Adventure is out there! Elevator.

You should read my story: (yes, it's true)

Okay, Whitney is a girl I grew up with in my ward, she married a man named Joey Mugleston--who breeds and sells reptiles, arachnids, cockroaches etc.

I invited her husband to come and talk to my students about his Animals.

It was only going to be for my class, but when the other teachers heard about it they requested to come--so I rented the auditorium--

This morning was late start, so school doesn't begin until 9:55

at 9am I started preparing for them to set up.

I checked the auditorium, the stage was filled with band equipment (tippany, Xylophones, drums etc...)

I asked Mr. Perkins to please move them out, so he did using the school elevator

Well, Dance Crew showed up!

They needed to practice in the auditorium, until 9:45. Since I had requested it 3 weeks prior, I had preference.

I explained that we would be bringing in some large animals, they may be easily nervous around loud noises and dancing teenagers...

No big deal, she was able to try a few practices.

Whitney and Joey arrived!

Along with, live tarantulas, snakes, scorpions, lizards etc.

We went to the elevator to transport the animals, In the elevator (which is fairly small) Are Joey, Whitney, Myself, Mr. Perkins (music teacher) and several boxes of strange animals

The elevator goes down,

doesn't open....

up.

doesn't open

down, up, down, up

doesn't open.

I'm pushing buttons, "door open" nothing works!

Luckily I still had my cellphone with me, which never happens, but I had it today.

I called the school.

Becky answers, "Oquirrh Hill's Middle"

"Hi, Becky, This is Amy Rosenvall. I am currently stuck inside an elevator with Mr. Perkins our 2 guest speakers and several snakes, spider and other creatures. Please let us out."

She replies, "Your kidding."

"Nope"

p until now, I didn't realize that Mr. Perkins is severly clastrophobic.

I'm fine, Whitney and Joey are fine.

Mr. Perkins is getting just a bit nervous...He's a rather hefty/large man trapped inside a small elevator.

The custodian comes and cranks the elevator up and down, causing the gears to screech...

We hear knocking, "Rosenvall? you okay."

"I'm fine."

"We are going to see if taking it up and down helps."

Mr. Perkins starts rocking back and forth, eyes closed. He bangs on the door, "I want out. Get me out, Please" goes back to rocking..

While we are waiting, I figure it would be good to make small talk, right good idea?

Amy "Whitney, what is in that bin?"

Whitney "Oh!, It's the goliath bird eating taratula"

Perkins bang on door "I need out, come get me out!"

I suddenly learn very quickly that he is also terrified of spiders and snakes.

more rocking, "put it away, put it away.."

(this tarantula is 8 inches across)

the snake that's with us is 13 feet long....

up, down, up, down...

doesn't work.

More outside banging, "Rosenvall, you okay?"

"I'm fine."

Perkins, "Open the door. Open the door. Open the door" rocking rocking.

Whitney hides the tarantula more out of protection.

I received a phone call--from the school.

"We called the fire department they are on their way."

Oh, while we were down at the bottom of the elevator, I could hear the dance kids rocking out to the music, the snakes don't like loud music.

Wendy (dance teacher) comes to the door, "Are you really stuck?" (right before Whitney and Joey arrived she teased: "You're going to get stuck in the elevator with the snakes!"

Wendy "I'm so sorry! I cursed you!"

Perkins, "open, open, open" rocking.

Fire department comes.

They get the door open, Mr. Perkins books it to the men's bathroom.

I start laughing, so hard I'm crying so everyone thinks I'm freaked out.

Joey is holding the 13 foot snake

Whitney has the tarantulas.

Very odd scene.

The school is so worried about me, they bring me water and treats, Mr. Perkins and the guests too.

We rush through set up...

we are in there about... 25-35 mins?

I was late to 1st period-no big deal

Mr. Perkins sees my kids entering the auditorium and asks "Can my students join yours today, I can't teach 1st period right now."

He was still white as a sheet.

"Sure, send them in."

So, he sent in his kids and tried to calm down, but the rest of the day was spent telling kids, "Yes, I did actually get stuck inside an elevator with a 13 foot snake."

This is NOT the big snake. I'll post a picture of that one later. But this one was in the elevator too.

Child #2

Had you told me that I would get to be the mother of 2 adopted children at any age, I probably would have thought you were crazy. After hearing from fertility doctors that the likelihood of having children naturally was so decreased I basically was trying to come to grips with the idea that I would be adopting and also that it would probably be another 5-6 years before I had any children.

