Reinagirl's blog

Thanksgiving...A year later

2011-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

Now that we are getting ready to celebrate another year, I can laugh about last year. I spent Thanksgiving last year with my son in Fayetteville, NC. He had just had surgery and wasn't getting around well. Therefore I did most of the shopping and preparing. He really wanted a fried turkey, so we bought a turkey fryer and oil. The night before Thanksgiving, I made the traditional pumpkin and pecan pies. The pumpkin pie turned out beautifully. But the pecan never set. I think maybe the altitude difference. Whatever the reason, we had soupy pecan pie. That's not too bad. Preparing the fried turkey was a problem. Two college graduates and we had trouble figuring out how to get the fryer put together. Then on Thanksgiving morning discovered that we had no matches or lighters in the house. So I got to drive to a convenience store buy a lighter. Once I got back, we couldn't get the dang thing to light. Once we figured out how to light it, the fryer wouldn't stay lit. Finally, we figured out how to keep it lit and got the turkey cooked. Thankfully his friend brought over a bottle of wine. I know that doesn't help cook a turkey, but it sure did help the turkey cooker. :)

What people reveal

2011-11-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

Some people will post just about anything on Facebook. Tonight I read a post in which the poster was upset because she had to wait all day for her food stamps. Really? I don't think I would put that out there for the world to see. People post how much they hate their jobs...when their bosses are on their friend lists. I've seen huge fights between people on my friend list and people I don't know...but the whole fight is right there on Facebook. I don't know that social networking is as great as some people seem to think. At least people should think twice before they submit.

Decisions

2011-02-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

Getting old sucks. Really. My stepmother is now 80 and because of her alzheimer's doesn't know anyone except my dad. She doesn't know where she is. She can't dress herself or do much of anything to care for herself. This is very difficult for my dad who has been trying to care for her. The stress has caused him to lose weight and put his health in jeopardy. That is why he has decisions to make. He is looking at nursing homes, but having a very difficult time of it. He knows that she will have better professional care in a home and that he will have less stress. But in his heart, he doesn't want to put her somewhere where she will not know anyone. It's difficult for him and all I and my brothers can do is support him in whatever he decides.

It's cold

2011-02-01T19:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. Winter is supposed to be cold. But to have 62 degrees one day and 15 the next with windchill around -15 is crazy. I can handle cold, but having the wind blowing like that really blows. (Pun intended) I was driving to court in Levelland today and the snow drifts were brown. Only in West Texas. Well, I guess we just batten down the hatches and ride it out. I can't wait for my next cruise!

Neglect

2011-01-25T20:19:00.000-08:00

I have neglected my blog. I could say I've been busy...and I am busy. But am I really so busy that I can't spend a few minutes occasionally on writing down my thoughts, ideas, happenings? No, I have to admit that I've simply been lazy. There is no excuse. It's true that I've been working, traveling, spending time with my grandbaby girl, but I also have time when I have nothing to do. So, I will try better. This is not a resolution. I don't do resolutions. They just get broken. But this is a goal that I will work on this year. We'll see how well I do.

Time marches on

2010-08-01T18:27:00.000-07:00

My dad asked me to come over so he could show me some papers. He showed me where the life insurance policies and wills are for him and my my stepmom. He also showed me the burial plans they have made and paid for. He said he didn't want to add any more worries to me and my brothers when they pass away. Dang, I know these things are important, but I don't want to think of my dad and stepmom as being fragile. Time marches on, but I sure wish it would slow down for the parent generation. I'm not ready for my daddy to not be here.

Whew

2010-06-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Sooo...I'm zipping back to Lubbock from Amarillo this afternoon in my rental and pass a DPS car. I'm only going 72 and nobody gets pulled over for 72 on I27, so I don't slow down. Lo and behold, on come the lights and over I go. I can't believe it. The officer approaches my car and says, "Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm pulling you over because you don't have a front license plate and they are required in Texas." Whew! I quickly told him that I was in a rental and showed him the contract. I told him where I work and why I was traveling today. He smiled and asked me to do him a favor. Of course I said, 'Sure." He asked me to tell the rental company that they need a front license plate and then told me to have a good day. What a nice officer!

What do you think?

2010-05-11T05:51:00.001-07:00

I was talking with a friend about how slow the forums have been. Is it the fault of Facebook? Facebook does seem to take a lot of time, but I don't think it can take the place of forums and blogs. Of course, if I spent as much time blogging as I do facebooking, I might run out of things to say. The way I see it, forums and blogs allow one to analyze, debate and consider things in depth. Facebook is more of a snapshot of what you may have on your mind at any particular moment in addition to socializing and playing games. I like the fact that I can stay in touch with family, friends and even ex-inlaws on facebook that I haven't seen in awhile. I couldn't tell you the political or religious views of most of my friends on facebook. And that's okay. The forums cover that.

That's what I think. What do you think?

Adventures in Flying

2010-04-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

I was booked on a flight from Lubbock to Dallas this morning at 9:30. When I checked in I was told the plane might be delayed because Lubbock ILS (Instrument Landing System) wasn't working and without ILS the pilot has to be able to see the runway. The cloud level was at 600 feet, which means the pilot can't see the runway. So we wait..and wait...and wait. Then we were told that planes with crews trained in the GPS system could land. Unfortunately, the crew on our plane wasn't trained. So we wait...you get the picture. Finally, another crew was put on the plane in Dallas and here came our plane. We boarded and were ready to take off a little after 12:30. We taxied out to the runway and then sat. The pilot then announced that we were going back to the gate. Apparently, the computer system said the number two engine had a problem. The pilot announced that maintenance would come check it out and we would be on our way. So we wait...and wait. There is no maintenance on site on Saturday. The mechanic had to be called at home. Then we were told to get our belongings and deboard the plane. We were going to fly on another plane from another gate. Unfortunately, the plane we were to board was not in Lubbock yet. So we wait. The plane landed. We boarded. We taxied out...and waited. Then, the pilot announced that we were going back to the gate to pick up some flight attendants who needed a flight to Dallas. Due to the weather, the flight attendants had to remain seated during the flight. So we didn't even get peanuts. We finally landed in Dallas about 4:30 this afternoon. All in a day's work.

What am I most afraid of?

2010-02-15T13:26:00.000-08:00

We all get those emails that ask questions so that others can get to know you better. You know the ones...favorite drink, birthday, etc.

One question on those surveys (for lack of a better word) is what are you most afraid of. I've never really been able to answer that question because I truly didn't have an answer. Yes, I have fears. I'm afraid of rattlesnakes, but I certainly don't lose sleep over it. I'm afraid of making a fool of myself sometimes, but again I don't lose sleep over it. To me, the answer to this question should be the one thing that will send you into a cold panic, and I've never been afraid of anything to that extent...until my surgery. Now I know what I am most afraid of. Losing control of my body. I was given a spinal tap. What the doctor didn't tell me was that I would not be able to feel or move my legs as I was waking up. I could see them, but unable to even wiggle a toe. In addition to this, my body temperature was 93. The nurse put heated blankets around my head and on my body, essentially demobilizing me. I realize that I was still groggy from the spinal, but never have I felt as panicked as I did in that recovery room. All I could think was that I couldn't move and I couldn't help myself or protect myself if anything happened. I didn't panic outwardly, but my mind was not in a good state. I never want to experience this again.

