Strange things going on in the shower...

I think I'm losing my mind. I have forgotten, lost and just plain messed up so many things in the last three weeks I'm afraid to get out of bed in the morning. It started when I put my cell phone on top of the car and it fell off while Eric was driving to school the next morning. I found the mangled battery half way down our street a few days later. Kind of a problem when you don't have a land line (so if you need to call me, call Eric's phone- 919 638 6216 for now). Then I lost my sunglasses and the garage door opener. Then yesterday I paid a bill from the wrong bank account and racked up hundreds of dollars in NSF fees. This morning I was supposed to pick up a handicapped lady in our ward for church and completely forgot. For the second time. To top it all off, the boys stood up during "good news" time at primary today, and proudly proclaimed what was first interpreted as "We peed on our Mom in the shower," but was then clarified, "We beat our Mom in the shower." Either way, you can imagine the reaction in a room full of three- to eight-year olds. Apparently, no one really knew what they were talking about or what to say, so the teacher just nodded and said, "how nice" and sent them back to their seats. You see, last night, in an attempt to get them into bed quickly, I told them I'd race them... if they could finish showering before me, they would win a prize. They won, and they were so proud, they wanted to share it during primary. I guess when we start getting turned down for play dates with kids in our ward, I'll know why:).

On a good note, I can now swim half a mile in the pool without stopping, which is a huge accomplishment, since I started out a few weeks ago being able to do one length. My training buddies, Lindsay and Cami are too nice to laugh at me in my bathing cap, ear plugs and nose clip (I look like ridiculousness personified-I hate water up my nose!). But I just have to vent about something...I hope they'll forgive me. Actually, I've noticed this about most of my LDS friends...they wear SHORTS over their bathing suits! Why? Why do Mormon women wear shorts in the pool!? I asked my friends and they both said they didn't like their thighs. I can certainly relate to that. My thighs and I have had a tumultuous relationship, but after much angst, we've made our peace. I just don't care anymore that my body doesn't fit the shape that society, the beauty industry and my own insecurities want it to fit. My thighs have done a lot for me over the course of my life. And when I look back on the women and girls I've admired the most, you know what? A lot of them had big thighs. So, Mormon women of the world, this challenge goes out to you: throw out your swimming shorts. Let your thighs see the light of day. Give them the respect and love they deserve.

In other news, this weekend Eric camped out with some friends for Duke bball tickets. With an RV, tons of free food, a big screen TV and a personal visit from Coach K, they didn't exactly rough it. As undergrads we had to camp in tents for weeks just to get into one game. We were merciless in our ridicule of the grad students, who "camped" for two days for season tickets, but I have to say, I liked this way much better. The wives and kids came for a BBQ on Saturday night, which was lots of fun.



If you're wondering what that white thing that Eric's holding is, it's a "machine gun" that he and the boys constructed from PVC pipe...someone please rescue me from boy-land:).

Here are some pictures from my birthday...




And some more from a Durham Bulls game we went to...