"Growl!"  "Hissssss!"  It's another morning at Cherylyn P's Place!!!  Sushi desperately wanting to play with Chirper and Chirper not thinking a dog nipping at his heels is very playful.  Amazingly, Stormy let Sushi know, repeatedly, the first week Sushi arrived that she hates her.  Sushi doesn't even show an interest in Stormy!  Sometimes Sushi walks into the same room and Stormy glares at her and give s a low growl as a reminder.  Sushi is VERY smart and I don't think needs reminders about Stormy.  She knows she's despised and makes a wide berth when Stormy is in the same area.

Went to the church class last night.  Jesse forgot and didn't leave work in time for *me* to be on time.  But, the group was kind and I DID call them to say I would be late.  It was a great class (lesson) and I accidentally heard some wonderful news.  Can't repeat it yet; BUT . . . EEEEEEK!  That's me excitedly screaming with joy.

Today is a new day and, though I reread yesterday's post and those things DID happen, and I wasn't exaggerating, and they would be challenging to ANYONE, I believe hormones played a huge role in my reaction.  Figure it out for yourself! LOL!!!  When I threw up my hands when leaving the kitchen and said, "I give up.  I can't take it anymore!" that was my cue that hormones could possibly be the culprit.  That's not like me.  There's very little I throw up my hands and walk away from these days!

Last night, I went to bed at a reasonable hour (before 10pm) and began a new book.  All of my reading these days is light fiction and nothing difficult to read.  I think it might even fall into the "teen group" of readers.  There are several reasons for my choice of light fiction:  1)  I overbought books and they need to be read;  2)  I like the writings of the authors I've collected;  3)  It's helping me to clean out the bedroom bookcase (!!!) because I always pass books onto someone else; 4)  I can pick up and put down these easier to read books without loosing my train of thought; and,  5) Finishing so many books in a month makes me feel good (even if they are easy to read books).

I'm such a slug.  I still haven't mailed our family pictures to my distant family!  That was supposed to have been done in December.  I look around and see so many things that have gone untouched for months (or at least since the beginning of December) and wonder how things got the way they are and why they been that way for so long.  I'm pretty sure the 1/2 used chocolate chips bag on the end of my bar is from 2 weeks before Christmas!  That's the last time I baked anything.  I have to rewrap a green garland with new lights before storing it.  Just little things that should have been done, but haven't been touched.

Now Sushi is barking frantically.  The girls said Chirper doesn't want to play because Sushi is being rough!  Am I sure I want foster children??? LOL!!!   I just made her come sit by my desk and gave her something else to bite - a toy.  (sigh)  I'm so not good at this dog training stuff!  It's like having a baby.  I guess if I can "train" babies, I can train a smart dog.  But, I'm asking for OLDER foster children - NOT babies.  I'm going to attempt to teach Sushi "blanket time" like some do for their babies.  She is smart enough to understand "stay" and maybe "blanket time" will click with her, too.

No where to go today.  I'm getting low on staple-type groceries: milk, eggs, potatoes, etc. and may make a list and run tonight to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things after Jesse gets home.  I'm assuming he is working tomorrow.  He works six days a week at a job that is soooooo boring for him.  It's hard on him and I feel bad for him.  I appreciate the fact he does what it takes to make a living.  I don't know many people like him.

We have some cool and then cold weather moving in over the next 4 - 5 days and that's part of the reason I want to go tonight to replenish our "supplies"!!!  It was 78° yesterday and Monday they said we may get sleet!!!!  Never a dull weather moment in Oklahoma!

A few more ribs shifted around again last night.  I could feel the "gentle" pop in my back between my shoulder blades when I rolled over.  The fact they moved and I rested makes their movement back in place more permanent (or "temporarily permanent" as this has been a life long problem for me).  Since I feel better, I may try to hang a few more things in the foster children's room.  The group of "heart hangings" is next.  No real exertion of my part, and the wall will look better filled than it does barren!

I made up a recipe last night and it tasted pretty good.  I found something interesting on cooks.com and then embellished - which I usually do!!!  Brown some ground beef, drain and put in a large glass dish.  Top with undiluted tomato soup (spread over meat) and a few dashes of worcestershire sauce.  Add frozen mixed vegetables that have been microwaved to take off the frozen chill.  Then spread sour cream over that and liberally sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on it.  Top with refrigerator biscuits.  Bake 30 - 35 minutes at 350°.  The secret was getting the bottom side of the biscuits cooked through.  I had those huge flaky buttermilk ones and they were a little gummy on the underside.  I slipped the dish back in the oven, so Jesse's food would be hot, and the biscuits finished cooking.  I asked Rissy if her Dad like it.  She said he was mad because he over ate.  I guess that means everyone liked it.  The tomato "soup" gave it a different flavor.

