surprise, surprise

we got a call from our lawyer on wednesday and they found a current address on freddie and moe's dad and surprise it's here in town. imagine our shock. they are going to attempt to serve him so we will see what comes of it. i'm not expecting much from him but it's just weird that he has been here all this time. of course it could be false information or another guy by his name so we will see what happens, either way it pushes the court day back. we would have been scheduled for court on nov 9th but now it could be later. i just want this to be done and over. we really need to get the kids on insurance before moe breaks another bone and they both need counseling. during this time i have realized it really stinks to not have insurance and before everyone comments on all the wonderful agencies out there, don't. i cannot tell you how many of these wonderful agencies i have contacted and because we are the working poor they can't offer anything or they just don't return your calls or they can't help because we took the kids instead of having the state place them with us.

sorry guys i guess i'm a little more frustrated than i thought.
so let me tell you what i know to be true.

God will take care of everything insurance or no insurance, state agencies or no state agencies. He has been our source even before we took the kids and He will not leave us. everyday i need to be reminded that He is in control and even the little nuisances are a part of His plan. we have been able to offer the kids a stable home life with no fear of the utilities being shut off or having to move every year or will they be able to eat tonight. we may not be doing everything perfect but we have love and i truly can't imagine my life any other way. thank you God for giving me just what i need even when i don't realize it's just what i need.

spoiled

i realized yesterday that my husband has spoiled me. really spoiled me. i have always been a very independent can-do-it-and-will-do-it-all-on-my-own kinda woman but ever so slowly my husband has worked his manly charm on me. my epiphany came yesterday when i was almost forced to drive his pickup. to put things into perspective i drive a 2003 ford supercrew pickup and my husband drives a 1988 chevy dually pickup. i have been driving since i was 14 and have driven my share of brokedown cars and trucks. but now that i'm older i don't want to drive how should i say this "challenged vehicles". my husbands truck is what i would call a "challenged vehicle". as he was running down the list of how to start it, then how to keep it started, then how to drive it instructions i realized i didn't want to drive it unless i absolutely "cause the world is coming to an end" have to. so being the spoiler that he is he postponed his little trip in my truck and let me run my errand in my truck so that i wouldn't have to drive his. like i said i'm spoiled. does my husband love his truck? no, but he drives it because thats what we have and its paid for. someday soon i'll be able to spoil him and buy him the work truck he needs and deserves that doesn't need 3 pages of instructions on how to start it.

fyi

in case you ever wondered what a tupperware bowl full of brown gravy would do when dropped on a tile floor.
wonder no more.
it goes everywhere.
and i mean everywhere. i had to move the fridge to get the puddle that formed underneath. i just kept telling myself that i needed to clean under there anyways.

6 months

today is the 6 month anniversary of us having the kids. it doesn't seem like 6 months but it is. the guardianship stuff is on track. their dad has until monday to advise the court if he has a problem with us becoming the kids guardians. since he has never been a part of the kids life we are not expecting any hassle from him. so next week they will set a court date (make it quick Lord) and then the kids will be ours. my sister made a small fuss when she was reading over the paperwork but quickly realized that we would fight her if she didn't agree. she has really been quite calm through all of this. i really expected her to put up more of a fight but deep down she knows she can't care for them right now and we have to be able to care for them completely. which means legal guardianship.

thanks guys for all your words of encouragement. marme hit the nail on the head with her comment. it's not the work but the enormity of all of it. in 6 months i have gone from being the full time mom of one child (squirt) and step-mom of one child(bubba) to being the mom/stepmom/aunt of 4 teenagers. a very dear friend told me that on the outside i appear to have it all together but she knows me well enough to see the cracks. God is truly walking me through this valley and He will not leave me unchanged. there are just times when it overwhelms me.

stuck in the middle

i've been feeling so stuck in the middle of things lately.

my sister is here for the week and i don't want her here but the kids need her. so i'm stuck with her.

she doesn't trust her new doctor and i get to call the social worker and try to work out a solution. so i'm stuck with her and them.

freddie wants to drive all the time. so i'm really stuck on this one.

everybody wants hot meals, clean house and clean clothes. stuck, stuck, stuck.

work wants me to actually work and not sit and talk all day long. stuck again.

don't get me wrong i love my family and want to be a good mom, sister, wife, and employee.

so how do i get unstuck?

sorry guys i'm a little emotional right now...almost that time. but i can't be the only one that feels this way from time to time. so how do we get unstuck? do we take time for ourselves? do we spend more time with Jesus? do we just have a good cry and a good sleep? i'm convinced that last one cures a multitude of attitude problems. at least for me anyways. so give me some comments. what is your number one best way to get unstuck?

i've been tagged

ree tagged me, you big stinker.


Seven things you never knew about me and now wish you didn't. Or as you put it...Seven strange/weird/crazy things about me:

1. i have a freakishly good memory. i can remember just about anything i don't need to remember. addresses, kids i went to kindergarten with, movie dialogues, songs, conversations, just about everything.

2. i have an obsession with school supplies. i sometimes cruise the school supply aisle at walmart looking for something to buy.

3. i listen to Christmas music all year long.

4. during the last trimester of my pregnancy i wore mens tighty-whitey underwear. it was so much more comfortable than womens maternity underwear. the wide waistband lays so nice and flat against your big pregnant belly and they are fuller in the seat. nuff said.

5. i'm allergic to cockroaches.

6. when i shop i have to touch everything and if i don't like the texture or feel of it i won't buy it. this applies to anything fabric. could you see me in the grocery store feeling a can of green beans.

7. i have a birthmark in the shape of a dollar sign on my left calf.

i tag chris and dawn

comments to advice comments

we are looking at ASU since it is local and she can still live with us the first year or so. the actual tests are not free but the prep courses are. i'm thinking i'll make her take both prep courses and then we will go from there. they are having several prep classes before the test dates so we should get a good feel from those. she is not a good test taker so i want her to have all the prep time and opportunities to take the tests as many times as she needs to score as high as she can. we are already looking at scholarships since us or her mom will not have the cash to pay her way. in the long run i think it will be a better education if she has to work for it. she is not very motivated and tends to be a slacker and a taker. i have had to cry out to God on several occasions to direct me on how to raise this teenager. it has been a good challenge. thanks guys for all your good advice.

advice

ok guys i need some advice. freddie wants to go to college. should she take the ACT, the SAT or both? we are trying to get a jump on things and they are offering free ACT and SAT prep classes at her school and we need to take advantage of all the free help we can get. i never had the opportunity to go to college so i am at a loss as to which test or tests she should take. so i'm asking all my college educated blogger buddies for help.