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On Wednesday, Steven took the day off to have one last day as a family of five since our baby was scheduled to be induced the next day. Gage is off of school for spring break, so we wanted to plan an extra fun day together. Toni had flown in on Tuesday afternoon, so we were excited to include her in our family day.
We spent the morning running a few errands, gave the kids baths and showers, and then the kids did chalk on the driveway while I made lunch. After we ate, I laid Will down for a nap and then I climbed into bed and took a really nourishing nap until about three.
When Will and I were up, we piled into the van and drove to Jamesville to do a quick and easy hike on the loop trail at Pratt's Falls. We did the .6 mile loop, played in the field at the end of the trail, then took the trail back to the beginning where the van was parked. Driving home, I finally began to really accept that it was okay that my personal plans for this birth probably wouldn't happen. I tried to just soak in the joy of being with my family and my final day of pregnancy.
When we got home, the big kids went upstairs to play with Steven and Will and I puttered around the kitchen, tidying up and setting things out for my hospital bag. Soon it was time for bed, and we got everyone in jammies, sang, prayed and read scriptures, and tucked everyone in. It took a while for each child to calm down and rest – I think they could feel the nervous anticipation and the current of change that was circulating our home.
Once we'd finished putting them to bed, Toni agreed to listen for them while Steven and I went on one last date. Our good friends had recently suggested an Italian restaurant called Franscesca's in the village, so we drove down and ordered enormous plates of pasta. We were both totally stuffed by the time we'd finished and could have probably fallen asleep in the restaurant. We stopped by Wegman's to pick up my favorite smoothie drink (Naked Berry Blast) for the drive to the hospital the next day.
My induction was scheduled for 7:30 the next morning, so when we got home I immediately started gathering the remaining items we wanted to bring with us to the hospital. We wrote little notes for the kids and Toni, tidied up, and went upstairs to go to bed. It was about ten o'clock when I started feeling like my contractions were more regular than they had previously been. I hadn't had any strong contractions during the day, so I was surprised that these ones were intense enough that I was noticing them.
Then again, every night for over two weeks, I'd had noticeable, timeable contractions. So I ignored them and Steven and I read scriptures, prayed, and chatted for a few minutes. I climbed into bed next to him and remembered that I still needed to brush my teeth and send out an email. "Right after this contraction," I said. Right then, I felt a trickle of liquid. I looked at Steven and told him that there was a very small chance that my water had broken. As I stood up, I had another contraction and felt more liquid escape.
I went into the bathroom to check the liquid and make sure I wasn't just peeing my pants. I wasn't. But there wasn't a consistent trickle, as I'd heard is the case when your water breaks. I paced around the room, giddily debating calling my doctor. Finally, we agreed that if my water had broken, then the doctor should know as I would be coming in for my scheduled induction in just a few hours. She called me back at 10:30 and advised me to go to bed and try to relax.
I agreed. I was completely exhausted. So we checked on the kids, turned off the light, and laid down to sleep. Steven was completely out within seconds. I, however, couldn't find a position comfortable enough to relax in, as I was starting to feel some heat with each contraction. I rolled over onto my left side and grabbed my phone to begin timing the contractions with a handy little contraction-timer app.
Around 11:30, I realized that I wasn't going to be sleeping. My contractions were intensifying and they were almost exactly six minutes apart. I went to the bathroom and was pleasantly surprised to find some bloody show. So my contractions were actually doing something! I went back to bed and tried to get comfortable, but my squirming was waking Steven up and we were due at the hospital in just a few hours, so I got up and took a shower. I knew my friend Hayley in Utah would be up, so I sent her a text letting her know that I was probably in labor and I really loved the flow of excitement between us, even though we were thousands of miles apart.
While I was washing my hair, I reminded myself that I wasn't in active labor – I remembered from the Bradley Method the signposts of labor. I was feeling excited and giddy, despite the mounting pressure of each contraction. Excited and giddy are not part of active labor for most women. So I knew I had some time to kill before anything was going to happen (if anything did happen before my scheduled induction).
After the shower, I brought my hair dryer downstairs so that I wouldn't wake anyone up. While I was blowdrying my hair, the contractions became much more intense. I had to put the hair dryer down, grip the sink and repeat to myself, "This isn't pain, this is progress. This is just your body doing what it was made to do." I had stopped timing contractions after the shower, but resumed again at this point.
Once my hair was dry, I puttered around the house for a few minutes doing random things like writing thank you notes and moving throw pillows around. I would have to pause for the contractions and remind myself not to tense up. Finally, I realized that these contractions weren't going to lessen in intensity, so I decided to lay down on the couch in the family room. Standing or sitting, the contractions were manageable, but lying down, they were much more intense. I moved into the lying down runner's position that the Bradley Method suggests. While my contractions were intensifying, they weren't as consistent. They were coming between four and ten minutes apart.
After a half hour, I decided to try to move back up to bed. I was getting so sleepy, but couldn't get comfortable downstairs.
I climbed into bed next to Steven and was so uncomfortable that I had to jump up from the bed almost immediately. I grabbed my blanket and decided to move down to the other couch, closer to the stairs so I could get Steven easily if I needed to.
Steven came with me down to the couch and got me set up so that I could rest. I should have seen that it was active labor at this point, because the position I chose was to sit up Indian-style on the couch, with my head resting on an enormous pile of pillows beside me. Steven must have seen that this was for real, because he asked me to just call the doctor and tell her what was up, and he went upstairs to take a shower and get ready "just in case." I fully intended on calling the doctor, but now it was 2 AM and I didn't want to bug her since my contractions weren't as regular. I had two really wimpy contractions in a row and told myself, "Brooke, that was a really awesome night of productive labor, but now it's time to sleep and just be grateful that you could have that experience." I closed my eyes, and then the most intense of all the contractions hit me, and kept hitting me. I felt stretched and I started to moan a little, and then POP! I felt this noisy, popping feeling inside of me and a burst of fluid gushed out. I stood up and called Steven (even though he was just upstairs) and told him that my water had broken. He came bolting down the stairs and giddily agreed that it must have been my water.
I went upstairs to clean off and he went down to the basement to get Toni. I called the doctor at this point and told her what had been happening since we'd last spoken. She advised me to drive to the hospital and that she would meet me there in a while after I'd been checked in.
I quickly changed, got dressed, threw a few last-minute items into my bag, and went into each of the kids' rooms to say goodbye. I realized that I was probably in active labor because even though I was excited, I wasn't smiling very much.
Steven turned the car on so it would be nice and warm, and off we drove.
Sitting up, the contractions weren't even close to unbearable; the drive was really comfortable. I'd been a little worried because I remembered feeling some major discomfort on the drive to the hospital when I was in labor with Gage, but bumps in the road didn't bother me at all.
We parked, took the stairs down to the main road, and jaywalked over to the hospital. The security guard, bless him, just told us to head up to the eighth floor.
The nurses quickly checked us in. I was still contracting, but as I said, since I was standing I could totally get through each one without any visible signs of discomfort. They brought me to my room, and soon my amazing nurse Perrin and the on-call doctor came in to check the fluid (yes, it was indeed amniotic fluid), and to see how much I'd progressed.
I was at a three. "Okay," I thought, "not a lot of progress, but that's okay."
I got into my gown, snapped a classy bathroom selfie, and waited for Steven who had gone down to the main floor to check in and get his little ID sticker.
At this point, I was exhausted. I had taken Unisom right around 10:30 because I'd wanted to get some good sleep before getting induced. It was making me so drowsy! I decided to lay down and just take the harder contractions because at least I could close my eyes between them.
It took about an hour, but soon they'd had a good twenty minutes of fetal monitoring (my "basketball belly" kept making the monitor slide down and they'd have to readjust it every few minutes) and the baby's heart was just fine, so they let me take off the monitor and get comfortable. At this point, I was having three contractions every ten minutes. I had to stop talking and close my eyes through each one, which was a good signifier to me that they were productive.