Tonight we're having scalloped potatoes with ham stuck here and there in it and seasoned green beans on the side.  That's why I know I need more potatoes!  It's been about 2 weeks since we ate pork.  A WONDERFUL pork roast - so yummy!  I'm still not adding pork back into our meals on a frequent basis, especially treated meat like ham.  Haven't bought sandwich meat with pork in it and don't plan to.  Sandwich meat has so much bad stuff in it anyway, we shouldn't buy it at all.  Well, scratch the dinner idea.  I just asked Luci to show me the milk carton and I'd be hard pressed to get a 1/2 a cup from it.  Mmmmm???  What now?

Today's To Do List:
*  Scrounge for something else to fix for dinner
*  Annamarie's laundry
*  Vacuum (or at least assign to a child)
*  Make sense of my desk piles
*  Clean out fireplace ashes and dump
*  Maybe get paperwork together to start taxes ???
*  Maybe read instead of thinking about taxes !!!!!

Be Blessed  ~

Annamarie says she still hurts.  But, she slept through the night, she isn't crying, AND she is eating soft foods much better than she could have the other day.  She had carrots and potatoes mashed together last night and is eating oatmeal right now.  I figure she will see a turning point tomorrow.

Didn't do much around here, yesterday.  I almost finished Rissy's laundry.  I had to quit on the whites, figuring she wasn't going anywhere, it didn't matter!  I had to wash the blankets Sushi wet.  She's getting better, but still has accidents.  She knows commands but is slow in learning her name.  Maybe the fact I forget "Sushi" and sometimes call her "Sasha" has something to do with her retention problem!

We watched the inaugural festivity (events before and a few minutes after).  I wanted the girls to see it and remember it - just like I remember when President Kennedy was shot (and the others) and when the first man walked on the moon.  I told them, by the time they get to high school, all of this stuff would be in history books and the pictures they would see in their books would be of things they watched happen live.  I didn't care to hear about Michelle Obama's fashion being analyzed, and turned the TV off shortly after he said, "I do!"  We mainly talked about Martin Luther King (the day before) and the signficance of Obama being electred AND the fact he was sworn in on Lincoln's Bible.

I stayed down most of the afternoon reading.  Almost dozed (or maybe did for 10 minutes here and there) a couple of times.  Like I said, the pain was severe.  Around 4:30pm, I started to prepare dinner.  I remembered an easy way to make a one pan meal and showed Rissy how.  Peel carrots and potatoes, cut them in large chunks, put carrots on the bottom of the pan and potatoes on top, and then top with pieces of chicken (mine is boneless chicken breasts - if you used chicken with bones, you have to put IT on the bottom), a can of chicken broth, seasonings, and a bit of water.  Heat to boiling, then turn down burner so it's a slow simmering.  Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.  It's just like Crock Pot food, but takes much less time.  Since I had nothing planned, I needed something that took much less time.

The caseworker from Child Welfare called back yesterday and told me it would be a week, at least, before he could go through my file and told me how "these things take time" and "just because we fostered once doesn't mean we could jump back in and do it again . . ." (rolling my eyes).  I wasn't pleased.  I called the caseworker who came out to our house in 2004 and asked for help.  She pulled us up on her computer and said our fingerprints were missing from the file (rolling eyes) and that appeared to be all they needed.  I checked today and our fingerprints were completed on July 20th BEFORE we went to classes!  I asked her if she could PLEASE be our caseworker rather than this other guy.  She talked to her supervisor and called me back.  She said she is the one who assigns cases to workers and she would assign our case to herself.  Yay!  She and I (in the short time we talked 4 years ago) have a nice relationship and we're not just a case number on a file jacket to her.  She will look for our fingerprint reports.

Things To Do Today:
*  As little as possible (LOL!!!)
*  Luci's laundry (Annamarie is in no shape to turn her clothes right side out and sort them for me)
*  Add some things to my appointment book (dental was rescheduled, Annamarie's new return appointment to MD)
*  I think teaching is a wash for this week except for Rissy's spelling (we HAVE to do that)
*  Dinner?????  I'll come up with something - probably pull ground beef and make a soup tonight

Be Blessed  ~

First of all, it occurred to me that I recently (Nov. 19) posted a tribute to my deceased mother and then a few days ago said "It's My Mother's Birthday."  Despite what my family thinks, I really haven't lost my mind!!!  Many of you may not know that I had a second family while growing up and it's my *foster mother* who had a birthday this past weekend.  She and my birth mother were born only 8 days apart, the same year.  I didn't really think about offering an explanation, because I don't make a distinction when thinking of the two women who helped mold my life!   So for any of you who thought I had one child too many to care for and my mind had flown the coop - let me assure you, I'm just fine!