New Year

2010-01-27T14:54:00.000-08:00

Yes, the new year is here. And I, for one, am going to be a whole new me! Okay, that's a bad joke for having a total hysterectomy. I'll blame it on the drugs I am taking since I just had surgery yesterday. I'm feeling good, now. I have never had a spinal block before and I'm not sure I ever want to again. Yes, having morphine in my system for 24 hours was nice, but coming out of surgery and not being able to move my legs, feet or toes is one of the scariest feelings I have ever had. I like being in control. I was not in control of my body for awhile yesterday. I don't like that and hope I never have to go through that again.
On the bright side, I have been given the best care imaginable. My doctor is awesome and the nurses have been wonderful. And, I plan on being more energetic than I have for months or possibly even years.
Last, but not least, I have the most wonderful friends anyone could ask for. Thank you to all of you who have encouraged me and prayed for me. You guys are the greatest!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T21:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all. This is a time for reflection and giving thanks. I'm not going to get sentimental or into deep pondering (to borrow a phrase from a good friend), but I do want to say thanks to all my friends near and far. A life without friends would be lonely indeed. As this year draws to a close, know that while I usually don't say it, I value each and every one of you. Thank you for being a part of my life.

21 days

2009-10-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

Passport - check
Luggage - check
Excitement - check
21 days and counting until I am cruising. I and about 16 co-workers and friends are headed to warm seas and I can't wait. No phones, no computers, no working. And I absolutely refuse to talk about work while we are gone. This is a vacation. :)

Normal?

2009-09-07T23:59:00.000-07:00

I have never given much thought whether my family would be considered "normal". But, apparently activities that I enjoy with my sons are not run of the mill activities for most families. I have been sky diving twice and would have gone the third time, but the planes were grounded due to heavy clouds. The first time I sky dived was also the first time for both my boys. The instructor was quite surprised that mom and boys were jumping. My youngest loved it and now skydives when he can. My second time to skydive was when he graduated from West Point. He jumped right before I made the tandem jump and we have a cool DVD of the jump. I visited him a couple of weeks ago in North Carolina and we went to the wind tunnel. He has a membership and goes almost daily. He also skydives almost daily. I got to go in the tunnel and loved it. It's probably a good thing that there are no wind tunnels near here. I don't know if I could afford it. Both of my sons like to go to paintball with me. And they are brutal. A friend of my youngest told me that I was lucky to be his mom because he wouldn't try to kill me. Ha! I'm the first one he shoots. And honestly, if he wasn't such a quick kid, I would have taken him out! I'm not sure what "normal" moms do with their kids, but I wouldn't change the things I do with mine. I may be "vieja" (the little brat's word for me), but I have fun. And so do they.

Flying

2009-08-23T13:27:00.001-07:00

I fly a lot. But, apparently I have never flown when I have had sinus problems. I have never felt the pain flying that I felt this morning as the plane was descending into Dallas Love Field. My left eye felt like it was ready to pop out. And my left sinus cavity definitely was and still is to an extent bleeding. Take off and the flight itself didn't bother me at all. It was the descent. Knowing this, I was somewhat prepared that I might have pain as my next leg of the flight started descending into Kansas City. I was prepared, but once again, the pain was pretty bad. I discovered that if I press my temple and rub, the pain is lessened greatly. That is good to know as I am in the Kansas City Airport waiting for the next leg to Chicago and from Chicago to Raleigh/Durham. Two down and two more to go. At least I know it's going to hurt and that I can alleviate the pain somewhat. It's worth it though. I have a week to enjoy the ambience of North Carolina and my son (even though he will do his best to annoy me. That's why we have such a good relationship.)
Bonus for having my longest layover in KC...free Internet. Not all airports offer that. :)

Trust

2009-08-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

I got a call asking if I wanted to go on a cruise. I should have said no. Why? Because I know the friend that asked and I know that he tends to act without thinking. Here we are, six days away from departure and he finally contacts the cruise line to finish up the plans. There are supposed to be five of us on this cruise. There are no reservations. Apparently my friend got scammed. Now, I have a week off work and no cruise. Luckily, I had only paid $100 so far and my friend is promising to get that back to me tomorrow. He hopes to be able to get his money back. He was afraid that I wouldn't talk to him anymore. I told him that I won't stop talking to him just because he's an idiot. He can't help it. I am upset that a trip that I was really looking forward to isn't going to happen. I'm also kicking myself because I know that I should not have left the details in my friend's hands even though he called me about going. Luckily, there are about 20 coworkers that I am going to go on a cruise in November with. I still plan on taking off most if not all of next week. I don't know what I plan on doing, but hey, I have a round trip ticket on Southwest that I can use if I want. Hmmmmm, whatever I do, I am not letting someone else do the planning.

I feel so bad

2009-07-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

I have been ignoring my blog. I have things I want to write about, but life just seems to get in the way. I am going to try to do better, but not today. Today I went to the doctor with a 101.5 temp and sinus infection. I'm just trying to make my throat and ears quit hurting today.

My friend

2009-06-22T20:28:00.001-07:00

I want to blog a series about my trip to Cancun. But not tonight. Tonight I want to say good bye to a dear, dear friend. Nancy has been a close friend, family for all intents and purposes, for the last 29 years.
Nancy, we shared laughs and tears. We've gone dancing, had Thanksgiving and Christmas together, played cards and drank endless cups of coffee at the table together. We didn't get to go on the cruise we were planning last year, but you are now on your final journey. Take care, my friend. You have loved ones here that will miss you dearly. But, I know that you are now pain free and joining those who went before you. Give George and Henry big hugs for me. I miss and love you.

Cancun

2009-06-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

OK, so I'm excited. I leave tomorrow morning for Cancun. This is the first real vacation I've had in years. I am going with my best friend and her husband and daughter. Sounds kind of weird, but we travel together all the time. We've been to Monterrey, Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Orlando...just something we do. No phone, no computer...just beach, Mayan ruins, parasailing, snorkeling, massages, shopping...fun. I will take lots of pictures and plan to have an absolute wonderful time. See ya'll next week.

Have to stay connected

2009-06-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

So, I leave home with a co-worker at 7:30 yesterday morning, drive to Amarillo and pick up four children. We board a plane at 11:50 and finally make it to El Paso almost 5 hours later. Not a bad trip...only a little bit of sprite was spilled on my digital camera, but it was okay. After letting the boys play games on my laptop, my battery had run down. No biggie...I can plug it in once I get to my brother and sister in law's house.
Well, my laptop doesn't work. Now we have a problem. I take it to Best Buy and find out that the warranty expired May 13th. Well, isn't that always what happens. They can send it in, but it'll take two weeks to get it back. Helloooo...I don't live in El Paso. I'm leaving Sunday. But...all is not lost. Apparently the problem is that I live in a dusty area. Lubbock and El Paso aren't that different. After blowing dust out of the fan area and around the sides, my laptop works. Let's just hope it continues to work. Two weeks without my laptop is almost impossible to imagine!

Flying

2009-05-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

I love flying with kids. Especially when it's their first flight. Sometimes they are excited, sometimes they are scared, but I guarantee that there is never a dull moment. I flew with three young men from Lubbock to Dallas to El Paso Friday and will be making the return trip tomorrow. These guys range in age from 8 to a month shy of 15 and had never flown before. When we landed in Dallas the oldest had a headache. Lunch took care of that. The flight from Dallas to El Paso wasn't quite so easy. A storm had moved through the El Paso area earlier and apparently the skies had not quite settled down. There was some up and down movements as the plane hit air pockets. The 8 year old was sitting with me. His stomach started hurting and I just put my arm around him and held him close until we landed. Unbeknownst to us, while this was going on, the 10 year old, sitting with his older brother right behind us, was in the process of...well, to us his words, "I barfed." Now, I know how useful those little white bags in the seat pocket are. But, they recovered well and I left them at their pre-placement visit running and playing. I hope tomorrow's flights are smooth.