At around five-thirty, I started shaking all over. My teeth started chattering, too. Steven asked me if I thought this was transition. We both decided it wasn't since I was only probably at a four. I got nervous though and felt myself starting to give in to fear. Just fear that this was happening too fast for my body. But Steven, my rock, talked to me calmly and literally stopped my shaking and quaking just by reassuring me that I was still in control, that my body was made for this, and that he'd be with me through the whole thing.
When I felt back in control, I decided to lie down for a few more minutes to pack in as much rest as I could before things got really intense. It was during these next three or four contractions that the coolest thing happened. I had studied hypnobirthing and had talked to close friends who had employed some of its techniques into their natural births. Something frequently mentioned had been the concept of an image that immediately relaxes you. I'd tried to think up an image that would work for me, and assumed I'd figured it out. But what came to mind was totally different. It was almost as real as a dream. It was from the first-person point of view and it was my swan diving off of this rocky cliff, flying over a waterfall, a lush green canopy of trees, a vast gray ocean, then landing on a surface of jagged, black rocks on the other side. I had the exact image/dream play out, from the beginning to the end, at least three times and I completely forgot that I was even having contractions until they would peak (right about the time that I was flying over the ocean), but even then they were totally manageable because I was so focused on how amazing it was to fly!
My back started aching really intensely around 6:00. I decided to sit up and that took a lot of the pain away. I mentioned it to Perrin and she asked me to describe how it felt, then she felt my belly and told me that the baby was posterior, that we needed to get it to turn because I was experiencing back labor. We were going to see if my moving to hands and knees would be enough to do the trick.
But first she needed to get my hep-lock in. I'm not squeamish with needles, but she really had to fish for my vein and my blood pressure (which is super low to begin with) just plummeted. I hate that feeling. I was seeing spots and getting really shaky and nauseated. She realized that this wasn't working and called in a new nurse to try – she looked but didn't feel comfortable poking me (skinny veins) and called in Frank, an IV specialist. He was in and out and totally rocked it. I love Frank!
It was around 6:30 at this point, and this is when I started to really feel fear. My blood pressure just wouldn't improve. It was low and I was low. If you've experienced low, low blood pressure you know what I'm talking about. My hearing was going all weird, I couldn't open my eyes because colors were blending and black spots were taking up most of the room. But the very worst part was that I could handle the contractions IF I was sitting up, but laying down they were really intense. But every time I tried to sit up, I would slump back down because of my stupid blood pressure. A few times Steven tried to kind of toss me into a sitting position right as the contractions peaked, but even then I would slump over, totally helpless. A victim to my own blood. Poor me.
Perrin was concerned about my back pain and tried and tried to help me turn over onto hands and knees to get the baby to turn, but I couldn't lift my head at this point without coming close to blacking out.
I decided to try with all my might to get to the bathroom and back, just one more time, and will my blood pressure to get better. Steven supported me the whole way there by letting me lean on him, he walked backwards, guiding me toward the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet was the peak of intensity for me. I started praying out loud for strength. I hated that I couldn't open my eyes and I was starting to get desperate.
Walking back to the bed, I felt the weirdest contractions. There were two of them like this: I felt them up in my ribs. And every time the baby kicked during a contraction, I felt really, really tender up high. So weird. No idea what that was about, but it scared me. "There's something wrong with the baby," I told Steven. He talked me off that ledge, but I think it scared him a little bit too. I faced a difficult decision here: get back in bed and lay down or stand up. I started to sink down into a squatting position, but when the room started to sway I knew I needed to get my head down. So frustrating! I stood up, and Steven wiped away the mucus plug that was trailing down my leg. Perrin offered to start me on fluids to see if that would help my BP. At this point, she could have suggested pumping me full of marshmallow crème and I would have agreed. Anything!
The fluids trickled in. I expected to feel better fast. I didn't. I told her that I needed to get checked because if I hadn't progressed, I was going to get the epidural. She quickly got the doctor and they came back and told me that I was only at a four! This was about 7:00.
I sat on the side of the bed, hunched over, ready for the anesthesiologist. My back was really, really hurting at this point. And then came the two contractions that changed the whole ball game. I felt like I needed to push. But I wanted to epidural so badly. I wanted more than anything to be completely present for the birth, I wanted my eyes to be open, and I wanted to be undistracted. My back pain was intense enough that I was letting it take me away. I kept debating waiting a little longer to see if my BP would rise and I'd be able to stand for the rest of labor, but the call of complete relief was so sweet. I started praying and praying that my BP would be high enough.
My body was really shaky and my forehead was just covered in cold sweat. Perrin was like a mom to me. She kept pulling my hair out of my face and squeezing my hand.
The anesthesiologist took my blood pressure and miracle of miracles, my BP was high enough that he went ahead with it.
He left the room right after 7:30. I turned over onto hands and knees at this point to help the baby turn. As I did, the heart rate seemed to droop quite a bit. "This happens sometimes with epidurals," the nurse said. But she looked concerned. We tried a few different positions, but the heart rate was best when I returned to hands and knees, so I stayed there for about thirty seconds before the doctor (new doctor at this point – Doctor Brown, who delivered Will) rushed in. "Do I need to be worried?"
"Nope. If I'm not worried, you don't need to worry. Let's check you."
I flipped back over to my back and he barely checked me before saying, "That's why. Fully dilated. Babies' heart rates decrease when they're descending through the birth canal. I think it's time to have a baby. How long did you push with your last one?"
"You don't remember?" That's the first time I've ever made Dr. Brown smile (and I've tried a lot). "Twice."
I didn't feel the urge to push yet, but about a minute later, I felt it. I love that feeling. I told the nurse, and they told me to hold on for just a second. Haha.
A contraction came and I started pushing. "Good enough, let's wait till the next one," Dr. Brown said.
"It's still going. I need to keep pushing."
And push I did, right up until Dr. Brown told me to blow, blow, blow. I felt that magnificent, triumphant relief that comes when the head has emerged, and I let myself relax while the rest of the baby wiggled out.
I don't actually remember what Steven said word for word when he told me that we had a new daughter. I just remember asking him if he was sure, because apparently I had subconsciously been quite sure she was a boy. Or I was so overjoyed at the thought of another daughter that I wanted to confirm it before believing it.
This is when things get sad. I had been anticipating, since Will's birth, that tremendously powerful, sweet spirit that accompanies birth. But it wasn't there. Instead, there was this feeling of urgency that I'd never felt before. They handed her to me for a short moment and I barely saw her, I just kept looking over at the doctor and the nurses, who were quickly delivering the placenta and telling each other to do things. I looked at Steven, he didn't seem concerned so I told myself to be present.
But I just wasn't. I realized that we were not skin-to-skin. My stupid bra was in the way, so I frantically pulled it off and tried to snuggle her close, but the nurse was reaching over us using the bulb syringe in her nose and mouth. The baby was screaming at this point, but it wasn't a happy, joyful newborn waaah, it was just different. I felt really worried and sad, and totally guilty and confused that I was feeling that way.
"I need to take her for a minute," Jill, my new nurse said. I handed her over.
Within seconds, this team of people came rushing into the room; I couldn't see what they were doing. Steven was trying to figure it out, but everything was noisy and hushed at the same time. I asked my nurse what was happening. She told me that Baby wasn't breathing very well, and to hold on.
I don't remember details here, except that the PA who was in charge of the NICU team quickly told us that we didn't need to worry, that with quick deliveries like ours, babies sometimes have trouble "transitioning" into the real world and that they would have her back to us in a couple of hours.
I felt so robbed. I just sat in the bed, completely confused. What had just happened? Steven could see that I was distraught and reassured me that everything would work out. All the routine stuff happened. I ordered breakfast, had my IV stopped, walked to the bathroom and tried to pee, changed into a clean gown, and then got wheeled to the recovery room.
And darkness really descended here. Steven was allowed to go up to the NICU to be with the baby. I was alone in the room, except for my stupid roommate who was fast asleep on the other side of the curtain.