Now to yesterday . . .

I took Chirper in for his nail trim and "weigh in" and Sushi to be checked and given her shots.  The veterinarian looked at the paper work from the animal shelter and said, 1)  She *has* had her first round of shots - they even had copied the bottle label (with lot #) on her info sheet, 2)  She has something called "kennel cough" which is a benign airborne bug that plagues many animals kept in a shelter or kennel (one dog coughs, they all catch it), and 3)  She is much older than we thought.  As our vet carefully read the sheet of paper from the shelter, he deciphered that she was 8 weeks on December 9th, when they administered her shots and worming medicine - the same day they received her at the shelter.  That means she isn't 9 weeks old this week, but 14 weeks.  He thinks she will be about the same size as Sampson (a good sizer for a house dog) and she looked very healthy.

Chirper had me scared and then pleased.  He hasn't been eating as much (one of the first signs a cat with FLv is failing) and only eats two meals a day, now, instead of three.  He's been eating lots of kibble in between meals.  The kibble used to be too hard for his inflamed gums to chew, so he stayed away from it.  When we weighed him, his weight was 6lbs 14oz.  I was concerned because I thought he was 7lbs2oz last month.  That meant he isn't eating AND is losing weight.  I thought *maybe* it's because Sushi gives him playful exercise and he has burned calories.  I got home and opened the pet file to write down his new weight and found that last month he had weighed 2oz LESS!!!  I'd gotten him confused with *Stormy* who weighs 7lbs2oz!  So, Chirper is still gaining.  The doctor again said Chirper looked incredibly healthy and the fact he is enjoying kibble means his gum disease (gingivitis) may be getting better.  THANK YOU, GOD!!!

Annamarie's ear ache began to get worse at the vet's and the hours after that before her own doctor appointment.  We ate lunch and then had school (quickly) and had to wait 40 minutes before leaving for the "people" doctor.  We got in an exam room right at 4pm, but no doctor appeared until 4:45pm.  In the meantime, Annamarie began to shake, cry, and moan.  She was lying on the exam table huddled under her winter coat.  When she was checked, the PA's comment was, "Ohhhhh, honeeeeeeey, you have an ear infection.  A really *BAD* ear infection."  She tested for strep and the test was positive as well as the ear problem.  I felt so sorry for her.  She gave her an antibiotic and said if Rissy or Luci began to complain of a sore throat, she would immediately call an RX in for them, too.  She told me to move Luci out of her and Annamarie's bed for a while.  I was up most of the night (rib pain) and so was Annamarie.  At one point she thought she was going to throw up.  Rissy came and got us once and said Annamarie was crying.  Luci slept with Rissy and I'm glad.  It was a long night and Annamarie ended up putting a DVD in her TV and closing the door.  I keep baby food on hand for sore throats and last night she had some baby food fruit, some noodles (I made ground beef & sauce over noodles), and then I made some instant pudding for her.  She is to be on bed rest for 3 days.

That means cancelling the dental appointment tomorrow.  I'm glad.  I feel rotten in my own way.  Two nights without much sleep is rough on me.  I'm still in pain, but it has lessened, slightly.  Jesse had some heavy duty pain pills and I took one when we ate dinner and another one in the middle of the night.  The pill (Percocet) didn't even touch the pain.  BUT, today I have a doozey of a headache.  I suspect it's from the pain pill AND the fact I can only sleep on my back right now, and I'm a side sleeper.  I slept with the heating pad all night and Chirper was my ever present body guard, sleeping with his back against me and on one strip of the heating pad!  At least one of us was cozy!

Jesse had a talk with the girls about helping me.  I have to help Annamarie and he wants Rissy & Luci to help me.  For some reason, I never get strep throat.  I carry it and pass it to others, but my strep cultures always come back negative.  The doctor has heard of people like me, but said it's rare.  I belive she also used the word "odd"!!!  Anyway, I'm able to safely care for a patient with strep infection.

I left a message for the Child Welfare worker yesterday to see if he ever found our file after talking with me last Tuesday.  He never returned my call.  I'll give him until tomorrow, and then I'm calling the supervisor, again.

I have to do very little today and plan to watch the Obama coverage on TV.  The girls and I talked about it yesterday and the fact yesterday was Martin Luther King Day and today was the first time an African American would be sworn in as president.  I told them I wanted them to remember this event because someday they would be able to tell their children about the day they watched it happened.  Whether we voted for him or not, he is the new leader and the Bible instructs us to pray for our leaders.

