Look what I found!!! This has me feeling better already. I am not going to be able to get my teeth taken out for a few weeks, so I have to find things that will take my mind off the pain. Camp Rock 2 should do it.
And this pretty sky tonight in Cleveland. It was very orange.
My mom told me I had to clean up my little mess before I could watch my movie, so I picked up all my shoes and my cd player at once. Funny me. 
The first thing she saw walking into the buiding was the fountain. She was mesmerized by it. I was fascinated by the turtle statue, perfectly positioned so the water flowed over it and around it, while never getting the turtle wet. It reminded me of the two of us. Me and Sarah that is. I want her to experience all there is to life, yet in a way that she never gets wet. Protected in a way that she never has to suffer or feel pain. But I can't do that. Not really. These darn wisdom teeth prove it.The fear set back in. All of a sudden I felt hot. Burning hot. Then my heart started racing. "Oh c'mon Joyce, we are just talking teeth here," I said to myself. Then they called her name. She hopped up and followed the receptionist back into the treatment room. I quickly scanned the area. My urge was to run. Run fast. The other direction. The counter was cluttered. An oxygen tank was covered with thick plastic. It had not been used in sometime. The floor was not very clean. Old manuals lined a shelf. And then...next to my chair was an IV pump...with a used line and connector still attached. I was horrified.
My nervous state turned to an adrenaline rush. But before I could develop an action plan the doctor came in. He asked Sarah some questions. He put a glove on and examined her mouth. I started to feel panic. C'mon Joyce think. What can I say? I need to get her out of here. He started to ask me a question. I did not immediately hear him. He repeated the question. "Does she take medicine well?" "No. NO. " That's it. My escape clause. "No, she refuses to take medicine orally. She needs an IV line." And then I heard sweet music to my ears, "So sorry, we will not be able to complete this procedure here in the office. She will need to be in the hospital with a full team to support her." "Oh, I could not agree more," I readily replied.
The doctor left the room. Sarah leaned over to me and said she hated the taste of the exam glove in her mouth. I wanted to tell her I hated the taste of the entire experience.
As we got on the elevator, I decided to push the button for the top floor. When we got to the bottom, Sarah decided she wanted to do it again. So we road that elevator like we were in an amusement park. Not much different than our life really. Up and down, up and down, up and down. The funny thing though, it's like the rush of a thrill ride. Your voice is hoarse. Your knees are shaking. Yet, you run back for more...
because I was cracking up when we were leaving the store. Do you see that? It is a limo pulling in to get gas at Get Go. Anyway, my mom drove me to CEVEC and went in with me. She told my teacher that she knows what has been going on. My teeth have been killing me. Remember my post a few days ago? I told my mom that when I walk into the freezer at Myers to get my supplies it makes my teeth hurt even more. My teacher did not know I had to go into the cooler once I got to the job site. So we decided I would not go there for a few weeks until my wisdom teeth are removed. Then we drove to the oral surgeons office.
Wow...nice building. I have my x-rays in hand just like my dentist told me to.
After my mom filled out all the paperwork, they called me back into an examine room. It's not like the other dentist I go to. There was a lot more equipment in there.
All of a sudden some music came on that I used to dance to in ballet class. I thought that was pretty cool. It made me smile. And then the doctor came in. He asked me which tooth hurt. So I pointed to it. Then he put my x-ray on the light board. "Sure enough Sarah," he said. "It looks like this tooth is pushing the nerve of the other tooth." Then he looked at my mom and they started talking about all my health issues. He said he could not take my teeth out. "No way can I do this out patient," he said.
And there is one more problem. The oral surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic just retired. The new doctor is not coming until October. Great. Just great. So we left. Then we road the elevator all the way to the top and back down again. It was fun. Sorta like being at the amusement park.For some reason on Friday, she did not wake up as usual. I went in a few times and asked her if she was ok. I asked if her teeth hurt. She assured me she was fine. So off we went for the store. When it was time for lunch, TJ (John was away at a meeting - sure love having TJ working with us now) came into the store and said Sarah was laying on the futon and did not want to eat lunch. I ran upstairs to check on her and told her she could stay there for the day. She insisted on going to her job. I handed TJ an empty trash can before he left. You know, just in case.
I went back into the store with a pit in my stomach. Something was just off. Something just did not feel right. The crazy thing is, I have been feeling this way since the beginning of this school year. I continue to question why we are sending her to this program when she has a place of employment. Her very own store. You may remember my post from last spring when I found out that this program was recommending that she go to the AAC (adult activities center) upon her aging out at the end of this year. I saw that as being so limiting. I was angry. Mostly because this was the first I had heard this. Her previous teachers seemed more optimistic. But Sarah wants to walk across the stage for graduation in June. So that is the goal. Our eyes are on that prize.
