Feeling Better

Hey everyone. Haven't had many comments posted. Those that were posted were responded to, but I don't know if anyone read them.
I have stopped taking one of my meds and feel a great improvement since. I feel more like myself than I have in months and am doing things that I've been shying away from! Thanks for all the prayers--they work, it just takes time--God's time. That's something I still struggle with daily.
I'm pretty upset because our priest (my mom's boss and my friend) has been transferred to North Platte and we will have someone new. I wish we could keep them longer than 4-6 years, especially when the parish loves them. I hear the new one is great, but I'm really down about this one leaving. I'm putting together a few compilation CDs with songs from my CD stash that remind me of him or ones I think he'll like. Since I have around 200 CDs, the task has been very time consuming and difficult. Fr. leaves in a couple weeks so I have to get busy.
I'm going to be a teacher for Summer Vacation Bible School, grades K-1. That should be a blast. As always, I'm the sole prop guy, meaning I have to design, create, and set up every 'scene' in every room. This year I have a grotto to build, a shroud sorta thing to paint, and possibly a fountain to set up. I'm also the music dude, so I'll be singing and playing piano and dancing like a moron for the entertainment of children...I feel like a fool doing it, but it's God's work and the smiles are a good payoff.
I'm trying to get back into work at MPV, though I don't feel great about it. Hopefully by mid-June I'm getting 3 days a week. That doesn't sound like much, but we have a bunch of employees and I also have my weekend job at dad's office.
Still saving every penny so I can get a computer tower with CD burner. I'm praying for money, but only from good things (I don't want a relative to drop so I can get money).
Shout out to KL for being my chat buddy. My South Dakota friends have been separated from the beloved laptops and don't all have internet access over the summer--you have been the only peer I've really had to bug! :)
Everyone, have a GREAT summer! I hope to see you Cheryl when you come out in July. Let me know. BTW, I have my pics developed, so I'll send you one--turned out really good. I'll send anyone who wants one a copy (I'll have to scan them).
Song of the Day: "Shine" by Newsboys.
Rock on,
Steve

Been sick

Hey everyone,
I've been sick with something pretty nasty. Feels like migraines but I guess a bug is going around that gives you awful headaches and dizziness. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm starting to feel a bit better after 6 days of this.
The kittens are doing great. One has opened its eyes and the other has them part open. They are getting stronger and more active all the time. I have to spoil my 'main' cat cuz he's gotten jealous.
I've got 2 weeks of online classes left until I have a much needed break. I think I'm only going to take 1 summer class now...not sure. I just really need time to think and relax and get hours in at work. I'll be cleaning the old toilet bowl and vacuuming the carpet tonight at the office and looks like I'll be filling in for someone at MPV in a week or so.

Things to do (in theory) this summer:
Paint room
Paint house
Get headliner in car replaced
Get new shocks
Teach vacation bible school (K-1)
Work at 2 main jobs
Buy computer with burner and music software
Record 1st actual CD

Gotta go...I have to do homework, take out the trash, and mow the lawn (again).
Song of the Day: "Something's Missing" by John Mayer on the "Heavier Things" CD.
Much love,
SB

Goings on

Hey guys,
Had supper at my sister's house tonight, which is a first. My parents and grandma were there too. Grams goes home Sunday I guess. It has been good to have her out here but she can bring up silly things to argue about that get everyone going.
The kittens are now 6 days old and they look great. The darker one is fluffy I hold it a bunch. Both are good at whining and today one hissed and the other copied! They kept echoing each other's hisses until one started growling! They are pretty active for animals that don't even have open eyes yet.
I am pissed at MMC (like always, I know) because I sent them money and a transcript request to be sent to CU. I was told it would be sent in 2 days and it's been 4 weeks and CU still doesn't have anything. I hate those lying, money hungry, filthy, back-stabbing, double-faced, ass-munching bastards! They DO NOT want to have to deal with me...they better just send the papers now.
I have been doing my essay, biography of an author, soc. questions, poetry, soc. interview, reading of a novel each week, and more. I can't wait until I'm done with these classes! Three weeks left. I'm debating my summer courses now. I don't know if one will transfer to CU so it may be worth nothing and I'm not sure I want to hassle with the other.
Got to get back to homework or I'll never get things in on time (oh wait, I haven't been anyway).
Song of the Day: "The Portrait" by James Horner on the "Back to Titanic" soundtrack. Beautiful solo piano piece. If you are a history or Titanic fan, check out James Cameron's "Ghosts of the Abyss" which is now on DVD. This started as a 3-D IMAX production from the director of "Titanic" and the Disney company and is right up my alley. Of course, I was Titanic-obsessed for a period of a few years there.
Love y'all,
Steve

Whoa-Blogger changed!

