Calling all Chicago DISers #2

[slo]

Katie is still not well - she just can't shake this thing. She doesn't eat much, she still has a fever, she gets tired very easily - I'm starting to wonder if she has some type of flu. Needless to say, she is going to work with me again today - I don't want her going to daycare when she's not 100%
All I know, that if I don't get what she's got, it's a miracle!!! Last night I was smearing some Vick on her chest (she has some congestion), and all of a sudden she coughs right in my face I could have gotten annoyed, but she's sick, and she just needs mommas love, not annoyance. So I have a feeling this sickness will be a "to be continued...."


Today Stephanie is off school, because she has winter break It's so nice to not have to deal with the aggravation of getting her on the bus today. She's also coming to work with me, but then my mom is going to come get her at around lunch time.


Today Kevin is leaving for Florida until Wednesday. He, his dad, and his 2 friends are going to The Daytona 500 on Sunday. So while we are digging ourselves out of the snow, again, he'll be soaking up the sun - lucky duck!!!!


Becky - There are many different forms of strep. Katie one time had tons of spot on her chest, and it was strep. She never once had a sore throat with it. How are you today?

DMM - I'm glad you like your necklace!!!
I got a necklace to for V-Day - it's an opal, my birthstone

Bunchkin - How are you feeling today? I hope you are doing better.
What is that restaurant you mentioned - I never heard of it before

momto1 - HOw was dinner last night? Was it packed with people?

tmq - Your welcome for the welcomes

Rose - That's great about Matthew doing so well with the clarinet Is he in a band at school? If so, do they march in parades?

paint - I"m glad you said the movie was a little scary, because now I know it's not for Katie. I"m glad you had a nice V-Day

piglet - Thanks for mentioning about DS going to NIU, I didn't remember that

DS - So many hugs to you Please keep us updated on how things are going there, and remember, when you need to talk, your Chicago DIS family is here for you!!!!

HERSEY - Good luck with getting your paperwork done I'm developing a mountain too on my desk at work, because when Katies at work with me, I don't get a chance to get it done. Either she's sitting at me desk playing with Playhouse Disney on the computer, or she's napping, and I can't be in my office Maybe I can get it done on Monday, when she's in daycare, because the kids will be with me at work all day tomorrow too

To everyone else -


Well, I gotta run and get ready for work
Have a good day today everyone!!!

 

[Donald's Shrink]

DS - So many hugs to you Please keep us updated on how things are going there, and remember, when you need to talk, your Chicago DIS family is here for you!!!!

Thank you for your kind words Slo. My family, friends, and colleagues are all safe and well. My wife and I were leaving campus at around 3pm yesterday. We drove right past Cole Hall as the police were arriving. A few minutes later we saw ambulances and more police racing by us heading toward campus. We knew instantly that something serious had happened but we didn't know what. My first instinct was there had been a shooting, probably based on the threat incident here in December. Unfortunately in this case my instinct was right.

We then went and got our daughter at daycare and that is when we found out what had happened. We live a couple miles from campus, so we just spent Valentine's Day at home watching the news and Disney movies.

From 3:00 until late last night, the cell phones in Dekalb weren't working because so many people were trying to call out/in. Therefore, it was a couple hours before we were able to notify our families that we were okay. I remember when I finally got ahold of my family I only got out "check your email" before the call was dropped. We were then able to communicate through email/IM and let everyone know we were okay.

We've been informed that my colleagues and I at the NIU psychology clinic will be a point of contact for those seeking grief counseling. However, I'm still waiting on word from my supervisor to find out exactly when we will be providing those services.

 

[Donald's Shrink]

Donald's Shrink ~ I just want to let you know that you, and the entire NIU family are in my thoughts tonight. I am so sorry that this horrific event took place and I just wish there was something that I could do to ease the pain that must be felt.

Thank you piglet too. This is truly a very tragic event.

I attended an undergraduate university less than an hour from Virginia Tech and had former classmates who were attending graduate school their when that shooting occurred. In that case, none of my friends were injured but I still felt very sad for the families of the victims and the community.

I've been able to confirm that none of my friends or colleagues were injured in yesterday's shooting. Most of us are going to be on the front line providing counseling for the university/community. In that way, hopefully we'll be able to help ease the pain for some people.

 

[DonnaW]

Donald's Shrink...my heart goes out to you and everyone affected by this senseless shooting. It is truly scary what a frightening world we live in. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[DonnaW]

Slo, I hope your Katie feels better soon! I am *majorly* jealous of Kevin getting to go to warm, sunny Florida!

Tmq...a warm welcome to the Chicago thread!

Bunchkin...how was the party at the school?

Piglet...you are in my thoughts today!

Hersey...has your mountain turned into a molehill yet?