TJ returned to the office and said Sarah was fine by the time he dropped her off. I felt somewhat relieved. Until a few hours later when I started calling Sarah's cell phone at the time she should be home, and she was not answering. My momma antennae was going haywire. I was just about to ask TJ to go home and check on her, when she finally answered. "Gosh mom, I was eating my snack," I heard in her disgusted voice. "I'm fine mom." "Ok Sarah, see you later. This time I really did breathe a sigh of relief. I went back to working on a sample I am making, in between customers.
When I arrived home, an envelope was waiting for me on the counter...
(click on letter to enlarge)
As soon as I came down for breakfast I saw it. My picture is on the front page of today's newspaper, The Sun Messenger.
There it is in full color. A picture of my mom and me standing in the store. I was so happy I am giddy. I can't wait to show everyone.
My mom was so happy with the way the article is written. A HUGE THANK YOU to Jeff Piorkowski for writing in such a way to accurately portray our story. Once the link is up we will update this post so you can read the entire article. 
haaa...look at this. It is a picture of my teeth. I have to take it with me when I go to meet a different dentist. He has to take my wisdom teeth out. My dad told me that should mean a big pay out from the tooth fairy. Yes!!!!!!!!!
This lighter version might be easier to see on your computer.
I'll let you know as soon as it is scheduled. My mom thinks maybe we better do it at the hospital, just in case I have a hard time coming out of the anesthesia. 
This has always been one of my favorite photos of Sarah and me. I have been keeping the photo album that looks back twenty years, beside my desk. I try not to look too far ahead of the date we are currently at, so as to capture the memory for that date, as it comes to me. When I turned the page this weekend and saw this photo, I felt a flood of emotions. Oh how I wish we could have frozen that day. Sarah was becoming a healthier baby. She was happy. I was content. Just a momma and her baby. Savoring in the moment of sweet innocence. Oh how I love that little girl.
When we got there, my mom called him on his cell phone. He said he could see us, but we couldn't see him. And then he said to look up. Do you see him? All the way at the top of the stadium with the umbrella. For some reason, I thought that was so funny. So I started to laugh.
Then he got in the car and sat next to me in the back. He said he had to change his pants because they were so wet. My mom said, "Oh that will be a great picture." And I started to laugh some more.
Then Matt said, "Talk to the hand. No pictures." Now I am really laughing.
Then we laughed some more.
Awe....a cute picture with my little brother. Then my mom started to drive. And I spotted someplace I wanted to go. So she screeched her tires and pulled in...
SONIC...I love Sonic. Today I had a burger and fries. Matt had a coney. My mom wanted to know why the best menu is on the other side of the car...
She started chanting, "Come here desserts, come closer desserts. I want you desserts, but I can't see you desserts." And then Matt and I started to really laugh. Like silly Saturday night laughing. Then the waitress came rolling over in her roller skates with pink wheels. Matt thought she was hot. And then we laughed some more.
Until it was time to dig in. Geesh, I think Matt is starving. Haaa...Matt is always starving.
I had such a fun night with my little brother. Then we had to drive all the way back to Cleveland in the pouring rain. Matt stayed in the back seat with me the whole way. I love him.
Today, I would like you to meet Sister Webb and Sister Park. Only one of them is from Utah. The other one is from Texas. Can you guess which one? They have been sending lots of their friends from the Church to our store. Everyone is so nice. OH and one of those friends just had a baby. Congratulations Holly and family on your new baby girl!!! We are going to try to visit the Church one Sunday. Today, I was not feeling so good though.
We practiced where to place my hands. And then I started to cut.
I did a really good job. I stayed on the edge just like we practiced.
Once my cut was done, I picked up the fabric and started to fold it.
I have to match the corners...
...and then match them again.
one more fold and then it's ready for the customer. I think I did a good job. My mom told me I am never allowed to use the rotary cutter unless she is with me. I think that is a good idea because that blade is sharp... 
Sarah Archer
We all woke up a bit later than usual. Sarah was doing much better and that felt good. After several months, we were finally getting into a groove. John was staying home with the kids, while I went off to work each morning. It was a new role for both of us and we needed time to figure out how it was to work. There had been a few tense nights for sure. We were no doubt dealing with a difficult set of circumstances and plagued by a few people who were not particularly supportive of the situation. Yet, we were managing. 
We determined night time air was better for Sarah's respiratory system, so that is when we would take her for walks and bike rides (please know I too am cringing at the lack of a bike helmet-it was 1990-before helmet safety and law enactment). She loved riding on the back of John's bike.
TJ liked to tag along too. He most always just went with the flow of life. Never a complaint, never a tantrum. (well there was that one at Sea World:) It's funny how when looking back, you remember strange little things. Like the creaking noise of those colorful things on the spokes of his bike. One of the many fads of his lifetime. A must have purchase at the moment. Today, few remember them without a picture to remind their memory. A funny memory I am grateful for. Tough years, yet I would not change much about them.
Sarah's first Daryl Drive block party...
