I Don't Want To Be The Responsible Parent Anymore

And it's been such a great day.  Then I made the mistake of checking my mail (I knew there was a reason I didn't get yesterday's mail last night).  So I received 3 letters - all in the same envelope from Social Services.  The first was an apology about the first termination letter telling me my mom's benefits had stopped - it says they will continue unchanged.  The second is a letter of termination as of 9/30/08 because her income exceeds the limits ($1306/mo - can you image living on that?)!  And the third is a letter of approval with what looks like a $687 a month deductible!  Are they crazy?  We never paid anything like that before we had Medi-Cal!  Why would we continue with Medi-Cal when we can get a Medicare HMO plan for cheaper - granted - I will be subsidizing my mom again (there goes my trip to Israel) - but it's much cheaper than $687 a month?!  I just don't understand and I'm so frustrated right now I can barely stand it (nice way to finish off the Labor Day weekend) - I know, I know...  have Faith because God has a plan - I've been listening the last several weeks at church - but I'm just sick and tired of it all - I don't want to be the responsible parent anymore.

I Like To Call It Passive Aggressive

I was doing so well.  Then today, I had to teach someone a lesson.  I was under the impression that when you are making a right turn and you have a red light that you are supposed to stop – not barrel through it at full speed almost taking out the person making their left (that would be me) in the process.  The lesson I learned, is that when I have the left turn green arrow, I still have to yield to anyone making a right coming from the opposite direction.  Yeah – it didn’t sit too well with me this morning – I had to honk – after my lesson, I wanted to teach her a lesson – to which she just raised up her arm at me – like – what are you going to do about it.  Well I will tell you what I did about it – prayed for grace and mercy – and just went about my way resisting the urge to point out to her that she was number one!

And it was just a tough morning… traffic was bad – whatever happened to rideshare Thursday?  School must be getting back this week – ugh.  I felt like I was living out the opening scene of Office Space – I should know better than to change lanes!  Just stick with one lane – no one is going anywhere!   And I’m so glad that we have that new cell phone law – I never see people holding their cell phones anymore – yeah, that’s it!

Up until this morning – I’ve been doing ok – well, there was an incident yesterday…  I was driving along and this woman (why are they always women) came up behind me and was really intent on meeting me.  So once I was past the car to the right – I signaled and moved over – of course, my foot somehow slipped off the accelerator as I was making the move – slowing my car down a bit – oops.  I like to call it passive aggressive – not road rage – because that is so much better!

As you can probably tell – I’m not quite in the pit of despair and frustration that I was on Monday.  After about ½ a dozen phone calls and 2 messages later – I finally heard from Social Services yesterday – not her assigned social worker, but someone else.  My mom’s benefits won’t discontinue at the end of the month – they are still processing the paperwork and I will get a letter soon telling me whether she is still eligible to receive benefits.  And then this evening, her assigned social worker called to apologize for the letter that we received – that we received it in error and would be getting further communication that her benefits had not been discontinued – I’m still not sure if that is the final outcome – but she requested a phone call back so she knows that I received the message – lets see  - took her 4 days to call me back – so I’ll think about calling Monday night.  I guess I should just be happy that she called to apologize for the letter – pretty amazing!

Make The Roads A Happier Place

I have a bunch of stories to tell - but am a bit too frustrated tonight - got a letter from Social Services that my mom has been discontinued from Medi-Cal at the end of August because we failed to complete the redetermination of eligibility - which I sent in a month ago.  I don't know if they didn't get any of it or they are missing something they need - suffice it to say - I left a voicemail for the social worker and now just have to wait until tomorrow to see what I need to do - and hopefully this social worker will call me back - unlike the last one.  Any prayers you want to send my way would be lovely.

Lynne - I know I told you that I was going to challenge myself on something and to check my blog for it - so didn't want you have to keep waiting.  You may or may not know that I am the poster child for road rage - I don't do stupid things with my car or flip people off - but I get so mad sometimes.  This came up in Bible Study on Wednesday and then yesterday, Craig preached about loving your enemies and he used the illustration of road rage.  So there I am sitting in the front row thinking - ok, God, I'll try to drive with grace and mercy.  So that's what I'm challenging myself to do - is really cut down on the road rage - so far - I've had a rage free day - so I don't dare go anywhere at the moment with my frustration level where it is! :)  So please check in on me and keep me accountable and I'll try my best to make the roads a happier place - God Help Me!

Lazy!

There were several things that happened today that I was going to blog about - but can now only think of a few of them - dang - I am becoming my mother - God Bless Her!  I'll start with the cat.

So I've written before that one of her favorite things in the world is laundry just out of the dryer. Today I did my moms laundry and it wasn't on the bed for more than 15 seconds before she was up rummaging through it - enjoy the pictures...

Look - it's a sock to play with!

Ahh - grandma's nightgown!

This is where she was when I left the house at 11:30am  SI went out for some best friend time (had a great afternoon - B!), a basketball lesson for Teyo, a drum lesson from Russ (I LOVED playing the drums), and time at the gym - more on that in a few.  Usually when I get home Sadie will meet me at the door - well this evening - I had to search her out - and where was she?  Still laying on the bed on my moms laundry!  Lazy!  At least she had changed positions.