Birthday surprise

2009-05-17T20:05:00.001-07:00

Man, it's hard to believe that I've hit the big 5-0. I don't feel like it. After having a pretty good day, my son asked me if I would watch the girls because his wife wanted him to go to her NA meeting with her. I had already gotten them to bed when I received a text message saying to not put them to bed because my son was going to call me and have me bring the girls to meet them for a birthday surprise. He said it would be worth keeping them up. So...I got to wake them up. But, it was worth it. We met at Daybreak coffee and my son and DIL walk up with a young man that I didn't recognize. The young man was my nephew!!! I haven't seen him in at least 8 - 10 years. My nephew had gotten caught up in some things he shouldn't have and spent some time in prison. He was at the NA meeting and my son just happened to see him walk by. I saw my niece a couple of days before (she and her husband and baby stopped by on the way from their home in Tennesee to Phoenix.) She told me then that she didn't know where my nephew was or if he was even alive. My nephew has been in Lubbock for 5 years. He's at a half way house and is working. He saw me on TV for one of our adoption clips and said he thought it was cool. After I gently got on to him for not getting in touch with me, we had a great visit. He's in town and I plan on seeing quite a bit of him. He needs family support. He's had a hard few years, but he's a better guy than he was. This was the best birthday surprise I could have gotten.

El Paso

2009-05-03T14:47:00.000-07:00

I had such a fun time in El Paso. Getting to see my son was great. I spent one night playing Wii with my niece. She pretty much whipped me at Wii sports, but I'm getting better. Maybe I need to buy one and practice. The highlight of my trip though, was that Dharma flew down to El Paso on Sunday with her daddy and she got to spend Sunday night and Monday morning with her uncle and me. My son is totally captivated by his little niece. She can do no wrong as far as he is concerned. We took her to the El Paso Zoo. It is so enlightening to see the animals with a little one. Of course I took a ton of pictures. Now I just need to get them downloaded.

Old friends

2009-04-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

It's nice to see a friend you haven't seen in a while. I got to see an old friend today and we had a great conversation. I like that even though we hadn't talked in a long time, we picked up and visited just like we had seen each other last week. She'll be in town through Monday and we might go to lunch Monday. Our visit was a highlight on an otherwise pretty blah week.

Don't judge too quickly

2009-04-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

I was mad. I sent in paperwork that to continue the level of care for one of my special kids. I do this every three months and it is important so that he continues to receive the services he needs. The envelope was sealed and taped shut. Imagine my surprise when I receive an e-mail that says a determination is unable to be made due to incomplete information. According to this e-mail, they had only received the request page. Of course I e-mailed back that I had mailed the entire packet, but would resend the packet. I couldn't believe that the whole packet was lost except for the request page. This time, I scanned the packet and e-mailed it to the lady who had e-mailed me. The next day I had an e-mail from her that she couldn't accept the e-mail I sent...I had to send it to the help e-mail address. I also received two e-mails from the help addy with the same information that she had e-mailed me the day before. So, being the good worker I am, I forwarded the e-mailed packet to the help addy. I then received an e-mail that they couldn't open my e-mail because it was too large. Anything over 35 pages has to be mailed in. I, in a fit of pique, e-mailed back that I would mail the packet again, but that I was very concerned that an entire packet could be lost. I printed off the scanned papers so that I wouldn't have to copy the originals again and discovered that the packet was actually 74 pages long. Who would have guessed that we had 74 pages of documentation? I ranted and raved to my supervisor that because of someone's incompetence in Arlington (where the packet is sent), my child doesn't have his service level and they don't even care! Imagine my chagrin when my phone rang this afternoon and the foster mother for this child told me she had just received most of the packet in the mail from the Fort Worth post office stating that the papers had been found loose in the Fort Worth mailroom. Apparently, the machinery used in the post office must have torn open the mail. Odd that the request page made it to its destination, but nothing else did. I had been angry with the leveling agency when all along the mail had not been received by them. The upshot is that I didn't rant to them and was fairly civil in my e-mails to them. The packet has been resent and the child should have his level in a couple of days. Next time something like this happens, I'll not be so quick to judge...or will I???

Windblown

2009-03-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

It's March and it's West Texas. Must be track season. I went to the district track meet of a girl on my case load today. They told me that it started at 3:00. My youngest was a track star in Jr. High and High School. Odd that I totally forgot that 3:00 does not mean 3:00 in track time. I arrived at 3:45 and the running events still had not started. No surprise there. Also no surprise that the wind was blowing about 30 mph and it was getting cold. Of course I didn't bring a jacket with me. But, one of the wonderful things about small town track parents is that a total stranger handed me a jacket and told me to wear it. I don't think there are any nicer people anywhere. The smell of the hamburgers being grilled for the concession stand was awesome. The cheering of the parents was wonderful. The great thing about track is that parents actually praise not only their own children for doing well, but other children, also...even those on opposing teams. And there are always cheers for that last struggling runner. My girl took a first in the 400 m relay and a 4th in the 100 m dash. Not bad for a 7th grader at her first district meet. The future looks bright...even if it is windy.

Saturday

2009-03-29T11:56:00.000-07:00

I have been so tired all week. But I finally got to sleep late Saturday and ended up having a fun day. After I finally dragged myself out of bed, I went to lunch at Beef O'Brady's with the family and a friend. After lunch, (Dharma and I shared a sliders basket) we strolled down to Cato's and I bought two shirts and a dress. Then we moseyed over to Everything's a Dollar and I spent a little bit more. Ahh well. It was time to get Dharma home for her nap. While she was napping, Lauren talked me into playing dress up. Wow, that's something I didn't expect to be doing as an adult. We pulled out dresses that I haven't worn in a very long time, including a couple of formals. Thanks to the weight loss I have had, the dresses fit me! Woo woo as my good friend, sista, says. Lauren loved my formals and my "little black dress" that all women have to have. She tried on several and we had a blast. Saturdays can be so much fun.

Girls just wanna have fun

2009-03-17T19:28:00.000-07:00

I came home today in a grumpy mood. I went to Amarillo and while that is not a bad trip...I enjoy visiting my kids there, it is a long drive and today it made me grumpy. My son and DIL wanted to go to a concert so I am now here with Lauren and Dharma. My mood has improved drastically. How could it not with these girls? We have played on my bed and taken silly pictures from the lap top. We even filmed a short video. If I can ever get it downloaded into photobucket, I will share it with friends. We all need to take time out of our busy schedules and have a girls just wanna have fun night. It is good for the soul and I think it helps keep me young. Too bad their parents don't know what they are missing.

Late night munchies

2009-03-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

I cleaned house today. Which means I didn't really eat. So, tonight I got the munchies. My daughter in law hadn't eaten supper, so I took off to Taco Villa. They have flavoring for their sodas!!! I can get my vanilla diet dr. pepper somewhere besides Sonic! Anyway, for my dear friends in Canada and New Mexico, I just wanted to let you know that I had a guadalajara tonight. But don't get mad at me. For some reason, they salted it. So, it wasn't the best I've ever had. Probably punishment for getting off my diet. Which, by the way, has been going really well. I've lost 25 pounds. Woo hoo!!!

It's nice

2009-03-11T20:43:00.001-07:00

It's nice to do something for yourself and to feel good about yourself. My friends know what I am talking about. To have friends notice is nice. Now, to make the most of feeling good...
Oh, Sista...secrets are good. You know what I mean.

Another week

2009-03-03T21:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it's another week and I am so bored. I don't really know why. I actually went out Sunday and it was nice. Just a few drinks and talk and well anyway, it was cool. And Saturday, I had lunch with friends and had a really good time. So, why am I bored now? It's not like I don't have enough work to keep me busy. Maybe it's the winter time blues. Time to make changes in my life. Maybe. Well, maybe I should start getting ready for my Cancun trip. That is something to look forward too.

Big girls do cry

2009-02-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows the nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.

