What the H@$# was that??!!??!!

Today was a first!
We felt the earthquake that originated in southern Illinois early this morning!
I woke up to the house shaking... now, we have our laundry room upstairs, so it's not unusual to feel a little shaking upstairs during the spin cycle, so that was my first thought, that I was feeling my load I put in before going to bed (I didn't realize what time it was). But, then it got pretty strong and I realized the whole entire house was shaking, not just the floor upstairs. It lasted about 30-45 seconds (which seemed like forever when I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on!) Bridget freaked out and was crying. Aaron and I just looked at each other, neither of us really sure what had just happened. We looked outside to see if there were any indications others had felt what we had. We did see a few lights on across the street, so likely the kids had a similar reaction as Bridget. It's times like these we find out just how many bodies we can fit in our queen size bed!
When we got up about an hour later to start getting ready for school, I came straight to the Internet to see if it was in fact an earthquake we'd experienced. Here are a few of news reports that I found:

IndyStar.com

Earthquake rattles Indiana awake
Star and wire service report
Posted: April 18, 2008

An earthquake shook homes and rattled nerves across parts of Indiana and the Midwest this morning.
The magnitude 5.4 quake was centered southwest of Vincennes, about six miles east-southeast of West Salem, Ill., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Police dispatchers and the National Weather Service said they received numerous calls from people who felt their homes moving at 5:37 a.m.

No major damage was immediately reported, though part of a building's facade fell in Louisville.

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle says there are no immediate reports of damage. Ringle says he was shaken out of his bed in the Evansville area by the earthquake.

The earthquake shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis.

Professor Michael Hamburger of Indiana University’s Department of Geological Sciences, said it was the strongest quake in the area since one of a similar magnitude near Carbondale, Ill., in 1968.

“What we’re seeing today is fairly typical in this area. It seems like we get earthquakes about this size every 15 years,” Hamburger told WTHR-TV (Channel 13), the Star’s newsgathering partner.

WISHTV8.com

We felt it: earthquake rocks Central Indiana
Posted: April 18, 2008 06:00 AM

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH/AP) -- The U.S. Geologic Survey reports that an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 has struck the Midwest. It happened at 5:36 a.m.

The USGS Web site said the quake was centered near West Salem, Illinois, or about 40 miles northwest of Evansville, Indiana.

The earthquake was felt as far north as Kokomo, Rochester and Warsaw in Indiana, as well as in Evansville, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis. It shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis.

"I was awake when I started feeling the house shake. My husband was leaving for work and said he felt it too. We do not have any damage that I have found, but we do live in Brown County at Sweetwater Lake, and we have many trees that I will have to check," said Shannon on the 24-Hour News 8 comment forums.

"Very exciting! It woke us up! You could hear rumbling outside and the mirror attached to the dresser shake. No damage at this point," said a Fishers resident.

"I felt it too. At first I thought it was wind, but thought how does a house shake that long without falling down? It seemed to last at least a minute. I though I was dreaming. My cat had waken me up about 20 minutes before it happened meowing weirdly and is still freaking out. A few things fell off shelves but we all are okay. Good to know I am not crazy, the house really did move," said Amanda Smith from Illinois.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, but 24-Hour News 8 has received phone calls reporting some damage. Residents in Princeton, Indiana have reported damage inside their homes. 911 services were reportedly knocked out for an hour and were restored around 6:45 a.m. in Gibson County.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The quake shook skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop, 240 miles north of the epicenter, and even in Milwaukee, Wis., 350 miles north of the epicenter. Residents of Cincinnati, St. Louis and in Michigan also reported feeling the earth shake.

The quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region that covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle says there are also no immediate reports of damage. Ringle says he was shaken out of his bed in the Evansville area by the earthquake.

The Great 1906 San Francisco earthquake happened 102 years ago today at 5:12 a.m.