I tried to eat, but mostly cried. I hate to sound ungrateful after such an amazing delivery, but I felt so deeply robbed. It felt so wrong to be anywhere without my girl. I felt useless and empty. I didn't even want to try to feel better.
Jake McNinch came to help Steven give the baby a blessing. I cried. Jake came by to say hello. I cried. The nurses came in and checked my belly and asked how I was feeling. I cried. I tried to take a nap, but couldn't because I couldn't stop crying. I was such a mess. A flood of hormones, disappointment, worry and fear, and I'm sure the adversary, were making me a total mess.
Then Lynn, my angel nurse, slipped me a note that said, "A private room is opening up. Pack your things and we'll move you soon."
|After Steven's visit to the NICU, in my shared room.
When Steven came back from visiting the baby, he told me that I was cleared to go up too. I rode in the wheelchair and when we got up to the NICU slowly walked over to the tiny little incubator bed where she was laying. By this point, it had been almost three hours. I hadn't bonded with her yet. I just ached inside. Not to mention the fears that were nagging at me – no skin to skin, her cord was cut way too early, we hadn't nursed yet, she had been in this sad, cold, lonely place with no mommy to love her… how would any of this work out?
We sat beside her and held her hand as much as they would let us, but soon they asked us to leave so that they could do a blood test – a test that would make it so that she would have to be admitted for at least forty-eight hours. I was so sad.
|Face timing with Gage later that night
We moved to our new room and the kids came by to visit. That was also sad. They were all so heartbroken that they couldn't meet their new baby. Gage and Steven went up to the NICU but were quickly told to leave, because of flu season they weren't letting siblings visit. Gage was crushed.
I tried to cheer them up, but being so down myself, I just couldn't.
Soon they left, and Steven and I spent the evening and much of the night up in the NICU. Our new nurse, this sweet man named Julio, was exactly what we needed. "Have you held her yet?" He asked us, as he watched us eagerly and giddily change her diaper and take her temperature. We told him we hadn't, "Would you like to?"
I about jumped for joy. As soon as she was suitably warm (they couldn't find a hat to fit her head since the NICU babies are usually so small), he placed her in my arms. Tears just rolled down my cheeks. I was so sad and so happy. I still felt robbed of everything I wanted. It was a bittersweet moment. When Steven held her, he emanated the pride of a new parent. I wanted that. I stood up and started bleeding on the floor – of course they told us to go to bed and recover, for crying out loud. So mournfully, we went back down to our now-private room, and cried. We prayed and prayed that she would just get better and be with us soon, but right before leaving the NICU we'd asked the doctor what kind of timeline to expect.
"I would say about a week."
"A week?!" I felt big tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't even consider the other parents who had babies here for months and months.
I felt so empty that night. No baby in my arms. No nurses checking on her constantly. Just me and Steven, alone.
I did sleep, thankfully. And morning was less daunting. As soon as we woke up, we rushed upstairs to see her. Our new nurse, Karen, was amazing. "Let's get her home as soon as we can. Are you up to nursing her?" Baby had had a miraculous night. She was breathing nearly perfectly and had been for hours.
I immediately started tearing off my hospital gown, but she told me to wait and eat breakfast first, while she did the final checks to make sure Baby was breathing well enough to start eating.
I ordered the largest breakfast ever, and ate every bite of it, praying non-stop that my colostrum would come in. I'd been pumping like crazy the day and night before, hoping for a miracle. I had to be able to provide her with enough substance that her blood sugar wouldn't droop after being taken off the IV fluids. This was a first test and would determine a lot.
They told us to wait until 10:30. I paid some bills and tried to keep myself occupied for that last half hour before practically sprinting up to the NICU. Finally, it was time and we couldn't stop smiling as we thought about how there was hope, now, that she would be home with us sooner.
When we saw her, we both felt so many sweet things. Steven was nearly overcome with emotion when he held our little baby – with no breathing tube – in his arms. Something about seeing her whole was what he needed.
She latched really well, and we nursed and nursed behind the privacy screen they'd put up for us. Though at that point, modesty was out the window and I would have nursed on national TV if that's what they required.
Tiny drops of colostrum were leaking from each side as she ate, and I felt so much gratitude for those little drops.
I felt so tired after nursing her and Steven stayed and held her while I laid down to nap. When I woke up, it was nearly time to feed her again. Steven and I had been talking a lot about what it means to "submit cheerfully" to Heavenly Father's will. I had this aching fear that upon entering the NICU with all of our hopes and dreams and giddy smiles, that we'd find our little girl surrounded by a team of respiratory therapists, that they'd shoo us away and all our progress would be lost. I said out loud to Steven, "I hope we get good news, but if not I'm still going to try to have a good attitude." I'm sure I would have failed, but I know that Heavenly Father knows my heart, and he knows that I desired to have a good attitude no matter what. And I think that matters to Him.
My fears were all for naught. Our little girl was doing even better. Her blood sugar was almost eighty (it needed to be at 50), and she was still breathing like a champ. It was during this feeding that we decided to name her Merit. Both of us had been thinking of a different name the night before, but during the day had been thinking, independently, that perhaps this little girl's name was Merit. When we told each other, we felt that the deal had been sealed and proudly told the nurses around us, who wrote her first name on the ID card on the bassinet.
Those happy hours in the NICU were a treasure to me. I learned so much about life. I realized that in every circumstance, every day, we can feel robbed or we can feel added upon. No matter what is happening. I had let myself fall prey to the adversary's cunning lie that I deserve what I want. And that if I don't get what I want, I've been slighted. The reality is that our Heavenly Father loves us and throws us lifeline after lifeline as we navigate the perils of mortality. He won't take away many of the perils we face, because adversity is what refines us and molds our character, but He will never leave us alone, He will always present many, many tender mercies and He doesn't stop sending them just because we don't see them.
I learned with a new gusto that gratitude is the antidote for despair. I glimpsed into the worth of souls as I sat, rocking my baby, watching the many other babies around her who weighed a fraction of my own healthy baby. Whose parents couldn't be with them because of work or living long distances away. I heard a young mother explain to a doctor that this baby, the one in the NICU, had been a twin. And the other hadn't made it. I felt love for this woman, for her baby, for her doctor, that was sweet and healing.
Steven went home that afternoon to see the kids and help them settle in for the night. While he was gone, I fed Merit, and was given the most beautiful news by a very grim-faced woman named Jill, who was some kind of boss in the hierarchy of the NICU. "Take her off the IV, just take it all out. She's going downstairs. She's fixed," She told our nurse, Laurie. Laurie acted with lightning speed, and within a couple of hours, I was in my room, holding my precious baby girl.
I called Steven at home and facetimed him and the kids so that they could see our newest family member without an IV.
And then I had a couple of quiet hours, just Merit and I. I prayed out loud during this time for acceptance and understanding. I felt the weight of sadness as I thought about dreams unrealized – that first day without my girl had been traumatic for me, and while I felt much better, I didn't feel the peace of the Savior that my soul really needed.
I prayed and prayed and cried and while I still do feel a small ache for those first hours that were so lonely, I feel now as I felt then in that little room, that "nothing shall be lost."
Merit was named after verses of scripture in the Book of Mormon that refer to the merits of Jesus Christ. One of which testifies of "relying wholly on the merits of Him who is mighty to save." I can't look back at this and wish I'd relied more on the Savior throughout the whole process – of course I wish I would have – but instead, I can learn from this. That when calamity strikes – small or great – that I must rely wholly upon my Savior. Rely on him, knowing that the past has already been atoned for. That the future is secure, that the present is truly a gift from Him. My present moments can be real and true and without distraction or guilt or preoccupation with regret and worry. Because the Savior merited that through the atonement and then gave it to me, as a gift with no strings attached, except that I use it.
I can testify that when I began to remember the atonement and to remember to use it, my burden was lifted. I felt hope in the future, I felt the healing balm of comfort begin to coat the past, and I felt gratitude and love pour into my heart. I don't want to forget any of this experience, I want it to consecrated for the good of my soul and for my family.
"That they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and finisher of their faith." (Moroni 6:4)