Hey all, looks like Blogger has new colors, layouts, and features...cool beans! I can now actually use bold and italic and such (I have actually been upset that I couldn't use these before). I may change colors of this blog sometime, but I feel alright with it now. No one posted comments to my last two blogs and I'm gonna hunt some people down! You can go back and post if ya want-I check a few blogs back each time I'm on to see if anyone posted to an older one.
I see that everyone (but me) is out of school for now...congrats to you, sucks to be me. I have one month (actually less) and I'll be done for a few weeks.
My Grams is out from Iowa and I've enjoyed her company. Mother's Day was bad for me because I had medicine reactions/anxiety/alergies, but it was wonderful to have my sisters, mom, and grandmother all together in Lincoln to have a picnic in my sister's backyard (which is amazing). I played Ghost Recon to pass the time--great game--takes out stress.
We also had a Mother's Day miracle with a stray cat I have claimed as my own. Honey, as I call her, has been quite plump for the past couple months and a while back I was able to feel kicks from kittens inside. At 11:30 or so the night before Mother's Day I saw a sac coming out of Honey so I put her in a box my dad and I made for her delivery. She went in and stayed in and hasn't wondered about since. At 4:30 am on Mother's Day Honey began delivering her first kitten--a striped tiger (now I know which stray is the daddy!). Unfortunately, it took until around 5:15 to birth the kitten and it didn't survive. The second one is just like Honey and will surely be a Himalayan. The third was black and white and died quickly. The fourth and final is alive and well and is black with brown stripes. I was in the garage for several hours (hence the crappy feelings on Mother's Day) helping relax Honey and get the kittens taken care of. By 8:30 or so all the kittens were cleaned up and the labor was over---poor cat, she has been through a bunch!
As you can tell, I love life and I love animals, especially cats. This was my first experience watching a live birth and that's why I wanted so badly to stay up (which I did). The coffee and cappucino that morning didn't do me much good!
Glad you all are done with studies! Pray for me as I finish these last few weeks.
Stephen

Map

I took this idea from Kyle--thought it was interesting. These are the states I've been to. Sadly, I was in a stroller when I went to Colorado so I don't remember any of it. I've been to 15% of the U.S. which means I need to travel more.



create your own personalized map of the USA

Beautiful Day

Hey guys,
I've been getting better everyday. I still have the bad moments, but I'm fighting back again. I went to work today for the 2nd time within a week. That's more work at MPV than I've put in the previous month! It got difficult, but I made it. Thank you all for your prayers as I'm sure they have helped.
Kyle-haven't seen you post many comments here in a while and you haven't responded to my MSN chat or email. What's up? Hope everything's OK.
The sun was out today and I've been using the good weather to do yardwork, which includes mowing, weed-wacking, planting flowers, pruning, and the like. I really want to 'spruce' up the yard this year. In other good sprucing up news, it looks like we are finally going to get the gutters, overhangs, etc. replaced/restored in the near future! We have had massive holes in the overhangs and now we have bird families that have nested in our roof. We are also planning to paint our house this spring or summer which will be its first paint job in 19 years. I have pictures of me by the house the last time we painted (1985) and I was 1 1/2 years old. IT'S TIME FOR NEW PAINT! :) Think we're going with a tan color (like a shade of a Starbucks drink basically) with white trim to make it all crisp and neat. Anyone wanna help strip the old and paint the new? I'll buy you a drink.
Pretty soon I'll be hearing back from CU to see if I've been accepted. I have no idea why I wouldn't, but who knows. I have yet to be turned down from a school I've applied to. It's too late for their music scholarships for fall, so I'm further led to believe that January is the time I'm meant to begin.
Amazingly enough I am done with homework for the night and have been for hours now. I can't tell you how good (and rare) this is.
I'm using my dad's office computer right now because it is SO MUCH FASTER than mine at home. Gotta love the fringe benefits of being a cleaning guy at your dad's business! I didn't even tell him I was coming up here.
This weekend my Grams comes out from Iowa to celebrate my sister's 29th birthday and Mother's Day. Prayers for safe travel and great health would be appreciated. By the way, I still say prayers for you guys!
"Friends" is ending and I'm depressed I can't watch the finale but whatever...stinks not having cable, but it makes me do better things with my time. I've been watching the DVDs of the seasons (3, 5, and 6) because my sisters have been getting them for birthday and Christmas gifts.
One month left of classes and I get a 3-week break!
Well, I better get going guys.
The Song of the Day is "Leaving Ninety-Nine" by Audio Adrenaline because it's a cool song that just played on Yahoo Launchcast.
Steve

Update on the life of Steve

Went back to work at the video store for the first time in weeks. Turned out ok too. Still cleaning at my dad's office as well. Today I registered for summer classes but there's still a glitch in the system and the computer didn't recognize my english pre-requisite, so I'm taking American History 1 and an art history class. Should be an easier summer.
I have a Sociology exam today, a dozen Poetry assignments, and the last 2/3 of a book to read and a response to write for a literature class.
Song of the Day: "Getting Into You" by Relient K.

Keep commenting and remember to check and see if I responded to ya!
Laters all,
SB