Tuesday, July 5, 2011

::what you've been waiting for::

Hello out there!

Well, I'm here to write the words that you've all been hanging on a cliff to read...

...that's right.  THE POOL IS OPEN! It wasn't open when I arrived, and I have been checking day after day after day (after day...etc.) for over a month.  It's been full of water just sitting there for more than a week and today, red signs announced its arrival.  I'm really kind of disappointed that it took so long since we're LEAVING TOMORROW!!  I know that THOSE are the words you've actually been waiting for - and there they are.

The last few days have been kind of hard.  We knew that we should be headed home, and I even made hotel reservations.  However, since last time, when we thought we were "good" turned out to be a "not good" both of us are a little gun shy.  When Kurtis is going through treatment, we know the routine.  Get up. Go to doctor/hospital.  Get treatment.  Come home.  Repeat.  But, as time winds down we start entering unknown territory.  We're excited to be done, but being done comes with its challenges too.  Walking into the hospital today, both of us were freaked out - we didn't talk about it because it was already clear what the other one was thinking.  Today is curveball day, we thought.  Here we are, all set up for a hundred mile an hour heater wondering if that's what we're gonna get  - or if we're about to swing a little bit too early.

The swing didn't come too early, and Kurtis hit it out of the park.  His HCG is now at SEVEN.  SEVEN!!!!!!  Take the feeling that hit you while you read that and multiply it by several hundred thousand (or, you know, infinity) and that's what we were feeling earlier today.  Neither of us thought we'd be getting a number lower that seventeen, so it was a positive shock - like that zapper thing in the hospital where they yell clear and save your life.

So, after a quick morning at the hospital it became pack up time.  I've been running around like a hamster trying to pack up the Subaru (yay tetris!) and not forget anything while remembering where everything is.  WHEW.  Tomorrow, we're headed up to Lake Michigan which I've never seen, so I'm pretty stoked.  Then, we'll head home via I-80 (Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska). 

In order to fit everything in the Subaru, we had to ship a box home.  UPS ships cheaper than the postal service, so I drove up and down Avon trying to find the UPS store, failing.  I finally decided I'd just get a box at Target and use the postal service since I knew where the post office was (like .2 of a mile from our hotel).  I came home and packed up the box with stuff we wouldn't miss and then took it over to the post office.

The box was full of mostly clothes, so it was fairly heavy and 18x18x16 in size.  I pulled it out of the car and then went into the post office.  Once inside and searched around for a label and finally found one in some obscure box...but seeing as this is Indiana, there was no pen.  So, I put on my "pen-finder" goggles and found...nothing.  Fortunately, there was a nice man who loaned me a pen.  I slapped my name and address on the label, put it on the box, hopped into line, and started reading things on my phone while I waited. 

Three seconds later, my silence was interrupted by the "nice" man asking me if I knew the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial.  I did.  I did not want to tell him this because I was not in the mood to discuss it, so I said no.  The woman in front of him wanted to discuss it, so they had this loud eight minute long discussion about how "bad" the jurors were and all of the "what were they thinkings" and everything in between.  Finally (finally!)  the woman got called up and I thought we were home free.  Great!

Not.

Mr. nice guy now wants to talk to me about sexual predators.  What?!  Um, no thanks.  Unfortunately, I'm stuck here with this box and I need to mail it now so I just awkwardly stand there and nod while he informs me about how he was raised.  Great.  Now I know more about you and I still don't care.  After what seemed like seventeen hours he was able to go up and mail his letter or whatever.  The man behind me made some snide comments that made me laugh and I was home free. 

Nope.

I was next.  My big box and I made our way to the "window" and this is what happened.
Liz: Hi! I'd like to send this box to Colorado as cheaply as possible, please.

Worker Lady (who reminded me of the growly old lady monster on Monsters INC): Well, you put a Priority Mail label on it

Liz: Okay, is that the cheapest way?

Lady: It is $40

Liz: Is there a way I could send it less expensively? (I thought asking in a different way might help)

Lady: You can send it parcel post for $18.

Liz: Great! I'd like to send it that way, please.

Lady: You can't.

Liz: (?????????) Why not?

Lady: Because you put a Priority Mail label on it.

Liz: So, can I change the label and send it that way?

Lady: Yes.

Liz: So, do you have a label I can use?

Lady: No. You have to buy one.

Liz: (???????????????) Okay, I'd like to buy one.

Lady: You have to get it from that display back there, and I can't check you out until you have a new label.

Liz: Can you scan the label and check me out and then I'll fix it right here?

Lady: No.

Liz: (...BrainExplosion...)

So, I went and got a label (two for $0.69! what a deal!) and labeled by box. AND WAITED WHILE THE LADY TRIED TO CHECK OUT A WOMAN WITH A BANJO WRAPPED IN PIECES OF BOX ALL TAPED TOGETHER.  Seriously.  I can't even make this stuff up.  They were trying to weigh it by standing it on the "bottom" of the banjo.  It was insane.  It was amusing.  And then, it lasted for ten more minutes.  The other man helped (literally - and yes, I mean literally - five people). 

And now it's my turn.  Please hold while I check my excitement for the opportunity to work with this lady again.  (excitement checked).  I put the box on the scale and we begin this dance again. 

Liz: Hi! I fixed the label! (and then I laughed and pointed...like an idiot)

Lady: So, we're sending it priority mail?

Liz: No.

Lady: Oh, what are we sending it?

Liz: Whatever was $18. 

Lady: (types on computer and scans label).

Liz: I'm going to leave this label here for the next person who needs a label, since I don't need two.

Lady: But you paid for this.

Liz: I know, but I don't need it.

Lady: But it was like $0.75.

Liz: I know, but I don't need it.

Lady: Are you sure?

Liz: Yes.  I'm sure.  Really.

And then I left.
It is a good thing we're on our way out of Indiana or I might smash someone's face.

So, if you made it through all of THAT nonsense...congrats.

I just had to tell someone.  I chose you. FEEL SPECIAL.

Kurtis is doing great and we're ready to kick it outta here.  Tune in soon for Indiana's greatest hits ... the things we will not miss!

Sending love!
Liz

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