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William

This morning I woke up with the dreaded thought of going to Costco. Lately, every time I go, it is CRAZY busy. As in, you-can’t-walk-in-the-aisle-busy.

So I pondered renewing my membership at Sam’s Club.

Plus..there are things I like to get at Sams…and things I like at Costco.

So I went back and forth and back and forth.

And finally, I was like, “Fine…I’ll go to Sams!”

And it was great…because Bboo woke up and so she got the privilege of going with me. Cause I’m just nice like that!

We made it thru and the lines were so nice and short…and so I decided to reward her with pizza and a slurpee.

Cause I’m just nice like that!

And as we were sitting there talking, I noticed an older gentleman desperately trying to grasp his cart and and the cart next to him.

I jumped up and ran over to try and catch him as he fell to the ground. By that time, another woman had come over and helped me help him up and get him sitting down. We got him some water and Bboo and I sat next to him talking with him while he tried to re-gain his composure.

I asked him if he had anyone to drive him home and he replied that he was driving himself; so I asked him where he lived and it turned out it was just down the street from us.

So, Bboo and I helped him out, loaded up our groceries, and she followed me while I drove him home in his van. (and  a very nice van, I might add!)

William moved here in 1989 with his wife. They were married for 52 years and raised three daughters together before she passed away this past year.

“I miss her,” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes. (Mine, too.)

His grandson lives near. He was in the Navy and married a women from Japan. They have three very smart girls and now his wife wants to move back to Japan.

His niece is supposed to move here at the end of June.

We talked about my crew as we drove to his house; him asking me several times if my daughter was still following behind us and was she a good driver. 🙂

We finally made it to his home and brought his groceries in and put them away. Such a sweet man. Lonely.

And then we drove home…and Bboo let hubby know right away that I’d drove a strange man to his house while she followed behind us. She was going to call him earlier, but figured he’d be better off finding out after her calling and saying,

“Dad, mom’s driving a strange man home while I follow behind…um, no…we don’t know where we’re going, but we’ll be ok.”

I’m glad we decided to go to Sams’. And I’m glad I got to meet William.

We’ll Miss You, Leah!

Tonight we said “See you later!” to a dear friend…no, family member, as she moved across the states. We like to tease her and make her cry and remind her how tough we are…that we are not criers like she is.

But the truth is, not knowing when we will see her again breaks my heart.

Leah has been there for our family through the past eight years. For me, it started out as a choir teacher who loved my kid. The moment I watched the Drama Queen run up to the stage and bounce into Leah’s arms as she kept singing without a beat….wow. Someone who got my kid!

Leah brought out the best in her. DQ is such a free spirit and Leah got that. She worked with her and taught her so much about singing. I had so much fun teaching children’s choir with her even though I can’t carry a tune…but together, we had some fun years!

Throw Bboo in the mix and we had even more fun!

But the best was just knowing she was there putting a dent in my couch on Sunday afternoons. Or knowing any of us could call or text and she’d be there; whether it was to sit next to one of us in the hospital or take one out for a movie or shopping spree….or well…whatever was needed.

Sunday was the last time the DQ and Leah sang together before Leah went home to be with her *real* family. Three services…and by the last one, she could barely hang on. Fitting…but hard to watch.

We love you, Leah…and we’ll miss you terribly.

As we say goodbye….

Where they started…..

Quotable quote #19

The Smart One was reading to me tonight.

“Intelligent people are more likely to have a hard time falling asleep due to increased brain stimulation.”

That’s it! I’m too smart to sleep!

Quotable Quotes with Kathleen – AKA High School Teacher

Kathleen’s response to, “Oh, you’re talking again?” “No, we’re just messaging.”

We used to just talk. Now we have to wonder if messaging is talking or just messaging.

Kathleen’s response to “hooking up”

What is hooking up? It could mean five different things? Then there’s talking…or hooking up…or texting…”

Kathleen’s response to “low key hot”

How can you be low key hot? You’re either hot or your not. How can you be low key hot?

Kathleen’s response to “SWAG”

I don’t understand it. I must not have it.

Kathleen’s response to “ratched”

It’s wretched, misspelled.

Kathleen’s response to “Catch a fade”

Something about fighting. I might end up in a fight if I say this.

 

She’s getting there…

I don’t often write about the foster/adoption of our younger two. Trust me…there is soooo much I could share, but at the same time, it is difficult.

However, we seem to have hit a milestone today.

The Princess has some pretty big obstacles to overcome. Coming from a neglected lifestyle, she constantly strives for attention; any attention she can get. It is difficult to watch because she just wants someone to pay attention to her. She struggles with it in a family of ten. She struggles with it at school. It’s like…finally she can say, “Hey, look at me….pay attention to me” and she doesn’t know how to turn it off.

We’re working on it.

But how do you convince a child that she is loved and wanted when there are days when you absolutely just need a five minute break?

I am an early riser. My Sunday mornings are my Sunday mornings. That sounds selfish, I know. But, I get up early, have my coffee, read my Bible and just try to get a grip on myself as I finish out one week and get ready for the next. It is the one time a week where I can just have…me, all to myself, no interruptions, just a few blessed moments of peace and quiet. My crazy job and my crazier family dictate that I NEED to have one morning a week to just have a few moments of uninterrupted quiet!

The Princess is also an early riser. And when she wakes up, there is that built in, “I can’t be alone-I don’t know what to do with myself, so let me wake up everyone in the household, even though they’ll get mad at me because they’re trying to sleep in on the one day a week they can, but I need to have someone pay attention to me syndrome.”

And so, she’s gotten into the habit of  waiting by my bedroom door until she hears me stir. Or, she’ll stand at my bedroom door staring at me until she wakes me up. I’ll admit, there are some mornings when I am afraid to breathe because I am not even out of bed yet and am about to be bombarded. Selfish, I know.

But there is that split second of me moving in my bed and she bounces in with a loud and lively, “Thank God your up now pay attention to me” attitude. Um….ok.

I’ve tried asking for just five minutes.

I’ve tried to be patient and understanding. I’ve tried letting her come down stairs with me, her with her Bible and me with mine and spending some quality time with her without her waking up the entire household.

I’ve tried and tried and tried.

I finally gave her a rule….On Sunday mornings if you wake up, you have to stay in your room until 7:30 am. Read a book, color, play a game, draw, whatever you want…but stay in your room and enjoy that time to yourself.

I know, I know…it sounds mean.

On the other hand….she’s just not quiet. And trust me, it is worse when others don’t want to be woken up and she’ll have to suffer the wrath of tired, grouchy, siblings….

And we’re talking 7:30 am on a Sunday morning, people!

But this morning…..

As I passed by her room, she was sprawled out on her bed, completely sound asleep. She didn’t even move when I shut her door.

I cannot begin to tell you the relief that I felt when I saw that.

And NOT because it meant I might have a few moments of peace and quiet.

I felt relief because FINALLY she is sleeping. Something in that little body is allowing her to just relax and sleep.

Because the bigger issue is that sleep has not come easy for her.

It took forever for the nightmares to go away.

It took forever for her to just sleep through the night.

It is now 8:13 am….and I’m about to go check on her.

I haven’t heard a sound. The door hasn’t opened and she’s not moving upstairs.

I hope she’s not sick.

 

Edited to add:

She wasn’t sick….and she slept until 8:47 am.

And now…she won’t stop talking. ha ha ha