I was rewarded at the gym with an elliptical machine right in front of the TV playing the Olympics - unfortunately - I watched the last women's volleyball match - which they lost - but they did get the silver - Go USA!  I did see a movie ad for a movie staring Leonardo DiCaprio and my boy, Russell Crowe - what disturbed me - Leonardo got top billing - unacceptable!  Although I'm just excited that there is a Russell Crowe movie coming out.  I was also treated to watching the teeny boppers walk around like they are such the studs - not.  And I saw Elvis at the gym!  When I was leaving the gym I got a glimpse of Carnival Man coming out of his car - in regular clothes - he actually looked pretty normal - except the awful hair!

Just Call In Sick And Stay Home With Me

I had such plans for tonight...  at one point during the week, I thought - I'm going to be a good egg and go to the gym - and then I thought - I'm going to drive up and enjoy the fireworks at Disneyland.  But I got home - sat on the couch with my baby doll (that would be Sadie) and thought - this is where I want to be.  This morning I was having a hard time getting my act together to go to work - and I was sitting there on the couch trying to motivate myself and looked over at the cat and she started to purr and her look said 'Just call in sick and stay home with me' - it took everything I had to go into to work.  I had to though - I was teaching and just couldn't stick my class with someone else - not that they are a bad group - there are only two of them - but I just would never do that.  It was an unexpectedly busy week this week - especially in the evenings, so I decided to stay in this evening and hang with her - and it has just been wonderful.

I do have a few mom stories to share from earlier in the week.  I went by to visit and drop off her laundry - and usually when I pick up her dirty laundry - I'll go through her drawers to find anything else that needs to be washed - she never puts her socks in the dirty laundry - so I have to search them out.  As I was looking through her drawers - the number of toilet paper rolls she has been collecting is just fascinating - I know I've written about it before - but I had to have put at least 8-10 almost empty rolls in dirty laundry to take home and throw out - and I still left half a dozen in the dresser!

As I was taking some of her clothes out of the dresser and closet to take with me to wash - she kept stopping me and asking me to show her what I was taking so she would know - like it makes a difference!  I show her every week - and every week I hear that her favorite nightgown or sweater or shirt has gone missing - only to find out that I had it and washed it.  And then I remind her again and again and again a few moments later that I have brought the clothing back.

While I was there visiting - her neighbor came by and knocked and then walked in.  After she left - my mom commented that she always walks in because she has a key.  And I told her that she doesn't have a key - but the door was unlocked.  Of course my mom insists that she ALWAYS locks the door - yeah - that's why I was able to walk in without my key when I had arrived earlier.  So I tried to remind my mom to lock her door - but, of course, she ALWAYS locks her door - how do you tell a woman with Alzheimer's that she's wrong and she needs to remember to do something?!  God Bless Her!

Well, it's about time to go - the Olympics are on - and as my friend Jan noted - they are almost over!  Must watch as much as I can - that and I'm tired tonight and hope to go to bed early.  Pleasant weekend, everyone!

One Last Look

Went back to work today - after a week and a half away - it was tough.  Luckily I had an easy day of prepping for my two week class which starts tomorrow.  So before I get fully back into the swing of things at work - wanted to remember the fun of VBS and give it one last look - enjoy the pictures!

The stage is set - God's Big Backyard - or as Craig called it yesterday - a yard sale!

Here are the kids filling up the church - getting ready for chapel time.

Diana, Lynne and Kristi - waiting for the show to begin.

Me - caught in the act!

Showing off our friends...

It truly was a great week - God Bless it all!

Well - you're probably wondering where the pictures are - I had intended to post them in the body of the blog - but can't seem to get them uploaded - and according to the blogger help message board - I'm not the only one...  so to see the pics that go with the captions - click here - and enjoy the fun!

Like She Doesn't Nap All Day Long

Another quick post.  It's been a bit of a tough day - a good day - but a tough day.  Was nervous this morning - really wanted the older kids to do well during the VBS service - they did great!  What a blessing they were - God Bless them!  It was also about a year ago that our choir director Ron Woods went to live with the Lord - that has been on my heart.

And I was just tired today - it was a lot of fun with the kids - they all did a great job this morning - singing and doing hand motions.  The puppets did a great job - I'm thinking the puppets need to be a bit more active - will have to work on that - they do have a gig in December though! :)  Anyway - I got home and was so tired I went immediately into the bedroom for a nap - the cat followed and we slept all afternoon.  We finally got up about 4pm and after puttering around a bit - I walked back into the bedroom and the cat had gotten back on the bed and was sitting there looking at me like - ok - let's continue our napping!  Like she doesn't nap all day long - she is napping right now while I type this - ah - to live that life!

Instead of joining the cat for another nap - I decided to see if my toe could get into my dress shoes - which it did - so I thought I would try on my gym shoes - and was able to do that also - so I took my toe to the gym - for an easy workout - but I have really missed working out the last couple of weeks.  And they were playing old people music at the gym - old people being a relative term for 70's and 80's music.

And I have to make an Olympic admission...  every time I see Bob Costas interviewing people in the studio - it looks like it is raining outside the window they are sitting in front of - I kept thinking - wow, they get a lot of rain there.  Today - while he was interviewing Michael Phelps - I realized that it is a fountain - nice.

Well that was much more than I planned to write - but since you made it this far through the blog - enjoy a VBS picture of the 'Campfire Girls.'