Cammie just left and it went smashingly.

I don’t know if her attitude has changed or mine has but now we are like BFF.

Makes for a less exciting blog though.

Although I probably will change my mind next week.

I’m now officially a foster parent again.

For girls 12 and younger and boys 6 and younger.

She loved the BDH.

Oh get this! There is a class I can take on behavior training. Then I will be licensed as a behavioral foster parent. I said, “Well what qualifies as a behavioral foster child?” and she said that Bug would definitely qualify. And if I had taken the training prior to adopting Bug, my adoption subsidy would be 400 dollars a month more!! Of course, it’s not retroactive, but I’m going to take the class anyway. First, because I think it would be helpful, but second because if I get another “Bug” then a larger subsidy would certainly be nice!

My homestudy is going in on a sibling group.

And Cammie said that she would try to get Bug some kids to play with soon.

So here we go again…

P.S. I didn’t even have to hide my dirty dishes this time.

Technorati Tags: parenting, foster care, adoption, kids, homestudy

First, to answer Aurelia’s question..I’m not 100% sure that it is Galinda’s turn, but just making a good guess. I’ve been having alternating pain directly over my ovaries. Last month, it was on the right side (the good Elphaba side), this month it is on the left side, and it very painful. That is my rather unscientific conclusion.

I just got back from my old house. I’ve finished up moving everything out and getting it all cleaned. Of course, now the kitchen and living room of the BDH is a gigantic pile of everything I own.

Bug seems unphased by it, asking if we can bake cookies and go shopping. I told her we could bake cookies once we found the kitchen table. It has to be under that pile somewhere.

Speaking of the BDH, yesterday the phone company came out to check the lines to see why my dialup is so slow. I’m running a dialup accelerator, so it shouldn’t be THAT slow. The guy came to the door, and it was like I was on a cartoon. He looked like the host of a Saturday morning kids show. He said, “HI!! Do YOU have a problem with your PHONE?” and then made a sad face. Bug poked her head from around the corner to gawk at him. Right then, this other guy came barreling through the woods where there is a truck path. He pulled right up, and stopped. “You rentin’ this house?” “Um.yes?” “I’m your neighbor.” “Oh hi.” And then he just sat there. And then he left. It was very weird and Little Mr. Sunshine told me that he had come right up behind him at like 100 mph. Maybe Little Mr. Sunshine slept with my neighbor’s wife or something. I don’t know.

But then Bug told me that while she was getting things out of the van, another guy pulled up, asked if she was moving in, and then asked her if her parents were home. When she said yes, he said, “Well, I’m your new neighbor, so tell them I said hi.”

After I gave Bug a stern talking to about running inside if strange men pull into your driveway, I called Geo, a little freaked out. I think he’s running out of patience for my freaking out because that is all I have been doing for the past 24 hours. First there was the, “Well YOU HAVE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE BUYING STUFF FOR MY STOCKING BECAUSE MY STOCKING CAN NOT BE EMPTY GEO!” fit, followed by the sobbing I did over my internet. “It’s so SLOW. You don’t understand. All I want to do is post on my god damn blog. But it is SO SLOW.” “Well, it is ok, hon, we’ll get it fixed up for..” “Nooo…I want it fixed nooowwwwwww!”

And then I tucked myself into bed so I wouldn’t act like an idiot anymore.

Geo told me that my neighbors were probably just being nosy because that is what people do in a country town. Which is true, because not only do people ask you a bunch of questions, but they tell you about themselves. Everytime I check out of Walmart, I hear a story about the girl’s boyfriend who slept with her cousin but that is OK, because they are getting married because she needs the insurance money. Or something.

So now the one house is empty and everything I own is in a pile, and Bug keeps knocking on the door asking if she can start working on it, because she has 60 more points to earn in order to get Christmas. And she heard on the radio that Santa is making his final preparations before leaving and now she is freaked out. “I’m through with being bad,” she said. “Look where it has gotten me!” she sighed.

(P.S. Don’t forget to enter into the drawing to win a free copy of Cycle Savvy! See below)

I almost forgot to post my Holidailies today. I guess it would have counted because I did post earlier, but I’ve been trying to do a dedicated Holidailies post.

Except I have no motivation to write. I hate dialup. HATE IT. It is so slow. I can’t get anything to work. My own blog takes 45 minutes to come up. It takes six years for a lonelygirl video to load.

I want to kill dial up.

In other news, I’m ovulating out of the Galinda side, which means that this month would have been worthless in terms of baby making anyway. So guess that means the BDH was good choice.

Except for the dialup.

HATE DIALUP.

Technorati Tags: internet

Wow! Where did all you people come from? Suddenly people were popping out from everywhere to congratulate me and it truly made my day. Thank you all.

Elswhere asked where I am going to hang my diploma..probably in the bathroom. “Maybe you could learn to like me too sir? Hang ME in the bathroom?”