Today's To Do List:
*  Reschedule dental appointments
*  Rissy's laundry
*  Clean our bathroom (already hit it with Scrubbin' Bubbles)
*  Have one child dust and the other one vacuum
*  Pull something from the freezer for dinner
*  Make more instant pudding for Annamarie
*  Continue to make myself cough (my bronchial tubes are getting congested because I can't breathe deeply - I'd rather it hurt when I cough than end up with pneumonia!)
*  Search eBay for a tea kettle

RE: the tea kettle.  I'm trying to let Annamarie do a few things in the kitchen -- so she'll learn.  Yesterday, I told her she could put the kettle on to boil water for some instant oatmeal.  I looked at the kettle around lunch time and my white enamel kettle is now scorched brown.  She forgot to put water in it!  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser wasn't magic enough and neither were my SOS pads.  Yes!  It's true!!!  She can't even boil water!!!  She knocked the "whistler" piece out of the kettle a few weeks ago and I was planning on replacing it, but now I definitely need to!

Be Blessed  ~

I went to bed to read, shortly after dinner, with a heating pad on my chest.  I became sleepy and fell asleep before the 10pm news.  But, it wasn't a deep sleep.  I rolled over once (onto the "wrong" side) and woke myself up gasping in pain.  I woke up again at 12:30am and took a pain pill (left over from the dentist and my root canal).  I let Sampson (who is old) and Sushi (who is a baby) out to go potty around 2:30am, saving Jesse one trip outside.  Then, Annamarie came down the hall to our room, shortly after that, to tell me her throat and ear were hurting.  I got her some Tylenol (or something, I don't remember!) and she went back to sleep.  All night long I had dreams that I was in a doctor's office being checked or in (get this!!!) surgery having my rib repaired!  It must have kept me on the edge of a deeper sleep all night.  This morning, my chest is still aching and I haven't a clue what to take for the pain - maybe something like Tylenol or Ibuprofen.  I need to be alert.

I've already called the doctor for Annamarie's sore throat and ear ache.  The new PA that saw Rissy on Friday can see Annamarie today at 4pm.  That works out well because I have to take Chirper to the vet for his nail trim (it's past due - ouch!) and Sushi needs her incision site checked and her first round of shots.  This morning, before leaving for work, Jesse put Sushi's carrier in the back of the Suburban so I just have to put her in the tailgate and slip her into the carrier without having to lift the whole carrier.  Chirper will also have a carrier, but it's much smaller.  I'm hoping that's not too much for me to lift.

What a day!  I'm about to get off of here and take a shower and wash my hair and let it air dry.  Laundry isn't in such bad shape.  I should wash our sheets, but there's no way I'm going to stretch across our huge bed to remove or replace sheets.  I plan to leave for the vet between 11 & 11:30am, when it's a little warmer outside.  Temps should be in the mid fifties today, so there's no firewood to haul - another plus!  All of the girls aren't in the best of health and I'm trying to shelter them for the daily change in temperatures! 

We did our Friday home school lessons yesterday.  It took 30 minutes and made me wonder why that was so hard to fit into our Friday schedule!  That's like unloading the dishwasher - a job I detest.  I timed myself and it took a little less than 3 minutes to unload it; yet, I always put it off like it's an hour long job!

Somewhere between pet and people medical appointments, I have to fit in school.  I'm not sure I'm up to introducing our new phonics books.  We'll see.  Tomorrow is our shorter day (History, Science, & Health) and I want them to be free to watch the inauguration.  It's such a history making event, and I'm excited that they are interested.

Today's To Do List:
*  Remain upright (LOL)
*  Wash my hair
*  Pets to vet
*  Lunch
*  Teach school
*  Annamarie to doctor
*  Dinner
*  Crash and let Jesse take over when he gets home

I'm truly out of cooking ideas.  Rissy turned last night's ground beef into soft tacos.  It hit the spot and required little from me.  Jesse helped too, since he was home and felt sorry for me!  I guess I'll take out some ground beef and let it create itself, tonight!  "Fiddle, dee, dee, I'll worry about that tomorrow," said Scarlett!

This morning, the girls are snapping at each other, Sushi & Chirper are play-fighting but taking it too far (there's growling and hissing going on around my feet and behind my chair), and I feel like snapping at all of them.  I'd take some deep breathes, but that would hurt my chest!!

(holding head up high)  "Carry on, Cherylyn!"

Be Blessed   ~

P.S.  All girls to the dentist on Wednesday, therapy appointments on Friday, cold front with possible ice on Saturday.  "What a world!  What a world!"   Now, I sound like the wicked witch from The Wizard of Oz!

===========================================
Ramblings:

The girls are still suffering gunky noses and one has digestive problems (me too), but I won't go into details!  The girls and I are home and Jesse went on to church without us today. 

