Case of the Mondays!

I am pretty sure I keep the lock out service in our area in business.
Last month, at around 2:30 am, outside of a bar we go to sometimes, I locked my keys and my entire purse in my car.SOOO frustrating. Do you know it took HOURS for the lock people to come! OMG I was super annoyed, even though really it was my fault! We have no spare keys to either of our cars, so that makes it even more annoying that we keep saying, "We gotta get extra keys made" and we put it off until something like that happens, and we really kick ourselves. So after this incident, we decide, we DEFINATLEY have to get spare keys made. And that brings us to today. This morning to be exact. I Arrive at work and wait in the parking lot for the other people to arrive. As soon as they do, I jump out of my car, lock and shut my door and....CRAP!!!!!!!!! I just locked my keys in my car....and they are in the ignition and the car is running!!!! AHHHH! So...I call my AWESOME insurance company who covers lock out service, and I get them to come half an hour later. And....the best part is.....(drumroll!!!!) the guy had a mobile key making machine and Ifinally...FINALLY, have a spare key to my car!!! YAY!!!! Now we just gotta get one made for Chris's truck and we will be good to go! AHHH...what a way to start a morning!Mondays...I swear!

Worry wart

Don't you ever wonder why some people stress about everything and some people you probably couldn't pay to take up concern with anything thing? In life, there are many things that typically people worry about. Paying bills, health of loved ones, job issues and family. I would assume most people on a regular basis worry about one or more of those things.
Then there are people who are about to lose everything they have,but will still cash their check and buy lottery tickets, or a $500 pair of shoes. Those who get a terminal illness and don't tell anyone or do anthing about it. Those who quit a job on a whim...the day after they buy a brand new car. Those are typically the two types of people you encounter...and then there is me.
I am both of those things...and more. I worry about all the typical life stuff. But don't get a bit concerned when it's time to go to the Dr. But more over, I worry about the craziest stuff the most. Like I am terrified that a gas pump is going to explode on me one day. I stress about the fact that my gas pedal might get stuck, and my car won't stop. I FEAR driving over bridges, because I just KNOW one of these times the bridge will fall. Or I am going to get some disease no one has ever heard of...the list goes on!
Some of you may be thinking, what? But some of you know JUST what I mean! Right? Please tell me I am not the only person worrying sick about a traffic signal falling through your windshield????

Take the time to read this....

Here is the review of the movie Tropic Thunder...a parent of a child with Down syndrome wrote it! It is Incredible! Check it out by clicking here!

Green Works gets a thumbs up from this Mom!

This stuff is great! Koby has a lot of respiratory issues like many kids with DS/CHD. We have tried to use cleaners such as Pine-sol, Mr.Clean, Lysol,Clorox Clean-up, Off brands etc. Whenever we used them, we noticed he would breakout, and have trouble breathing...so for a while I was struggling with what to clean with and would clean my whole house with Clorox wipes...that was no fun(picture me down on my hands and knees wiping the tile floor with 5X5 wipes). Well one day I see a commercial for Green Works. I figure...Let me try it what can it hurt besides a night worth of breathing treatments and another thing we know we can't use. I buy it an clean my whole house with it. Not only does it work well, and smell great.But Koby has had NO reaction at all!YAY!!!! SO I recommend this to anyone who may be in my shoes.It is an all natural biodegradable cleaner that is not tested on animals! How can you go wrong?

For a better Life Campaign...

Last night, Chris and I went to try a new restaurant in our area. It is a chain restaurant, but it is new to this area, and neither of us had ever had it so we decided to try it. Food was great, service was great... but the best thing that came out of last night was,while while we were waiting for our food.You know how restaurants have TV's now that play different stuff. Well this particular TV was playing Olympic coverage. During one of the commercial breaks, I happened to catch the tail end of,I was very surprised, when a few minutes later it replayed and I got to see this.HOW AMAZING.....and apparently it is a TRUE story! How cool! I think it is older but it is still playing and I am happy that it was being shown in conjunction with Olympic coverage for MILLIONS of eyes to see!