Children are like Humpty Dumpty. Sometimes they fall and sometimes they can't be put back together again. How do you protect them from the great fall? How do you tell a seven year old child who has been in foster homes and who has been with her siblings in a relative home for four years that her caregiver doesn't want her there anymore? How do you protect her from that great fall? The one where she has been told that she is bad? Is it her fault that she has behaviors that can be a challenge to work with? Has everything been done to mend the cracks that she has from her previous falls? I don't believe that a seven year old child is a throw away and I don't believe that she should be punished for mistakes that adults have made. Parents that didn't or couldn't keep her. Workers and caregivers that didn't get her the counseling that could help her through the rejections she has had. It's not too late. But, when I go to her home and tell her that she is moving. That she will no longer live with her siblings. That she is going to a foster home, or an emergency shelter and will be living once again with strangers. How will I answer her questions about why her caregiver wants her brothers and her sister, but doesn't want her? How will I be able to protect her from the great fall so that I can start the process of putting her back together again?

It's okay for big girls to cry. I have already cried when I was talking to the caregiver, trying to convince her that we don't give up on the little ones. Will she cry? Will I cry with her? Maybe. Because it's okay to cry. But then, I will start putting her back together again. And I pray that she will only be cracked and not broken into little pieces that can't be put back together.

Dharma rulz

2009-02-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

A poster on a forum I frequent posted a thread about who's running your life. His thread focuse on his dog. Well, I love my dogs dearly, but they are not running this house. Dharma is. While I sometimes get frustrated having my son and his family living here (I enjoy my privacy), I love getting to be a part of Dharma's life. She absolutely runs this house. She loves to come get in my bed when it is her bedtime. And then she gets offended that she has to go to her bed. She took off her diaper yesterday morning, came in my room and pee'd on my floor. Thank goodness it is a wood floor. If anyone else did that, I would probably beat them as I chased them out of my house. With Dharma, it is cute. I keep a bag of candy on my dresser that is Dharma candy. No one else touches them. Dharma gets one a day. She's starting to talk and will tell us what she wants to eat or drink. She also tries to be so helpful. She will start wiping the table in front of her when she is finished eating. I was throwing trash away today and she helped put it in the trash can and wanted to go to the dumpster with me. She's fun and adorable. I'm hoping she takes her time growing up.

A girl's best friend

2009-02-10T18:18:00.000-08:00

No, it's not diamonds. Not for the traveling girl, anyway. My best friend when I am traveling for work is mapquest. Of course, if someone wanted to give me a portable GPS, I wouldn't say no. It is so nice when mapquest takes you right where you want to go. I have been misled by mapquest before, so this is a serious matter. Today, I took a child to Alvin. I mapquested from Hobby airport in Houston to the placement and mapquest worked like a charm. Usually when I am flying, I run short on time. I rush to the airport praying that I make my flight. I have had some very close calls. Today, I had all the time in the world. I stopped in Pearland on the way back to the airport and had a great BBQ lunch. Once I arrived at the airport, I had plenty of time to browse and buy Dharma and Lauren overpriced gifts from one of the gift shops. They were happy. It is really nice to be able to relax and not worry about getting lost or missing my flight.

Office move

2009-02-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, it's official. We will move to our 'temporary office' next week. I went to the office this afternoon to start packing. Start is the correct word. I will spend several hours tomorrow and probably stay late Monday and Tuesday to have it done by Wednesday. Man, I have the smallest office of anyone on my unit. How did I get so much stuff? Of course, most of it is case files. I have 11 boxes of case files so far. I estimate that I need about 16 more. That doesn't include the files that are in the bookshelf in our hallway. I have case files out there that I don't use now, but have to pack and take to the new building because they go with my current files. They are in the hall because they wouldn't fit in my office. I did get my personal stuff off the walls and packed up. Between my co-workers and myself, we have boxes stacked down the hallway and sore muscles and backs. I'm trying to make sure that I pack files that I don't generally need separate from the ones I have to access on a regular basis. I don't want to unpack any that I don't have to if we are moving again in six months or so. Also, I decided to file paperwork that has been stacking up while I am packing the files. Might as well get it done all at once. I think we should have a party once we get moved. We deserve it.

Procrastination not always bad

2009-01-30T18:41:00.000-08:00

Procrastination has a bad rap. But, I found out today that it is not always bad to procrastinate. My unit, along with three other units, is being moved to emergency housing due to the influx of new workers. It has become extremely difficult to find a place to park if you aren't at work at 8:00 AM. My co-worker today commented that only the new workers get here early. They are still in training and aren't working until 7:00, 8:00 or 9:00 at night. So, we have been told to box up our offices and to take all our personal items home. We have to be ready for the movers next week. Everything has to be labeled and ready to go. Some workers have been diligently preparing their offices. An e-mail that went out even commented on how well one worker in my unit has done on boxing up her case files. I read between the lines and decided that the three of us who haven't even taken a picture off the wall yet were being subtly told to stop sloughing and get with the program. The closer it comes to next week, the more e-mails we are getting. Of course, I have been busy doing my visits and documenting. I haven't boxed up anything. I have diplomas, certificates, etc. on my walls and my personal knickknacks around the office. I did bring a bag today to put some things in to take home. I left it at the office. Those of us who procrastinate had resigned ourselves to working on Saturday to get our offices packed and ready to go. At 3:30 this afternoon, we received an e-mail that the move has been postponed until February 19. The ones who have boxed up their casefiles will be unboxing at least some of them as we need the files during our day to day work. The rest of us do not have to work on Saturday. I was on my way to a home visit when the e-mail came. My co-worker, who has been procrastinating as much as I have, called to tell me about it. I laughed and told her that the ones who did what they were told were probably feeling pretty stupid now. So, we figure we have two more weeks to procrastinate. Life is good.

I'm ready

2009-01-14T18:38:00.000-08:00

I'm ready to take some time off. I know, I know. I had several days off before Christmas. But considering that I took those days due to my aunt passing away, I don't feel like I've had a vacation. I worked 11 hours a day after Christmas to make up for the unexpected time off. Maybe it's the fact that I am planning a trip to Cancun in June with some friends. The date is set, the trip is paid for and I'm ready to go. I'm ready to get out of my rut of going to work, coming home, going to work. Time to get some excitement going. I think I will have some excitement soon. It's just too early to tell. But, if things go like I hope, the future looks bright.

Kids are funny

2009-01-09T17:45:00.000-08:00

My 18 month old granddaughter, Dharma, is so cute. She has a thing for turning the TV in my bedroom on and off. She was doing this tonight and I told her, "no" several times to no avail. I spatted her hand and told her "no." This worked for about 10 minutes before she decided to do it again. My son came in the room and spatted her hand. She crossed her arms, walked to the door, opened the door, came back to my son, took his hands and led him out of the room. That girl definitely knows her own mind and is rapidly trying to gain control of the house.

Open spaces

2008-12-30T18:42:00.000-08:00

As I was down Hwy 86 from Tulia to Childress this morning, it occurred to me that people who live in large cities really miss out. The wide open spaces of West Texas are beautiful. I had skipped breakfast, so as I was driving through Silverton, I decided to stop at Allsups. I didn't see anything that I wanted to eat, but I did get a Diet Dr. Pepper. Turning left onto the highway, I found it interesting that there wasn't a single car driving down the road. Silverton seems to be a quiet, little town, even though it is the county seat. The courthouse is right on the highway and it looked deserted. As I drove through Quitaque, I had to slow down for traffic (if three vehicles constitute traffic.) You know it is small town West Texas when the posted speed limit is 30, but all cars are topping out at 25. I haven't driven this highway before, so I was pleasantly surprised to find that halfway between Quitaque and Turkey there is a drive-in theater named, appropriately enough, Midway. It was almost 11:00 as I approached Turkey, so I thought I might find a Sonic or something along that order and get a snack. Well, imagine my surprise when all I find is an Allsups. I didn't think there would be anything in Allsups that I would want since I didn't see anything in the Allsups in Silverton that I wanted. I had no idea that the population of Turkey is less than 500. This is Bob Wills town after all. Where do all the tourists eat? I knew the next town on the map wouldn't have a fast food joint. Estelline has less than 200 people, so I resolved to have lunch in Childress. I'm not even close to the point of starvation, right? I really do enjoy driving the back roads. Small towns have character. I am not as fond of the drive at night, as I don't like to play chicken with the deer. One close encounter with a deer on the highway is one close encounter too many.

