Between full time school, volunteering at my kids school and business. I’ve got a full load. However one of my main goals is to get Ship Shape back up to par and where it use to be. Getting orders in almost monthly. I’m healthy now, and I have the time. It’s now time to get my routine exactly the way it needs to be.

WAITING LIST Now Available:
- full for the month of Sept/Oct for orders. Two revamps/renovations on current clients, and one full web design pending.
Taking orders for Late Oct/Nov.
Updates and changes coming soon.
Marge Shipman

Wow, what a year. It’s been a busy one. I kind of took it off by just not taking any new projects.  Much needed since it’s been so hectic. Aurora and Alex were in Kindergarten so it was hard to work in the day when shortly after dropping them off, I’d be back to pick them up.  They’ve graduated now and start 1st grade this August. Nick is officially a 4th grader. What??? When did this happen? He’s one amazing kid. He’s smart and mature, but (mommy) is having a hard time letting him. Morgan got a new job. He’s loving it and finally we are able to make ends meet. He’s happy and that’s what matters most.
As for me, hmmm. I had a relapse of my wegener’s back in October (my latest post) tried the new meds and 60mg of prednisone, and ended up sicker. I get cushing’s syndrome from the prednisone and just was miserable. I also gained 50lbs. It was just terrible.  We did more Rituximab, and weaned off the prednisone in Jan. Never will take it again, now I’ll only take shot or IV form of steriods. It still causes the side effects just at onces vs over weeks/months.  I spent most of my time during the kids school year at their school volunteering and helping with whatever I could. I also started going back to college full time, and have been busy with homework. Right now I’m still undecided, but most of my classes have been computer based geared towards Computer Science/Application.  I’m also having surgery in August. I’ll explain more after it’s happened. I’ll be out for about 1-2 weeks so we will wait to see how it goes. When the kids start back to school, I’ll focus more time on Ship Shape.

I miss working, but have enjoyed my family. Sometimes you just need to take a break. This was that time.
Look forward to working with new clients and getting back to what I know.
Thanks everyone.

Marge S.

Doctors were concerned about my blood/urine test and now put me on Imuran/Prednisone and will start Rituxan again next month. They are a bit concerned about my kidneys and want to zap the immune system 100 %

Think of it this way. I have a jar full of multi-color M&M’s.
I only need the Green color ones.
This med and frequency will (turn the jar upside down, and pour them all out)
Making the jar “empty”.

Now we add (my body) ONLY the green M&M’s.

We then hope that the medication will keep the other colors away, and just keep the green color M&M’s.
Before they’ve tried this, and a few yellows and reds that they didn’t get before, so now they are going to just pour the entire jar out, vs picking them each out  and trying to keep the green ones only.

Does that make sense? Basically we are killing my system to start it over. I’m not sure exactly what will happen or how I will feel, as the Imuran is new, but its been a while since I’ve been on long doses of Prednisone, and not sure what to expect with the Imuran and Rituxan mix. Only time will tell.  So please aplogize if I take a bit longer to get back to you.

We will be changing the site process around. Morgan will be the main email responder, so I can stay focused on design work.  He will be the one most often (not always) contacting you about price quotes, or any time frame questions.
We are going to try our best to get Ship Shape back to what it was a few years back, and get things more easier to navigate.  Thanks for your patience.

Marge S.

While the economy is feeling the stress and crunch of finances, so are we. We are feeling more stress right now than anything and have decided to take a few weeks to re-determine our future.

Please accept our appology while we take this time, and feel free to email us if you have any questions.
Thanks!  marge at ship-shape-designs.com

I am so sorry I’ve been unavailable the last few months. I took some much needed time off.  Since February we have had tons of things happen.  We’ve all been sick and getting over a nasty colds, fevers, infections, and bronchitis. On April 1st and last week I had another round of Rituximab and 1000mg of methylprednisone. I had a nasty relapse this time, and with no insurance that’s been an added stress as well. However thanks to wonderful charities offering their support and blessing us we’ve been able to get the treatment I needed. Hopefully I don’t need it for a few years. We will see.

I started School, and I am taking two classes right now. I also have a new site we are starting this week, that is unique, but exciting. I’m excited to be working with this client and make her a top quality site she’ll be proud of.

Morgan was offered a job this evening for the other local hospital in our county. It was where my oldest Nick was born, and I feel they are an excellent hospital. No complaints here.  He’s paid less than he was before, but its a job. Its also medical coverage, and we are just excited as can be. Its been 6 months, we’ve been on unemployment and no medical coverage and its litterally killing us. We are so thankful to KGH for giving Morgan the chance!!!!

I know I have more to talk about, but it’s late and I can’t think. So I’m going to end with this, and thank all the readers of the blog, and all clients past, present and future. Ship Shape is still strong thanks to you all.

Happy Spring.

Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay in blog postings. We’ve had a huge project we are trying to finish up here at Ship Shape Designs, and it’s officially going to be live on Monday the 26th. We are super excited, it’s been a HUGE project, and we are so proud to be a part of it.   As many know my husband got laid off in Novemember. He was offered a State’s Job which was suppose to start yesterday, but due to budget restraints for the State of Washington. The hire was put on hold.  So Ship Shape Designs has kept us alive.  We will post new sites to our profile soon.

