Fire Extinguishers

Do you know what is in a fire extinguisher? Do you know how far that stuff can go?

Today we were gathering fire extinguishers at the armory when the soldier I was working with accidentally set one off. Oh my.....that fine powder can travel.....fast.

Needless to say, we spent a long time trying to sweep that fine, powdery substance up off the armory floor. Just regular sweeping wasn't working. Out Sergeant suggested spraying the brooms with some dust stuff he had. We sprayed it on the brooms and were finally able to get the stuff up.

Uh, the armory now smells like Pledge. If you take your shoes off you could slide around in your socks. I think we may be back in a short period of time mopping that floor with ammonia or something to take the "slide" out of the concrete.

That was the sum of my day. Now I am sick so to bed I go.

It's been a Long Day

Busy day for me, dropped my kids off at school, headed to the drill hall, got off work in time to head to class, got home and helped Sarah with algebra. Have I ever mentioned that I really don't like algebra? I don't think that I have ever used it in my daily life but I sure have done enough of it helping kids and John with homework.

My babysitter Jason was waiting and waiting for Larissa to get home after school. He got concerned that maybe he didn't get there in time and missed her bus. It had been coming between 11:30 and noon. Finally, her bus showed up at 1 pm. I am not happy with that. They told Jason that that would be her normal drop off time from now on since they got a new student. Add one student and you add over an hour to her drop off time? More then 2 hours on the bus for a 3 hour class is not working for me. Tomorrow will be her last day on the bus.

So, my new schedule will be drop kids off, be home around 8, leave at 10:30 to pick Larissa up and go home. Anthony gets home around 3 and Sarah 3:30. Two days of the week I have to leave as soon as Sarah walks in the door to get to class on time. One day Larissa will have dance and then they have martial arts. I really don't like this schedule because it makes getting into town to run errands difficult because of the way my day is broken up. Oh well, I really have no choice but to deal with it.

Class was interesting and I do believe I am going to enjoy it (well, to a certain extent). I have a lot of reading to do, papers to do, mentoring to do, tests, quizzes, and a 60 minute presentation to give. The presentation worries me the most, how can you talk about something for that long? I haven't made it to my third class yet so I don't know what those requirements will be. I hope that I do OK with three classes. I have been wondering if I should have taken just two! I have already decided that I will take three years to finish. John suggested that I take longer, LOL. He doesn't like to write and he sees all these papers I have to do.

Yes, I was the oldest person in the class....by quite a bit. Some of those kids are soooo young. At least a few are a little closer to me in age. I hope that I don't get senile before I finish, it would be nice to be able to actually use my education.

I got the algebra problems correct that I/we did yesterday, I hope that the ones done today are correct as well. Hard to tell because I am so tired today. I am not even going to attempt to read tonight. I am going to try to go to bed early tonight, at least by 11 pm. I am a night person so going to sleep before midnight is hard for me.

Goodnight all.

Go with the Flow

I should know by now that my plans don't always work out. Plans for tomorrow were to drop kids off at school, take Lucy to the vet for her last shots, come home and clean this mess and then later head to school.
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Well, one phone call from my National Guard unit and I was calling the vet to change Lucy's appointment and lining up a babysitter. I was asked if I wanted to work Thursday and Friday instead of drill weekend next month. Sounds good to me, I can be home when John is here.
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So, tomorrow I will drop kids off at school, go to my unit to work, go to school and then home (to help Sarah with algebra I imagine).
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I took the kids to USC to get my ID card and books. The lady doing the ID cards thought that Sarah was the student. I had to tell her that it was actually this old lady. She said that I gave her hope because she has been thinking about going back to school.
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We went to the bookstore and only one of my classes required a book. Of course, that one book cost $140. I wonder what the other two classes will require. I don't think that I have ever had a class where there wasn't a book up front. I guess I will know tomorrow.
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As we were walking around campus I was explaining that this was where I was going to school to be a teacher. Anthony informed me that I couldn't be a teacher, I was his mom! Hmmm....wonder if I have stayed at home too long. I explained to him that many of his teachers were moms and that moms could be teachers, doctors or just about anything they wanted to be. This was such startling news to him.
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So, tomorrow I will be a student. I am still trying to accept this Gamecock thing. We walked around the bookstore and some of the shirts had slogans on them that would be considered quite inappropriate in other areas!
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New adventure, I think for all us.



Sarah just showed up with her algebra book, guess I'd better go. I wonder if I can find her a math tutor.