Between FINALLY graduating and the BDH and all this good is happening, there is a part of me that is in disbelief. I hate the part of depression that makes you feel that even though good things are happening, something bad must be around the corner. But for right now I feel happy. I am done with college. FINALLY. I am living in this great house, and everytime I walk around I can’t believe I am this lucky. And even Geo is being great..once my final grades hit the system he came over with ice cream, M&M’s and a new blender (because I wanted a McFlurry and McD’s was closed) and a really nice office chair to replace my POS one that I’ve been complaining about forever. And a big bouquet of flowers.

I did manage to drop a bottle of BBQ sauce on my toe while I was packing and now my toe could be a stunt double for a dead body on CSI. Which might bring in some extra cash, so I’m looking into it.

Technorati Tags: depression, education, CSI

Still no news on the grades. Of course, I should be in my cap and gown about to walk across the stage, but no way I was making Bug sit through 600 names being read. We’ll just have our own celebration, that is, if they ever decide to let me know if I graduated.

It is funny how the right house can make you feel so much better. We moved the beds and washer and dryer over to the BDH last night and slept over there. Even though most of my stuff is still at the HOC (house of crap), it felt so nice to wake up there. Can I tell you what a huge difference having a laundry room makes?? My God. I feel like Martha Stewart. I don’t know why.

I can’t believe it is almost Christmas. I haven’t done anything like I usually do. I am usually Miss Christmas Over Achiever but this year I’ve been slacking bad. I need to get Geo things, I need to find a few more thing for Bug. Ugh. But first I need to pick up all this stuff and move it to the other house. One step at a time.

Did I mention that unless I want to pay $100 a month, I have to get dialup. DIAL.UP. How long do you think I last before I start shelling out the $100 a month?

Must not sit on the computer, as I still have four or five hours before Bug comes home and need to start packing and moving. WOO!

Just a few short things:

*Buggy! Don’t get busted for cheating twice in one week. She is now trying to earn 100 points by not pouting, not having her school call me in the middle of my math final, not arguing, not stomping the feet, and being exceptionally helpful. Or else I am not emailing Santa to tell him where our new house is. Did I mention Bug was exceptionally helpful after hearing this news?

*Bug performed in her Church’s musical on Sunday and it was really cute. She had one line in a song as a solo and she did AWESOME. She has a very nice singing voice when she isn’t trying to sound like Carrie Underwood.

*Speaking of musicals, if you are a Wicked fan, you’ve got to go watch some clips from Wicked in London. It CRACKS me up. I think you have to be a Wicked fan who can belt out every word of “Defying Gravity” while loading the dishwasher (”Something has changed within me..something is not the same….) but hearing Galinda speak like she is Mary Poppins and hearing a British accent in the Emerald City makes me giggle. Go watch it, especially you Angela. Here’s Defying Gravity, One Short Day, and my personal favorite, What Is This Feeling? The word Loathing sounds so much better with a British accent. I think next time I chase Bug around the house singing show tunes, I will be singing this song with a British accent. Try it. It’s fun. She’s a Tahtah! She’s a Mahtah! LOVE IT.  (I think that a British actress is playing Elphaba next, does anyone know?)

*Finished with exams, managed not to cry during my math exam. Waiting to see if I will indeed graduate.

Technorati Tags: Wicked, London, college exams, graduation

One reason I didn’t like being in the military was because it seemed that you could not even go to the bathroom without someone filling out some form and having it approved by 62 people.

That is how my day has been.

My week has not been good. It started off with the continuous puking which was followed up by what felt like the hangover from hell. I was so dizzy and weak yesterday that I thought many times that I was going to pass out.

Which led me to inadvertently think that my psychology exam was due today and not yesterday.

So first, I had to work all that out.

Then, something has happened in one of my other classes. The gradebook is showing that I haven’t turned in like 90% of my assignments, even though I have, and even though I told her like 15 times this semester that my gradebook wasn’t updated and she assured me it was OK.

And you know, I’m supposed to graduate. Like THIS WEEK. So it is a little important.

On top of that, my mom sent two packages to Bug and I for Christmas. And the tracking thing said they have left me a notice, except I never got a notice. And they said the notice was left at 6:30 am, when my mail comes around 4 pm. So I called the main post office number and it is impossible to talk to a person. You have to keep yelling at the automated system, which doesn’t let you push numbers, but makes you say what you want to do.

“I WANT TO TALK TO A PERSON.”

“OK! You want to track a package?”

“NO! GET ME A HUMAN!”

“OK! You want to buy stamps?”

“NO! I WANT A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE”

“OK! You want to track a package?”

Finally, I reached a person who told me basically, that she had no idea what I was talking about, and to call the local post office. And finding that number was like finding the hidden immunity idol, as it isn’t listed on any website. Once I found that number they said, “Yeah, a notice was left.” And I said that it wasn’t. And they said it was. And then they went to check to see if the packages were there, but they weren’t. Except this morning when I called, they were. They also asked me about 12 times if “Garrett” lived here. Which he does not.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to get the new house set up with internet and TV. But the cable company doesn’t service it. And I couldn’t get AT&T to recognize the house, but finally it did. The house is in one county, but has a postal address from another county. And since I ordered online, AT&T made me call them, which defeated the whole purpose of ordering online, and now they say they are processing my order, but I still don’t know when I am getting phone service, which means I can’t order satellite TV and internet, which I am still not even sure I can get, because it seems like every person you talk to gives you a different answer.