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Flood Zone
FEMA Issuance of Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), June 16, 2009
Upcoming changes in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) designation of flood-prone areas include the addition of Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), or floodplains, along the northern portion of the Walnut Creek channel in Concord. Property owners in flood-prone areas who have federally back mortgages will be required to have flood insurancewhen the maps become final, on June 16, 2009. If flood insurance is purchased before the new maps are finalized, the insurance rate will be calculated at the current lower (non-flood prone area) rates, which is a significant savings. Renters may also purchase flood insurance if they wish.
Outreach Materials
• Letter to Affected Property Owners and Occupants
• Letter to Property Owners and Occupants in buffer area
Flood Insurance and FEMA's Grandfathering Rule
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Map Modernization and the Grandfathering Rule
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Saving on Flood Insurance-Grandfather Rule
• FEMA - Grandfather Rule
• Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) Eligibility Extension
Levee Systems and the National Flood Insurance Program
• FEMA - Contra Costa County Levee Status Map
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Overview of NFIP and Levee Systems
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Living with Levee Systems - Information for Property Owners
• FEMA Fact Sheet - FAQs for Levee Systems
Additional Information
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Levees and Flood Insurance for Insurance Industry Professionals
• FEMA Fact Sheet - Levees and Flood Insurance for Mortgage Lenders
• FEMA - Acronyms and Abbreviations used with Levee Systems
• FEMA - Glossary used with Levee Systems
• Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
Procedure and Guidelines
Flood Insurance Program
Section 34-31
The Federal National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 allows persons in flood plain areas of a community to purchase flood insurance at reduced rates. In order for such rates to be available within a community, the community must make provision for regulating development and land uses in accordance with applicable Federal requirements. The purpose and intent of this chapter is to identify special hazard areas in the City of Concord which are prone to flooding and to impose requirements on development and uses within such areas in accordance with applicable Federal requirements.
- Base Flood- a flood which has a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (also called the "100-year flood").
- Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM) - official map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Federal Administration has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the floodway.
- Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) - official map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency or Federal Insurance Administration has delineated both the areas of special flood hazards and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.
- Flood Insurance Study - official report provided by the Federal Insurance Administration that includes flood profiles, the flood insurance rate map, the flood boundary and floodway map, and the water surface elevation of the base flood.
- Floodplain or Floodprone Areas- any land area susceptible to being inundated by water from any source
- Floodproof or Floodproofing- any combination of structural and nonstructural additions, changes or adjustments to structures which reduce or eliminate flood damage to real estate or improved real property, water and sanitary facilities, structures, and their contents.
- Floodway- the channel of a river or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than one foot. Also referred to as "regulatory floodway."
- Floodway Encroachment Lines- the lines marking the limits of floodways on federal, state and local floodplain maps.
- Floodway Fringe- area of the floodplain on either side of the "regulatory floodway" where encroachment may be permitted.
- Highest Adjacent Grade- the highest natural elevation of the ground surface prior to construction next to the proposed walls of structure.
- Lowest Floor - the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area, including basement. An unfinished or flood-resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access or storage in an area other than a basement area is not considered a building's lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is not built so as to render the structure in violation of the applicable non-elevation design requirements. (Note: This definition allows attached garages to be built at grade. Below-grade garages are not allowed as they are considered to be basements.)
- Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)- an area having special flood, mudslide (i.e. mudflow), or flood-related erosion hazards, and shown on an FHBM or FIRM as zone A, AO, A1-A30, AE, A99, AH, E, M, V1-V30, VE or V.
- Watercourse- a lake, river, creek, stream, wash, arroyo, channel or other topographic feature on or over which waters flow at least periodically. "Watercourse" includes specifically designated areas in which substantial flood damage may occur.
Certifications and/or Forms
The Elevation Certificate is an important administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is to be used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to determine the proper insurance premium rate, and to support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment or Revision (LOMA or LOMR-F)
Certification of the elevation of the lowest floor, floodproofed elevation or elevation of the structure's lowest horizontal member is required at that point where the footings are set and slab poured. Failure to submit the elevation certification shall be cause to issue a stop work order for the project. As-built plans certifying the elevation of the lowest adjacent grade are also required
If fill is used to elevate a structure above the base flood elevation, the permit holder may wish to apply for a letter of map amendment or Revision (LOMA or LOMR).
Applicant may obtain a Flood Zone Verification form, from the Engineering section located at the permit center, which will reference information regarding the Flood Zone for the parcel in question (i.e. zone type, community panel number).
A Flood Plain Permit shall be obtained before construction or development begins on property within any of the special flood hazard areas.
Standards of Construction
Refer to the City of Concord's Municipal Code - Section 34-34
Violations; Penalties
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to construct, locate, extend, convert, or alter any structure or land without full compliance with the terms of the City of Concord 's Municipal Code and all other applicable regulations.
The application for the permit shall include the following information:
- Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level, of the lowest floor (including basement) of all structures; in Flood Hazard Zone AO elevation of existing grade and proposed elevation of lowest floor of all structures.
- Proposed elevation in relation to mean sea level to which any structure will be flood-proofed.
- Certification by a registered professional engineer or architect that the flood-proofing methods for any nonresidential structure meet the flood-proofing criteria.
- Description of the extent to which any watercourse will be altered or relocated as a result of proposed development.
- The site plan shall clearly show the location of the project, all proposed structures, property lines, right of way, and set back distances. The floodplain boundary, stream channel, and floodway boundary if applicable shall be shown.
- Such other information as the City may require.
The City shall review all permit applications to determine the following:
- That all requirements of this chapter have been satisfied.
- That the site indicated in the permit is reasonably safe from flooding.
- Whether the proposed development adversely affects the flood-carrying capacity of the special flood hazard area. For purposes of this chapter, adversely affected means that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other existing and anticipated development, will increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one (1) foot at any point.
- With respect to applications involving five (5) or more parcels, that the flood discharge exiting the development after construction is equal to, or less than, the flood discharge at the location prior to development.
The Ordinance prohibits the issuance of a building permit for a building within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) without first obtaining a SFHA permit. Engineering division will determine if a proposed building lies within a flood hazard area. If it does, the following procedure applies:
- Engineering division will provide the permit applicant with a SFHA permit application form.
- Engineering division will review the application for completeness and compliance with ordinance requirements. When appropriate, specific requirements will be noted on the permit.
- Engineering division will approve, conditionally approve, or deny the permit application. Building division will be informed of Engineering division's decision via the normal building permit plan check process.
- Building division to inspect construction for conformance with ordinance requirements (flood proofing, required elevation certificate).
- Engineering will file all applications in SFHA file along with pertinent information.
- Building division will submit to Engineering pertinent records such as documentation inspections and elevation certificates for filing.
- Engineering division will initiate enforcement proceedings for any ordinance violations.
- For development permits such as subdivisions of use permits, Engineering division will notify the developer of the ordinance requirements through the project conditions of approval.
Flood Zone Verification (fax over to the Engineering section)
Flood Plain Permit
Article II, Chapter 34 - Section 34