Michigan News

Earthquake centered on Illinois/Indiana border felt in Michigan
by The Grand Rapids Press staff and wire reports
Friday April 18, 2008, 6:12 AM

A strong earthquake that rattled parts of southern Illinois and Indiana early this morning was felt in the Grand Rapids area, about 320 miles away.

The quake, given a preliminary magnitude of 5.4, occurred about 6 miles from Mount Carmel, Ill., and about 131 miles east of St. Louis, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It took place about 2 miles underground and struck about 5:36 a.m., USGS said.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, Ill., 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

The quake also shook skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop and tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis. It was felt in Milwaukee and Cincinnati as well.

Irvetta McMurtry of Cincinnati said she felt the rattling for up to 20 seconds.

"All of a sudden, I was awakened by this rumbling shaking," said McMurtry, 43. "My bed is an older wood frame bed, so the bed started to creak and shake, and it was almost like somebody was taking my mattress and moving it back and forth."

Lucas Griswold, a dispatcher in West Salem, said the Edwards County sheriff's department received reports of minor damage and no injuries.

"Oh, yeah, I felt it. It was interesting," Griswold said. "A lot of shaking."

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville, about 38 miles from the epicenter, said there were no immediate reports of damage.

A 5.4 quake can cause considerable damage.

Grand Rapids police dispatchers felt the building shake around 5:30.

Lt. Larry Frye said a couple of dispatchers who work on the fourth floor of Grand Rapids headquarters called him to find out if he felt anything in his lower floor office. He did not notice any tremors.

The USGS received reports from all over West Michigan, including Grand Rapids, Ada, Caledonia, Holland, Wayland and Trufant

The quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region that covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis, according to the USGS.

The organization's Web site said earthquakes occur irregularly in the area, and that the largest historical earthquake in the region -- also a magnitude 5.4 -- caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

Three of the most powerful quakes felt in North America struck in the region.

In 1811-12, a series of quakes along the New Madrid Fault in Missouri, near the border with Tennessee, measured 7.8, 8.0 and 8.1, which is 10 times more intense than the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. They devastated the sparsely populated area, and reportedly caused the Mississippi River to flow backward for a time.

The quakes, occurring from from Dec. 16 to Feb. 7, were felt as far away as Boston. Damage was reported as far away as Charleston, S.C., and Washington, D.C.
The earthquake is being monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey.

-- Press writers Dan Hawkins, Dave Odette and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Louisville, Kentucky News

5.2 magnitude earthquake felt across Louisville
THE COURIER-JOURNAL • APRIL 18, 2008

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting that a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck the region this morning. The geological survey reported earlier this morning that it was a 5.4 magnitude earthquake but has downgraded that as of 8 a.m.

The quake was centered six miles southeast of West Salem, Ill., about 45 miles northwest of Henderson, Ky., according to the geologic survey.

Lousville city officials planned to hold a press conference at 9 a.m. to address the city's response to the incident.

In Louisville people were shaken out of bed at about 5:40 a.m. and shaking was felt in the Highlands, Eastern Jefferson County, Oldham County and downtown.

While lots of people felt the earthquake, the incident does not seem to have caused any major damage, injuries, disruption of utility service or similar problems, said Doug Hamilton, executive director of Louisville Metro Emergency Management.

MetroSafe Communications dispatchers handled a large volume of calls from residents who wanted to know if what they felt had been an earthquake, Hamilton said.

"Everyone just wanted to confirm what they had felt," he said.

The only damage call received was that some of the bricks on the outside of a building at 309 W. Kentucky St. were shaken loose, but no one was injured, a dispatch supervisor said.

The quake was also felt elsewhere.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, Ill., 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

Kentucky State Police dispatcher Natalie Alsip at the post in Hendersonville, just across the Ohio River from Evansville, Ind., said telephone calls poured in to the post following the quake early Friday and one man reported cracked plaster at his home.

A dispatcher at the KSP post in Mayfield said there were many phone calls from Western Kentucky locations, but no indication of injury or serious damage.