Grief

It was pointed out to me that I am going through a grieving process. I hadn't looked at it that way but now that I take a look around my house I can see that it is true.

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It didn't just start when I put my child on the bus back to Kim's. On the day that I told Joselin no and she told me that she was old enough to do what she wanted, I realized that she only came home because she knew that in our state you could leave home at 17. Where my friend lives kids can not leave at 17, they must be 18.

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She did not come home to work on a relationship with the family. She came home so she could have her freedom. Unfortunately for her, she didn't realize how unprepared she is to be on her own and she only lasted 5 days before she had to come back. Her anger was terrible after she came back. Upon realizing that she couldn't do it, she took to blaming everyone.

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She is in a safe place now. She is in a state where she can't choose to drop out of school. Kim is going to try and get her into Job Corps, but we are concerned that she won't be able to pass the basic test to get in. She has 11 months until she is 18, I hope that she does what she needs to better prepare herself.

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It has been a month of grieving, I need to get back to my family.

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My house is a mess! Every room is a disaster, the laundry has piled up. I don't know how that happened. My attentions were elsewhere but I need to bring them back home.

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See, I have other kids relying on me. I have this one in my lap right now........

She has had two seizures since she fell asleep in my lap. She sees the neurologist next week.

I can't allow the needs of one child to destroy the family. I can't allow one child to take away my effectiveness to parent the rest of my kids. I have kids with lots of needs that must be met. I have healing children who give me hope.

I haven't given up on the lost one, but I have gotten past the depression and anger and have reached a feeling of acceptance. I have to accept that we have given all that we can and it is now up to the child to determine her future. Sometimes, as hard as it is, you have to let go.

DIY Book Cover

T-shirt ready for the trash bin...... Algebra book needing covered.

Sewing machine, Christmas present from my fantastic husband.

No measuring, no marking. I cover the book with the shirt and pin where it needs sewing. Normally I do this with jeans and put the back pocket on front.

One of a kind covered book..........happy kid.

Hey, sweeite, found these for you.

Day of Joy/Day of Sadness

The joy............

Required first day of school pictures. Yes, Reptar backpack.

My day started at 5 am when school transportation called me to tell me that they would be picking Larissa up at 6:15 am. By 5:10 am I realized that they said 6:15 am so I called them back and said I would take her. They could bring her home. She got home at 1pm.....her class ended at 10:45. Uh, that is not going to work either. Two hours on the bus for a 3 hour class. I am contemplating taking her out of this program and increasing her extracurricular activities and private speech. I am not making a decision right now.

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Everyone had a good day. Sarah's main complaint was her math teacher, she got homework on the first day of school. I got to help her do a word problem tonight, I don't like word problems. How fast is the elevator in the Washington Monument in miles per hour given the feet per second, yuck.

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She didn't have any issues today with kids. I am hoping that the bullying issues don't resurface.

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Anthony had a green day, which makes it a good day. He has grown some over the summer so I really hope that he can function better this year. Typically he has a first good week so I am enjoying it.

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I think that it is going to be a good year for these three.

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I start classes in Thursday and haven't even bought my books yet. Have I ever mentioned that I have to fight my procrastination issues? However, I do look forward to attending classes and seeing adults!

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The sadness...............

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It has actually been a hard day for me, my heart is breaking and I am trying to hide it from the kids. They have their own issues to deal with and don't need to see me crying. I did that in private today. Joselin is gone.........she is on a bus back to Memphis. She says she is done with us.

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She came home and couldn't deal with our rules. Really, our rules are not that difficult, have I ever mentioned that I am a big softie? Things like don't lie, steal, sneak out the window at 2am, respect others in the home....all too difficult. Her stealing used to remain in the home, she started stealing from her friends. Calls from parents started.

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She just reached the point where she didn't care anymore. I still care. Regardless of what she thinks or wants, we are still her family. I told her that, she says she rejects us. Today I just don't feel the hope that I normally have in my heart.

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I could say profound things about adoption, love, how biological children have the same issues, how to keep giving in spite of the challenges, however, all I can think to say is that sometimes parenting just plain sucks!

Lazy Sunday

Quiet day here today. Three kids ready for school tomorrow, outfits picked and backpacks packed. I just need to remember to make Larissa's breakfast and Anthony's lunch in the morning.

After church we headed to our favorite lunch spot where I pestered the family with my camera.

Some are impatient for their food.
Sisters (Sarah got her hair dyed yesterday)

Lucy is such a gentle puppy.

Hope you had a great weekend.