Forums

2008-12-29T18:43:00.000-08:00

I wish I understood why some people feel that it is ok to post unfounded accusations about others on forums. I have recently been alerted to the fact that a poster on a forum that I don't go to and don't plan to go to because of personal reasons brought me up in a thread that had nothing to do with me. This poster, as a very good friend warned me, is nothing but a troll trying to cause trouble. He can leave me out of his trouble making ideas. On another forum that I am a regular poster, a poster that has been pretty much lambasted by many of the regulars has accused me of registering another ID and concocting an email about her. I don't know this woman, other than what I have read of her posts and her website, and I have no desire to get to know her. I don't have the time or the desire to waste my time making up anything about her. I have made some very good friends on the forums. I value these friendships. I have a demanding job that sometimes turns into long hours. Reading forums, posting and chatting with my friends is a way for me to relax after long days. For the trolls and crazy people that for some reason can't leave me out of their rantings...please get a life!

Life

2008-12-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've neglected this blog lately. Life has gotten in the way. My aunt passed away unexpectedly, so that has really impacted my last week. Family has begun to arrive and that's kept me very busy. In addition, I've been busy with work, although I am taking some time off. I'll be slammed I sure after Christmas, trying to get everything done that has to be done this month. There have been some good things happen, also. With everything else going on, I am going to have seven kids adopted this month. Two have already been adopted. Two more will be on the 23rd. What a Christmas present. And three will be adopted on the 31st. In this aspect, December has certainly been a good month.

Too busy

2008-12-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine succumbed to cancer. I haven't seen her in a month or so. I knew she was sick, but I just didn't seem to have time to call or visit and see how she was doing. There's always something going on. Now, I am feeling bad because she deserved more. I could have easily called her just to say Hi. I went to her viewing tonight and her husband, son and daughter in law all hugged me and seemed very happy to see me. I, of course, gave the usual platitudes of, "If you need anything at all..." But did I really mean it? I do mean it, but what happens next week when they don't call? I go on with my life. I think we all do this. We mean well. At least I do. But life intervenes. And that is sad. Linda, I miss you. I know you are in a better place. Your faith inspires me and I'm sorry that I wasn't there at the lowest points of your life. Thank you for being my friend.

Work out

2008-12-03T17:01:00.000-08:00

I worked out today for the first time in a month. And, I am really feeling it. I know I need to go more often, but man, I'm beat. I'm hoping things slow down some at work, which will give me some time to go work out. Here's hoping.

Adoption

2008-12-02T19:54:00.000-08:00

There is nothing that compares to an adoption. I got to participate in another one yesterday. We give the kids a bear to adopt when they are adopted. I asked the 4 year old girl what size she wanted and she said a medium pink bear. I brought three bears to court so she could choose just the right one. She picked her bear without hesitation. The attorney brought her a pink puppy. The little girl was so happy. I don't know how many times she hugged everyone. She told me her new name several times also. A co-worker went to the adoption with me. He told me that I have the fun job. He's right.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T21:21:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I have time off work and am determined to try to take that time, although I do need to get some narratives in by Friday. This is a time that people stop and reflect and give thanks. So, I am going to briefly say a few things that I give thanks for. First of all, my two boys. They have grown up and become friends even if we do have disagreements occasionally. I'm thankful for my now extended family which includes my DIL and two granddaughters. Of course, my dad. And the many friends that I have made over the years. There are so many other things that I am thankful for, but I don't have time to write a book. To all my friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving.

Monday

2008-11-17T21:22:00.000-08:00

Why is it that when one thing goes wrong, it seems like everything goes wrong? I had a good day at work. But, man, since I've been home, things haven't been that great. I have a shattered glass pot lid and a chair seat that has to be cleaned. My son was so sweet. He said, "I'm sorry you're having such a bad night." But, the chicken and dumplings I made came out perfectly. So all is not bad. Actually, maybe it's just time to go to bed before anything else can happen. Tomorrow will be another day.

November

2008-11-11T19:03:00.000-08:00

November mean Thanksgiving, getting ready for Christmas, colder weather, adoptions. Ok, most of you don't know what adoptions have to do with November, but they do. November 15th is National Adoption Day. On November 14th, the 15th is a Saturday, Lubbock will have several adoptions. It's a special time, with gifts for the families, speeches, punch and cookies. Some counties actually hold their National Adoption Day on Saturday, but we always have ours on Friday. Last year I was fortunate enough to attend in Lubbock on Friday and in El Paso on Saturday. I had 11 children that I work with adopted those two days. This year I have 5 children that I work with being adopted. I know, slacking a little there, but I had two adoptions in October and have five more coming up pretty quickly. There's a lot of work that goes into this, but it is one of the best days of the year and definitely worth the work.

Going home

2008-11-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

My time off is almost over. I will be flying home later tonight and back to work tomorrow. I wish I could take more time, but the job doesn't get done when I am not there. It will be hectic for a few days as I play catchup. Oh, well. That's the way of the working world.

Cross country travel

2008-11-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have added Atlanta to my list of cities that have traffic jams in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. Ok, up to this point, only Cincinnati was on the list. Chicago is on my list for traffic jams on a Sunday afternoon for no apparent reason. Back to the topic, my son and I were driving through Atlanta on I20 last night and making good time until we came upon the jam. Three lanes of traffic not moving. In fact, we sat in one spot so long that I turned the engine off. We finally made it through the jam, traffic picked up and about a mile down the road, whammy...another jam. At least this one had a reason. Three lanes of traffic merged into one for construction. This jam didn't last long, we got through and drove through the night. We did run into a small jam outside of Weatherford for construction early this afternoon, but that one barely rates a mention. We didn't even have to stop completely. I enjoy driving across the country, but next time, I think I would like to do most of the driving during the day so I can enjoy the sites. We did stop in Odessa for the night. We do have to watch the Tech/Texas game. We should be in El Paso early tomorrow afternoon. There is no rush now and I'll be flying home on Thursday. It's been a fun and interesting week.

I hate airplane lavatories

2008-10-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

I love to fly, but I hate the lavatories in airplanes. I always make sure I visit the restroom in the airport before I get on a plane. Those are generally very nice. The problem I faced yesterday though, is that I was on the same plane from 9:55 AM until 3:30 PM. There is no way I can make it that long without visiting the cramped lavatory at the back of the plane. At least I only needed to go once. I kept my Diet Sprite drinks to a minimum and doesn't eating peanuts soak up the liquid anyway?

Leaving in two days

2008-10-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

I'll be leaving for North Carolina in two days. I'm excited about being gone, even though I've had to work extra to make sure I'm caught up. It looks like I'll have a couple of days to relax before we head back to Texas in a U-haul. I'm taking my laptop so I can stay in touch with my friend, but I hope I can check out Fayetteville some, also. When I helped the boy move, he didn't want to do the touristy things. I'll be there on Halloween, but since he lives in an apartment complex, I don't think there will be many trick or treaters. I might have to trick the boy. That would be fun. Oops, I'm not supposed to let the evil me out in public.

Where does time go?