The quake also shook tall buildings in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of the epicenter.

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake occurred in the Illinois basin-Ozark dome region that covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The organization's Web site said earthquakes occur irregularly in the area, and that the largest historical earthquake in the region _ also a magnitude 5.4 _ caused damage in southern Illinois in 1968.

Indiana Earthquake Information

A New Hope

This is a journal entry about my medical frustrations for the last 3 years--no cute pictures, no funny anecdotes, and maybe even pretty boring. But, it's my journal and I want to remember what I've been through when it's all said and done.

Within a year of having Bridget (my second daughter), I was the thinnest I'd ever been as a mom. I'd gone clothes shopping with Judy and felt like a whole new woman. I felt good about myself. I got compliments. I felt on top of the world physically and mentally.

Then, I went and ruined it. I had an annual exam and just happened to see an add in the waiting room for a drug called Seasonale--a new birth control pill that lets you skip your periods for three months so you only have 4 periods a year. How cool is that? Is it for me? I asked the nurse practitioner about it and she exclaimed "oh, it's the bomb!" (and she was in her 50s... this was the same delivery nurse who was a little too happy for my taste during labor). She promptly gave me a three-month sample in a cute mini tote bag (oh, now how could I resist that???) and a script and sent me on my way.

I bragged for two years about how great it was to only worry about that annoying female thing once a quarter. I recommended it to everyone who would listen.
Then, my periods got so light they were almost non-existent... and then they disappeared altogether.

Rewind a bit... all the while, I am having unrelated symptoms of all sorts... headaches, even migraines sometimes... fatigue... I was hungry all the time... dizziness sometimes... insomnia... night sweats... anxiety and anger... and then there was the weight gain. My bra size went from a D to an F. No exaggeration. Aaron didn't complain. But, I began to get big everywhere. My feet are fatter. My fingers are swollen. My face is round. My belly falls over my belt. My thighs are enormous.

What was the most frightening to me was that I can not lose the weight. Ask Ursela--we played DDR (Dance, Dance Revolution) for hours upon hours that last summer she was here and drank so much water, we went through four trays of ice every day! I did not lose a single pound. I changed what I ate: all wheat and whole grains. I drank only water. Didn't lose a pound. Got the flu--finally lost 5 pounds, only to gain it back with my first bowl of soup. I KNOW something isn't right.

My GYN said there's no way it could be the Seasonle. Told me it would have left my body within two weeks of stopping the pill. I stopped it in June. Here is was November, still no period. I didn't have a period at all until July of this year. And that's normal?

My family doctor had been treating all the symptoms. Put me on an anti-depressant. Tested me for thyroid disorders every six months. Prescribed Lunesta to sleep. Chalked up the headaches and fatigue to motherhood. When I complained of night sweats, he tested me for medically-induced menopause. After exhausting his resources, he gave up and told me that it was simple: I needed to stop eating more calories than what I burned. Thanks doc.

So, I finally resolve to find a new doctor. Maybe a girl doctor would believe me?

Today I had my first appointment with Dr. Victoria Heinen.

First of all, she believes me that I'm not just sitting around eating myself 75 pounds heavier than I was three years ago.

She is not, however, convinced it was the Seasonale drug I took, but only because she wants to rule out other problems. Fair enough.

I will undergo a series of tests--I have no idea how much this will cost me (our insurance stinks), but I am excited to hear of new possible explanations and I'm anxious to get the results.

Her first thought was that an adult should not all of a sudden start having headaches and migraines when there was no history of them before--she said this indicates something wrong in the brain area and I should have had a scan done. She has ordered an MRI for me. She said it is possible there is a growth on my pituitary gland. She said not to be alarmed, though. Sounds like it is treatable, then.

Another possibility is Hasimoto's disease, which is what my sister has (hypothyroidism). I told her my other doctor had also been convinced of that and had my blood-work done every six months to no avail. Everything always came back normal. She said that in the earlier years of thyroid conditions, it will not be picked up by blood-work, so she has ordered an ultrasound.