I slept like a rock but was very aware that Jesse wasn't in bed all night.  I heard the dog barking once from the den.  Apparently, she only slept and was quiet in her crate when he was sleeping on the sofa  in the den - where her crate is located.  I suggested he move it to our room because he's beat!  He said he got up about 4 times, thinking she wanted to go outside, but she really only needed to know she wasn't alone.  I'm glad he decided to go to church despite his fatigue.  It *IS* easy for him to nap, unlike me, so he'll be able to catch up on sleep this afternoon.

Yesterday's chores proved to be interesting.  I didn't do the most important things that "needed" to be done, but stuff I truly dreaded doing.  I cleaned out two of the cupboards in the foster children's room.  It contained board games and my mending.  Yes, the mending I put in there last summer to hide!!!.  Still there.  Still needing mending.  And, the girls are still growing!!!  I'll feel blessed if my granddaughters don't out grown these things before I mend them and pass them on!

I hung pictures in Annamarie's & Luci's room.  I have quite a collection of art and hangable decor.  I stacked the stuff together in "themes" and will hang it in those groupings of:  birds, hearts, flowers, Amish, & some pink stuff that is a picture of St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans and a candle & snuffer embellished with pink dried flowers. 

Luci and Annamarie chose the flower pictures.  I hung a grouping of four small things over their bed.  It looks smallish over their king sized bed, but they really like it and think their room is beautiful.  Oh well, to each his own!  SOMEDAY, when my camera cord arrives . . . (!!!!), I'll show pictures of the different groupings and where things end up.

By one foster bed (on a skinny sliver of wall), I hung three bird things - a picture, a cross stitch picture of birds I made, and a plaque.  I think I'll put the "hearts" on the larger wall near the other bed, because I have more of them and they'll fit on that wall. 

I gathered all of the cast-off toys from my girls and organized them in two laundry baskets in the corner of the foster children's room.  Some of the toys seem rather babyish.  And, as I look into the baskets, I wonder if I"ll end up with older children who look at the collection of toy pianos, view finders, puppets, dolls, stuffed animals, xylophone, etc. and wonder, "What kind of baby house IS this, anyway?!!!"  I was hoping they might retrieve a favorite stuff animal and make it their own.  We'll see.  We have to get "approved first" and that requires *someone* (ahem!!)  finding our lost file!!!

I also grabbed two mirrors, that formerly went with two dressers, and am contemplating putting them both over the one remaining dresser.  I need to be sure before we hang them because they are VERY heavy and require anchors that produce holes in the wall.  I think the double mirrors makes the room look even bigger (it's large to begin with), but they hang slightly over the width of the dresser.

THEN, I put together all of the games and most of their missing pieces.  Today I get to tape together the boxes that it looks like someone stood on and broke.  I have a little pile of game pieces that still need to go into the proper boxes . . . once they are taped together and become *boxes* again!  Pieces and broken boxes . . .  And, they wonder why I'm reluctant to let them play with games.  I'll have to find a solution for their messiness, because these are almost ALL wonderful educational games from Discovery Toys.  Not cheap.  And not games that don't serve a purpose.

The last of my new home school stuff came in yesterday's mail - adding further clutter to my desk.  I'm excited because this is the phonics program I've been awaiting.  My desk was organized with piles of bills and filing and now sits with NEW standing piles of organized stuff - mainly school things!!!!!  It's never ending, I tell ya!

The other job I tackled was the book shelves in my bedroom.  Seems like I posted that job a year ago, and never touched a thing!  It looks much nicer now and the books are, at least, grouped in categories - making it easier for me to find things!

Jesse called and is on his way home from church.  NO, he wasn't gone a short time.  I was interrupted 92 million times while trying to type this AND scan my parent's picture.  I tried to scan a second picture and it looks like the scanner has died.  It said it didn't recommend the command - but 3 minutes prior it recognized the "scan" command just fine.  Now I can't even pull up the "HP Photosmart Premier" icon. 

Computers and their components!   Hate 'em, but can't live without 'em!

Be Blessed  ~

PET NEWS:  Jesse's still not real good about getting her outside immediately, and she definitely keeps him busy cleaning up messes on the carpet.  I think the fact it's so cold outside, and he has to bundle up, makes him reluctant to go outside as frequently as he needs to go.  I'd rather go out in my sweatpants, flannel gown, and bathrobe and stand in the chilled air than clean up poopy messes in the house.  Sushi still needs us to walk her to "the spot" instead of just sending her outside.  I think she's a little fearful of being out there alone.  If Sampson goes, he distracts her and she forgets to go.  Jesse keeps forgetting to give her her antibiotic.  When he comes home, I feel like my responsibility for his dog should stop.  He actually told me (his words), "I know you've never complained, but I see you doing all the work (hummmm???? didn't I tell him that's how it would be if he got a puppy?????).  If you want me to, I'll give her to Camilo."  Of course, 1) She's an animal,  2) I love animals, and 3)  I'm obviously attached,  I don't know how old they are before they are old enough to control their potty habits.  She has developed diarrhea and I don't doubt it's from all the foreign objects she ingests from our floor.  I feel like I'm living in a house with a crawling baby!  I will take her into the vet on Monday to have her incision site checked and her first shots.  Meanwhile, they said I could give her 1/2 teaspoon of Pepto Bismol and 1/2 tablet of Loperamide (Imodium).  (sigh - I'm such a sap for animals!!!!)  Chirper and her are running circles around me - very cute.  He chases and then she chases.  Also, we have a cat toy that, when you pull its tail, vibrates.  Sushi has figured out how to pull the tail with her mouth, hold the animal between her paws, and watch 'er rip!!!!  I couldn't figure out who kept pulling the cord.  I kept hearing the grinding sound and when I checked it was the dog!  That's the kind of stuff that makes me like her.

