessons for people like me who just want to learn. The first lesson is mostly signs I learned long ago, but some have changed in that time, so it’s always good to make sure I am still up to date on the signs. The lessons that ASLU has to offer are what they have for college credit too though you have to register and pay for that, so it is a good course. The only thing different is that I don’t have the CDs to use for reference, but I think most of it is on the site, so I don’t think it will be a problem. So far, I’m finding it fun and interesting. The nice part of taking the free lesson is that I don’t have to do the research paper, though I can if I want. What do you all think? You want me to do a small research paper on something that has to do with sign language and put it on here? I don’t know if I’d want to do one as big as what is required for the paid course, but I might like to do a small one to help me with my understanding of the deaf community.

Yesterday, after two cups of coffee, I was so hyped up.  I was browsing the internet, talking on IM to one friend, signing our Christmas cards, and for a little while was talking on the phone to another friend.

Anyone have a way to really get me out of this post-Thanksgiving funk? I miss my family and Ash. It was so wonderful to have them around. Even listening to Christmas music isn’t helping and I usually LOVE that.

Oh, and now that everyone else is okay, I’m getting sick.  Sinus pressure and slight scratchy throat.

I am so extremely tired. As one friend who’s met me on IM late at night knows, I’ve not been sleeping well for a while. I either have trouble getting to sleep or I wake up around 3 and can’t get back to sleep. I usually have one day a week (usually Saturday or Sunday) when I’ll completely crash and take a good, long nap. I haven’t crashed in about 3 weeks though and it’s been showing up on my stress levels. Today though, I have a good reason for needing that nap. I’m not sure when I actually went to bed, but it wasn’t too late. Usually reading helps me to relax, but last night it just wasn’t working. I know it was after midnight when I finally got to sleep. I was woken up a few times after that. Jeremy was running a small fever and tossed and turned and Noelle woke up twice crying. One of those times Amie let her come cuddle in bed with her. The third time, she didn’t stop crying. I went up and got her and we cuddled on the couch. She was extremely upset. I changed her diaper and got her a drink which really helped her to settle down. She was so tired, but kept talking and talking. Finally, I got her to lay down and we both drifted off. She woke up a few times, but slept most of the time. I didn’t sleep well with her beside me and one cat would come and cuddle for a little while and then switch off and let the other one cuddle. Tiger Lily decided my toes were fun toys under the blanket at one time. The kids woke me up around 8 am to get them breakfast and Amie needed medicine for an ear ache. Now I’m feeling extremely out of it.

Lullaby and good night, go to sleep, my dear self.

I would really like it back, please.

Remember how I was sick last week?  Well, I was feeling mostly better on Monday and feeling like myself by Tuesday, but I still don’t have my voice completely back.  Yesterday, I went to choir practice at church and I had to stop a lot to rest my voice AND I couldn’t sing either the lower or higher notes, only the ones in the middle.  If you know me well, you know this is really hard on me.  I sing all the time and I don’t enjoy not being able to.  At the moment I’m listening to some songs and can’t sing along with them or I’ll strain my voice and I don’t want that.  *sigh*  I want my voice back.

I remember many things about a house we lived in down in TN until I was just out of third grade. I remember going sledding on the slope in the cow pastures across the road. I remember climbing a huge tree that grew on the edge of that pasture with my dad. I remember taking walks in the woods surrounding the house. I remember trying to fish in the nearby lake and catching my mom. I remember that we had only two year-round neighbors and one summer neighbor nearby and everyone else (to my child’s mind) lived far away. I remember having to walk a ways to get picked up by the school bus. I remember learning to ride my bike there. I remember my dad building a deck onto the house along with a picnic table. I remember him also building us a really, really neat playground which he designed himself. I remember disobeying my mom and taking my kite out when it was a bit too windy and my string snapping. I remember watching that kite fly higher and higher over the pasture until it was out of sight and wishing I’d listened to my mom. I remember one summer when all three of us decided to try to go down the slide into the kitty pool together and the slide collapsing. I remember when my mother was in labor with my brother, trying to get my sister and I dressed before the neighbor came and having to stop frequently and just take deep breathes. I remember trying to ride down a very steep, long hill on a gravel road on my bike and wiping out (another thing my mom had told me NOT to do.) I remember my dad warning us to never mess with the black snakes in the woods, but my brother and I went hunting for one anyway and he caught one. I remember…

Know what today is?