A third possibility is Insulin Resistance. I don't like that. It is related to Diabetes type 2. I looked up online the symptoms, and like the two things above, the symptoms do fit. However, it says the cause is unknown but assumed to be too much carbs and no exercise. I told the doctor how diet change and exercise do NOT help one bit.
I did find, with further reading, that SOME links have been found to causes being associated with PROGESTERONE.

Well, guess what--Seasonle has an artificial progesterone in it.

To test for IR, I will have to take the fasting test like you do when you are pregnant and drink the yucky orange soda drink. Only, my doctor wants the test extended for me, so I will fast for 12 hours and do FOUR hours of blood testing and waiting in the office.

A fourth possibility is estrogen deficiency or even pre-menopause. She said that she has had a patient as young as 35 finish menopause, starting at age 30. That is when I started having symptoms--I remember telling Dr. DeWitte that I felt like a switch had turned on (or off??) once I turned 30 and I'd lost control of my body. Anyway, she can't really test for either of these. The range of "normal" hormone levels is so wide that it would be difficult to see if my levels are normal for me or not. So, she is going to rule out the above possibilities, and then start me on estrogen supplements to see if that helps.

I will keep you updated when I know more. Hopefully within a month I will have some answers.

Conference in General-4 of 4

Although I'm relieved to get up and move around after such a long weekend of sitting and listening, part of me is so sad for it to be over because I love learning and being uplifted by these talks from people who want to serve the Lord.

Elder Jeffry R. Holland spoke of the Bible and how the Book of Mormon builds it up... and how we believe in a God who is an active part of our journey on this earth. He said that we teach that God IS, not WAS.

Elder W. Craig Zwick of the 70 reminded us to never lower our standards in order to keep friends or fit in.

Elder Steuer of the 70 said we can obtain spiritual light by learning true doctrine, gaining a pure testimony, and living the gospel courageously.

Elder Craig C. Christensen taught us that the Book of Mormon is a book with a promise and a purpose that teaches and testifies.


Perhaps my most favorite talk of the entire weekend, and I'm sure of young mothers everywhere, was that of Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve. Oh, my goodness, I could not write fast enough. Talks like this one and a few others (like the one about how those serving in a presidency ought to pattern themselves after the First Presidency) make me wish I could have my Conference edition of the Ensign in my hands TODAY so I can read it again and pick up the pieces I missed the first time through!
Anyway, Elder Ballard spoke directly to young mothers (and then later to children, and I told my girls, "Shh, listen--Elder Ballard is talking to you!" and they listened!!) and told us how we need to focus on the things that pass quickly, that our children grow up too quickly and we need to pay attention to them and live in the moment before the moment is gone!
I'm on the older end of the young mother line, and I've seen enough of my mothering years FLY by that I can attest to what he is saying here and I only wish I knew this 9 years ago!!
He counseled mothers to enjoy our families more, to remember that joy of motherhood comes in moments and not to rush past those fleeting moments in such a hurry. He warned against over-scheduling ourselves and our families. I sure wish more people heeded this counsel because it's so difficult to walk a slower pace when everyone else is rushing by and expecting you to keep up. He said that families NEED unstructured time together to allow for memories to be made. He also said that we need to find time for ourselves, take time to do something fun or learn something new because water cannot be drawn from an empty well. I encourage younger mothers everywhere to heed his counsel now before it's too late. Sometimes I feel like it's too late because my girls aren't babies anymore, but I felt prompted today while listening to Elder Ballard that it's NOT too late, that I still have more work to do here in my home and I can still make a difference!

