Sleep

Baby B has had a tougher time sleeping lately because of the family visits, I think. Which makes it tougher for me to sleep. And.... Mama needs her sleep, just let me tell you. Right now, I'm sitting here very thankful for my new job opportunity and have had a good couple days getting settled in... but, man, I'm TIRED. I mean, dog tired. Sheesh. Work is good, so far. Hope that continues for a very long time. :D Trying to get settled in this week... and watch and listen a lot. Ok, and talk a lot, too, lol. School is OK, but a LOT of work right now. Baby B is OK, but a lot of work right now. Lil M is good... and well, she's keeping me sane. :) She came in the family room last night and I think her one and only goal was to make me laugh. Of which, she succeeded. Life is good. I do have to confess that if they are going to send Baby B to her grandmother's to live, I wish they'd just come on and do it... She can stay with us forever, but the not knowing... is a bit tough for me some days. Again, I'm not saying I want her to go... I just feel like the state sometimes does the foster and bio families a disservice in their slowness. Peace.

No cool title is coming to me

This past week has been pretty busy. T asked me to take baby G overnight this weekend, so I did. I was a little surprised, since they came and spent the night last weekend. This time it was just Gabe.

I had a migraine.
We did a family visit with Baby B's gma.
March madness.

The migraine lasted all Friday and most of Saturday. Then had a headache Sunday. So, it was pervasive. :( blah. I missed a lot of games because I just couldn't take it. I also didn't study. I also missed a concert I'd been wanting to go to and had even gotten a sitter for!! :( But there was no way i could have handled that much noise the way my head hurt. Ugh. Hate that.

Gabriel turned 2 months old today. Wow. Too soon to tell how they are all really doing, but I'm glad that T is still talking to me and wanting to spend some time with us.

I love March Madness. I'm weird, but I do. I was excited about the games this weekend (no, I don't watch all of them), but then didn't get to see much at all. Maybe 2 or 3 games total. Oh well, there's always this weekend!!

Sunday evening we did a visit with Baby B's 'mamaw'. It went pretty well... and I could tell that B knew who she was, wanted to be with her and kept asking for her Papaw. It was tough on me, though, 'cause I realized that she will be going there and I'm going to miss her a lot. After the visit, B was a bit more whiny and needed a lot more reassurance that I was still there. Two nights in a row, actually. I'm OK with giving the extra reassurance. I just wish she didn't have to go through all this.

Two other things of note... Lil M did, in fact, get into the school system I wanted her to go to in the fall. I'm pretty excited about that. We received the confirmation letter last Friday.

I start my new job on Monday and am very excited about that, too. This is a promotion for me, and I'm still doing the happy dance. :D

Last week was also "spring break" from school for me. This week, however, is JAM packed with homework, a paper, a synopsis, a quiz and an exam!!!! Yikes!!

........

On a huge downer note, though ... someone that was part of our lives for many years passed this past weekend. She left behind a young child. I'm praying for her and her family this week.

For the rest of us... please be good to yourself and to your children. Life may be difficult, but it is worth living.

Peace.

St. Patty

Today was a good day. :) I got confirmation about the job I was given an offer for last week. I am very excited! I also heard from MK that her daughter is getting into the school system we both want. She said that this means Mia got in, too... which makes me extremely hopeful. I can't wait to hear. I am still praying she does get in, and full day Kindergarten, too.

What a great, beautiful day.

I had to put in my notice at work, and that's always uncomfortable. But it has to be done. I'm so very thankful that I found (or, should say, it found me!! Thank you, God) a permanent opportunity. I hear it's a family-friendly company. I hope it is. It's a smaller company, but owned by a fortune 500 company. That might be nice. I'm used to working for larger companies... but this is a really great opportunity for me, with the added bonus of being a promotion.

I got the new bed on Tuesday and slept in it last night. Why I can't sleep right now, I'm not sure... because it really was a great day. Watching a little basketball... and going to try again. :)

Peace.

grandparents

I got the news today that Baby B will likely go live with her grandparents when they get approved. It could be a few days, or a few weeks. Yes, I'm bummed. But I do know that God is faithful and answers my prayers. The Lord of Hosts will not only be with me and Lil M, but Baby B, as well. I pray for her on her journey, regardless of how much longer she has with me and Lil M. I thank God for every day we've had to be with Baby B and I hope we've been able to give her even the tiniest bit of stability and comfort along her way.

Of course, if something changes and she is able to say... I'd say Amen and Amen.

As for me, I've been given a new job opportunity and am excited about that. I will know more later this week, but should be able to start before the end of the month.

Lil M has been doing really well with sharing and being the big Sis. I know she's been wondering when Bri will go, but I also think she is going to miss having her around. I know I will for sure. She is such the big girl, and is just getting so confident with her gymnastics and stuff. She is learning how to be a good role model to younger kids, and I'm proud of her. :) She is my joy, for sure.

Also, T and baby Gabe came to see us Friday and stayed until Saturday evening. It was great. I know Lil M enjoyed having them here and getting to hold the baby. T is doing OK... I'm hoping she'll get back to her school here this week and graduate in June as planned. I worry, but am hoping if she needs me she'll let me know. She sort of did this weekend... said that she told Scrunch that if she wanted to come stay she would... that she "did live here for a year" ... and basically, that did mean something to her. Of which, you have NO idea how thankful I am. I mean that. I was so excited about the baby and she kept saying... I wasn't givin him up for anything... and I said, of course I'm not!!! :) Mamaw has to hold the baby... that's my job. :D

Lord God, I love my life and thank you every single minute for it.

Peace.

We're better

Knocking on some wood over here... I do believe we've weathered the winter sickies and are better. :) We had a nice weekend. We got to have a playdate with our friends Devi and Tiffany. Stayed in on Saturday... and then yesterday did some shopping. That was the first time I attempted to take both girls shopping... for a few hours. :)

They helped me find a new bed. (Yes, Auntie Ellen... I FINALLLLLLY bought a new bed!!) That was overdue about 8 or more... lol. I didn't go overboard on an expensive one, but it is a pillow-top and seems nice enough. If I have any troubles with it, they said I can call them and exchange it for a different one if I need.

Actually, it was a nice weekend. I didn't (as usual) get nearly enough cleaning done, but we did take a load of stuff to Goodwill yesterday. I got the upstairs TV hooked up and can at least watch DVD's. More to come.

My friend Devi told me I'm less over-protective than she is with her daughter. I laughed. Really?? Seriously? LOL. No... I'm not less over-protective. We just have different things we're paranoid about or won't let our own daughters do. This example is that, I believe that Lil M can be upstairs without me for short periods of time, but she doesn't do that with her daughter. Of course, right now she and her daughter are in a place with only one floor, but she said when she was in her house (tri-level) she would never do that. I explained that I used to put Lil M in her room with a baby gate, because I knew it was safe and I could still hear her. When you are a single parent you need to find ways to get things done sometimes without them being right in the same room. At the same time, I wouldn't let Lil M wear some of the strapless dresses and such without something under them that she does. Even at 4, yes. (Yes, I'm a bit paranoid.)

Lil M seems to really like gymnastics. She's learning how to do a cartwheel. :)

Baby B is doing much better. She's over being sick and is a very sweet little girl. Taking things one day at a time!

Peace.