November 19, 2008

• Brighter Side

  I’m looking at things on the brighter side of life today.  Why couldn’t I do this a few days ago? 

  I’m a person who expresses myself by communicating my feelings.  When my source (one of which is typing blog entries) is partially taken away from me, things inside build up.  Mainly the build up was the frustration of my inoperable e-mail account and the inability to use Xanga the way I wanted.  I didn’t realize how much I express (purge) myself by writing each day!  That’s all different today and the world seems brighter.  Kind of pitiful, isn’t it?

  The lady doing our home study was running very late, yesterday.  Like HOURS late.  We told her to come anyway, because we can’t seem to get this home study finished and we’re tired of it being up in the air.  PLUS, Jesse had come home early from work to be here.  He was frustrated at the hours of money he lost by leaving work early and coming home to sit and wait for someone.  Everything seems to cost something, these days!

  She arrived and we spread papers over the kitchen table.  She admitted she had been very sick for the past week and hadn’t even opened our file.  I suggested she start with the 2001 home study I had given her, and we would edit it together as she read through it.  That proved to be an efficient plan – both for her and for us.  I had to make copies of only two documents I had hoped she wouldn’t need – our old divorce papers.

  We covered a lot of ground and when she said she was starting to feel overwhelmed and fuzzy (she still hasn’t recovered from last week’s illness) we called it quits shortly before 7pm and scheduled her to come back Saturday afternoon.  She said she would type up the core of what we had talked about (mainly our backgrounds, current family, and current friends). 

  Jesse left the interview early and had taken the girls with him to drop off his trailer at a friend’s house.  On the way home he brought some fried chicken and red beans with rice.  I made seasoned green beans and biscuits and we ate like kings.  Late and starved, but like kings!  I sat with Jesse in the den and suddenly felt a humongous wave of “tired” fall over my body and mind.  I changed for bed, went back to the den, Jesse went to bed first, and I stayed until the end of a show I was watching.  Chirper was stretched out sleeping on my chest and abdomen while I was stretched out on the den’s sofa.  I fell asleep soon after getting into bed.

  I picked up Chirper’s antibiotic yesterday and then went to Sam’s with all the little girlies.  Since I detest going there, I made the trip count (to the tune of almost $100).  I bought TWO chubs of ground beef, a pot roast, a huge container of onion powder, a 90oz container of peanut butter (I’ve had second thoughts about that purchase.  I don’t think we even have a knife that reaches that deep into a container.  May have to seperate into smaller, old peanut butter jar!!!), some pull apart sticky coffee cake, and a box that contained 3 small loaves of sliced breads/cakes  (pumpkin bread, etc.).  I may freeze that and pull it out on Thanksgiving  We were shopping on empty stomaches, obviously!

  Speaking of food . . . Here, TODAY, are the cooks in the kitchen again!

  The other day, Rissy was NOT happy with anyone “helping her” in the kitchen.  She didn’t understand that people need to be taught; and, she, too, had been taught and not so helpful at one time.  The fact that she had ever NOT BEEN helpful amazed her.  I’m not sure she believed me!!!  LOL

  Rolling her eyes and not happy with her inexperienced staff, Rissy had a BAD ATTITUDE the other day.
   

  We talked and her attitude was better today.  In fact, Jesse told them before he left this morning, that if they argued ONE TIME today, they would be quarantined seperately and not allowed to play with each other for the rest of the day.

  Things appeared to be going well as I heard Rissy instructing the girls on the art of scrambling eggs.
   
  

  Moods were happy and voices cheerful.
  
  See Stormy in the doorway?  She’s eating the dog’s food!

  Today, “too many cooks in the kitchen” didn’t spoil, anything!  Everyone was in the kitchen this morning!!!
  

  And Rissy patiently taught her sisters how to make scrambled eggs and sausage.
  
  

  Then the bottom fell out of the quiet solitude in the kitchen.  Luci began her infamous wailing routine. I went to the kitchen to see what was wrong.  I found Rissy telling Luci, “That’s okay.  Sometimes I burn Daddy’s sausage, too.”
  
  Awwwww.  Aren’t they sweet???

  After breakfast, they began playing with their strollers.  The quiet reverie of my children was interrupted with intense words.  “GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!  I’M TIRED OF YOU HURTING ME,” yelled Rissy.  Annamarie interjected, “Luciiiiii (Ishe talks like that, long drawn out words), that wasn’t niiiiiiiiice.”  Luci’s crying screams began to reverberate from the metal lamps and metal bird cage in the den.  “I DIDN’T DO IT!  I DIDN’T DO IT!” . . . and other such pleas of innocence, as she shrieked and we cringed.  The problem?  She kept running her stroller up over the backs of Rissy’s ankles.  (Luci has that “type” of warped sense of humor!)

  I told Luci she could no longer play with Rissy – like Daddy had told her before leaving, this morning.  She fell apart. 

  I did not take pictures.  Maybe, someday, I will. 

  It’s not pretty. 

  She screamed and screamed in her room.  *All* she wanted to do was play with Rissy. 

  After I swatted her feet for kicking at me and closed the door to the room to allow her to calm herself and believe I couldn’t hear her with the door closed (of course, a sound proof door wouldn’t quell Luci’s screams of anger!), she calmed down enough for me to explain to her about no one gets what they want all the time. 

  She pleaded with me, the *ONLY thing* she wanted was to play with Rissy.  I told her that was the only thing she couldn’t do, and that’s why she wanted it. 

  I told her of all the things *I* want right now, but can’t have.  I explained privileges and needs.  I told her she needed food, clothing, and parents to teach her and keep her safe.  That was all THE LAW requires of parents.  I told her privileges are given and taken away.  Privileges are Little Debbie snacks and the cookies we buy them, extra clothing they own, as well as toys by the dozen, and sisters to play with all day long.  Right now, the PRIVILEGE of playing with Rissy wasn’t available. 

  I know.  Lots of words for a small child but she’s as bright as a newly minted dime.

  I told her all the things she COULD do, right now.  She chose to color. 

  It worked out. 

  Another crisis managed.

  The lady doing the home study last night asked if we would be willing to adopt a set of children that couldn’t be returned to their parents or other family members.  I said, “No” as Jesse said “Yes.”  My head whipped around.  “What?” said I.  I told him, “I had told her last time we didn’t plan to adopt AT ALL unless God changed our mind.”  He said, “We don’t want to adopt?  Really?”  Everyone knows my husband is a tease.  He wasn’t teasing.  His face was dead serious.   . . .  . . .     *I* wouldn’t mind more children.  I thought HE didn’t want more children. 

  I turned to the lady and said, “Just write down we would be willing to consider it.” 

  I think Jesse and I need to talk!

  My To Do List for today:
  *  Laundry (someone’s, anyone’s)
  *  Seperate 10 lb chubs of ground beef into smaller freezer bags
  *  Teach (this is a chore lately, because we are so close to finishing 2 more books and the natives are restless)
  *  Make Thanksgiving grocery list (did you realize Thanksgiving is a week away?  I didn’t)

  That doesn’t sound like much.  Those are the HAVE TO DO’s.  I’m sure other things  . . .    . . .  will come up.  They always do!

  Be blessed  ~

  
  

  • 11:20 am
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