HEALTH NEWS:  While we were at Annamarie's therapy appointment, Rissy began coughing.  A tight sounding cough.  They have a new PA working there and she was kind enough to stop in the halls and listen to Rissy's chest.  What a nice lady!  She told me to put her on the Nebulizer (breathing machine) 3 times a day with Albuterol (asthma medicine).  I always worry more about Rissy's coughs because of here past breathing problems.  We keep on hand Albuterol and Pulmicort (a steroid) to use in the Nebulizer.  We just never know when she'll need it.

MONEY:  I don't know why or what I bought, but yesterday's "small trip to the grocery store" cost $145.00!!!!  I'm rethinking and can't think of what ran the bill so high.  We needed cat litter and I bought 3 boxes and a collar for Sushi,  but I couldn't tell you the price.  We need it, I buy it, and it doesn't really matter about the cost because we have to have it.  I bought my mom a birthday card that allows us to record our message.  Maybe it was really expensive.  I didn't look at the cost because my mom will be 80 tomorrow and she's worth it!  That said, some pickles, trash bags, Little Debbie's, chicken fingers for lunch today, bananas, apples & carrot sticks, and some toiletries totaled that huge amount!

PANCAKES:  We had breakfast for dinner last night and the electric skillet is still out, so Rissy is in there making pancakes for everyone.  I just came back from checking on her . . . WHAT A MESS!!!  She's dribbled batter into the plastic grooves or casing that are supposed to catch excess grease, and I'm not sure if there isn't more in the plastic casing and the counter top than on the griddle!  I just told her she would be responsible for cleaning up the mess.  The pancakes aren't exactly turning out round.  I thought the made themselves round, but apparently not!

FOSTER NEWS:  NONE!  Either our file is REALLY lost, or this new "Larry guy" doesn't have time to look.  Crazy, huh?

Today's To Do List:
*  My laundry
*  Clean off desk (ROFLOL - yeah, right!)
*  Keep 4 little girls occupied and quiet; since they can't go outside and 2 are grounded from TV & music
*  Maybe look at foster room and see what I can organize (maybe I should call it the "guest room"!!!)
*  Read a bit in my new book

Not a big list, but my motivation is even smaller!!!

Be blessed  ~

We had a 10am appointment for Rissy.  The pediatrician is recommending a neurologist see her and some MRI's and other tests run on her brain and spine.  Rissy's mom delivered her "high" and Rissy was a meth baby and subject to withdrawals.  She was on oxygen for 4 days after birth and taken directly into state custody and her mother returned to prison.  How her mother got a hold of drugs between prison and delivering a baby is beyond me.  Anyway, she has always walked with her right leg turned in, her right hand sometimes draws up when she runs or gets excited, she falls down easily, and has a mild problem pronouncing words or tongue twisters.  Everything has become so pronounced, as well as the back pain she complains of daily, that we have grown more and more concerned.  When a 7yo asks for a heating pad as a gift, you can figure they are in quite a bit of pain. 

The pediatrician said she doesn't doubt Rissy has mild Cerebral Palsy, but wants the neurologist to make that final determination.  She told Rissy she would always have a "special walk and that's how God made her" (we have a great doctor!) and that they could do things to make her comfortable (lessen the pain) but not "fix" her leg.  Orthopedics has said there is nothing wrong with her bone formation.  That's good news!  The other good news is that the one thing I was most concerned about, child bearing, shouldn't cause her problems.  She would make an excellent mother and I feared that her pelvis and hips would prevent her from safely carrying and/or delivering a child.  The pediatrician saw NO REASON to believe she would have problems with a pregnancy.  So, now we wait to hear about WHEN and WHERE we go with Rissy next.  The pediatrician's office will contact and make the appointment with the neurologist and let us know.