Well, Christopher is supposed to be flying out to Nevada on Sunday for a job opportunity. I hear we are in for another major snowstorm on Sunday...what a surprise!...so I hope he can get out of Chicago!!!

Everyone...have a good, *peaceful* day today!

 

[HERSEY]

Donna no molehills here.

 

[piglet too]

Thank you Donna. My Mom goes in for her initial round of tests at 9:30 and then her surgery will be sometime after that is all done. Had way too many nightmares last night, and I guess this is bugging me more than I had realized. I have been blessed with never have any one close to me die. The closest I came was with Nathan two summers ago. The fact that my Mommy has cancer and is facing a battle makes me want to cry, heck tears are falling now.

 

[Becky2005]

Donald's Shrink ~ I just want to let you know that you, and the entire NIU family are in my thoughts tonight. I am so sorry that this horrific event took place and I just wish there was something that I could do to ease the pain that must be felt.

Can someone fill me in? I have no idea what this is in reference to? I went back and looked and don't see a post by Donald Shrink saying what happened. It sounds horrible and I have a hunch what it *might* be just because the way the world is. I will go see if I can find something but it might be faster this way.

Edited to add: OK, my hunch was unfortunately correct. When I first read it my thought was there was a shooting. I see subsequent posts after I posted this that confirmed it. HUGS and prayers to those who have to deal with this. It's horrible.

 

[piglet too]

Slo ~ Sorry Katie is still sick, the poor little thing.

Becky ~ How is the tongue today?

Bunchkin ~ Feeling better?

DS ~ I hope that you and your colleagues are able to help those in shock and grieving.

 

[piglet too]

never mind

 

[HERSEY]

Can someone fill me in? I have no idea what this is in reference to? I went back and looked and don't see a post by Donald Shrink saying what happened. It sounds horrible and I have a hunch what it *might* be just because the way the world is. I will go see if I can find something but it might be faster this way.

NIU had a shooting last night.

Kirsten

 

[Becky2005]

Becky I was talking to my friend she too was trying for the Alton tickets What time did you start calling? Just curious.

I pulled a "I'm getting a Cinderella's table" mentalitity so called at 9:30 AM on the dot. Actually, what happened and I could have kicked myself because I thought I messed it up was I called at 9:28 to put the number in my cell phone and listened to the recorded message you know "push 2" for this and then push "1" for that so I'd know the order & could just push in numbers...it was still before 9:30 so I hung up instead of pushing 1 to get in the que for tickets. I thought that it would kick me out with a "I'm sorry we are closed right now" type of message. As soon as my car clock turned 9:30, I started dialing again and got a busy signal! I was so mad thinking -- DUH...I should have just gotten in the que. I just kept hitting end & re-dialing until it finally went through and then I hit the numbers quickly instead of listening to the whole spiel about which numbers to push for what. I was then on hold until 9:51 when they finally answered to get the tickets. I basically did the Cindy technique of just quickly telling them what you want and dealing with the formalities later -- i.e. "Alton tickets 3 adults/1 child please". Of course, then the person had to ask if we got tickets before and put us in the database before we got the tickets. I was convinced they would be gone by the time she got my address, membership ID number, all that stuff put in. I know the timing because I was sitting in my car in the parking lot to pick up my youngest from speech class which gets over at 10 AM. I got connected probably about 9:35ish & they didn't have any hold music so there was a couple times I thought I might have been disconnected. I kept watching the time thinking I was going to have to go in to get DS while still being on hold. So, then the 9:51 it started ringing and I got connected to a live person. I was thinking OK hopefully we can get this all taken care of by 10! Otherwise I wouldn't know the time by such details. I was just really glad we have basically free long distance on our cell phone!!! That would have been a pricey phone call for us to be on hold that long to Chicago. I really don't know how someone who had to work would have been able to do that though as I can't imagine a boss would appreciate being on a personal phone call on hold for that long, etc...

I just knew it was going to be one of those really, really hard type of tickets to get. NOW...the trick will be for us to show up early and NOT be late to get there. We have a wonderful knack of unintentionally being late. I have no idea how big the auditorium at the museum is as we have never gone to anything in that spot. I had to look on the map to find it and it's in some obscure corner and it doesn't look like a very big space -- at least not much is allotted to it on the map.

I got the confirmation information in the mail yesterday.

Becky - There are many different forms of strep. Katie one time had tons of spot on her chest, and it was strep. She never once had a sore throat with it. How are you today?

Becky ~ How is the tongue today?

It's OK...it still a bit sore but I think it's getting better. I say that as I'm not eating anything. Then I'll go to eat something and think "OH...I guess it's still pretty sore". Instant breakfast is a wonderful thing.

DH is feeling better so that's good.


NOW...onto a completely Disney related question -- has anyone here gone in Spring break/Easter time? I'm in a quandry as to which way I want to do this. I'm not sure which is better or if I'm totally insane (OK..THAT doesn't need to be answered).

