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ThreeSonsIsTooMany
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Name: Adam
Birthday: 10/21/1976
Gender: Male
Interests: Computers, Sci-Fi, Basketball, raising boys
Expertise: Lots of experience but very little expertise
Occupation: Computer related
Industry: Computers (Software)
Message: message me
Member Since:
12/12/2005
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| Ok so I haven't posted anything to this site in a LONG time, but you all know it's chaotic with a new baby in the house. I am only posting now to vent really and get something out of my system.
Some may be aware that Chrtisitne and I have been evaluating the option of buying a hybrid. We've looked and we really only have one option when it come to a hybrid that will fit us, the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. There was a Dodge Durango Hybrid that was made last year that would be even more roomy than the Highlander and that I really like, but I do not feel good about buying a vehicle that was only made for one model year. The chance to get parts and find mechanics that understand the engine layout and complexities of the Hybrid drive on that seem very shaky. The Toyota Highlander has had a hybrid version since '06 and with the model continuing for '10 it seems to bode well for the commitment, chances for parts and resonable that Toyota dealerships at least will have expertise on fixing them. All that in mind I've been wondering if I can get a slice of the government pie (since I seem to forever pay taxes and miss out on benefit programs) by cashing in on CARS. I've looked in Indiana and Colorado and the new Highlander Hybrids have all been snapped up, likely by people like myself. This is really the only 7 passenger vehicle you're going to find with a good chance to qualify for the full $4500 CARS credit. I decided to check out whether there was any hope fo finding one F2F with a dealer so Christine and I cruised over to the local place on Friday night. They had NO new Highlander Hybrids left and the sales agent says his search showed no Hybrid base models are available west of Jersey (hard to believe but conceivable given my searches). He did know however that they had just gotten in (and not even yet processed a use '06 Highlander Hybrid.
We waited for quite a long time while the agent who remembered this vehicle closed a different deal. It was a long enough wait with Calli that I determined we'd have a quick test drive no matter what to make the wait worth it. As soon as I had a look at it, though it was not the "Limited" model (which has a hefty price premium) it was definitely not a "base" model, and I knew it would blow anything I might even consider paying out of the water. Given how long we'd been sitting around though we jumped in and Christine took a quick test drive in it.
When we got back was when the yucky part set in. This vehicle not having even been processed into their inventory yet it had NO window stickers and therefore no asking price (makes it really hard to know where they thought haggling should start). So, the sales guy and I played this abhorrent little game to see who would name a price first. Obviously whoever goes first is setting their boundary (me on the low side him on the high), and whoever goes first is speaking in the dark. I ended up painfully surprising him with how little I wanted to pay. I gave a price that was low even for a base model (actually the lowest I'd found in CO for a local sale by owner). He got this shocked and pained expression, then ran off to talk to the "sales manager" by this time it was VERY late and Calli was not happy to sit around anymore, and I knew we weren't going to get a deal done. I knew that the moment I new he had NO new Highlander base models on the lot, and once I saw the used one they did have. I didn't need to take it for a test drive to know they'd want more money than I'd be willing to pay.
My problem is I mostly want to buy a Highlander Hybrid to "get something back" from Uncle Sam, and for the fun of the change in vehicles. I don't want to change my lifestyle to make that happen though, and since my current lifestyle does not include car payments (running around $100/month in maintenance work on my vans over the last 18 months). Looks like I'll have to find some other way to shake things up for myself, because new Highlander Hybrids are not likely to be delivered before CARS rebate money from the government runs out, and as I told Christine on the way home Friday, I am not going to pay for anything that is not what I really want. If I have to drive something not what i really want I'll just stick with the Mini-vans I own out-right that are not what i really want to drive. 
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| Calliana Abigail was born the night after my previous post. The preeclampsia symptoms added a horrible headache on to the other problems and the doctor decided the risks of sending us home Saturday night from the hospital to, "tough it out" was not worth it.
Calliana (Calli) Abigail Young was born on 2/7 at 8:56 PM, she is our tiny little one at 6 lbs, 1 oz, and 19.5 inches long.
Unfortunately a couple of those risks they tell you about before every c-section, but suggest almost never occur, managed to pop-up for us on Saturday night. Christine is recovering, but it is not as easy this time as it was the past two. Calli had to deal with not only her very young lungs, but also aspirated some fluid on her way out, thankfully she has not had to spend any time in NICU. Both Calli and mommy stayed at the hospital until Tuesday night. They both came home on Tuesday around 6:00 PM. Calli is eating well and mommy's milk came in to help with that. Calli and mommy both went to separate doctor's check-ups on Thursday and Friday (in corresponding order). Mommy feel much better after her appointment but is stil having more pain than we would like. Hopefully that will work itself out. Usually (for each of the last two c-sections) by the second week after delivery Christine is moving around and doing well with much less need for pain medication. Calli lost almost 10 ounces in the hospital, but seems to have stabilized now, and we are hoping she'll start to gain weight now especially with as often as she is eating.
I have placed some pictures on Facebook if you are a friend there. I intend to try to upload one to Xanga as well.
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| I know it has been quite a while since I have done any meaningful postings. While I am not taking any classes right now I have been keeping busy with work, Church stuff, and trying to care for my family. On that last one things have not been going as well as I would hope. A couple weeks ago Christine really started to struggle, she was diagnosed with the flu and an inner-ear infection which is not a nice combo under any circumstances, let alone added on to 37 weeks of pregnancy, when there is much less that can be done to help. Just as she has started to recover from the infections she has now been beset by preeclampsia. Her blood pressure is very elevated and has had intermittent occurrences of protein in her urine. So for the last couple of weeks she's been in to the hospital more times than I can count for observation, blood work and testing. At this point I just want my healthy baby-girl out in the world for me to hold on to, and my wife on the road to recovery from all of this.