After that visit, which was a long time in the waiting room and then 45 minutes with Rissy and us in the exam room, was a trip to the bank.  The secretary said the bank officer was out of the office, but she could handle everything for us!  Yay for Joyce!  I gave her our financial statement and explain the smeary line down the page (printer trying to die on us!) and she said it was fine.  We signed our papers for the next year - and left quickly.

It was bitterly cold.  17 and then finally 19 degrees with too much wind to make it feel anything more than single digit temperatures.  I carried my coat and held it up in front of my chest and throat when we walked in or out of a building.  Can you tell I hate coats?  I didn't used to hate them - just one of those persnickity things that's cropped up in my old age!  AND, the fact my current coat is itchy on my neck doesn't help!  LOL!

We went to Golden Corral (an all you can eat buffet, for those of you who aren't familiar) and I started feeling achy again. I ate, but can't say I really enjoyed anything.  I took 2 Ibuprofren and Luci took my last one for her throat in the middle of our meal.  We got in the car after eating and I told Jesse I really needed to go home.  I felt rotten.  Really achy and like I needed a heating pad and to get off of my feet.

We immediately went home and I took off my head covering, putting the heating pad on the bed, grabbed my book to finish it, and woke up 2 1/2 hours later on my back with my shoes on, my book folded open on my chest, my bookmark still in my left hand, and Chirper cuddled up on my shoulder!  Not one hair in my bun was out of place.  I must have not even twitched a muscle:  I slept so soundly! 

Rissy was a help (again - as always) with home schooling.  We had done everything on Wednesday as far as Wednesday's and Thursday's lessons.  Everyone except Luci.  Remember, she was sent to bed with a screaming meany fit?  So, I asked Rissy if she felt like she could work with Luci on her 4 pages of math.  It's Kindergarten math and stuff that's a breeze for Rissy.  After I woke up, Rissy said she had helped Luci with some areas that were hard and had used the white board to show her examples.  I haven't checked Luci's work but Rissy said she only missed two problems from the 4 pages.  I'll review the American history Luci missed the other day, and we'll do our small amount of Friday school.  Friday is usually a review, test, and wrap up day, since we have that standing therapy appointment.

I will go to Wal-Mart after leaving the therapy appointment, but need very little.  It's probably a good idea for me to rest lying down, again, today.

Sushi is doing better being crated.  She knows we will let her out and she is also sleeping through the night without crying.  She's VERY smart and God blessed me with a dog for Jesse (she's really HIS dog!!!) that is easy to train.  She stayed by herself yesterday while we were gone and will be alone in her crate again today while we go to therapy and the store.  I don't want to make her be alone too long, she's like a baby and can't countrol her bladder or bowels for very long - no matter how hard she tries.  Makes for lots of lovely dog bedding to wash!  Ick!

I have some darling pictures of Chirper curled up with Sushi and it's so aggravating to not be able to share them!  My new cables for my camera should be here soon.  Patience!  Patience, Cherylyn!

Tonight JanaLyn will be here.  I'll have to think of something filling that will warm our insides (since it's still so cold) because there are no leftovers this week.  I'm not sure why there aren't, but there is nothing but bologna and American cheese.  We didn't even have dinner last night.  I had a piece of cake before going to my church child raising lesson and Jesse fed the girls Ramen noodles.  They're always so glad when Dad fixes dinner.  He feeds them Ramen noodles, cereal, or popcorn.  He's such a cool Dad!!!  I'm the monster that makes them eat balanced meals!!!

Speaking of my "Raising Kids God's Way" class, it was excellent last night.  It was a discussion about how important fathers were to their children, especially to little girls.  I can't wait to share everything with Jesse.  Last night, I took a ton of notes to remind me what to tell him. 

Today's To Do List:
*  Feed Chirper as soon as I get off of here, he's pawing at my lap continuously!
*  My laundry
*  Tests in home school
*  Therapy appointment
*  Grocery store - quick trip
*  Sift through the things that have piled up on my desk (well, maybe I'll get to that!!!)

Be blessed  ~

I'll have to write later, IF I have time.

It's FREEZING here with light (very light - AND *small*) flakes.

Brrrrr!  What a day to be running errands!

Catch y'all later!

Be blessed  ~

I told him we were awaiting foster parent approval and was wondering what our status was this month.  I told him we had first called last July (since them I looked at my records and it was actually last JUNE!!!!)  had been through classes that ended in September.  We'd had a walk through of our house.  We'd filled out all paperwork.  He interrupted and asked if we had been contacted about a home study.  I told him it had been completed and his office should have it.  He said he would see what he could do, but would have to get back with me.  I asked him if he would be our foster care worker.  He said he would. I IMMEDIATELY asked him for his name again AND his phone number/s.  I asked him if he was working in the county we live or the Oklahoma county office.  He said Oklahoma county.  I asked which division.  He hesitated.  I read him the division number we had previously been under and he said, that *was* the division he was working.  I ran off the mailing address and asked if that was how to contact him by mail.  Obviously, I've had some experience with foster care.

