July 28, 2008
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ReAl LiFe MoNdAy (of a sort)
What were my famous last words as I closed yesterday’s post? Something like: I’m going to go spend time with my family???? Well, whatever . . .
I laid down on the sofa to watch a movie Jesse had rented AND FELL ASLEEP!!!! Yes! Me! The person who hasn’t been able to sleep during the day since somewhere around age two! Apparently, the level of new medication my doctor prescribed has me acting and feeling like an average person, which poses the question: What have I been for all of these years???? Yep! *AB*-normal for 53 years, I guess. I only slept about 20 minutes and didn’t miss the entire movie. I don’t sleep everyday, but over the past month have started taking occasional naps for 20 – 30 minutes JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD. Ahhhh! “Normal” or “average” feels good!
We had watched “The Buckle List” on Saturday night. Of course, none of these movies are recommended Christian viewing and you have to skip over the four letter words used in all of them (which is today’s PG-13 standard, I guess). Last night we watched, “Definitely, Maybe” which wasn’t as good as “The Bucket List” (which I really enjoyed -funny/sad at the same time) but it DID hold my attention – when I wasn’t sleeping!!!!
Luci has a return appointment with her medical doctor today. We had a problem with her in church again yesterday morning. Same thing last week in church. Not a huge, loud, tantrum, fit; but, sniveling tears and whiny complaining. I told Jesse to spank her this time once they got outside. They spent an hour in the Suburban with the windows down. He’s used to being in the heat, she isn’t. I’m sure it was unpleasantly hot for her. When we take her to the car, there is no conversation, no music played or anything else done to make the wait feel shorter. Jesse had his Bible and read as she sat in the backseat – waiting (in the heat). The car WAS parked in the shade – so none of you need to think we induced cruel and unusual punishment! When we went to lunch, I took her to the restroom (which was empty) and told her (AGAIN) what we expected from her. I believe she has acquired “bad habits” and they are only “habits” at this point and not out of control fits. She started to cry and tell me she was sorry, but I stopped her and told her I needed to know she was listening to me and to stop crying so she could hear what I needed to tell her. The tears stopped immediately (so she CAN control them!). We talked about her turning six years old soon and how this was no longer acceptable behavior – ESPECIALLY since she was on the correct medication, now. She was VERY “together” for the rest of the day. I suppose these speeches, from me, will have to be repeated until she understands “not acceptable” means “NOT acceptable – NOT EVER”!
Like I said, I took her out to buy her party decorations. I did it after the bad church behavior, because she was so well behaved the rest of the day. I wanted to reward the good, just like we reprimand the bad behavior. Here’s the theme she has chosen. She picked ONE crown to be worn by HER – the birthday girl. (Lori K, – I think she’s a chip off the old “aunt” block!!!!)
She also picked little party favors, etc. for her guests. But, the crown is reserved for only her!I took some quick pictures of the girls in their new clothes and Rissy took mine. I knelt on the floor to take their pictures and Rissy stood on the sofa to take mine! We don’t have fancy tripods, just floors and furniture!
This is Luci. Her sleeves actually come down further than that, but AFTER taking the picture, I noticed she had them shoved up to her armpits! AND, I think her shoes are on the wrong feet – a Luci trademark!!!!! I took a second picture that didn’t have Chirper crossing in front of the camera, but this was really a nicer shot of Luci.
Here is Rissy. Their dresses are both white with pink flowers, but a slightly different print. And Rissy DID wear shoes to church and her socks WERE pulled up! I’m not sure about the pose. I had her straighten up. You should have seen her BEFORE I asked her to stand up straight!!!!
Here is Annamarie. Not sure why no shoes and no socks . . . she DID have them on when we went to church! I found her socks last night on my side of the bed on the floor – who knows why????? She tans so quickly in the sun. Actually, they all do and Luci usually ends up darker than Annamarie. She also has sleeves the come down to her elbows but pushed them up her arms continually. And, *I* continually pulled them down all day!
Now for me. Since Rissy was standing on the sofa, she did her best to get a full body shot, however ended up cutting off my feet and tilting the room on an angle. SUCH POWER, has she! *I* had on white knee high trouser socks and black shoes. I promise! I really did! Also, I asked her to tell me “when” she was going to “click” the camera, but she didn’t. So here I am – waiting!