subset: commoncrawl


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A panorama of the Los Angeles skyline used to often resemble a poorly developed roll of film, cut through the middle with a view-obscuring brown smudge. Welcome to "Smogtown: The Lung-Burning History of Pollution in Los Angeles," in which Chip Jacobs and William J. Kelly demonstrate that our current air quality is a free-breathing dream compared to the nightmare that enveloped the city for a good portion of the last century.
The authors trace smog's invasion back to a gray day in 1943 when visibility was so low that Angelenos -- fearing chemical attack -- rushed from their jobs and crashed their cars in the haze. Thus began a series of epic battles in the fight against air pollution: urban growth vs. nature, weather vs. industry, home rule vs. federal regulation, and the automobile vs. the health of the citizenry. The very attractions that lured people to Los Angeles in the 1940s and 1950s -- picturesque mountains, warm winters, thriving commerce and development -- were the same things that made their eyes tear up and forced their children to play inside. As scientists struggled to identify the causes of the toxic air, politicians and bureaucrats tried to regulate without causing too much trouble for local manufacturing. City officials grew so desperate that they accepted suggestions by mail from anyone with an idea to stop the noxious assault.


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Font Chinese name :
Chinese Font Pinyin name : Ting Ming Ti
Font sample :
Simplified Chinese : Support
Traditional Chinese : Support
This is a very great font, why? Because it supports both simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese show! This is to give a very huge project, we all know that there are thousands of Chinese culture is a combination of Chinese characters. His style was inspired by the Simsun.
Download Link:Flie Hash: ef7171e8dcb5949158eb59489f5a306c
Flie Date: May 15, 2015
File Size: 6.5 MiB
Flie Hits: 1,311


text:
Serves 6
Prep Time 15 min.
Cook Time 10 min
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (14.5oz.) petite cut diced tomatoes, not drained
1 cup cooked lentils
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
12 taco-size corn tortillas or taco shells
Optional Toppings:
- Sour cream
- Shredded Romaine lettuce
- Shredded Cheddar cheese
- Chopped avocado
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Cook turkey, onion and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until meat is brown and onion is tender; drain.
- Stir in tomatoes, lentils, cumin and chili powder. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve turkey mixture in tortillas with desired toppings.
NOTE: To substitute 3 cups chopped cooked turkey for ground turkey breast, stir in with tomatoes in Step 2.


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One Frame At A Time: Houston and Texas A&M
One Frame At A Time: Houston and Texas A&M
I think I've waited long enough that I can post this now.
It's taken me a while to get around to tournament GIFs for a number of reasons, some NCAA-related and some not, but I finally made it through the Houston and Texas A&M games. (As per blog policy, there was no Montana game. It's just a figment of your imagination.) It'll take me a bit longer to get around to Florida State and Loyola Chicago, but I'll get to those too.
One thing I apparently won't get to: a supercut of three-pointers against Texas A&M, as this is what happened when I attempted to put that together with my normally unfailing GIF software:
In the words of the Texas twitter account: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
[Hit THE JUMP for every conceivable angle of the Poole Party, CJ Baird Tha Gawd, and much more.]
- Read more about One Frame At A Time: Houston and Texas A&M
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Most people couldn't care less what you do or don't eat. Just keep it to yourself. Awaken With JP pokes fun at those vegans who can't keep their eating habits to themselves by demonstrating what it would look like if meat eaters acted like vegans.
The post If Meat Eaters Acted Like Vegans appeared first on Viral Viral Videos.


text:
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Computer Rules and Guidelines
A registration form must be signed before using the computers. Parents must also sign permission to use the computers for children under the age of 18 years old. Children must be at least 6 years old to use a computer.
Parents are responsible for what children access on the computers. If you are under 7 years old, a related adult must sit with you while you are using the computer; if you are under 11 years old, a related adult must be present in the library while you are using the computer.
Non-residents must pay for a non-resident card ($15/quarter; $60/year) or pay a per use fee of $2 per hour to use the public access computers.
Valid identification (library card, computer user card, driver's license, etc.) must be presented to use the computers.
Computers may be used for up to six hours per day. Initial use is a one hour session.
Pages can be printed for 20¢ a page.
Filters have been installed on the computers, however because of the way filters are configured, 100% accuracy is impossible. It is possible and probable that the filter will not block some sites that should be filtered and block other sites which should not be filtered. Parents can not rely on filters to prevent their children from seeing sites that they may deem inappropriate. Children should be supervised by a parent even when filters are in use. Patrons are asked to report instances in which they think the filter has failed to block objectionable sites, so that staff can take appropriate action.
Nothing can be downloaded or saved to the computers.
Computer users who do not follow the rules risk losing their public access computer user privileges. Please consult the Public Computers and Internet Access Use Policy.
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text:
Are you looking for information on vascular bodybuilding? We have one of the best collections of vascular, muscular male bodybuilders on the net so be sure to bookmark the site and learn more information about how to achieve stunning vascularity.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
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Looking for men who want to show off their muscles and veins in videos and picutures!
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text:
Shade Tree Certificate Program
The OAN Shade Tree Certificate Program helps homeowners replace trees that interfere
with power lines with lower-growing shade trees that will leave the lines free and clear.
Whenever a too-tall tree needs to be removed, a forester with PGE will give the
homeowner a certificate redeemable at any participating OAN member nursery.
Here's how the program works:
OAN Members: Get the details on reimbursement here.
Questions? Contact: Debbie Hopkins at 503-582-2004 or firstname.lastname@example.com
Remember Me
2/27/2019OAN Hall of Fame
3/20/2019OAN Open House
Copyright © 2019 Oregon Association of Nurseries All Rights Reserved.
29751 SW Town Center Loop W. Wilsonville, OR 97070 • Get Directions
Phone: 888-283-7219 • 503-682-5089 • Fax: 503-682-5099 • E-mail us


text:
FLAT-RATE Shipping – only $6.95, regardless of size!
Our 45-Day Money Back Guarantee makes ordering risk free!
1642-1666 Persia Silver Abbasi
1642-1666 Persia Silver Abbasi
Grade: Fine/Very Fine
Make this early issue from Persia a part of your collection. This silver Abbasi features a variety of symbols and was struck during the reign of Abbas II from 1642-1666. Be sure to place this example in your collection while you can!
- Product Type: Single Products
- Countries: Iran
- Year: Date Our Choice