We were thinking of going at the end of the school year in 2009 -- mostly because I want to get 1 more year in before our 3rd child turns 10 & we get to add ANOTHER adult price to our lives for Disney. We have several expenses coming up this year (namely my tooth) and I was thinking I'm not really sure we will be able to pay for Disney next summer. However, if we wait until 2010, then my 3rd DS will be 10 (he was born in 2000) BUT I had a brain storm. IF we go in Spring break of 2010, he will still be 9 -- his birthday is May 22 AND my oldest will turn 16 on March 10, 2010 -- so we could do this to celebrate her 16th birthday.

I looked and Easter is March 4, 2010. Our Spring break is always the last week of March (doesn't necessarily correspond to Easter) -- this year we have Spring break the week AFTER Easter. I'm just going to assume our Spring break will be the week before Easter (with us going back the Monday after Easter) for sake of planning.

Would this be crazy? I figured it would give us a little more time to save up some more money. I know the hotel will cost more doing it that way but I don't know if the cost will be more than the cost of additional adult ticket & probably additional adult on a dining plan (who will end up eating mostly Mac & Cheese!).

The ages if we went end of May 2009 would be 15, 12, 9, 5

The ages if we went during Spring break of 2010 would be 16, 13, 9 & 6.

I don't pull my kids out of school so it would have to be during a school break and we don't really get any random ones that are week-long (well...we do get this long President's day weekend but I REALLY don't want to come back to a possible blizzrard. At least in April the chances of that are much more slim! )

 

[SamIAm21]

Thank you for your kind words Slo. My family, friends, and colleagues are all safe and well. My wife and I were leaving campus at around 3pm yesterday. We drove right past Cole Hall as the police were arriving. A few minutes later we saw ambulances and more police racing by us heading toward campus. We knew instantly that something serious had happened but we didn't know what. My first instinct was there had been a shooting, probably based on the threat incident here in December. Unfortunately in this case my instinct was right.

We then went and got our daughter at daycare and that is when we found out what had happened. We live a couple miles from campus, so we just spent Valentine's Day at home watching the news and Disney movies.

From 3:00 until late last night, the cell phones in Dekalb weren't working because so many people were trying to call out/in. Therefore, it was a couple hours before we were able to notify our families that we were okay. I remember when I finally got ahold of my family I only got out "check your email" before the call was dropped. We were then able to communicate through email/IM and let everyone know we were okay.

We've been informed that my colleagues and I at the NIU psychology clinic will be a point of contact for those seeking grief counseling. However, I'm still waiting on word from my supervisor to find out exactly when we will be providing those services.

I just want you to know that I am keeping you and the whole NIU community in my thoughts and prayers as yesterday's events probably still haven't come 100% to the surface for so many. All my mind keeps asking is WHY?? The sad part is that we may never know why so many young lives were taken so quickly and cruelly.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

what a tragic thing that happened yesterday. I couldn't believe it.

======================================

DMM - I'm glad you like your necklace!!!
I got a necklace to for V-Day - it's an opal, my birthstone

Ohhh it sounds pretty! How wonderful!!

 

[Bunchkin]

Donald's Shrink So sorry to hear of what happened at NIU. What a senseless crime.
I'm glad though that you, your friends and colleagues are safe and were unharmed.
I hope that you are able to offer some much need help for those that may need counseling.



slo Still sick, actually feel worse.
Sounds like you got a really nice gift from Kevin. How thoughtfull of him.
Sorry to hear Katie is not well still.


piglet I'm keeping you and your mom in my thoughts today.



paint Sounds like you also got a nice present for Valentine's Day!


Hersey Paperwork, shmaperwork!!!



Donna I hope your son has a safe trip!!

 

[Bunchkin]

Don't we have other 'old timer' Chicago DISers that work at OR live near NIU?

Maybe some of you may know.
Maybe I should PM KimRaye, or maybe she's lurking and can tell us.

Didn't DocP and Chris work or live near NIU?
Maybe I'm wrong.

 

[HERSEY]

Don't we have other 'old timer' Chicago DISers that work at OR live near NIU?

Maybe some of you may know.
Maybe I should PM KimRaye, or maybe she's lurking and can tell us.

Didn't DocP and Chris work or live near NIU?
Maybe I'm wrong.

I think they live in Rockford if I remember correctly.

 

[Crissup]

Didn't DocP and Chris work or live near NIU?

Yes, they live about a mile from NIU and DocP is on their staff.

 

[piglet too]

My Dad just called and my Mom is out of surgery. Everything went well, it was just a lumpectomy and the cancer has not spread.

 

[HERSEY]

My Dad just called and my Mom is out of surgery. Everything went well, it was just a lumpectomy and the cancer has not spread.

Great news