Meanwhile, Bug decided on Sunday to raid my piggy bank and lie about it, then decided yesterday to “help” another girl take her test, by you know, taking it for her, and just about five minutes ago almost got ran over by not one, but two cars as she darted across the street without looking. And then when I honked the horn to say, “Hey, you are about to get run over by not one, but two cars” she stopped and then just stood there. And the cars stopped. And then she wouldn’t move and the bus driver screamed out the bus that she needed to look both ways.

Which was kind of my point too. Which I’ve made almost every day for the past two months as she darts across the street.

But at least I’m not throwing up.

Which is this best part about today so far, which isn’t a good sign.

Oh boy am I tired. I stayed 24 hours with little Baby. Poor little Baby. Hospital chairs are not comfortable to sleep in, by the way. And with two sick babies in a room, people were in and out every few seconds.

I also got to hear every “improper” adoption terminology you can imagine. “Why did the parents give the kids away? Can’t you have kids of your own? Why didn’t you have kids naturally? Did somebody give this baby up for adoption? Did you know my aunt went to Guatemala and got a baby because they pay the moms over there money to have babies and give them to Americans? I was going to adopt but I filled out the application and got pregnant.”

And I got one hour of sleep so I’m back to do my sobbing thing. So more tomorrow.

But..

I got the keys to my BDH!!!

and

Geo: So what is this musical about, Bug?

Bug: It was about when Jesus was boring.

Technorati Tags: foster care, Jesus, adoption

I have really bad cramps. So I took an anxiety pill, because strangely, they seem to do a really good job at making them go away. While I’m waiting for it to work, I figured I’d do a quick update.

I waited all day to hear something from the lady with the house. Finally around 4 p.m., I couldn’t take it anymore. So I called, and got the husband. He basically told me that my application was denied because the house was nice and he didn’t want a commercial venture ran out of the house. And I was like, HUH??

And he said that I was planning on having ten kids and he didn’t want them running around marking on the walls and stuff.

And besides, he didn’t want to rent to two separate people and since my Dad was going to live with me…

At this point, I had to break in because it was obvious that somehow he had gotten really confused. It’s a long story, but basically she overheard something that made her think that we were trying to set up a large group home for foster kids. Like ten kids.

And that my dad was going to live with me.

Which he totally isn’t, he went to look at the house with me but only because I don’t like to go meet a stranger at an empty house by myself.

So then he said he would talk to his wife, and she called back and was very apologetic and said that I could come get the keys tomorrow.

I’ve been running around all night talking about my Barbie Dream House.

This is my dream house. Oh my. I am SO excited.

Then Geo burst my bubble, then my mom told me to go with what I want, then Geo and I had a talk where I explained my feelings towards the house using an analogy of a speaker system and a media room, and he understood.

And then the phone rang with a local number I didn’t recognize. I let it go to voice mail, and when I listened, it was Cammie’s boss. Um..Sammy. So Sammy said that she needed a foster parent to go sit with a baby who entered care today and is hospitalized and all alone. So tomorrow, after I go sign the lease on the Barbie Dream House (BDH), I’ll be camping out at the hospital until Baby is released. Could be all day or all night, not sure yet. I was very happy that they called me, not only because it is sad that Baby has to be at the hospital alone, but because Sammy called me and I was able to say yes which always puts them on your good side. Baby won’t be coming here after Baby is released. Long story, which I can’t go into, but has nothing to do with me.
But see folks? Things are looking up.

Oh, and had to leave you with one Bug story.

Bug: What else does the book say?

Me: Well, some stuff about sex, and how not to get pregnant if you are having sex and..

Bug: You take a pill. Like the pill you took. It kills anything that tries to make a baby.

Me:  Well sort of. That is one way.

Bug: What else did it say?

Me: Things about how you know when you are ready to have sex and..

Bug: When you are old. And in love. And ready for responsibility.

Me: Right, and it also talks about some of the diseases you can get from having sex.

Bug: EWW. I am never doing the sex.

Me: Hmm.

Bug: Hey. How come you are going to take that pill and do the sperm? Won’t that cause, like, birth defects?

Me: No, but also, I’m not doing the sperm now Buggie. If I ever do, we’ll talk about it then.

Bug: Ok good. And by the way, don’t do the sex either. I don’t want you to do the sex.

Me: Why?

Bug: Because! What if I come to talk to you about something and there you are. Doing the sex.

Me: That’s not going to happen.

Bug: It might.

Me: Well, how about if I ever decide to do the sex, I’ll lock the door.

Bug: Ok. Because if I saw you doing the sex, I would say…OH NO!

Me: Me too.

Bug: The sex is so complicated. Pills, diseases, love. I just am sticking to not doing the sex. You should consider that too Mommy.