2008-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

It is almost the end of October. Thanksgiving is in a month and Christmas is in two. I don't feel like it has been a year since the last holidays. Maybe it's because I work so much. I won't be working most of next week, though. I'm off to North Carolina to help my youngest child pack and move back to El Paso. Isn't it funny how he still needs momma to help him move. Some of my friends have commented on that, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I remember a time when he didn't want momma to know anything about his life. Now he likes having me around. Grown kids are pretty cool.

Music, fun and friends

2008-10-19T10:39:00.000-07:00

Last night my daughter in law had her 29th birthday party at my house. It was at my house because my son, daughter in law and their two daughters have moved in with me. Do they ever leave home? Just kidding, as I am happy to help them out and have them live with me even if I have lost some of my privacy. But that's another story.
We had probably about 30 or so friends over last night for the party. At least five of them brought their guitars and we had a couple of drums, so it was jam in the back yard night. I do hope my neighbors didn't mind. I didn't get any complaints, anyway. What I found so very interesting though, is that there was such a good mix of people and everyone had a great time. We had the musician, hippy set of friends, the amptgard, geek set of friends and friends that I have known for over 28 years that are almost family. Other than the fact that I am so tired today, I wish we could do this more often. The only thing missing last night were my online friends. Unfortunately, most of them live too far to come and I missed chat. But, we do have our get togethers, also.

Sista's blog

2008-10-14T20:22:00.000-07:00

My dear friend, sisser, has joined the blogging world. Check her out at http://sisserponderin.blogspot.com/

I know she'll have some really interesting blogs because she is such a cool person. And she lives up in the hinterlands of Canada. There are lots of interesting people that she has to deal with every day. Too bad they don't understand the native Texan in her.

Welcome to the blogger world, sista. I will enjoy reading your ponderings.

I'm learning

2008-10-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

Several of my foster homes and relative placements have my cell phone number. As do some CASA workers. That is usually not a bad thing, but sometimes I wonder if they think I work 24/7. Tonight I got a call from a foster parent telling me that he has had it with a child in his home. He wanted me to take the child out of his home tonight. There was no emergency, just frustration. I don't mind talking to him and the child, but I do need my time off also. I, very nicely I hope, told both of them that if they can't work things out for one night, they can call the statewide intake number and an on call worker will handle it. I also let them know that if they do call, to be prepared for a long night. I do work after hours a lot, but after an afternoon of sitting in court and not getting home until after 6:00, I'm not working all night because two people are not getting along. Anyway...enough venting. I really do love my job and the kids. I have fantastic placements and normally will go the extra mile for them. I'm really hoping they will think it is too much trouble to call in tonight and by tomorrow things will look different. We will see.

Music and friends

2008-10-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

My DIL and I went to a music jam tonight and enjoyed some great music and good friends. It's been awhile since I've done something like this. Having friends who are musicians does open doors. Singing and listening to them play is a great way to spend a night. I hated to have to leave, but tomorrow is a work day. Although one friend told me to just drink coffee, coffee, coffee. Maybe I'll go back out next week.

Live Feed

2008-10-08T20:40:00.001-07:00

I decided to add a live feed to my blog just to see if anyone other than the three people I know read my blog came on once and a while. To my surprise, there does seem to be a few others who read it. This tells me that maybe I need to blog a little more often. I wish I could be as dedicated to blogging as some of my friends are. I feel that I don't have time when I finally get home from work, which probably is not a good excuse. After all, I have time to chat on the Hideaway and to read the forums I frequent. So why not spend a few minutes blogging? I don't have an excuse. I spend time writing narratives at work and don't feel like writing when I get home. That's the best I can do to explain why I don't write more. Well, that and the fact that I don't always have anything that I feel is important enough to write about. I could probably fill the blog with things that happen at work, but I have to be careful about that. I can't violate confidentiality, so I have limited myself there. I could write more about my family, but then that could become a little Peyton Place if I'm not careful. I won't write about politics unless I really feel the need. Right now, I'd like to see a little less politics. I'll ponder (to use one of my best friend's phrases) and see what I can come up with.

Lauren's post

2008-10-06T17:39:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting at the computer with Lauren thinking that I need to blog, but I don't really have anything to blog about. So, Lauren said I could write about my family. I asked Lauren what I should write and she said, "You know. How nice they are." Do you think she's asking for a compliment? She'll get one. I am very blessed to have the two granddaughters that I have. They are cute, smart and entertaining. There are definitely a lot of laughs in this house. Dharma found a musical card that a friend gave me and we are jamming out to Freeze Frame. She's at the cute dance stage and loves to follow Lauren around and copy her dancing. So, guess I need to get off here and start dancing with the girls.

This N That

2008-09-29T21:03:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how just when I'm feeling down, someone will do something nice for me. I think I have some of the best friends (and they do know who they are.) Not only do they know when I need a pick me up, they don't mind when I get a little snippy. Not that I am snippy, but we all have our days. I just hope that I return the favor when needed.

I think I need a vacation. I know I went to Florida, but that wasn't a vacation, even though I did enjoy the trip. I'm ready to get away from work for a few days and just relax. I'd even like to come up to Canada for chunky dunking in the winter, sista.

Rainy day finds

2008-09-11T18:14:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning at 5:30 to rain pouring down. In fact, the rain woke me up...I don't get up that early. It has rained all day. The streets are flooded and I think I have a lake in my yard. I worked until 7:15 tonight and on the way home decided to stop at Lowe's to get some advice on whether I should put sealant on my new wood laminate floor. I shouldn't. Anyway, there were rugs on clearance. I saw a beautiful rug that would look so good on the living room floor, but it had no price tag. So, after checking it out and deciding how much I would be willing to pay, I asked the worker how much it was. He checked and told me $34.00. Talk about the buy of the century! I didn't even hesitate to tell him I wanted it. Now, I need to take a picture of it so my far away (Canada and New Mexico) friends can see it. The rest of you need to come visit me and see it for yourselves. Shopping in the rain is fun.

Happiness

2008-09-08T20:53:00.000-07:00

Happiness is...seeing Dharma, the cutest little girl I know;
having Lauren, the next cutest girl I know, tell me she wants to live with me;
watching a judge grant an adoption;
knowing that I have helped a child find happiness;
being with friends.

Politics

2008-08-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, politics. Don't you love it? Things are heating up and I find the debate very interesting. For the record, I am pretty conservative and wouldn't vote for Obama if you paid me to. I had already pretty well decided that I would vote for McCain even though there are many things I don't like about him. Now that he has chosen a virtual unknown for his running mate, things are getting very interesting. I will sit back and watch the fireworks from both sides. No matter who wins, this will be an election to remember.

A little of this and that

2008-08-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

I went to Florida for work last week and had a wonderful time. Oops, that doesn't sound like work, does it? Well, I was paid for going and still had a wonderful time. I'll blog about the trip later. It wasn't so wonderful when I got home Monday. I walked into the hall bath and found water on the floor. I thought the toilet was leaking and called the plumber. The good news is my toilet is fine. The bad news is I had a slab leak. The plumber asked me what was behind the wall in the bathroom. I told him a bedroom closet. We went to check out the closet and the carpet in that bedroom was soaking wet. The plumber cut out part of my wall and discovered that the leak was not in the wall. He turned off my water and told me he would be out to fix it the next day. I ended up spending the night with friends. The leak is fixed. It was actually at floor level. My insurance company may not pay anything because they only pay if the leak is above the floor. So, after $1,070, my leak is fixed. At least the electric company will adjust my bill. I don't know how much yet, but every little bit helps.