24 whole months...

without having to worry about going to see a Cardiologist!!!! WOOOHOOOO!
We went to Charleston today to visit with his cardiologist...Echo looked fabulous and showed an awesome aortic outflow track...AKA: the work they did two years ago looks FABULOUS!!!
So, we are on the two year plan! YAY!!!! I honestly never thought i would hear those words....but God is good! I am doubly happy because we refuse to switch Koby's Cardiologists, even though they have an excellent clinic in Charlotte, and two years is great so we don't have to make that long drive anytime soon! YAY!!!SO excited...after two open heart surgeries, BOTH of which were total shockers...the first only two months after birth and the second one which we were told he would never have to have....we are always EXTRA nervous on Cardiology day! But today was great. I must say teh clinic was way busier than normal! They are so great though that we were still only there for an hour and a half tops! Usually it is like 30 minutes tops! That included Echo, EKG, and exam,by PnP and Dr. All in all it was a great day! WE did have lots of fun plans in Charleston today, but the weather wasn't on our side, and unfortunatly we had to return back home sooner than we anticipated....but after the news we got we couldn't complain! Thank GOD!

Koby post!

Somethings that public education, my parents, college, and life could n0t teach me...that my "worthless to society" baby boy has....
1.It's not quantity but quality that really matters!
- Koby can't talk as much as other kids his age, but what he does say is so much more special that way!
2. Less may be more...But More isn't Less!
Koby has more Chromosomes...but that doesn't make him less important, less valuable, or less aware than anyone else!
3. Practice doesn't make perfect...practice makes progress!
- With Koby we learned that things are harder for him. And he may never sign "perfectly". But we have learned to appreciate his progress,which he works extra hard to achieve.It really is all about practice, and progress and soo not about perfection!
4.Love is NOT unconditional...
-The saddest thing Koby taught us is that for some people love has alot of conditions, or criteria. For Some love is about "image" and opportunity. For some love is about convenience. For others Love just isn't an option.WE just can't understand that!Koby is the LOVE of our lives
5. Ignorance is NOT bliss.
-We have encountered out share of ignorant people...including friends and family. Ignorance is quite sad! In the day and age we live in most kids can type before they can write...operate a cell phone before they can spell, and know what CD, DVD, PDA,and CPU all mean. But I feel confident saying 90% of the population have no clue what Down syndrome really is...to me...they are missing out!

There is so much more...but for now that is all.....
6.

Dog day afternoon

So yesterday afternoon I get a call from my friend L....she tells me that a friend of hers has a friend who is giving away(FREE) full bred boxer puppies and she is getting one! Very cool I say, let me know when you get him I wanna see him(I love dogs!)! SO later on last night I get a call from L...she tells me a few things 1. puppy is NOT a pure bred boxer 2.puppy owners are strange and wanted her to just take him or they were gonna take him to the pound cause he was the last left and is 9 weeks old 3.he is way too skinny and she thinks all these dogs live full time in a HOT garage .She tells me she told the people she would be back tomorrow, and that she can't keep this dog, cause she was going to live with a roomate but now her situation is unclear and she just doesn't know what to do, but she can't leave him there. So, I(in my can't kill a fly mind) say....omg...just get him...we will find him a home, he can stay at my house till then. So she gets him today,we trade him off, I bring him home....and well....my husband (who was SUPER against it) tells me after a few hours, let's just keep him. He is cute, and he fits in. So...at this point I think he is here to stay....we have named him Hewy. Now I just gotta get some weight on him...get him to the vet...and get him potty trained which he seems to be doing remarkably well with...the previous people must have at least done that. But.....WHAT is he??? ANy ideas what breed he is? I know he for sure has boxer in him...but he isn't pure bred. It doesn't matter, but I would love to hear your opinions!

21 days left...

until I move to Charlotte. I am very nervous...yet excited.
PROS:
* I get to work with a Guy who seems to really care about the business(unlike people I have worked with in the recent past), and his career with the company we work for. Therefore, we are really successful!
* I get to move back to a big city, where you don't know everyone...I can't go to the grocery store or the gas station here without running into at least 2 people I know.
* The opportunities for Koby are so much better. He won't be going to schools where he is the "guinea pig" for inclusion...or just not given opportunities at all. Hey, maybe there will even be a teacher in the school that knows some ASL...I am sure he would appreciate that!
*Chris and I will have so much more opportunity there for growth...business wise. In the industry we work in, Myrtle Beach is a starting place....not an ending place!

CONS:
* We have to start over....we have a house we like, and are very settled here.
* We are moving away from most of our parents....we won't have family babysitters really anymore!
* We are taking a risk of living apart for a few weeks! I am going ahead of Chris and Koby....get settled in my job find a daycare and school for Koby, and a house for us! It will be interesting in a city I am not very familiar with! I hope I can make it!!

Overall, we are excited....and it will be a challenge...but anything worth having is worth fighting for!-Courtney

What did you just say???