I wanted to show you the girls new reconfigured closet. It’s messy, as we quickly piled the clothes back in there so they could go to bed. EVERYTHING that had been in the closet was on their bed and we had forgotten about it until it was bedtime. So, excuse the chaotic floor! The will need to use a step stool to reach the hangers, but there is plenty of dress length growing room with the new height of the clothes bar and it no longer is bent and bowing in the center!!!
I think I will most likely fold their t-shirts and put them in a drawer. That will mean rearranging their dressers, but the dresses won’t be so cramped if the tops are out of there. I’ll have to leave blouses in the closet, but they mainly have tops they wear with their long skirts that will easily fold. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new shelf above the clothing rod!!! That very top shelf holds all of their baby memory stuff. Clearly WAAAAAY out of reach from their curious hands!
From the looks of Luci’s clothes hamper in the first picture, guess what I will be doing this morning????
I’m off to read about other people’s lives and to eat some of JanaLyn’s leftover rolls or coffee cake. Tonight it’s pot roast in the Crockpot for dinner. We had popcorn (everyone except me) for dinner last night. I wasn’t hungry but made myself eat a small packet of peanut butter cheese crackers.
Comments (8)
Grrrr… What’s up with Xanga? I left you a nice, long comment and it got whisked away to never-ever land! Let’s see…. I said that I think Luci has experienced an awful lot of rejection in her young life. I believe she sort of sets herself up for it, like you said — a habit. As you continue to deal fairly with her, she will change. She is learning that no matter what she does, and how bad she is, you and Jesse still love her, and you are not going to send her away. When that truth reaches the deepest places of her heart, things will really change. OK! I am sending this again! Hope it works!
“Line upon line, precept upon precept…” Even the Bible teaches repetition as a way of learning. Luci will eventually “get it.” Have a blessed day! Love, Judy
@DanishDoll -
I’ve had two comments dumped this morning. AND, navigating through Xanga has been excruciatingly slow. Maybe some country has a holiday today and everyone is off work using Xanga!!!!
You tell Luci I want to come to her party. I love Hello Kitty!!!! I’ll be watching for my invitation. Hee! Hee!
RYC: Erik is home, but he does attend summer school the month of July. He qualifies for extended school year due to his disability. Regarding staff and budget…well we have services from the county. He in on the CADI waiver. In MN we have a program where you can manage your own waiver dollars. It is called Consumer Directed Community Supports. So the county tells us our budget for services for the year and we write a budget for staffing and other needs related to Erik’s disability. We give the budget to the county and they approve or deny each item. Erik changed schools, so his summer school schedule changed and we need to redo his budget and put more money towards his staff. I had thought he would be in school during the month of August for 1/2 days, but now he is off from school for the whole month. So we have staff come in and staff with him and do activities in the community with him for 8 hours each day while we are at work. Not sure what else you might want to know….just ask. I am pretty forcoming with our lives. I have always felt that being honest about my stepson’s disablity is the right choice since it helps others to understand the things he does at times.
JenC
You and the girls look beautiful in your dresses!
I agree with DanishDoll. When Shayne and I got together, Matthew had experienced a lot of bad stuff from his bio mom. So we had really rough couple of years. I realized it as him acting out to see if I would leave like she did, and once I did realize that, and explained to him that no matter what he did, I would still love him, and still be here, he settled down a lot. Of course, now, at age 19, he’s drinking and drugging and acting out again, another cry for help. Anyway, just keep on lovin’ Luci. As has been said, she’ll get there.
{{{hugs}}}
@Ostara -
I guess I was most interested in his level of care and the fact you have (available to you) staff that will help. Also that you have the ability to manage what money of his goes where. I know of nothing like that in Oklahoma, and it may be that my girls do so well, no one thinks I ever need a break! It is HARD work that we do (training them in all areas) and so they appear to have not one special need and many people are shocked if we elude to the fact they DO have special needs – even Rissy who seems so competent. Very frustrating!
You’re all beautiful! I love Hello Kitty too.. Haha!