But the Lord did not let me wait very long.

In fact 4 days after hearing the final verdict from the Doctor, I received a call from my cousin Julie, asking if we (Rew and I) would like to adopt a little girl. 10 months later my little Sarah joined our home at 18 months old, and I had no clue what to do with a child.

I always figured that you sorta eased yourself in... newborn--keeps you awake all night, eats, sleeps, etc. Eventually starts climbing. Instead, my first child was already quite mobile! It took me quite awhile to get used to being a mother.

We officially adopted Sarah April 9, 2009 and had her sealed May 2009.

Almost immediately after adopting on April 10th, 2009 we received a call about Sarah's half brother. One week later we also had a little boy. Several drives, court hearings, meetings, etc later....

Michael officially joins our family April 28th, 2010. Sealing to be held April 30th, 2010.

Ode to Cutco Knives

I love my Cutco knives.

If you had asked me 5 years ago if I had any preference on kitchen knives I would have said, "No". Then probably gone on to defend why any particular knife should not be shown any favoritism. A knife is just a knife right? Kitchen knife breaks, buy a new one. One should never spend $100+ on a kitchen knife.

My friend Sara has given me four Cutco knives (she used to sell them). Over the course of a few years she gave me one on my birthday or for Christmas. I have a santoku, paring, trimmer and spatula spreader. She told me that within a few years they would be the only knives I would use.

They are wonderful. They are the only knives I use.

Perfect julienne vegetables, excellent sliced tomatoes, macedoine cheese cubes, chiffonade cabbage, brunoise onions!

http://www.vegetables.co.nz/about-veg-cuts.php

I still cringe to hear the price tag associated with each Cutco knife but at least for now I recognize--it's also worth the price. Just don't cut yourself!

Now back to cooking!

Requesting Prayers

Hi,

We are requesting your prayers.

In lieu of the adoption...there have been delays, but of course you should know that always with adoption it is 1 step forward, 2 steps back. We were hoping for it to be faster and so far Utah is far faster than California. But, it appears that we will need to deal with California once again in the case of our little boy (who's name we are planning to change to Michael Rigel Rosenvall).

No specifics, I cannot answer questions.

Love, Amy, Andrew, Sarah & Michael

January

I am happy to report that Michael is walking! Woo hoo! Our Little Mr decided to take his first steps for me in December and is now finally walking about the house. He's learned the joys of standing in the center of the room and chasing his big sister, Sarah. Tackling has become his second favorite. Much to Sarah's chagrin, frustrated she told me last week, "Michael got my candy!" Sure enough Michael had tackled his sister and sold the candy cane. Hmm... (don't worry, she got her candy back and we found a treat for Mikey.)

Sarah has been potty training! She has is down mostly, not all the way quite yet. But I'm certain with a few more days she'll be a pro! She is talking more and recognizes colors, a few numbers and letters. Can you believe she'll be 3 in May? She decided to start waking in the middle of the night and coming to our bedroom. Very quickly however, she learned that we just put her back to bed. (I remember climbing into my parents bed at night when I was her age and had nightmares.) We haven't allowed this as an option for her. IF you heard her snore you would agree with us! I told Andrew when we when to Yellowstone during the summer, "She snores." "It can't be that bad." he said. After 2 sleepless nights listening to her snore he said, "I'm amazed that such a little girl can rattle a whole house." We took Sarah to an ear, nose, throat specialist, who explained that her snoring is coming from enlarged tonsils, and recommended a tonsillectomy. We are going to wait until Summer to have them out, so I can be home.

Progress

Remember when I told about our Little Guy screaming! Screaming at everything! Well, here's his progress as of today,

*Knows 3 baby signs, Up, Milk and Please.

*Jumps in the crib and says "Dada." when he wakes up.

*New sounds (huge progress considering we were told many times he is partial hearing/possibly deaf (tubes were put in his ears, we think he can hear now)). Baba, Uh-Oh, Mama, Dada, Eh (means Up), La-La.

*Clicking his tongue, raspberries and sticking his tongue out at you.

*Refusing the binky, (usually he doesn't want it anymore- he prefers to talk.)

*Walking! he walked across our living room 5 times today so far!

*Finally will eat peas, green beans and tiny bits of bread

Yea!

Congratulations Jen on adopting Little Paige!

Tonsillectomy

My daughter needs a tonsillectomy, can anyone tell me what to expect?