I'm Tired...So What's New

I don't know if our having three days off and getting out of the rhythm of things has totally caused my body to reacting, all I know is that I am TIRED!!!

Today started at 5:30, up, dressed and Joey out the door...only he didn't go far as it was raining, no pouring and he wouldn't leave the dry of the carport...he finally tinkled on the generator (sorry Ron) but I had things to do so back into the house we went.  

Relieved our night staff person (some of our friends call her our babysitter) and yes it is weird going into our apartment while someone else stays up in our living room...we call her our "human alarm" and yes on two occasions she has gotten one of us up for a kidlet who had a nightmare and one night when CPS showed up (they do their inspections to make sure we have a night time awake staff member between 11p and 5a though we say it would be better to come on a Saturday morning at 7:30a to see if we are all sleeping in)  AND NO we have not gone back to bed though we both have talked about wishing we could.

It is about as far from NORMALCY as you can get...but that is another story.

Spent a few minutes organizing my day, got the kids a "home lunch" ready...it's funny  because when I was a little girl we always had to take our lunch to school.  Nothing fancy, a sandwich and maybe a piece of fruit or some chips and change for milk.  And would beg my mom to let me buy lunch.  Here at the Yaokum ISD all the kids are provided breakfast and lunch each school day so it's the reverse treat for them...they like to take "home lunch" as AR calls it...so one day a week I make them a lunch to take.  It usually consists of a lunchable, a piece of fruit, some cheese or peanut butter crackers, either a pudding or fruit gummies and a Gatorade.  

And then Ron took them to school and I folded the two loads of laundry from yesterday and got two more loads going.  After Ron got back from the school run we headed to Walmart to pick up a few things, then to Tractor Supply ~ we were looking for 

for Joey..remember he wouldn't go potty out in the rain.  Nope, couldn't find anything so we went to HEB and got groceries and some cleaning supplies...then back home to put the groceries away and then it was time to go get Little Bit from school.  

Little Bit has a mind of her own and when she decides she doesn't want to do something she just won't do it...today she didn't want to match and fold her socks.  Last night it was she didn't want to take a bath...last night it was fine, if you don't want to take a bath, get your jammies on and go to bed.  Then it was "I don't want to take a bath and I don't want to go to bed!!" at the top of her little lungs for about 15 minutes till she cried herself to sleep.  Sometimes it's just plain hard being a 5 year old.  So back to the not matching/folding her socks...she was told "everyone has a job to do and today your job is to match and fold your socks."  So while whining she didn't want to match/fold her socks she matched her socks.  It got done with a bit of complaining but it got done.    And I was told "You are a mean mommy."  I said back to her "it's okay that I'm a mean mommy, I still love you."  She is never quite sure what to say to me when I say that to her.

Being five, once her "job" was done she was off to watch her movie and pet Joey...she loves Joey.  We only allow about five minutes at a time for her with him because they are both getting to know each other.  

The afternoon went by quickly and then it was time to go get AR, then AZ came home and homework got done, some hearts for Valentines Day were decorated and then time for tutoring...math for both of them.

Before long it was dinner time.  Tonight was a win..spaghetti and no complaints.

Bath time and then bed...whew!!!

I just sat at the computer for a few minutes to catch my breath, answered a couple of emails and then thought I should write a few words.

That is a pretty typical school day for us...

...I want to get back into writing more devotionals, share some stories, write a few guest blog posts for This(Un)ExceptionalLife, and get back to writing my book which includes transcribing all of my handwritten journals to the computer.  I would also like to put my mother~in~law's stories together from her handwritten journals to pass on to her grandchildren and great~grandchildren.  

...I want to get back to reading for fun ~ I can't remember the last time I picked up a book just to read for fun.  Lately it's been training manuals or daily devotionals but a good cheezy romance novel would be fun to indulge into again.

...And then there is my crocheting...I finished up a blanket two days ago and started on one of my temperature blankets.  Once I get the first 20 rows completed, I will start on number two and then number three.  Plus there are a couple of baby blankets/stuffies I need to get busy on.

...oh and continue being a wife, mom, Grammy and foster~mom, friend and Oh Yes, take a nap once in a while!!!!

Stay tuned and see what I get done!!!

Tired but Staying Focused

I've been trying to stay focused on positive things and see the good in things...

...today is a hard one for me :(

Due to new Federal Regulations for children in care in the state of Texas, if the organization has more than six (6) children total they must have 24 hour AWAKE staff while in residence.  Don't ask me why, but when we take the kidlets camping we don't need the 24 hour AWAKE staff person...go figure...!!

This all came to fruition when Judge Jack in Texas came down hard on the State of Texas Foster Care System.  Here is one article that discusses her stance...click here.  When this first came into being our 3 kidlets were not PMC kids (Permanent Managing Conservatorship) but that changed the week before Thanksgiving and so Nov 19th we had our first overnight staff person here.  