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Thank you for using MadWhips! We wrote this policy to help you understand what information we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have. Because our services are provided online, some of the concepts below are a little technical, but we've tried our best to explain things in a simple and clear way. We welcome your questions and comments on this policy. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Terms of Service Agreement ("Agreement").
While we have always respected our users privacy and safeguarded their personal information, we have strengthened our commitment to protecting personal information as a result of Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). PIPEDA, which came into effect on April, 2000, sets out the ground rules for how Ontario businesses may collect, use and disclose personal information.
We will inform our users of why and how we collect, use and disclose their information, obtain their consent where required, and only handle their information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.
What information do we collect?
We collect information in two ways:
1. When you give it to us or give us permission to obtain it.
When you sign up for or use our products and services, you voluntarily give us certain information. This can include your name, profile photo, comments, likes, email address you used to sign up, and any other information you provide us. If you're using MadWhips on your mobile device, you can also choose to provide us with location data.
You also may give us permission to access your information in other services. For example, you may link your Facebook account to MadWhips, which allows us to obtain information from those accounts (e.g., your friends or contacts). The information we obtain from those services often depends on your settings or their privacy policies, so be sure to check what those are.
2. We also get technical information when you use our products or services or apps that have MadWhips features.
These days, whenever you use a website, mobile application, or other Internet service, there's certain information that almost always gets created and recorded automatically. The same is true when you use our products. Here are some of the types of information we collect:
Log Data.
When you use MadWhips or go to a webpage or use an app that has MadWhips features (like our "Add To Collections" button), our servers automatically record information ("log data") including information that your browser sends whenever you visit a website or your mobile app sends when you're using it. This log data may include your Internet Protocol address, the address of the web pages you visited that had MadWhips features, browser type and settings, the date and time of your request, how you used MadWhips, and cookie data.
Cookie data.
Depending on how you're accessing our products and services, we may use "cookies" (a small text file sent by your computer each time you visit our website, unique to your MadWhips account or your browser), or similar technologies to record log data. When we use cookies, we may use "session" cookies (that last until you close your browser) or "persistent" cookies (that last until you or your browser delete them). For example, we may use cookies to store your language preferences or other MadWhips settings so you don't have to set them up every time you visit MadWhips. Some of the cookies we use are associated with your MadWhips account (including personal information about you, such as the email address you gave us), and other cookies are not.
Device Information. In addition to log data, we may also collect information about the device you're using MadWhips on, including what type of device it is, what operating system you're using, device settings, unique device identifiers, and crash data. Whether we collect some or all of this information often depends on what type of device you're using and its settings. For example, different types of information are available depending on whether you're using a Mac or a PC, or an iPhone or an Android phone. To learn more about what information your device makes available to us, please also check the policies of your device manufacturer or software provider.
How do we use the information we collect?
We use the information we collect to provide our products and services to you and make them better, develop new products, and protect MadWhips and our users.
We also use the information we collect to offer you customized content, including suggesting photos or collections you might like.
We also use the information we collect to:
Send you updates (such as when certain activity, likes or comments, happens on MadWhips), newsletters, marketing materials and other information that may be of interest to you. For example, depending on your email notification settings, we may send you weekly updates that include links or other content you may like. You can decide to stop getting these updates by updating your account settings (or through other settings we may provide).
Help your friends and contacts find you on MadWhips. For example, if you sign up using a Facebook account, we may help your Facebook friends find your account on MadWhips when they first sign up for MadWhips. Or, we may allow people to search for your account on MadWhips using your email address.
The information we collect may be "personally identifiable" (meaning it can be used to specifically identify you as a unique person) or "non-personally identifiable" (meaning it can't be used to specifically identify you). We use both types of information, and combinations of both types, as described above. We may use or store information wherever MadWhips does business, including countries outside your own.
What choices do you have about your information?
Our goal is to give you simple and meaningful choices over your information. If you have a MadWhips account, many of the choices you have on MadWhips are built directly in to our products, services or your account settings.
For example, you can:
Access and change information in your profile page at any time.
Link or unlink your MadWhips account from an account on another service (e.g., Facebook). For some services (like Facebook), you can also choose whether or not to publish your activity on MadWhips to that service.
Close your account at any time. When you close your account, we'll deactivate it and remove your photos and collections from MadWhips. We may retain archived copies of your information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (including to help address fraud and spam).
You may have choices available to you through the device or software you use to access MadWhips.
For example:
The browser you use may provide you with the ability to control cookies or other types of local data storage.
Your mobile device may provide you with choices around how and whether location or other data is shared with us.
To learn more about these choices, please see the information provided by the device or software provider.
How do we share the information we collect?
MadWhips is a tool people use to upload, share & collection automotive photography of their favorite cars. When you upload photographs or post comments, anyone can view them. You may also provide us with profile page information that that anyone can view. The other limited instances where we may share your personal information include:
When we have your consent. This includes sharing information with other services (like Facebook) when you've chosen to link to your MadWhips account to those services or publish your activity on MadWhips to them. For example, you can choose to publish your photos or collections to Facebook or Twitter.
We may employ third party companies or individuals to process personal information on our behalf based on our instructions and in compliance with this
Privacy Policy. For example, we may share data with a security consultant to help us get better at identifying spam or with our accountants to make sure we're keeping the books right. In addition, some of the information we request may be collected by third party providers on our behalf. For more information about the providers we use, please see our Help Center.
If we believe that disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with a law, regulation or legal request; to protect the safety, rights, or property of the public, any person, or MadWhips; or to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues.
We may engage in a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, dissolution, reorganization, or similar transaction or proceeding that involves the transfer of the information described in this Privacy Policy.
We may also share aggregated or non-personally identifiable information with our partners or others. For example, we may tell a business using MadWhips how many people re-added something they shared, or the percentage of people who click on a photo after viewing it.
Our Policy on Children's Information
How do we make changes to this policy?
We may change this policy from time to time, and if we do we'll post any changes on this page. If you continue to use MadWhips after those changes are in effect, you agree to the revised policy. If the changes are significant, we may provide more prominent notice or obtain your consent as required by law.
The Role of our Privacy Officer
Our Privacy Officer is responsible for ensuring MadWhips' compliance with this Privacy Policy and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
You should direct any complaints, concerns or questions regarding MadWhips' compliance in writing to our Privacy Officer. If our Privacy Officer is unable to resolve your concerns, you may also write to the Ontario Privacy Commissioner.


text:
"The right to swing my fist ends where the other man's nose begins." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
The big debate in politics is, and has always been, about the appropriate size and role of government. The polarized state of today's debate is exemplified by Fox News's overly strident critiques of seemingly any government solutions to shared problems, and MSNBC's apparent defense of activist government in many areas of life through their ongoing series of "lean forward" blurbs featuring their star TV personalities. These two relatively new TV channels also exemplify the growth of separate spheres of facts and opinions, or "filter bubbles," enjoyed by those on the left and right, which is itself a major problem.


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One of our favorites was exploring the combination of vinegar, baking soda and neon food coloring.
After putting some baking soda in our cup, we squired a few drops of our favorite color over it.We then slowly added vinegar and watched a small eruption take place much to our delight.
Hunter came up with the idea of adding coins to see what would happen. We found out they emerged looking like brand new.
More than anything I enjoyed watching the anticipation and thrill on my littles' faces.And getting a laugh off of my daughter's need to always taste everything.
After nap time we made our own snow globes using old jelly jars, water, foam stickers, sparkly stones and glittery pom poms.
We added glitter of course.
Beautiful and quite peaceful to watch, the individual pieces quietly float to the bottom after a quick shake.
I was so entranced with watching the contents of the globe with Hunter that I didn't realize Sissy got a hold of the glitter container and proceeded to shake it all over the couch and herself.
Days later and I'm still cleaning up glitter...
...but it sure did look pretty.
If only my dust pan and broom looked this good every time I swept, I'd do it more often. I felt as if I was sweeping up the remnants of a gold mining trip gone great.
Lately Sissy hasn't been sleeping well which means we've had some early mornings to bond.
(One day I will clean those windows.)
After reading books we enjoyed a delicious breakfast and then spent some time playing together.Today we played with our new Valentine Sensory Box.
I know she's my daughter. You know how? The concentration-tongue.
Until the rest of those teeth come in, I'm sure we'll have many more of these mornings. As hard as it is to drag myself out of bed after waking one or two times during the night, I know I'll one day look back on these special moments alone with my daughter and give anything to repeat them.
Wishing you a great start to your week filled with brightly colored, glittery days that float and restful quiet nights.
"Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky." - Rabindranath Tagore


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After several months of waiting, we have finally been presented and have proudly displayed our Oshkosh landmark plaque at the front entry of our inn and home. In January I had learned that our property may be eligible for this award due to the age and history of our home. I rushed home and dug up all the research that we had done, along with others along the way and shared that with Landmarks commissions. After further research, more information was found and we were ecstatic that we were to be included. Thank you to the Oshkosh Historical Society and the City of Oshkosh Planning Department for acknowledging our home and property. We couldnt' be happier to be able to share it with others as so many did before us.
For those that do not know the history of our inn, it was built in 1867 as a private residence. A middle class lumberman by the name of John Rich purchased the land and built a three bedroom, two story, crème city brick Italianate home for his wife, two children and live in nanny for $5000.00, which would be about the equivalent of almost $81,0000 today. Just five short years later, John passed away. The home had been sold three times over the next 60 plus years when it was was finally turned into "Bachelors Hall" in 1930, which was a Mens boarding house until 1975 and then to a group home up until we purchased the home in 2004.
I tell many that I feel we have come full circle. What was once known as the address of 71 Church St. as a family home, turned into a boarding house, then group home and now to a bed and breakfast and our home, has always been a place for people to lay their heads and find comfort. I couldn't be more please with this honor that we are able to present so vividly for all to see.


