A New Adventure

A lot has changed in the Rainsbarger household.  There are no longer 4 of us…there are six. My sister Katie and her girlfriend Jamie have moved in.

This happened after much thought, consideration, and convincing, on my part, of Charles. I love my sister and her girlfriend is really sweet. They’ve had some struggles in life and I’m trying to give them a safe place to sort it all out while they find a way to stand on their own four feet. It is a little hard to get used to other people being around the house, but I feel mostly comfortable. I think I really have to do this in order to feel like I have contributed to their situation. I am trying to help them and I think I’m giving them a very big opportunity to do things right this time around. I’m proud of them for getting up to try again every time they fall down.

I know how hard it can be when you’re trying to start life on your own, with no help. When Charles and I started dating I was still in high school and he worked at Burger King and the KC Airport. He got laid off and had to file bankruptcy. We spent a long time searching for change in the couch, so that we could buy cheeseburgers on the dollar menu at McDonalds. He was on unemployment for 9 months while I went to school and worked odd jobs. Then he landed a great job at the railroad…but got laid off again right after I found out I was pregnant with Briana. We spent one very long year in his parent’s basement. That was the longest year of my life. But I worked hard at taking care of my baby belly, driving to KS to go to college, and working at SST…while he spent long hours working on the train tracks. And the rest is history. Today we are still paying for financial mistakes but are blessed to have jobs that are mostly secure.

So far things are well with the girls. They both found a job at the same place in Platte City, they help around the house, and they play with the kids. It’s nice that Briana and Hudson can have their Aunt Katie around for awhile. I hope that everything works out the way it is planned-or better. I hope we all learn something through this process, and mostly I hope to get closer to my sister. I don’t know how she feels about the whole situation, but I’m glad to have them and I’m rooting for them all the way.

Unexpected Family Fun Weekend

My weekend was full of unexpected fun. Sunday was Charles’s birthday. At the last minute on Friday, I bought some cheap seats at the Royals game. Normally I would be worried about the heat, but thankfully we spent about 2/3 of the game in the shade. I really enjoy night games and we brought Briana with us to see the fireworks. It was buck night and everything just turned out really well. Of course it would have been even sweeter if they had won :P.
On Saturday my niece Ashley spent the night and had fun with Briana. We put up the kiddy pool (Hudson loves it!), went to the park, and visited DQ for some small butterscotch dipped cones.

On Sunday we randomly decided to go to the Aquatic Park in St.Joe. This is a surprise since Charles would normally be uncomfortable swimming in a public area, but somehow he just thought it would be a good idea. We were there for about two hours before it got stormed out-which was okay with us because we were ready to go any minute anyway. And, since they kicked us out…we get to go back free next Sunday…last swim day of the season.

It just goes to show that you can’t plan fun. It happens. Although… I am planning to have fun on Wednesday with my two best Gleeks Mike and Alisha at the new 3D GLEE CONCERT MOVIE PREMIER. Yeah. I heart Glee. Really…you should watch it.

By the way...it must look like I love Briana more than Hudson...because I never have pictures. But I tell you, it is hard to shoot a moving target.

Pray for Somalia

Yesterday I saw yet another story about the famine going on in Somalia. A mother and father who have five sick children tried to make their way to a city where they thought they could find food and medicine. On the way, four of those children died in a 24 hour period of each other. All that is left, is one hungry little girl and her parents who are left to find some way to try and feed her. I read that to date, 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died as a result of famine. I realize these kinds of stories aren’t new but it was just another reminder at how small my problems are and how very unfair life really is. The pictures of starving babies, parents, and livestock, were horrendous and heart breaking.

I also realize that birth control is a huge issue all over the world. I always hear,“They should just stop having babies.” But to those of you who repeat that after hearing a story like this…I say to you that it doesn’t change the fact that the babies were born and that they are hungry right now. We can do all we can to help the problems of the future but there are children who are hungry now and who won’t be here tomorrow because of it. I used to get angry at those TV commercials that asked for my money and made me feel guilty by showing pictures of those children. But no matter who is asking for the money and for what reason...those are real pictures of real children who are really starving. And though I wouldn't advise you to send your money to just any old commercial add, you should just take a minute to soak in that imagery...to tell yourself that it's real. They are waiting for someone to help them and no one comes. Imagine if that were you. There is no excuse for this. As hard as I try to be positive, these stories remind me that the world is corrupt and that little to nothing will change. All I can do is find a way to contribute in my own way, pray, and thank God for the good people of the world who are trying.

I apologize for being so heavy and I'm aware that I can't let these kinds of things overly affect me or I will just be contributing to the misery of the world, but... I think there are some of us who don't think about these stories enough to apriciate the enormity of it...the urgency of it.

I leave you with a lyric from Adele. "Count your blessings to find what you look for."

Cough Cough Cough

Just so you know that I’m not ignoring my blog, I will write a short one to keep you updated. I am sick sick sick. Not really ill…but something has been wrong with my throat going on 3 weeks now. On top of that work is just nuts right now. I have tried cough drops, syrup, and throat spray. I keep them with me at all times incase I have another coughing fit. I have never had something like this for this long. What is the matter with me? It’s really stressful when you sound like a frog and have to communicate with people over the phone, or that any old thing can bring on a fit. When I get hot…I cough. When I get stressed out…I cough. When someone surprises me at my desk…I cough.

Do you know what it’s like to cough and not be able to stop? I must be driving my coworkers crazy. And they must think I’m spreading germs like crazy. But what can you do besides cover your mouth and wash your hands? I admit that I tried to ignore it for a long time. I didn’t want to go to the doctor if I didn’t have to. But I finally went and they gave me more syrup to help me sleep at night, and some kind of antihistamine. I think that the cough is maybe slowly getting better but I still woke up last night coughing like crazy. I hope it goes away soon.

Cough Cough

I'm sick and don't feel like posting. Here is a pic of our new buddy Jake :)

So far training is going OK.

What's Your Secret?

I love www.postsecret.com.

The secrets this week (new secrets every Sunday) aren't as powerful as some I've read in the past so check back next time if you're not satisfied ( though a few of them are about finishing Harry Potter...if you're a fan). Some of the secrets make you bust out laughing, some make you eyes tear, and some make you say, "Hey...I really didn't need to know that." And they're always relevant to what's going on (like the end of Harry Potter, father's day, Christmas etc.) It's such an amazing thing to see the insides of people in this format. It's a tiny window to our souls. It's a  way to say something that you would never have the guts to say out loud. What's so cool is that you have no idea what these people look like, where they work, what they wear...it's all a mystery. You are left to judge them solely on one tiny piece of information...their secret. 

It may seem silly to mail in a decorated postcard with your secret to a complete stranger, but I can see how it might feel freeing. Secrets are hard to keep, hard to maintain. For some people it might be a way to release that secret...to let go of the past.

And no matter who you are...we all have secrets...little ones...big ones...life changing ones. So what's one of your secrets?

Family Addition...Part 2

Here are actual pictures. Names people...I need names! How do you feel about Chumley? hehe.