Even with the layoff and working so hard at Ship Shape, we are going to take some time off. Starting February 20, 2009. till probably April 1st! Why are we doing this?  Well for a few reasons. We’ve charted the last 4yrs, and between late February to early April we are usually very ill, with colds/flus/you name it! It is not fare if we are not available and get your sites delayed. Also we have no health insurance this year. With having a serious auto-immune disease myself, and the kids being in school and getting sick often, we just need to be extra careful and relax during those times. For those months we will be referring our customers to someone who is highly qualified and I was proud to work with.

I’ll post more in February about our Leave. Its some family time, mix with preventative measures.  *This doesn’t affect Maintenance, we will still continue our monthly maintenance services during our away times, just not any new orders!*

As for now, we are accepting new orders for Feb 1 -Feb 20.
Place your order today.

I’ve been working on so many projects and designs, maintenance and such. I haven’t had any time to update the blog. We’ve had a ruff Holiday season. Morgan was offered a job with the state of Washington late November, and due to the governors budget cuts, he was laid off again.  So we sit and wait till they will re-hire. Hopefully soon. I’ve been without insurance over a month now, and could really use a doctor check up. Ugh.

Hope everyone is having a Happy Holday Season. Merry Christmas, from our house to yours!!! Enjoy your families and we will see you Saturday Dec 27, 2008 when we re-open.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Well, Health has been ok for the most part. We’ve been dealing with Bronchitis and fevers the last few weeks, and just extreme fatique. However we’ve been given a financial blow.

Merry Christmas and Happy Thanksgiving come to mind this time of the year. Enjoying a big turkey dinner and stuffing your face with different pies. Looking at the kids faces when they wake up in the morning Christmas day to see all those presents under the tree, or at least one that they really wanted. This year the shipmans will be receiving the gift of unemployment. Effective Nov 21st, Morgan no longer has a job. (Reasoning) He took too much sick time off (to take care of his family) even with doctor notes, showed up a day or two 15 mins late, cause his alarm didn’t go off, and they feel if he’s looking for a new job that he’s not happy with his current one, so they wont hire him when he transfers to a different department. The bonus of this Holiday gift we get, no insurance, no paychecks and no more therapy for my kids. Unfortunately assisted medical care doesn’t support occupational/speech therapy (most insurance doesn’t) and if I haven’t mentioned before medically in our family, I’m not the only one. Nick has Asthma and was diagnosed in 2005 with Aspergers, Adhd and Sensory integretion. He’s been in therpay the last 3 yrs to help with the autistic issues. However will be unable to due to being layed off and no insurance.

Did we expect this to happen? Not before the holidays, and not for the reasons they say. This happened the day after he came back to work after a week off, and a call from a potential new employment opportunity calling for references on Morgan.

For this Christmas we need blessings and prayers. Morgan is a hard working, damn good father, husband, and employee. Why they can’t see that and recognize that is beyond me. He’s been unlike any other man I know taking on so much and sacrificing himself for his family. He’s there for me every step I need him. He’s my rock. I’m sad when I don’t hear his voice every so many hours of every day. I love him so much. The kids miss him every morning he’s not home. “Where’s daddy?” they ask every morning. “At work” I’ll say and they get angry saying, “he belongs here wit’ us. ” At work, he’s been there 6+yrs. He’s there when then need someone when someone calls in sick. He’s there to work overtime whenever they need it filled. When they have a computer issue (Which he’s not payed for) he’s just smart, they call him to come fix it or unjam stuff. Yet this year unlike other years I’ve been sick in a different way. Healthier than usually I am, but constantly under a chronic infection, which we’ve now found out is granuloma scaring in my lungs and airway, and hearing ear problems and constant inflammation. Only one bout of Chemo this 2008, 3 surgeries on my airway and a whopper of a injection of streroids. Yet I’m at the doctors weekly for breathing or coughing issues, and contant sinus infections. Also his job was switch the last year from a department he loved, and that worked. He never had to take time off cause he had mon- wed off. He says his family comes first. However we all know you cant pay the bills with love. Our family has said it’s ok, that things will work out, but it doesn’t help ease the anger and pain.

Morgan deserves better than the way they’ve treated him this last year. Morgan deserves better than what they offer him. He’s worked so hard. From graduated from College on his while I was at my sickest, and taking care of a austistic son, and newborn twins. to now. He’s worked so hard the last 5 yrs and deserves something great! Right now, he says that prayers and positive thinking is what will do that.

This doesn’t mean I’m not working, this just means I’m a bit emotional right now, so If I seem overly affectionate or distant in my emails. I apologize in advance. I’m taking it the hardest right now, when I know he’ is so much better than what people think. He deserves happiness! Honey if you are reading this. I love you and you are an amazing everything. I take the stress and amplify it cause I know you wont you bottle it up, so at least one of us has to blow off the steam, and I’m good at it! I LOVE YOU!
Thanks everyone for reading!
Back to work for me!!!!

PS, this is what comes to mind with this type of issue. It will take me a week to get past this and accept it.

Are you a freelance web or graphic designer?
Do you know HTML, or CSS?  Do you have experience with Frontpage or Dreamweavers?
Do you use photoshop?  We are looking for a excited individual or husband and wife team to join us for the holiday season.  If you are curious if you have what it takes or have web design experience and want to work with Ship Shape Designs, then let us know, contact me immediately and lets talk.  You can email me at marge@ship-shape-designs.com.  Look forward to hearing from you.

See you soon!