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Must thank Going Nutty and Stickers, Scissors, and Smiles for giving me the Sunshine award!
I've been on a computer/tech break and am just now getting back into the swing of things. So I have to answer these questions and also tell you my favorite 10 blogs.
- Favorite color? probably black (not to be morbid)...but it goes with EVERYTHING
- Favorite animal? anything that does not shed, mess up my house, wake me up in the middle of the night...love animals, just not in my house (too much)
- Favorite number? 15
- Favorite drink? McDonald's sweat tea
- Facebook or Twitter? Facebook
- Your passion? technology
- Giving or getting presents? Giving...I love finding interesting, individualized, one of a kind gifts
- Favorite day? Thursday, because I know Friday is next
- Favorite flowers? Gerber Daisies
Now to my 10 favorite blogs:
- Third Grade Gridiron (love all of her center games and such!!!!)
- 4th Grade Frolics (great blog with wonderful ideas)
- Queen of the First Grade Jungle (FABULOUS, and I owe 1/2 of my followers to her)
- A Teeny Tiny Teacher (she make me laugh!)
- Create Teach Share (so much stuff, so little time)
- KPM Doodles (I think I keep her in business)
- Teaching in High Heels (great ideas and wonderful resources)
- Kevin and Amanda (FONTS FONTS FONTS)
- Under the Apple Tree (sooooo cute)
- One Extra Degree (great ideas)


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Approximately half of the US population will not make routine dental visits. They will only visit a dentist when there is an emergency. There are many reasons for this. One of the biggest reasons is that patients are simply scared. Visiting the dentist doesn't have to be painful nor stressful.
I often hear new patients state that they hate dentists. They tell me it's nothing personal. Many expect their experience will be horrific. This is almost never the case. The vast majority of our patients soon realize that they had nothing to be scared of.
|A relaxed and comfortable child
We can't just tell people to not be fearful. It doesn't work. We have to prove to them that what we do does not hurt. As I mentioned before, root canals have a bad reputation. People will wait to come in only when they are in significant pain. In some of these cases, they will need to have a root canal to salvage the tooth. They'll associate the pain and the root canal and assume that root canals hurt. But just like any other procedure, they don't hurt.You don't have to be tough, you just have to be numb.
So what can we do if we can't change your mind about dentistry? SEDATION! This option will allow the super scared patients to address their oral needs in comfort. I will discuss sedation in a separate blog.
The very sight of a needle can be incredibly scary for some people. Many dentists now offer painless injections using computerized anesthetic technology. The equipment used in computerized administered anesthetic looks like a ball point pen and it delivers a very slow and controlled dose for a painless (or nearly painless) experience.
In conclusion, you don't have to be scared. If you are scared, sedation is an option that will allow you to address your oral health. The demeanor and actions of the dentist and his team are also important. Go forth and get your mouth in shape.
Dr. Cisneros maintains a practice in Freeburg and Columbia, IL. Both are in the Greater St Louis, MO area. For more information on a wide variety of subjects, please visit www.advanced-smiles.com.


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Head of Marketing
E: email@example.com
Mary-Lou joined NEF Consulting in 2013, on a part-time basis, to help build its external image, market its services and develop its communications capabilities. She is responsible for development and implementation of the marketing strategy and for overall management of the training programmes.
Mary-Lou was a marketing and communications consultant, trainer and coach for over ten years. Previously, she was Marketing Director for a management research publishing and events company and Senior Marketing Manager for the academic, professional and business publisher, Chapman & Hall (International Thomson Publishing). With twenty years working within the publishing industry, ten were at senior management level.
A long-term consultant on government-funded dissemination and communications programmes across the construction sector, Mary-Lou has also advised on marketing strategy and implementation for not-for-profit organisations and publishers. Much of her work has focused on either setting up new ventures for large organisations or helping small businesses grow. Larger clients have included CIPD, WRAP, Davis Langdon Management Consultancy (now part of Aecom), British Standards Institute (BSI) and EMAP (Construction News and Health Services Journal).
Mary-Lou was co-author of NEF Consulting's report for the Prince's Trust evaluating the impact of the Trust's programmes over the last ten years. Editor and content developer of magazines, newsletters and websites, Mary-Lou also worked on the publication, The Social and Economic Value of Construction: The Construction Industry's Contribution to Sustainable Development by Professor David Pearce OBE for the Construction Industry Research and Innovation Panel (2003). She has been a speaker on newsletters for charities and not-for-profit organisations and judged newsletters for the MemCom Awards (for membership organisations and charities) two years running.
A Fellow of the Institute of Direct Marketing, Mary-Lou has an MA in English and has completed university courses in law and psychology. Additionally, she completed a management development programme at Ashridge Business School.
When not working for NEF Consulting, Mary-Lou still advises organisations on marketing and publishing and coaches people on writing for business purposes. She has studied, and has qualifications in, various design disciplines including typography, book, garden and interior design.
Recent project experience
Mary-Lou's acts as advisor to, and becomes involved in projects where her skills and experience are appropriate. Examples include:
- The Prince's Trust 40-year review – co-authoring of the NEF Consulting report and working with the Prince's Trust on communications.
- Infographic design management for the Sustainability Development Unit (SDU), funded by NHS England and Public Health England.
- Infographics design management for Balfour Beatty annual impact assessment 2015.
- Advice on content for and design management of case study report for Health Exchange.
Training experience
Mary-Lou has developed and delivered a range of training and coaching programmes prior to joining NEF Consulting where she is responsible for managing the training programme.


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Crazy Uncle Joe Blames Tea Party for Obama's Failed Record (Video)
Crazy Uncle Joe blamed the Tea Party today for Obama's failed economic record.
The Examiner reported:
Vice President Joe Biden admitted to a group of supporters in New Hampshire this afternoon that the President would have been able help the economy "much, more" if the Tea Party hadn't taken the House.
Biden showed the audience the Obama campaigns chart of job growth during the President's first term in office and accused the Tea Party for stalling the recovery, because of the debt limit fight.
"Imagine where we'd be if the Tea Party hadn't taken control of the House of Representatives," Biden said adding that they were "a group set on obstructionism."
"They have one overwhelming goal: prevent President Obama from a second term, with no – apparently no care of the consequences to the economy," he said. Biden insisted that the president persevered in spite of their obstruction and demonstrated "important progress" that could be measured.
It's the Tea Party's fault that Barack Obama added a record $5 trillion in new debt in just three years.
It's the Tea Party's fault Obama tripled the national deficit above one trillion dollars.
(J. Hoft Chart)
It's the Tea Party's fault that the labor force participation rate is at the lowest level since 1981.
It's the Tea Party's fault more people dropped out of the work force last month than found jobs.
That's right, Joe. It's the Tea Party's fault.
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HOME > EVERLAND > Attractions > T Express
Experience the steepest ride in the world with a top speed of 104km per hour at a 77-degree angle. The world's superb wooden roller coaster will leave you with unforgettable memories that you can treasure forever. 130~195cm
Reservations are being made on-site.
Reservation is available on-site untill 15:00. (From 15:00, first come, first serve admission put in effect) * It is limitedly operated on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays. During the week-days, first come will be first served. Reservation on-site is a reservation system for attractions which reduces waiting time. Please verify the basis of issuing a reservation note per each attraction on site.
Time of issue : 1 hour prior to operation of T Express ~ 14:00 /Start to issue 1 hour prior to boarding (Example : Reservation note for boarding at 12:00~13:00 to be issued from 11:00) The last issuing of a reservation note for boarding at 14:00~15:00 starts 13:00.
Notice : Ticket office of Aesop Village, Ticket office of Car Kingdom, Ticket office of Animal Riding Ticket office of Bumper Car (Need to check Closed day in advance), Ticketing office of Reservation Note for T Express