Working with the public on a daily basis is great...but very interesting. There are times when I love it..and times when I absolutley hate it. The summer time is particularly interesting here though. I live(and work) in a city that is a HUGE summer tourist destination. So we see people from allll over the USA as well as the world. It is always my firm belief to provide optimal customer service to each and every customer as if they are your best! However...even I have times when I just shake my head and walk away... a couple of such incidences:
Obnoxious Customer walks in with a pair of shoes in her hands, and places them on the counter in front of me...
Obnoxious customer: Hi I bought these shoes from your store several months ago, and the first time I wore them "THIS" happened.
picture "THIS": a pair of shoes that look as if they were used to "run" the Indy 500, with a slice down the heal, that was so clearly "man made" it couldn't have been disputed in court.
Me: so what is it that I can do to help you?
Obnoxious customer: Well I want my money back for them....I mean I only wore them once....
Me:well, I do apologize you aren't happy with the product, but I do have to tell you that these shoes are REALLY old, we don't even carry them anymore...do you happen to have a receipt? or even the box
Obnoxious customer: No...but you can just give me the cash for them, we don't have to do like a formal return
Me: .....nooo....actually I can't do anything for you with out the receipt or the box...
Obnoxious Customer:.... well I will just buy another pair of shoes, and that way I would have a shoe box, and a receipt!!!(so proud of herself for coming up with this ULTIMATE idea)
me: ....(I am just looking at her like she is CRAZY)....are you serious? Ma'am there is NOTHING I can do for you! Sorry!
Obnoxious customer: DANG....that is the same thing they told me at the last 3 (insert name of company i work for here) stores....
Gotta give it to her for determination! UGH!!!!

Next:

In walks customer over to where I am in the store...
Cowboy customer: Hey, where's the couch?
Me: oh, we don't have a couch but you can sit on the shoe bench if you'd like...
Cowboy customer: No, the Couch store...
Me: ohhh sorry...we don't actually have a couch store at our mall, however there are several furniture stores down closer to the beach on Hwy 17 N.
Cowboy Customer: ( now looking VERRRYYY confused)...no..the couch....(he turns to look at his female companion, who looks as if she doesn't understand a WORD I am saying)...Couch like the pocketbooks and stuff
me:...(LIGHTBULB!!!!) Ohhhh the COACH store....
Cowboy customer: yeah, the Couch store....
me: it's down on the right...
Eiy yi yi! Who knew English could be so difficult

And Last for now:

One of my all time favorite situations though are the people who come up to me and don't speak a WORD of English...and instead of attempting to get across to me in hand gestures what it is they need..they just look at me straight in my face, and speak in a language I can't even recognize.....and when I look at them and say Sorry I don't understand you, they then speak louder and more adamantly in unknown language....when I then say....I don't know what you are saying(louder and more adamantly).....they are now red faced and YELLING at me in unknown language, that I am supposed to know....at this point I just walk away....leaving a customer angry at ME...and rightfully so....I mean doesn't EVERYONE know every spoken language on EARTH?

Tropical Thunder....I think NOT!

So many of you know me well...and know I am a very tolerant person...except when it comes to my son...and specifically words that are degrading to him ie: retard. Well here lately it seems every comedian...TV show....Movie....and conversation include that word and it's variations. Most of the time I cringe and try to not let it get to me...but My friend Christina(who also has a daughter with Designer Genes) brought this situation to my attention through her Blog.

Let me tell you, I am OUTRAGED!
I don't ever ask for much...but I ask EVERYONE to repost this. I love my son, and most of you who know him love him too....he and his awesome friends don't deserve this kind of senseless degrading! Their lives(like everyone else's) can be difficult enough without ignorant adults making it worse!
Here is the issue...a new Ben Stiller movie :Tropical Thunder ( or something like that)...has a VERY...VERY offensive scene. I just want everyone to express to them through posting on the site, or boycotting the movie, or reposting this etc. that this won't be tolerated ANYMORE. Don't do it for me..do it for Koby and the MANY other people living with intellectual disabilities who can't and shouldn't have to defend themselves, against the way God made them!
Here is the site:
http://www.
patriciaebauer.
com/2008/08/01/never-go-full-retard/

I thank you in advance for reading this and re-posting it!-Courtney

Here I go again on my own...

I have been urged by many to begin blogging again. I never felt like I had time,(or just didn't want to make up a better excuse). But in preparation of moving...(and since I got a SUPER cool new computer)...I am shall begin blogging. Really I guess for no one other than myself. Some of the things I go through on a daily basis...are hilarious(some are so NOT)! Sometimes I find myself saying...I wish I was the kind to write this down because this is going to be even funnier in due time. And just to keep up with my family will be fun!Also a way to document my son's life. He is growing sooo fast! well that's it for the first entry....