Oh The LOVELY Life of a Single Mom

This morning, I was sick - just pukey and blah..... so we did not go to church.

Kaileigh was MAD! Hunter had a migraine, so he was OK with it.

Kaileigh is now an Alabama fan bc she figured that was the only thing that would make me take her to church! lol She will get over it.....

So.... her dad came over to pick her up (normal Sunday routine, but a few hours early) and also to repair some shelves he hung last week that fell....

As if that were not uncomfortable enough, a knock on the door & it was Hunter's dad coming to pay child support & research rifles.....

I can handle my ex-husbands fairly well one at a time, but dealing with them both at the same time is NOT FUN.....

Today was OK since they were in opposite ends of the house, but still - not pleasant entirely....

AND Kaileigh tried to introduce them to each other - she said "Hunter's Daddy, I would like you to meet MY Daddy - my 2 favorite Daddies together at last"...... I found it humorous, but Kaileigh's Daddy did NOT.

They both got finished with their projects and then sat in my living room for the longest time until I said "HEY! - Divorce means you don't live here anymore - is there a reason you guys are camping out?" LOL

It took them forever to finally leave - but then I got to spend the afternoon with Hunter watching bad movies and laughing about the crazy ways of men..... until Hunter reminded me that he would be a man soon..... then he took a nap & I had a small little panic attack.

Good times, I tell you, good times.......

This Mom Thing is HARD!!!!

I think Kaileigh has been taking lessons from her older brother.....

This morning, I told her she would need to go to extended day and I put a note in her backpack for her teacher. She said she was NOT going to extended day. I walked out of the room & came back to find her stuffing the note to her teacher under the couch.....

I said, "HEY! What are you doing?"
She said, "I am not going to extended day."
I said, "Even if the note does not go to school, you still have to go to extended day - I have to work."
She said, "I'll just walk home."

Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo - when I picked her up at extended day later, she said, "Mrs. Smith would not let me walk home - I don't like you OR her."

She is sooooooooo saucy!

I don't know where she gets it.

Shut up.

I Have a Confession to Make......

I am a HUGE TV junkie. So several months ago, I started only watching what I TIVO - to cut down on some of that. I also only TIVO stuff I absolutely love.....

But it is still A LOT of TV.......

The last two weeks, we have been so busy that I have not watched any television (except cartoons & iCarly with Kaileigh, but really does that count????).....

I was amazed when I realized it last night....

Then Hunter burst my bubble.....

He said, "Umm, Mom - have you checked the TIVO lately?" I said "No, why?"

"Well, because of the Olympics, everything you record is in reruns anyway" (meaning that it would not record anyway)

Well, that stinks......

So I watched a mini-marathon of Ultimate Cake Off (the only thing that has recorded lately) and I guess that will have to do until next week.....

Hmmmm.

Today was a pretty good day - even though I did see my ex-husband a LOT more than I like to - but he seems to be coming back down off his manic episode, so it was not too bad.

So, like, the biggest thing on my mind right now is that I found out tonight that Wendy's Frosties now come in VANILLA!!!!! Umm - WHAT? That is just an absolute travesty...... Vanilla Frosties????? What's next? I mean really..... if it ain't broke, don't screw it up!!!!! lol

Oh & if you knew Wendy's now has vanilla frosties, don't burst my bubble & tell me please. My 6 year old saying "duh" to me about it was just about enough to push me over the edge!

For Once I am Speechless, sort of......

Today, my very awesome, very calm, always sane sister-in-law freaked out. I hurt so much for her......

Their house was burglarized about a month ago. My brother was off on a hunting weekend with my dad, our other brother, my son & my ex-husband. Lori & Owen would have been home except that Owen wanted to spend the night with his Grandmother......

Lori walked in the next morning to a total violation - drawers, closets, appliances, etc. all ransacked....$12,000 worth of stuff stolen.....

Well, they know who did it - they have known it for the whole time, but could not prove it - but now they caught the kids & found some of the stuff - the kids were breaking into another house when caught & they admitted to the burglary at Dale & Lori's......

It was their neighbor. A 16 year old drug addict who has been in & out of juvenile since he was 8 (amazing enough to me) and 2 of his buddies.

They have put their house on the market, but she lost it today when she was talking about it. She said she cannot continue to live in that house - ever.

She had some valid points. But she is also paralyzed by fear. She has been traumatized by this whole thing. I told her she has been in our family for too long - her family does not rant & rave, that is a McGriff thing..... She laughed, but she was still wildly upset.....

Court is tomorrow (which is quick - I am thinking it may just be an arraignment) - I hope Lori does not fall apart tomorrow if the judge is lenient...... To be truthful, I hope the judge is not lenient....

Please pray for Dale, Lori & Owen tomorrow.... I just want them to have some peace until their house sells!!!!!!!

This Season of Lent

I grew up in a Baptist church - really never thought about Lent. After all, wasn't that a Catholic thing??? lol

Well, many years ago, God led me & my family to a Methodist church. During that time, we observed Lent in a variety of ways. Basically, the idea is to fast, pray & serve others - to grow spiritually - to reawaken our hearts by Easter......

When I think of fasting, it has always been a complete foodless time.... umm, have you seen me? Yeah, no.....

But, what our congregation did was to give up something we loved - could be food, an activity, or whatever - it had to be something you would consider important enough to be considered a sacrifice....

Even though we no longer are in that church, Hunter & I still choose to observe Lent. I am giving up sweet tea (my addiction - lol) and soda (my substitute addiction)...... Hunter is giving up chocolate.

But the purpose is not to just give up something we like..... it is to give in to the will of God - to draw closer to Him, to reflect on His sacrifice for us each time we consciously choose not to partake of whatever it is.

I read a blog earlier today about this subject. The author wrote "Instead of seeing Lent as a season of obligation, let's look at it as a season of opportunity." That is what I hope to always do during Lent. That is what I strive for.

I love this time of year...... even though I will be suffering from withdrawals!!!!


"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. " - James 4:8,10

Moving In

The kids & I have lived in this stark white-walled apartment for 18 months and I have not put a single picture on the wall...I have not decorated in any shape, form or fashion. It is sad really -

I realized this week that I was subconsciously thinking this was just a brief stop - like magically I would snap my fingers & get my old life back - my house, my marriage (maybe), my (foster) kids...... I don't know.....

Anyway, the marriage is dead, the only kids that are mine already live here and "my" house is now owned by someone else. This is where we live - not just where we are camping out briefly.....

So, we are moving in.... unpacking the photos & the "pretty-pretties" as my daughter calls them....

I realized also that in the downsizing, those pretty-pretties were the first things to go, so I guess I need to go shopping.....

I am so challenged when it comes to decorating, too, so this may be a rough month!!!!

LOL