Is this the office of Robert J. DeBry?

About 3 months ago I got the first call, on my cell phone.
"Ello, Ello, es tis da office of Rrobert J. DeBry?"
"Excuse me?"
"Es tis da office of Rrobert J. DeBry?"
"No, I am sorry, you have the wrong number."
I thought this foreigner must have just dialed the wrong number; until, I got the next call, and the next and the next.
The calls came sporadically enough, but no one could tell me exactly where they got MY cell phone number. Yesterday I had a magical breakthrough. I got another call, but this time Kid 1 answered the phone. I think the caller was convinced enough that they really had the wrong number, unless the offices of Robert J. DeBry had moved to their home. For those of you who know Utah well enough, Robert J. DeBry is one of those BIG litigation lawyers. The Caller yesterday informed me he got the number off of a web page.
I had had enough, so I asked him for more specifics, but strangely he couldn't give me the exact web address. I fished around for a little bit but then decided it wasn't MY problem (Ok, it really was since they were calling my phone but couldn't the people who posted my number be responsible?)
I decided to call the offices of Robert J. DeBry. This being my second attempt at contacting someone, I got a little smarter and asked for someone in HR instead of thinking the receptionist answering the phone might have the answer. I talked to someone in HR who sets up the web sites. I was all ready to tell her that if she didn't take care of the problem she could count on me giving "my" customers calling very grave news regarding "her" law offices. But, I didn't need to. She was embarrassed, even a little appalled that it had been set up wrong and she said the problem would be immediately looked into. I was shocked when I got a phone call one hour later telling me that she had about 4 different departments working on the problem. I think the next caller will be shocked to learn that he is trying to contact a very incompetent law office if the call makes it through to my cell phone. We might just all have to reconsider their slogan: "Give experience a try. . .(don't) call Robert J. DeBry". After all, I don't want to talk to you, well, not about that anyway.

Sudoku Update

I have now completed the intermmediate level in the Sudoku book. There were 48 puzzles. On to the advanced level. . .only 48 more to go.

Lofty Ambitions

Driving home from the in-laws last night, Kid 1 started asking B about previous job experiences. B was explaining to him all of the different jobs that he has held over the years, and Kid 1 then said, "Dad, you know what I want to be when I grow up?, I want to be a Zookeeper." Kid 2 of course chimed in and said, "I want to be a PRINCESS when I grow up." Awesome I thought. I can handle that, she is my type of girl. I wasn't and still am not quite so sure about Kid 1's dream. This isn't the first time I have heard it either.

THEN, to make matters worse, B says to me, "I would be proud if he was a zookeeper." I gave him a sideways glance and said, "Are you kidding?" We then began discussing what being a zookeeper entails and decided that neither one of us really knows. I think it has more to do with managing the animals, making sure they are fed, keeping their homes CLEAN, and keeping up on any maintenance their homes might need. B thinks it is taking care of their medical needs. I feel that is the Zoo vets responsibility. Whatever the case, it isn't what I envision my own kid doing. And the most interesting thing about the whole thing is that kid 1 is extremely scared of any animal outside a cage that approaches him. I wonder just what he thinks a zookeeper is himself.
We went to the ZOO on Saturday. In the COLD. There was a baby giraffe who was a little over a month old that was already so big. I guess when they are born they are over 6 feet tall. I can't imagine delivering something that size. I realize it is all proportionate, but I have someone to help me. The most interesting thing I thought was seeing camels, zebras, and elephants in the snow.

7 Hours Through

Last night I was scheduled for a 19L, which means: a 12 hour shift (L is the 12th letter of the alphabet) from 1900 to 0700 (7 pm to 7 am). I got to work and around 2100 the charge nurse asked me if I wanted to go home?!?! Duh. As much as I love working, and as much as I love the money, working through the night isn't my idea of a fun time. Considering how sleep deprived I already am, adding to it by trying to get 3 hours of sleep the next DAY, doesn't always work so well for me. Kid 3 has not been sleeping through the night. We have been dealing with chronic ear infections. Yesterday I took her back into the Dr. for another antibiotic shot. I was hoping last night was the night we all slept through the night. Miracles of miracles, it WAS. I fed her at midnight and we all woke up around 7:00. I am so excited and hope this new tradition can find meaning in my little ones life.

Senior Missionaries This Way

Today is the day I took my parents to the MTC. Sounds a little bit backwards, but I can remember my parents telling me this is what they wanted to do over 15 years ago. I am glad to see their dream being fulfilled. I spent the last four days with them. We just hung out, played lots of Zilch and Sudoku, and went shopping. I must say I am filled with an array of mixed emotions. I am so happy for them to finally be doing what they have longed to do for years. But as I was dropping them off at the MTC, I was shocked to see all of these old people up there starting their "Senior" Missions. My parents aren't "Senior" Missionaries. I didn't think they looked as OLD as the other couples. But then I did a double take. Somewhere between me graduating from high school and moving out to getting married and having three kids, they aged. It hit me like a load of bricks. They are that old. They are a "Senior" Missionary couple. And they will be gone for 18 months. They won't see Kid 1 start kindergarten. They won't see Kid 2 start preschool. They won't see Kid 3 take her first step, start walking, start talking and even start running. She will have gone from age 9 mo to age 2. The list could go on and in. The thing about someone being gone for that long is that life does goes on. I think overall the hardest thing for me is that my kids won't get to see their grandparents for that time. Don't get me wrong. I am going to miss seeing my parents, being able to just call them up to chat, to get advice and comfort. I guess if I just don't think about it, and take it is if they are still in Idaho, the time may pass just a little more quickly-and easier.

Sudoku

I have a new obsession. Sudoku. B's grandma overheard me say how much I like it so she bought me a book for Christmas. It has 3 levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. I have completed 34 puzzles in one week. Just to demonstrate how bad it really is: I dreamed about Sudoku last night, I was doing them in my head and even creating my own! The problem is I started with the beginner and have completed all of those and some of the intermediate level. Now I face the harder puzzles, which take more time. But I won't stop until the book is done. Let's just say this new obsession has consumed my addiction of book reading for the time being. That and the book I was reading was 2 THUMBS DOWN-it is eating me up not to finish it, but since it was a combination of short stories I don't feel as bad, I finished a few stories. Let's just say I decided to stop when I came to the story entitled Dinah, The Christmas Whore. A little Sudoku for the rest of you. www.websudoku.com

Transformers

Christmas came and went. It was a fairly busy day but definitely fun. The kids now enjoy things a little bit more and Kid 2 just couldn't stop saying, "Presents". I think we got more than our fair share. Kid 1 got his coveted Andre Kirelinko jersey, aka AK 47, Kid 2 got a pink Jazz jersey as well, D-Will #8. We only thought it appropriate to get her one since her brother was getting one as well. He also got Optimus Prime, a Transformer, that took more than an instruction book to get transformed, it took my pure ingenius abilities. Kid 2 got dress-up, and more dress-up. I hate feeding the Princess Ego, but that is what she wanted, and loves. Every five minutes, she herself transforms into a new princess: Aerial, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella. Kid 3 got a few token presents. My mom informed me the other kids would wonder why she didn't get any presents from Santa, so I felt I had to oblige. She just liked beeing in the middle of it all.