I did my first attempt to "teach" an adult bible-study this past Sunday for our new Sunday School group. I think it went well, but have no idea if the participants would agree with me. Yet again the participation for our class changed on Sunday. I am the only person who has made it to each of our classes. The only other person in the group to have atended each of the first three weeks and who taught the intro. and first chapter of Acts was out to attend a wedding in CA. So a brand new coupld joined myself and the guy who has volunteered to pick up the teaching following the babies scheduled delivery date. As you might be able to tell I am not real enthused about the participation level to this point. I am hoping people can start to come together and build relationships, trust and fellowship, but don't see how that can possibly happen with entirely new set of people attending from any Sunday to the next.
Even double A seems ready for mommy to stop having to carry their little sister with her at all times, so they can have the option to see, talk to and help her themselves. We'll see how they do on that helping front, but at least they're offering right now.Carol has arrived from Indy about 10 days earlier than originally planned in order to help take care of Christine and the boys so that Christine can spend more time resting and caring for herself.
Sorry nothing remotley funny to offer at the moment. Hopefully some inspiration will come between now and the next time I find an opportunity to post.
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| Final for Discrete Math tomorrow. Project and homework both to finish. Code to complete by Thursday at work. Project to hand-off by Thursday at work as well so that somebody else can work on it while I am out on vacation. If I had better time management maybe I'd find a way to get all that done and fit in some Christmas shopping while leaving time for more detailed Xanga postings to.
Only thought for the day is on Matthew 25:1-30. I don't believe it denies the power of cannon preservation to add in interpretive codicils that I believe are lacking and intended. In this particular passage I believe phrases inserted clarifying that when the bridegroom returns, the preparation and return on his gifts to us that he expects to find we have prepared and produced are fruit of the spirit obtained by walking and acting on a true relationship with Christ. Parables always require interpretation for application right? Anyway that's it for any posting of merit sorry if you do not find it meritorious, but at least you didn't find yet another un-updated page right?
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| Ok, so today I did something I pretty much never do without having been forced. Christine hauled me off to a couple furniture stores after having perused most of the usual suspects herself this past week. She has been looking for bunk beds, as we decided together that this would be the best option for Double A when they move into their "new room". Th plan is to clear out the nursery, so that it can be remade into a feminine looking place in the hopes the ultrasound analysis is correct and we get a girl in February.
In a badly fashioned solution to the problem of needing to shop I decided to make an offer beyond what I had any desire to pay for said bunk beds, but below my fears of what I would end up paying for beds that Christine felt would be satisfactory and had the potential to match the colors planned for use in Double A's new room. The sales lady decided that while my offer was well below what she felt was fair, it was not to the point where it would insult her to accept, nor prevent herself and the establishment from clearing a profit. Lucky Dad then got the chore to load the collapsed and unassembled pieces of the beds into the van with some very limited help from an employee of the sellers establishment.
We managed to get the ungainly box home and I shoved and tugged at it until it fell out of the van and then pushed and prodded with Christine lending some guidance (no lifting allowed for Mimi in the 3rd tri-mester) into the house. We managed to slide it down the stairs in a maneuver that I don't feel quite qualifies as a fall (no walls had any holes or dents), but the box was MUCH the worse for wear. We then proceeded to spend the rest of the morning and most of the early afternoon identifying pieces and assembling the beds with the assistance of some very spartan (and sadly lacking) directions.
Then, since apparently this significant purchase did not seem like enough direct economic stimulation for me to have sponsored in one day, we had a lady from a windows and exteriors company convince us to actually commit to purchasing new replacement windows for the front of the house. We have had so many people come in and do the song and dance for replacement windows it has gotten almost silly. We always get to the end and profess there is no way we can justify the expense of the replacement, thank them for their time and find a way to push them on out of the house. I have no idea what truly possessed me today, maybe the blight of the US economy in general, maybe I've been worn out by previous sales efforts, maybe the fear of anticipated utility hikes has been over active in my subconscious, I'd like to think the thought to increase Double A's comfort in their "new room" was a possible factor even. Whatever the combination of circumstance, I put out a number at which I would sign for a purchase, and after calls to management, amendments to original window plans and some furious scribbling on the part of the sales lady she wrote down a figure close enough to my number that I acquiesced. So, hopefully before the weather turns really nasty and cold we will have something much better than aluminum single pane glass windows with blown seals on the front of our house. The back will have to wait, as there is no way anybody on earth could convince me to commit to the kind of expense that would run to with the Holidays around the corner.
By the time I got done with all that I was so worn out and my resistance to spending money so blasted to heck that I decided the only appropriate way to relax would be to log on to eBay and shop for a memory upgrade for the archaic home computer I keep running in the house, and which is Christine's only option for connecting to the internet and the outside world.
Hope no one reading this forgot to set their clocks back! I am only typing right now because I plan on truly indulging in that extra hour of sleep.
BTW: By the time Daddy and Mimi spent all day working on their new bed Double A were excited enough about it that they asked to sleep downstairs in their new room on their new bed (even though only one of the bunks has a mattress). So, I get to highlight my night by running in and checking on them sleeping together in the same bed in their "big boy room on their grown-up bed" before I head off to sleep myself.
Pray for victims of cancer that God will ease their pain, give them hope in salvation through him and help us all by delivering new ways to overcome this horrible disease.
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