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Speech at the Press Conference to mark the signing of a Comprehensive Agreement between EUROCONTROL and Morocco
Minister, members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning.
I am delighted to be here in Morocco, in beautiful Marrakech, and to be part of the impressive Marrakech Air Show. And I am particularly honoured to be here today, as Director General of EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for Safety in Air Navigation with its 41 Member States, to sign a Comprehensive Agreement with the Kingdom of Morocco.
This Agreement is particularly important as it is the first time we are signing such a deep and far-reaching agreement. The Agreement is a clear sign of Morocco moving closer to Europe and becoming part of the European Aviation System. The Agreement that I am signing today with Mr El Aoufir will mean that Morocco will participate from now on in the working structures of EUROCONTROL, and that it will be able to benefit from all the services that the Agency provides.
When EUROCONTROL was first set up in 1960, we had 6 members, all in north-west Europe. Today, we have 41 members, stretching from Ireland in the west to Armenia in the east, and we see major, practical and tangible benefits as a result, both for the countries involved and for the network as a whole, especially as the network becomes even more interconnected, with even more traffic.
The Kingdom of Morocco has signed a European Civil Aviation Agreement with the EU, thereby opening the two air traffic markets for open and unlimited access. Therefore it is logical and obvious that much greater traffic volumes now need to be catered for. For these technical provisions, common airspace design and common air traffic procedures are prerequisites. This is what EUROCONTROL is about, ensuring that an effective and efficient network is available.
Which is why we are particularly pleased to be expanding our cooperation and our relationship with Morocco by signing this Comprehensive Agreement.
EUROCONTROL and Morocco's cooperation already has a history. We have been partners in fact since 2001 when we signed a first agreement with Morocco's Office National Des Aéroports (ONDA) – and over the years, the relationship has grown and our interdependence has deepened. Nearly 850 of the 33,000 daily flights in Europe today pass through Morocco's airspace. That means that Morocco is an extremely natural partner for EUROCONTROL, both as a result of the flow of flights, but also as a result of our existing relationship and common approach to ATM. And of course, we do not forget the tremendous support and cooperation shown by Morocco in times of crisis and disruption.
So again, I am delighted to be here today, to sign this Agreement, and I am of course ready to answer any questions you may have.


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MTV EMAs catapult Eminem and Rita Ora towards Camila Cabello's No.1 single spot
Eminem and Rita Ora challenge Camila Cabello for Official Singles Chart throne following MTV EMA performances
Things are hotting up on this week's Official Singles Chart – Camila Cabello's Havana ft. Young Thug looks set to have some serious competition from acts who shared the stage with her at the 2017 MTV EMAs, held in London on Sunday night.
The former Fifth Harmony star, who picked up the Best Pop award, is eyeing a third week at the top, but close behind – just over 2,000 combined chart sales – at Number 2 is Anywhere from Rita Ora, who hosted the show as well as performing her latest track.
Also making an impact on today's Official Chart Update at Number 4, and with potential to make big gains this week, is Eminem's brand new single Walk On Water feat. Beyoncé, which the rapper performed as he opened the show.
Chart highlights
Big Shaq's Man's Not Hot could end up Top 10 this week, as it's at 9 today, and Stormzy and MNEK could also be going Top 10 this week, for the third time each – their collaboration Blinded By Your Grace part 2, which U2 lead singer Bono sang in place of an acceptance speech when picking up the Global Icon award, zooms 12 places to 10.
Elbow look set to return to the Top 40 for the first time in almost a decade, as their cover of the Beatles' Golden Slumbers, which soundtracks this year's John Lewis Christmas advert, starts at 16; Clean Bandit are in line for an eighth Top 20, as I Miss You feat. Julia Michaels rises to 19; and Lil Pump's Gucci Gang is up six to 32.
Taylor Swift sees two hits bounce back into the Top 40 following the release of her new album Reputation: …Ready For It? is at 35 and Gorgeous rises 10 to 37, and French Montana's Unforgettable feat Swae Leecould also return to the top 40 following his MTV EMA performance – it's at 39 midweek.
November 13, 2017 1:00pm ET by Official Charts Company


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I haven't blogged in what felt like forever. I've been working full time for the first time in the last few months, I finally found myself a "stable" 9-5 job 9 months after graduation... who would ever thought that it would take this long? Well, at least I didn't expect it to. Those 9 months were full of frustrations, disappointments and a kind of anger that I don't know how to put into words. It SUCKED.. totally. But you know what sucked more? It sucked when grace period was over; it sucked when I "had" to accept a full time job that didn't require a college education; it sucked that I gave in to reality, it sucked that I accepted a full time job not for a good salary, not for a personal interest, but simply because I could't live without an income any more....I felt ashamed, I felt like shit, I felt like hating on myself / the situation I was in / my inability to find something that I at least have some degree of interest in... It sucks, but people around me encouraged me by saying that I am there for the experience, as if that makes it okay? HELL NO, I cannot begin to express or do I think I should begin to express the kind of stress I put myself under&through for the last few months... I truly hated it, I kept thinking about what if I had found something that was a bit creative? that was a bit artsy? that was a bit more of my kind of vibe??? How different my "professional" life would have been otherwise? Whether it be wishful thinking or not, I am desperate to leave my current "job" situation to find something that I can truly call a career.
You probably have been wondering all along what my "job" is? I work as an administrator at a company that assist patients to get social security benefits. I mean, this company and most of the people who work there have so much heart at doing what they do.. but well, with me being the exception. I do not particularly dislike the company nor the people that work with, but I just can't seem to cross that hurtle of truly accepting (nor do I want to accept) it is what it is. I can bullshit on and on about why it is not pleasurable for me to work there, but I do want to shed some lights on what I have learned about myself from this experience.
A while back, I promised myself to allow as well as to give myself a chance to learn something new everyday. I've been striving to make that my daily goal until.... I completely forgot about it right? OH HOW SILLY, of course not. I believe that everyday, every minute that you are consciously living is a chance for us to learn something new, you need not to make a huge commitment to stress yourself over that process. I've learned quite a bit about myself in the past few months than I've ever have professionally - to be honest. Please allow me to list them as professionally as I can.
1. When you work a 9-5 job, 5 days a week, you learn to how to fake a genuine smilze to the people that you work with :)
2. You learn how to "act" professionally
3. You learn to force yourself to act professionally
4. Treat the higher management people as if they are your co-workers, too
5. it is O the KAY to eat lunch by yourself even when surrounded by co-workers who eat lunch together.
6. DO NOT take advice from your "professional" life tooooo personally.
7. Your personality is only as good as you make an effort to not ruin it when you work with people from all sorts of backgrounds.
8. Your opinions matter too, just make sure to deliver them in a non-offensive way, #1rule for realz.
9. DO NOT spend more than you actually make
10. Have fun, enjoy life as much as you can with a paycheck that isn't sufficient enough for you to live by yourself --
well, life is to be continued.
Next post, my trip to Oooooooo Canadaaaaaa~~~!!
I wish new graduates the best of luck,
yours truly,


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FALMOUTH — The scale of a proposed expansion of Falmouth Memorial Library might soon be reduced.
According to a recent feasibility study, the library could potentially raise $2.5 million toward expansion, about half of what's needed for its current $5 million design. An overview of the study was presented to the Town Council on May 28 by library President Mark Porada.
Porada said the next step is to revisit the design to "determine if there are reasonable ways to reduce the potential cost and to address the feedback" from the community that was gleaned during the study, Porada said Tuesday.
Scott Simons Architects of Portland, which developed the original design, will hold a public forum at 6 p.m. June 24 at the library to present a revised version.
"At this point, we are not yet in a position to address the overall funding methods for the project, without the benefit of (the architects') revised cost estimates and plans," Porada said.
Porada also plans to present a fundraising plan to the Town Council on July 28.
The feasibility study was conducted by Ovations Fundraising Counsel, a Bangor company. The study, which was completed last month, was designed to determine if the $5 million fundraising goal is feasible, and to identify leaders for the campaign and major donors. Ovations interviewed 42 community members and business leaders.
"Many potential donors were identified, including one leadership level gift," according to the report. "A few of the study participants said they would be willing to volunteer for a campaign for the Library and several other potential volunteers were identified."
The study also found that residents believe the library is "a valuable and significant asset for the community," and its director, staff and volunteers are "highly regarded by the community."


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Primary 5 Problem Sums/Word Problems - Try FREE
- Whole Numbers And Fractions: Time for a little challenge! > Whole Numbers & Fractions Exercise 4 > 4
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Andrew has less than 40 coins.
If he puts them into stacks of 8, there will be a remainder of 4 coins.
If he puts them into stacks of 10, there will be a remainder of 6 coins.
Find the number of coins Andrew has.
The correct answer is : 36