I felt this talk was the one I needed to guide me in the next chapter of my life I'm about to embark on. As my little Bridget will be going to full-day kindergarden in August, I have contemplated what I should do next. It's not likely another baby will be part of the story. So, what now? I had dinner with some of my more experienced friends who counseled me to stay home if I can afford it financially.
Then I have others who tell me I should go back to work and do "my share" to pay off the school loans I racked up. But, I want to be there for my girls completely. What happens if one of them is sick? How do I find a job that allows me to be here in the morning to get them on the bus and when they get home? And one that will let me leave if my girls are sick, when they have holidays and summer break? How will I do my family history and scrapbooking I've put off all these years because I was busy taking care of my babies and told myself I will have time for that later? How will I have FHE prepared and prepared well every Monday, and have dinner on the table, and clean the house, and serve as YW President and everything else expected of me if I'm working a job outside the home?
I counseled with my husband and we agreed I should stay home. He wants me to follow the counsel of the prophets and put my family first. So, that is that. I'm staying home. My husband is willing to let me be the mom I want to be, so as long as we can afford it financially, I'm staying here.
I know I will contend with those who think I'm lazy or whatever, but I know that I will make a difference in my girls' lives. I will be there when they need a room mom, I will be in the schools volunteering, I will be on the field trips, I will be there when they are sick, I will be there to help them with homework, I will be there. This talk helped assure me I'm making the right decision. And that decision is between me and my husband and the Lord and no one else.

So, I got sidetracked there, but this is my journal, right? I'd never had written that much by pen, so I'm grateful for this new venue to keep my thoughts.

Then we ended the day with our dear President Monson. I will admit, for a few moments I missed President Hinckley. But, President Monson made me laugh so hard, I forgot. He spoke from his heart, told some stories, made us laugh, thanked us for our support, asked for our prayers... and then he said, let's incorporate all these wonderful messages we've heard into our lives. And I intend to, President Monson. I intend to.

Conference in General-3 of 4

I love General Conference weekend. It's been wonderful to relax with my family and listen to the prophets and apostles. Tim & Jenny stayed overnight. Aaron & Tim went to the Priesthood session together last night. We stayed up late watching movies, slept in, and had a light breakfast before going on to listen to General Conference. Tim & Jenny left to Plainfield to watch the broadcast with Jenny's family.

It's been very interesting to also watch the special programs between conference on BYU.TV online. Right now a program is playing about Henry B. Eyring's father, the scientist. I felt lucky to catch a press conference with the new YW General Presidency as well. I learned that Sis. Dibb is President Monson's daughter. I am excited to hear more from these good women in the coming months.

President Uchtdorf talked for a bit about President Monson and how compassionate he is. He said we do not seek nor decline calls to serve in the church. He went on to discuss what the phrase "Faith of our Fathers" means to us, particularly as converts of the church, and even more specifically those of us who left strong religious legacies when we joined the church (Raised Catholic, I understood what he meant).


I was most impressed with the end of President Monson's talk... not only did he discuss how the Brethren have a sweet spirit of unity that exists among them, and how we should all show kindness and respect to all people everywhere, and how our homes should be santuaries against the storms of the world... but he also went on to say with notable strength and resolve that we can and will win this war against sin, so do not despair! He said that God loves us with a love we cannot fully comprehend and that together (again with that strong and resolute tone) we shall move forward in His work.



One more session to go...

Conference in General-2 of 4

So, what is it about sitting around all day that makes me tired?? I listened and took notes, but it gets increasingly more difficult to pay close attention and ignore the urge to lay down and fall asleep.

The church audit report was impressive... more than 13 million members worldwide... more than 279 thousand of those were convert baptisms this past year... and 124 operating temples worldwide!