With the obvious out of the way (I'm experienced and no dummy when it comes to child welfare), he told me our file had only 3 pages, or so, in it.  I told him we fostered previously and I had been told our file was 4 - 5 inches thick.  He should look for one that big and that was where he would find all of our information.  He asked if the home study I mentioned was done way back when.  I told him there were 3 home studies from "way-back-when" - one when we became foster parents, and two more each time we adopted.  BUT, we'd had a new one done at the end of November and completed in December and it should have been delivered to his office by S.G. (he knew the name I referred to about home study delivery).  He asked if our fingerprinting had been done.  I told him that was done back in September.  I told him EVERYTHING was done and we had complied with every single thing on the list.  I also told him, if their office asked for something, we got it to them *immediately* after their request.  ALL we needed was to be approved.

He said it bothered him that people like us were left waiting when homes were desperately needed.  I said, "That just seems to be part of the process.  Waiting.  We never had a problem with the children before, it was the bureaucracy of paperwork involved and the time frames things were done."   He immediately became defensive and said, "We are SEVERELY understaffed and it's not about paperwork!  We work hard and don' t have enough help!"  Not backing down I elevated the intensity of my own voice and said, "I'm very aware that DHS is asking for hundreds more caseworkers to be approved in the budget, but you aren't going to tell me there isn't a ton of paperwork caseworkers have to fill out.  They make you jump through hoops of paperwork and my 4-5" thick file is proof of that!"  He backed down and admitted there were a lot of forms.

I hated to act that way, but my experience with foster care is YOU have to know THEIR job or they kick you to the curb when they get overly busy.  I'm well aware of how to keep going up to the next step on the ladder and have been known to make calls to the men in the state's office that oversee ALL of foster care AND adoptions.  I don't quit.

He had a meeting to attend and said he would try to locate our "big file" that afternoon and would call me back.  We'll see.  I'm keeping dates and conversations recorded in a spiral notebook. 

What else?

I got almost everything done on yesterday's list.  I still haven't tidied the foster children's room or put things up on the walls.  I don't know why I feel a lack of concern - maybe past experience taught me how slow things can move.  The bedding is clean and I have new pillows still in the wrappers - so it's not like children couldn't be brought to us and have a clean place to sleep.

Yesterday, I wrote out our financial statement for the banker.  Thankfully, my printer cooperated.  There is a slight smeared line that runs from the top to the bottom of the page, but not many letters or numbers occupied that "bad" spot.  The statement is definitely acceptable.  Had to do NADA used car research, county property assesor research, and then go through my own paperwork to figure out what stuff was worth and who we owed what.  But, it's out of the way, now!  At least we own more than we owe - that's always a good thing!

We're caught up in school - yay! - and I hope to continue that way.  I may move and add science, history & health to today (which is our math and English day) because of our appointments tomorrow.  Then, Friday, we'll be in good shape again.  All of the girls have "frogs in their throats" and I don't think they feel the greatest.  I hate to pile the school work on them today, but don't really have a choice.

Jesse stopped last night and bought fried chicken home.  I tried my chicken flavored noodles and green peas from Aldi's.  Hated the noodle's flavor.  Rissy baked a cake mix from there and the cake was okay - but the frosting was like thick putty.  Tonight's menu will be yesterday's menu.  An easy one.  Broiled smoked sausage with barbecue sauce, macaroni & cheese, and green beans.

Sushi did okay yesterday, for the most part.  She had some accidents, but mainly after Jesse came home.  I took her out every hour whether she needed to go or not.  I think she's eaten something (either Sampson's dog food or waste basket items) and has a problem holding her potty.  From the looks of it, I'd say her stomach is slightly upset.  I bought the same puppy chow the shelter uses, so I'm not sure what's up with her.  Chirper and Sushi have formed a partnership.  Chirper retrieves no-no things from up high, knocks them down to Sushi and then the two play with the item together.  I have found them with white geraniums from my green garlands, two plastic straws, large pieces of potpourri from the dining room table centerpiece, foam pad from under the carpet, and a sock that had been on the bar.  The worst thing Chirper slipped to her was a chocolate candy kiss.  I think I retrieved it before they got the foil wrapping off, but chocolate definitely could be Sushi's problem.  I only found one, but that doesn't mean Chirper didn't slip her more than one!

Today's To Do List:
*  Do Luci's laundry (then the girls are done for the week)
*  The never ending washing of dog bedding
*  Wash my hair
*  Teach
*  Make the truck payment

That doesn't sound like much, but my days never stay that simple.

Be blessed  ~