Ok, I think things are settled down now

It took me about a week to recover from that trip to AL. As soon as the following Monday rolled around I hit the ground running trying to get my youngest child registered into a new school. Fun? No. Educational? Somewhat. I learned a new kind of patience and I'm still getting lessons on it.

So what's new? I haven't actually talked to the child that I left in AL for a couple of days but she has a Facebook page so I know that she's okay. The youngest child has accepted that she is definitely, without any question going to the school I'm working so hard to get her in whether she believes it will be good for her or not. I will not accept underachievement from her. It's a good school, nothing like the last couple of schools she came from and I don't believe I will have to worry about her safety (as much...kids seem to have gone loco these days). My oldest child will be returning from CA...yes, that's an intended pause. LOL

I had gotten used to the idea of having just two of us in the house. That meant that once she graduated and I shipped her off to college then I would be in the house by myself. That was a pretty sweet outlook for me. Still young, no kids in the house, possibly more traveling in my future to see my friends who still have young kids and can't travel as well. Yeah, that was my dream. So my oldest child coming back changed the picture somewhat.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love all of my children and I want them all to be with me if that means they will be happy and safe. To be truthful, I was more worried about her not being with me probably because I couldn't really see where she was progressing. I want to see and hear about progress, I think all parents do once their children are out of the home. And if those children come back you still don't expect it to be permanent. I, expect that I will help to guide her into becoming more independent, self-sufficient and she will want to leave and explore the world like I wanted to when I was her age. I loved my mom but I did not want to be with her any longer than I had to (around 19 I was ready to go).

So this event will also change how their bedroom will be set up. The middle girl shared a room with me. I don't know why or how that happened but I'm grown now and I would like my own room. LOL I've been sharing rooms with people since I was born, from the cradle to sharing a room with my sister up until she had her firstborn and not too soon after that I had mine and then I was sharing a room with a husband and a baby. I'm not saying I want to be alone right now, I just want my own space. I'm screaming ME! ME! ME! So my mission is to purchase or somehow get a bunk bed to place into their room. They are teenagers and I'm sure they don't want to sleep together anymore than I do.

Other than this, my next objective is to get my laptop fixed. It crashed on me, I don't know if any of the docs I had on it can be recovered and that sucks for me in so many ways. I'll have to rebuild my spreadsheets and my calendar. I'm thinking I backed up my stories and pictures to my flash drive and some CD's so hopefully I'm safe there. But this should be a lesson to me to back up every time I make changes instead of every once in a while like I had been. It also means that I have to spend more time at the library, maybe having to wait for a computer if I don't get there early enough.

I don't really have the money for the repairs right now. I'm getting rent, lights and misc. together before I get kicked out or my stuff gets repossessed/shut off. I do know, however, that the Lord has my back so I'm not worried about it, it's just something I have to do on a monthly basis. I'm thankful to have creditors who are willing to work with me and let me make partial payments. I'm trying hard to clean up the mess that is my credit after years of neglect. After all, if I'm gonna be doing all this traveling I'm dreaming about, I can't be worried about if I'll have a place to come back to or a vehicle to drive there in.

So as my friend Percy likes to say at the end of a conversation, Peace and Blessings...yes, I want them both please. ;-)

Good Morning Sunshines

Yeah, right. None of my kids are that right now (sunshiny that is). As a matter of fact, I doubt that any of them noticed I was awake even though I was talking to them. They are zonked out in bed as I sit here at the dining room table thinking about all the stuff that needs to be done. Anyways, I found this cute little plate at a thrift store for a dollar and couldn't resist buying it. I know just where I'll put it once I get it home.

First thing I have to take care of once I get into my vehicle is my tire. Yep, that same pesky tire that refuses to stay inflated so I'll be going into town to see if I can get that fixed up or just replaced. I'll have them check the other tires as well while I'm out there. I have to go to the post office. I'm still washing clothes. If I feel up to it we'll go and see if my daughter's room mate is in the dorm. No since in her bringing a ton of stuff to the dorm (appliances) if her roomie has them already and is willing to share. And if she doesn't then I'll be willing to lug those things into my van and take them. But the plan is not to move anything in until Friday morning. Today we hunt and gather and conserve both my fuel and energy from having to run around.

I'm going to attempt to make me some oatmeal for breakfast and maybe also eat some fruit. I'm really beginning to miss my coffee pot back home. Coffee is about 2-3 miles down the road and it's McDonald's coffee...I'm not impressed or desperate enough for caffiene to go there right now. I'll get some later if I can't take it any longer. Ohhhh, how I miss my Dunkin Donuts. My GPS showed a DD on the grid but when I called the number it was disconnected and my cousin confirmed for me that they had closed down. What kind of mad mad world is this?

Well, I'm outta here for a while. Time to get my list going, I also have some phone calls to make. My not so favorite thing to do in life, not for business anyway. ;-p

Well, That Part Is Over With

I woke up this morning (barely moving) and prepared myself mentally for the long lines I knew me and my daughter would have to stand in to get her registered for classes. In the end, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but the process was tiring and so I'm glad to be able to sit still for a moment and just relax. The balance for her education (1st year) is $2636.00 that can be paid in eight installments between now and June of next year.

I'm excited for her. I didn't get the chance to go out-of-state for school, I was too busy tending to children and being a wife. She's going to major in Biology (wants to be a doctor) and I'm sure she's going to excel in everything she does. I can't wait to see that degree and even more I can't wait until she reaches her goal and she has the title she seeks.

It hasn't all hit me because we haven't moved her into her dorm room yet. I'm sure that as I'm putting into place the last item we bring in for her room and I give her that last hug that my eyes will get all misty. She's spent plenty of weekends away from home, she's even gone on some trips that may have lasted a couple of weeks and I know I'll see her this winter for the holidays but there's something to be said about leaving your child at a learning institution for months on end. Especially these days when so much seems to be happening and she's the first one to go off to school too so it's a whole new experience for me.

So now I'll have three in another state and one that I have to hurry up and get registered for school when I get back home. Even that should be interesting seeing as how I'm sure they didn't send all her records over from her last school. I used to count down the years when they would all be out of high school and I would be free to travel. Of course, when I dreamt that, I was beautiful, rich and in love. In order for it to come true now I'd have to find me some money. ;-p

So far, so good.

Well my trip to Alabama has been quite wonderful, despite my broken A/C in the van. In 90+ degree weather we survived the stop & go of construction on the highways and we made it in good time. It seemed like I wouldn't be able to get much done, as far as registering my daughter for school but even that moved more smoothly than I initial believed it could. But tomorrow will be the real test of my patience as we move from line to line to get her classes picked out and get her, hopefully, moved into her dorm room.

Today we did some shopping at a few thrift stores and just like in any store where I have to try on clothing, it was very interesting but I did get a couple of outfits and some shoes. I'm not a shopper so I saw the task as something to be dreaded, but unfortunately, the clothes I brought with me are not adequate for this kind of weather. I'm used to the cooler MI weather, even when it had gotten hot it wasn't like this so I needed something "cooler".

We also had lunch chinese food at a nice buffet and after all the shopping and errand running we went for a swim before the rain came. My cousin cooked a delicious dinner (I love my family, they can cook...LOL) and in a few moments I will check out some info on the web, gather my children to me and then we will head back to my other cousin's house where we are staying for the duration of our trip to get ready for bed.

It's been a full day and I'm satisfied.