We really don't have an issue having a person awake it is just different.  It's far from normal that's for sure but we make the best of it.  When we were at MCC we had YCC workers who came on at 11 and stayed till 7 so it really isn't anything new...just different.  And has often happens staff change and last night we had a new night staff person.  Let's just say that the 2nd person is very different than the first one and that is going to take some getting used to..

and that meant that neither Ron nor I slept well last night and the hours of the night shift person working is different...the first gal came at 9:30p and we were in our apartment by 10:00p and didn't need to be in the main cottage till 6:30a...now the schedule is that the new gal gets here at 10:00p so we don't get into our apartment till 10:30p or so...and we have to be in the main cottage so she can leave at 6:00a...we get she only works 8 hours a night but it is different and will take some getting used to.

Usually Ron stays up at night and does the switch over and I get up for the morning switch...which is no biggie as I have been getting up at 5:00a to consistently have my quiet time and incorporate my new daily habits...

...habit 1 ~ drink my water

...habit 2 ~ spend two minutes in prayer

...habit 3 ~ making a healthy breakfast

...habit 4 ~ moving/stretching for two minutes

...habit 5 ~ breathing deeply for two minutes

BUT for some reason last night and this morning has affected me a lot...I mean a lot...I could barely get out of bed this morning and my body was aching.  I hadn't slept well last night so that didn't help either (and neither had Ron so he wasn't feeling it to get up early this morning) but I got up, took care of some stuff, spent some time in the Word and praying...

And the message this morning asked

"Are you walking or talking?"

Intentions are a good thing BUT Actions speak louder than words.

and so I have been thinking about that most of the day...

trying to speak softly and calmly 

as well as being consistent

About 15 minutes after the night staff left, Ron came out of our apartment and told me to go back to bed...by then I was pretty awake but hey

and it is Saturday 

and the kids stayed up later than normal last night

and he didn't have to ask me twice

so I went and crawled back into bed...

and started chatting with my Pal Mary...

I think I fell asleep though in the middle of our chat...sorry about that!!!

 and then it was 9:45a!!  I had gotten up a couple of times between 6:45 and 9:45 to go potty (you know us old ladies need to do that quite often :)  )

I was so discombombulated when I woke up and it took me awhile to get moving

but after making a breakfast of sausage, eggs and biscuits with blackberry jam

me, along with the kidlets and Ron were ready for the day

so off to Victoria.  Victoria TX NOT Victoria BC...Ron still owes me a trip there!!!

We stopped to look at a 5th wheel...we are thinking of trading in our Explorer for a 3/4 ton truck and our 30' travel trailer for a 5th wheel toy hauler...well the one the guy had on his lot was not what we are interested in...it was a 30 1/2' but felt very small on the inside...there are few things that are must haves for us...

...have to be able to open the fridge with the slide pulled in

...must be able to use the bathroom with the slide pulled in

...must be able to have two recliners or a double recliner as well as a couple of other chairs or couch

...must have a walk around queen bed

...would be nice to have a washer/dryer combo

...would be nice to have a set of bunks

YES we are planning to go back on the road when I retire in 

5 Years and 4 Days!!!

This 5th wheel was too small...so that's okay, it was the first one we looked at...

and we weren't ready to buy today anyway,

must have truck first!!!

Then it was off to Kohl's to drop off a steamer for our boss,

then Dollar Tree for some Valentine decorations,

then Tuesday Morning...they only had dish towels for Valentines Day,

then Big Lots...got 2 sets of red lights, need one more

then it was off to Sam's Club...first lunch...all beef hot dog and a soda for everyone, 

Azzy got a mountain dew :(  I got the other two orange fanta...

Azzy was told she better not get too wired...she did really well and was a big help with pushing  a cart, grabbing stuff from the shelf and making lots of suggestions!!!

90 minutes later we were finally done at Sam's Club.

We headed towards another RV dealer when I remembered we were supposed to pick up JT and it was already 4:00 and he was due back sometime between 4:30 and 6:00...so no trip to the RV dealer, no stopping at HEB (for the things I don't buy at Sam's) and no stopping at Walmart to look for more Valentine decorations and home we went!!

Everyone helped to unload the truck and then AS and AR joined other kids at the playground.  Ron, Azzy and I labeled and put away the groceries.  Ron helped me put up some red lights...that's when I found out I need one more set...I will take a picture and post what I'm doing once I get the 3rd set of lights and then it was shower and prayer time for the kidlets.

All in all it's been a good day, we are all just a bit tired.

Hopefully we will all sleep better tonight and wake refreshed and rested in the morning.

Tomorrow is Sunday School, church and football!!!  

SeaHawks play the Packers...it should be a good game!!!

Oh and maybe take down some more of the Christmas decorations.

********

Do you still have Christmas decorations up?

Do you decorate for Valentines Day? A lot or a little?

If you don't decorate for Valentine's Day

what is the next holiday you decorate for?