KY living...

It's almost been a WHOLE YEAR since I moved down to KY... I seriously can't believe it... time flies! I feel safe to write on my blog about my true feelings, so enjoy my ideas/thoughts on KY... BUT before I say anything, I would like to say that my views have come so far... the first time I came down here to visit Caleb I went through a rinky-dink town about 15 miles from post... and saw a guy driving a lawnmower- on the road... yeah, my dad does that, but it's in the NEIGHBORHOOD... not the ROAD. I remember talking on the phone (to whoever I was talking to) and saying "what in the world have we gotten ourselves into!??!?!" I came to KY with very stereotypical thoughts about KY... in case people read this from KY I'm not going to share my thoughts... but if you live in MI (or "up north") think to yourself about what YOU may think about KY... and I'm sure you guessed what I thought...
1. Did you know that ALLERGIES are HORRIBLE this time of year in KY? I remember last year I wore sunglasses for (almost) an entire month EVERYWHERE so people wouldn't think that Caleb beat me (even though he was always gone training!)- my eyes were so dark... but I also was homesick, so I couldn't really tell if I was crying or my allergies were in fact AWFUL... however, I was totally blindsided by my allergies this year... hokey pete- are you kidding me?! My inhaler only has so much "pure/good" air (don't freak mom- it's attached to my belt at all times) ;) but the sad truth is that I can't wear my shades at school... what an example I would be to my kiddos... so... I've resorted to wearing my glasses and being told that I "try to hard" (to look smart) by a particular student... AWESOME. In the past week I have: gone through 2- TWO whole kleenex boxes... brand new boxes... used my inhaler more than two hands/fingers (can you tell I'm an elementary teacher- using hands/fingers to count on?)and have had to stay inside ;( NOT COOL... AT ALL. ALLERGIES BITE. Oh, and ps, I can't take Benadryl... it literally KNOCKS ME OUT... to the point that I can't walk/move/get up/function... for HOURS... yeah... so... I'm just "waiting it out" and looking like a hot mess until this "passes". Please, no photo-ops for a bit ok? ;)
2. Ticks... ticks everywhere! aghh!!! Ok, so I know I've already talked to you about the mass amount of ticks here... well, you remember how I said I was more afraid to cuddle up to Caleb than I was Daisy? SCRATCH THAT! I'm sleeping in our guest bedroom... terrified about the "loves of my life"... I walked in the house the other day and saw a box of matches- "oh no- what's he doing now?" I thought to myself... then he informed me that he had had a tick on him (Caleb, sweetheart, you know I have tweezers right- please, stop being a "pyro")... THEN LATER THAT NIGHT I hear "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!" I ran to the bathroom where Caleb was in the shower- he had ANOTHER tick on him! SERIOUSLY?! I don't think my eyes could have gotten any more close to popping out of my head. Oh, but wait... there's DAISY. (Aren't dogs the one that are supposed to get the ticks anyways?) She has never had a tick on her... but the same night Caleb had two ticks on him SHE had a tick on her... we got it (whew!) Then, later that night when I was in the kitchen I hear Caleb say something and Daisy darting through the house- she had yet ANOTHER tick on her- yesterday Caleb went to the vet and got some Frontline- sheesh- there goes my teaching salary- that stuff is expensive! So... yesterday afternoon my girlfriend and I went to Walmart (with Daisy) and she was petting Daisy and found yet another tick... but here's the kicker- this girl, Michaela is something else... this girl is my hero... her "toughness" factor could probably beat half of the men in the military... while I'm freaked to even sleep in the same bed as Caleb and Daisy Michaela uses her BARE HANDS- BARE HANDS FOLKS... to "twist"/pull the tick out (PLT that Daisy doesn't bite- she's such a doll)- and after she gets it out LOOKS at the tick (while still between her index/thumb fingers to make sure the head was in there... my mouth was down to my chest while I was watching her do this... props to Michaela- I guess I know which neighbor I need to go to in order to kill a huge roach/spider when Caleb is deployed! ;)
3. Last year when we first started exploring KY we noticed groups of people raising money- well, asking for change/money in the... STREET... THE MIDDLE of the street I might add- yes, you know that "line" that is in the MIDDLE of the road? Yeah- people stand on that line and ask for money... craziness (almost HALF as crazy as the law that states you do NOT have to wear a helmet while on a motorcycle!) well, I was asked to stand and ask for money the other day... ummm... I'll donate my time/money but I was raised NOT to stand in the road... I'll have my lemonade stand on the side while everyone else can ask for donations... thanks ;)