Aaron and I got a big kick out of the beginning of Dallin H. Oaks' talk about testimonies... he said a testimony is not a travel log or professing how much we love our families, and it ends when we start preaching... that took us back to our Young Single Adult Branch days of testimony meetings: Our YSA testimony meetings almost always went over by 30 minutes or more and were very spiritual and I enjoyed them... however, not everyone understands the reason behind a testimony meeting and it often became story time. Aaron and I would sit in the back with our program flipped to the blank side and we'd make a tally of the "gratefulmonies", the "travel logs", the "confessions", etc. (you get the idea). It was sad because the category with the fewest tally marks was "Jesus Christ", which meant that most everyone just told their stories and failed to testify of Christ or the Restored Gospel. I know that sounds so self-righteous... not like we've never said what we're grateful for or added a story to illustrate a point when up on the stand... but, it was a reminder to be sure to bare testimony of what I really believe to be true and not just indulge in telling everyone about my daily journal or find some twisted way of sharing a bit of gossip or bad dating experience while disguising it as a testimony (believe me, there were people in the YSA Branch who did this). Anyway, we got a laugh out of hearing an apostle use similar verbiage as we did in those YSA days.


Later, Elder Oaks went on to explain how knowledge encourages obedience and in turn obedience enhances knowledge. I really liked that. I know in my early conversion days, I was ridiculed as blindly following these "so called prophets". It was so difficult to explain to people how I felt these men were inspired of God and that even though I didn't understand all things, I knew it was the right thing to do to obey their teachings because they taught the way of Christ. Well, 14 years later, here I am living a very fulfilling lifestyle, sharing my life with my wonderful husband and two beautiful daughters. Sometimes I obeyed out of faith and trust in who was teaching me, lacking a full knowledge of the doctrine, but obeying anyway. Eventually that obedience led to knowledge. That knowledge, or testimony, which grew as I obeyed the teachings of Christ, made me want to work harder to obey because I understood better why Christ would have us follow certain commandments. It truly is a never-ending circle of blessings.

More tomorrow...

Conference in General-1 of 4

Today we are at home watching General Conference over the Internet. I look forward to General Conference weekend every six months. I'm a nerd like that. I love listening to the talks from our General Authorities.

Today was a special session called a Solemn Assembly. I assume this is my second Solemn Assembly since I was a new member when President Hunter died and President Hinckley was sustained... I just do not remember how the session was organized. But, I DO remember how I felt seeing President Hinckley speak as our Prophet for the first time--I knew without a doubt he was our Prophet, speaking to us on behalf of our Lord. So, today we sustained our new Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson. I attended the Young Women General Broadcast last weekend and was able to see President Monson speak to us for the first time as our Prophet in a pre-recorded video presentation shared during the broadcast--I had very similar feelings I had about thirteen years ago--I knew the moment I saw him speaking to us that he was our new Prophet and knew he carried a solemn responsibility to teach us the ways of the Lord and to care for us. I felt it was an honor to stand in my home and sustain President Monson and his wonderful counselors and other general authorities.


The Young Women General Presidency was also reorganized today. I was surprised! I was sad for a moment since I am very fond of Sis. Susan W. Tanner... but when I went to the YW broadcast last weekend, I was particularly fond of her counselor, Elaine S. Dalton (and not because we share the same first name--I just really loved her style, her spirit, her stories... I just really loved her). So, when Sis. Dalton was called as the new Young Women General President, my sadness went away immediately!
Here's a photo of President Dalton, Mary N. Cook (1st Counselor) and Ann M. Dibb (2nd Counselor... and President Monson's daughter!)



We have a new apostle: D. Todd Christofferson. I'm sure we'll learn a lot more about him in the months to come.


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin was my favorite talk in the morning session Saturday. He talked about how we need to be concerned for the one, how each individual instrument is important in the complex sound of the orchestra. He urged us to have more compassion for those who are different from us. He said to remember that sometimes those who start off the slowest are often the ones who go the farthest.


President Eyring, who has always been one of my most favorite apostles (maybe in part because he was the first one I saw sustained and remembered his name, and also in part because of his love for the Church Education System, and also how he is so emotional when discussing spiritual matters), also addressed us. He talked about how we should never give up on our children because God never gives up. He also reminded us how it is our responsibility to live righteously in order to sustain the church and its officers whom we have raised our hands to promise to sustain in their callings. I love him.


More later...