Just some thoughts

2008-08-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

I've been busy, but I thought I'd share some thoughts today. Friday was an interesting day. I had an adoption at 8:30 Friday morning. It was a cool adoption. This child makes the 8th child (4 biological and 4 adopted) at 8/08/08 at 8:30 AM. That was cool. Everyone was so happy. I love this part of my job. The part that isn't so cool is that after the adoption I met with two investigators that had asked me to go to a funeral with them. The funeral was for an infant that was found dead by police in the family's backyard after the mother went to the ER and said that she had a baby that was dead. This has been a big news story here. The autopsy revealed that the baby had been born alive. When we got to the graveside services, the only people present were us, four police officers and the funeral home director. About 10 minutes after the funeral was supposed to start, the grandmother arrived with her sister, a daughter and three children. She said the mother of the baby was on her way. She showed up about 15 minutes later with several other people. The service was held and then a few more family members showed up. By the time they left, there were 22 family members present, of which at least 6 were children. This is a difficult part of my job.
Friday afternoon, one of the workers told me he heard I had not applied for the supervisor position that is open for his unit. He had wanted me to apply. I explained to him the reasons why I decided not to apply, and while he understands that this is not position for me, he was upset that I hadn't applied. I have to look at what's best for me and this position is not best for me. There are more coming up in the next few months that I will apply for.
Saturday, I attended a wedding and got to spend the afternoon with my granddaughter as both mom and dad were in the wedding. We had so much fun and the photographer fell in love with Dharma. I'm looking forward to seeing all the photos he took of her. The bride asked me to make chicken enchiladas for the meal. I have never cooked for a large crowd before, but the enchiladas were a hit. There were no leftovers. So, no matter what anyone tells you to the contrary, I can cook...I just don't do it very often.
So, I've had a busy couple of days and they're not over yet. I will go to a friend's house later this afternoon for a birthday party/bbq. Those are always fun. Next week, I go to Florida with two girls for a pre-placement visit with the family that will adopt them. That means I get three days on the beach while the family gets to know the girls. That's a pretty cool part of my job! I'll let ya'll know how that goes later. ☺

Birthdays

2008-08-06T05:30:00.000-07:00

My friend is having a birthday today. Not just any birthday, but the half century one. (Ok, I have older friends.) :) I just wanted to say happy birthday, Ron. You are a wonderful guy and I am so happy to have you for my friend. I hope you have a great day and many, many more great days. See you soon.

Tattoo

2008-08-03T21:03:00.000-07:00

I have been talking to my son for awhile about getting a tattoo. I just didn't know what I wanted to get or where to put it. Well...I finally bit the bullet and did it. I think it looks great. Everyone who has seen it says it looks great. Of course, I went to the tattoo artist that my son uses. He is one of the best in town. Here's a link to the pic of it...It's on my left shoulder going down my back.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o93/rienaphoto/Nikon023-1.jpg

Dharma

2008-07-27T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have had a fantastic weekend. Dharma stayed with me all weekend while her parents were out of town. We had a wonderful time. For those who don't know, Dharma is my 13 month old grand-daughter. She has such a wonderful personality. I did have to baby proof my kitchen as Dharma is now walking and gets into everything she can reach. We went shopping for a birthday present and baby shower gifts. Needless to say, Dharma came out of the shopping spree pretty well off, also. I took her several places this weekend. She wasn't fussy and enjoyed meeting many new people. The greatest part of all this though, was when she would hold her arms out to me. We shared many Dharma hugs and kisses. Her parents came to pick her up about 6:00 tonight. While I am enjoying my alone time, I must say that I enjoyed my weekend with Dharma. I'm looking forward to many more.

Airport ramblings

2008-07-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

My friends know I travel a lot for work. I was sitting in the Victoria airport thinking why did I bother to show up almost an hour before my flight? There are two flights out of Victoria and two flights into Victoria daily. Only Continental flies there. My flight left at 6:20 in the morning. Had I missed it, I would have had to wait until 4:10 in the afternoon to get out. Twelve passengers were on the plane. My ticket was for seat 4B. The airline hostess asked us to sit in rows 7 and back for weight distribution. Needless to say, flights like this are very interesting. Before this experience, the smallest airport I had flown to was in Tyler. Tyler at least has a choice of airlines. You can fly Continental or American. I found the Tyler airport interesting because the ticket agent was also took the boarding pass when it was time to board the plane and went out to the runway to guide the plane with the flags. I do like multitasking.
Maybe I'll write about the larger airports and the fun I've had running down the halls in order to make my flights some day.

Time to get serious

2008-07-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

I weigh more now than I ever have in my life, even when I was pregnant. I know several things that are to blame...lack of exercise, I like to eat, stressful job, but it's time to get serious. A friend has been going to Curves and has lost 40 pounds. She gave me a card to do a free workout and see what I think of it. I went this morning and I joined. I am motivated to get fit and feel better. Now, I have to stay motivated to get over there. I'm going to try to start eating better, also. That's hard with my job, but I can make better choices. Goodbye foot-long coney meal at Sonic. Now, let's see how well I'm doing in a month.

Differences

2008-06-13T21:58:00.001-07:00

There are differences between men and women. We all know that. Being a woman, I can't really explain the way men think and feel. But I do know how women think and feel. Well, at least I know how I think and feel. I was reminded of an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond tonight. I know, corny show. But, in one episode, Raymond comes home to find Deborah sitting on the couch crying. For no reason. She's just crying. That's how I felt tonight. I had no reason to cry. I had to go to Hale Center for work, but that wasn't stressful, only time consuming when I didn't want to be working. I don't think men cry for no reason, but I could be wrong.
Some women are needy. They are always in crisis mode and always have others fawning over them and helping them. I don't think I am one of those women. In fact, I've been told that I'm strong and don't need anyone. I hope that's not entirely true. I think we all need someone sometimes. I am strong in the sense that I don't want to be perceived as the helpless, woe is me, type of woman. I refuse to be that person.
I guess my point is that even self-sufficient women have feelings. Unfortunately, most people don't want to believe that. To me, it's easier to look strong and hide any needs so that the ones who always look for sympathy can have it.

Busy, busy

2008-06-07T21:01:00.000-07:00

Wow, Summer is here, but I don't feel like I have slowed down for a minute. Today is the first day I've gotten home before midnight in the last several days. Work isn't slowing down and I've had some good times with some good friends. So, I guess I'm not complaining, but I do need to take some me time just to rest and relax. I thought I might mow today, but after picking up tree limbs, the heat of the day was bringing me down. Also, my son called to ask me to come over to see my granddaughter before she heads to Michigan for the Summer. That turned into an all day affair as the three of us did some running around town spending my money. Oh, what fun. But that is a different story for a different day. Have fun in Michigan, sweetie. Your BFF (me) will be thinking of you often.

Adoption

2008-05-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

I had an adoption yesterday. The girl was being adopted by her uncle and aunt. They were all so happy. One of the things we do for the kids when they are adopted is let them choose a teddy bear. She chose the biggest one we had after spending several minutes contemplating which one she wanted. When we left the courthouse, she asked me if I could keep coming to visit. I told her that I could stop by and say hi, but that I no longer had to come every month to check on how everything was going. She said she wanted me to come by sometime. Then she hugged me, not once, but three times. This is one of the reasons why I love my job. I have two more adoptions next week. Life is good.

Another Saturday

2008-05-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the Saturday before Memorial Day and I can't leave town even if I wanted to. Why? Because I am on call, which means I have to have my cell phone with me at all times and be available in case there is an emergency, ie. a run away is found and needs placement or a placement is falling apart. But, I also am going in to work to monitor a visit for two hours today. The judge has ordered that this family have visits for two hours daily so that the mother can nurse her baby. I think that's great for bonding. Anyway, that's how my work is going today. I also am going to check on my friend's cats as she went to Corpus this weekend for a wedding. I thought about doing some yard work, but since I need to look (and smell) decent when I go in for my couple of hours, I decided against it. The yard will be there tomorrow, you say. Yes, it will, but I'm sure I can come up with another excuse not to do any work. I am a good procrastinator.

