Update on Life, midsummer 2008

Hi Y'all,

Ok, I just feel like writing today. Bear with me. It's probably because I don't want to be a 1930's housewife right now, see below! :)

What are we doing? Well, I think I will list a snapshot of our lives right now, just because it is nice to do that once in a while. I'm not known for my memory. It's really nice to go back sometimes and see how things were going. One fun thing is to write down your financial goals or other goals and then look at them two years later. It surprised me one year when I found that list and realized we'd met them.
Here's another example: When our #2 child was still in foster care, the SSI people called to see if he qualified for SSI payments as a person with a permanent disability that might affect their cognitive functioning and ability to get through school or get a job. He was 2. If a person qualifies, they get social security payments on top of adoption support, basically until they die or unqualify themselves somehow, as I understand it. I answered all the questions, and the guy on the phone kind of said, "Uh oh, that sounds like a lot of what his sister does, too.". And I thought, dear Lord, I hope it's going to get better because this one is not easy. And he's not. But he has gotten better. Right before the adoption, they called me back and asked me the same questions. This time I said, "No, I don't think so" to most of the questions about his behavior. And then the guy read to me my answers from last year. I was flabbergasted. Did I say that? Wow, he got a lot better than I thought! And it was true. And thank goodness, every year he gets "better". He has some quirks that drive us up the wall, but every year is a vast improvement over the one before. No SSI for him. Hooray! It's very, very hard to qualify for, by the way.

It's always nice to have a reality check.

So, what are things like this year?

We love living in our city, because there is so much to do and so many people we know. We have parks, beaches, church, scouts, soccer coming right up, and tomorrow night, we are going to the Cross's "Redneck Party". Nearly all the people we know in the area are at least coming up for the evening, even if they don't stay the night. The family bought five acres and redid the house completely, and it's GORGEOUS. And quiet and nice and on a dirt road where I belong. Cue John Denver music right now, please.

I brought the tent up there but forgot the poles. This is why I'm doing it a day early. Hah. Now I just have to remember to look for them. It was time to reorganize the carport closet anyway...

Last week we did vacation Bible school, and the kids loved it, but the adults were tired. This week, we are doing Twilight Cub Scout Camp, and both of us are working it, so we are all there 4:30-9:30 every night. The kids LOVE it, and the adults usually do, but again, we are tired. I'll put the website up soon, it's really cute and has LOTS of pictures of our cute kids.

We found out that both Gabe and Dominic need surgery this fall, but they are for really minor reasons. Dominic technically doesn't need it, but we'll go for a circumcision anyway. Long story. We appear to have a family problem of something called "buried penis" or "hidden penis" where the webbing between the little boy parts is too much, and can spoil a circumcision. I think Gabe, being eight, would rather I didn't get into the details any further. Each surgery will only take 10 minutes, but they do have to be asleep for it. We've done this before with Gabe, twice. Argh. No more boy children!

DH applied for a lead position at his work, and he did not get it, but the good news is they are moving him back to Mon-Fri so he can have his Sundays back two weeks from now. Thank God. It isn't fun to go through Mass with four kids by yourself, and everyone wonders if you are married anymore after a while. We sometimes go Sat night, but it is so much better to just have Sunday off anyway. Maybe they are doing that to make nice that he didn't get the other job. He wasn't happy, but there you have it. I'm sure something will come along, and meanwhile, we're doing just fine.

We tried out the neighbor's poodle this week. Poodles are supposed to be less allergenic than other dogs, and our kids, esp. Brandon, seem to have a hankerin' for one. I miss a dog, too. So our neighbors let us borrow theirs in the daytime for four days. Her name is Suzette and she is all pooped out now. I guess she doesn't like car rides, because she panted and shook the whole time we took the tent to its destination. She's on the couch and quite comfy. I didn't want to like a poodle, but I have to say I'm warming to the concept of having one. I'd rather not have a strictly outdoor dog around here in the winter. DH says he can tell there is an animal in the house, but the skin is not going ape, so maybe we can do it. We're going to take our time, though. I hope to get something bigger, like a Labradoodle. At least now we know how the kids will be. They love having a dog. Dominic giggles every time she licks his face. So cute! They also clean your floor. I have no problem with that.

The garden is going nuts, finally. We have peas, strawberries, corn, tomatoes and beans, all in various stages of development. I meant to have lettuce, but something keeps eating it and I don't get around to doing anything about replanting it. But this is my most successful garden so far. We also planted a peach tree, two blueberries, and two cherries, all of which appear to be doing well. Yay for gardening!

I have but one more paper to grade for MODG, as far as I know. I think I got everything done and I'm really glad to get at least a year off. I love MODG, but I have to have more than one month a year to catch up with my own stuff, so this is that year. We have organizing to do if we ever hope to live in a bigger house. I'm not moving all this crap ever again.

Next summer will be the soonest we move, no worries. Anyone know of an acre with a decent four bedroom house around here somewhere? Five bedrooms would be better, but mostly so we can not have the computers in the living room anymore. Or the bedroom closet, where one of them is. We're not ready yet, but under 300K is our aim. I know, not likely, but we've been lucky before....

Ok, time to stop procrastinating. Have a beauteous last week of July, everyone!