April's going

2008-04-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

Here it is April 30th and I've neglected my blog all month. I have been very busy working. A 71 hour week and a 77 hour week make it hard to blog. Not to mention the time I couldn't get to my computer because I was in San Angelo. Anyway, I didn't want to get through April without at least one blog, so I guess I will post some random thoughts about my month.
April was an extremely busy month. With the removal of over 400 children in El Dorado, I ended up going to San Angelo to help out twice. I also had three adoptions consummated. I should feel like I accomplished alot, but right now I just feel relieved that April is over. May is looking good.
One of my young friends has started his own blog. So everyone should check out Chris's blog. I have it linked here as one of my favorites. Some of my very good friends celebrated birthdays this month. Happy birthday, my friends!
Sista went back to Canada. While I miss having her here, I know she was glad to get back to the mister and the kids. TORONTO SUCKS!!! GRITS RULE!!! That was for the mister.
Now, bring on May!

Celebration

2008-03-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

This winter seems to have taken a toll on people. I know more than one person who has unexepectedly passed away at relatively young ages. Last week a man that I don't know really well, but was a good friend to some friends of mine passed away. Tonight a music jam was held to honor his life. His best friend said that it's okay to shed some tears, but we were there to celebrate his life the way he would have wanted...with music and friends. It was awesome to see people come together and remember him through words and songs. And it's cool to see the impact one person could have on so many people.
Rest in peace, Keith. And keep on jamming.

Neglect

2008-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have neglected my blog lately. I have some ideas to write about, but I've been busy. I will try to find time to write next week. I am excited because the book I ordered at a conference I went to last month arrived today. It's called "The Myth Of The Out Of Character Crime." So I may have some good crime type stuff to blog about.
I've had 5 kids adopted since the last week of February. That's been keeping me busy along with trying to find homes for some others. So at least I've had a good busy.

It's nice to be appreciated

2008-03-02T08:36:00.001-08:00

As we go about our daily lives, at work, at home, with friends in person and online, I have noticed that it is nice to be appreciated. We should all have that intrinsic self-esteem, but at times, external praise goes a long way. I've noticed myself becoming grumpy when other people receive praise for doing things that I feel are part of everyday life when I don't receive praise. And then I berate myself for feeling that way. It can be a vicious cycle, but it's one that I am working on.
Anyway, I received special recognition from an agency we work with Friday. The Children's Home of Lubbock started something new this month. It is called cookies for caring. Every month they will choose caseworkers and/or supervisors who they feel have gone above and beyond their job duties to help the life of a child and/or how they've worked well with that agency. They bring cookies to the workers selected along with a note on why they were selected. They chose three people for the first month and I was one of them. It was such an honor to be selected. The note I received said that I have been excellent and going above and beyond in finding forever families for the kids that are so special to us. To know that people notice this and appreciate it made my day.

Busy

2008-02-24T12:53:00.001-08:00

I feel like I have been neglecting my blog. I am so busy at work and stressed with work that when I do have down time, I can't think of anything I want to blog about. My supervisor keeps telling me that things are going to get better. Of course, she usually tells me this right before assigning me another case or otherwise needing me to do something. I was feeling so stressed earlier this month, that I felt like I was about to have a melt down. But I have some wonderful friends who helped me through it. You know who you are, guys. Now, nothing has lessened at work, but I've decided that I do what I can and the rest will still be there tomorrow. I've got to take care of myself also.

Being Flexible

2008-02-16T18:02:00.000-08:00

I am a flexible person and that really comes in handy in my work. There are five workers in my unit, although a sixth is being added and interviews are being held next week. Yaaayyyy. Out of the five we have, one is on three month family medical leave for adopting a baby. Because of the specialized work we do, the other four of us are absorbing her caseload instead of parcelling it out to other workers in the building. Another worker was off all this week because her father passed away. It seems like every crisis possible hit this week while we were short handed. I was asked to fly to Dallas to pick up a child that had to be out of his placement on Friday. We had no placement for him when I flew out at 1:50 Friday afternoon. The plan was to meet him at DFW(a staff member from his placement in Fort Worth was bringing him to the airport) and bring him back to Lubbock. We should have been home by 6:00. I get to DFW and they aren't there. Come to find out, because DFW is so big, we were at different gates. My supervisor called and said we had found a placement in Fort Worth, very near to where he had been placed. When I finally found the child, rented a car and transported him to his new placement, it was too late to get a flight back to Lubbock. The last flight was booked. I found a hotel that only charged me four dollars over the state rate. There was a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom (heaven) and a business center. Unfortunately the business center was closed, so I couldn't access the Internet. Man, I've got to get a laptop. My good friend, Ron, told me to pack my toothbrush as I've been stranded in Tyler overnight before. But, me being me, I didn't listen. Thank goodness, the hotel gave me a toothbrush, toothpaste and deoderant. All turned out well and after only an hour delay coming back, I did make it home by noon Saturday. I love my job.

Mixed feelings

2008-02-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

As most of you know, I have a son stationed in Korea. We were talking via instant messaging last night about his future. He told me that he wants to be deployed to Iraq. As a mother, I don't want him in Iraq, but he has some very valid reasons for wanting to go. He is a LT in the Army. He has a chance to make the military his career and said that he wants to see what the Army is like in war before he makes a long term decision. He also has had classmates and good friends killed in Iraq. He feels that he should serve a turn there just as others have. The third reason he gives is that with a war going on, he needs to have a combat patch to really advance a career in the military. He could get a combat patch by being deployed to Kuwait/Qatr, but he feels that is the easy way out. He told me that he knew what he was getting into when he signed his contract. He knows that Iraq is very dangerous and that he could be killed. He said he doesn't want to die, but he's willing to take that risk to serve the country. Right now, he won't be deployed to Iraq because of the field he's in. He's probably going to be going to Ft. Bragg in May. Knowing my son, he will find a way to be deployed. I am proud of him and I support his decisions. I don't know many 24 year olds who compare to my child. But, I also worry.

Friends

2008-02-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

The greatest wealth in the world is to have friends. I don't mean people who say, "Oh yeah. You're my friend. See ya sometime." I mean friends that call you because they can see that you are in a crappy mood and want to make sure that you are allright. Or friends that call you at 3:00 AM because they are in pain and want someone to take them to the ER. That has happened to me and I'm still planning on an appropriate way to get back at him. Which is okay, because friends are allowed to reciprocate. Friends can yell at each other and be back to normal in hours because friends know more about each other than family ever will.
I treasure the few people that I can really call a friend because those few people know things about me that could get me in big trouble but, because they are my friends, will never use the information against me. Of course, this works inversely as well.

CPS

2008-01-31T12:49:00.000-08:00

I have recently become aware that there are some misconceptions about CPS (Children's Protective Services) and I would like to hopefully clear two of these misconceptions up. The first is that some people seem to believe that CPS issues arrest warrants. CPS operates under the Texas Family Code. I am giving the link to the statues pertaining to CPS investigations for interested persons. http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/docs/FA/content/htm/fa.005.00.000261.00.htm
The Texas Family Code is a civil code. Therefore, CPS does not have the authority to make arrests or issue warrants. Local law enforcement do receive reports of abuse/neglect that are reported to CPS. Sometimes local law enforcement will investigate these reports for criminal liability and sometimes they do not. CPS, by law, investigates reports pursuant to the Family Code. To allege that CPS had someone arrested is totally lacking in factual basis.
The second point I would like to discuss is a statement made recently that CPS needs to be shut down. I could not believe that someone actually said that, but I guess there are people out there that do not see the need to protect our most vulnerable citizens. I have worked with children who witnessed their little brother being thrown across the room and killed. I have worked with children who were sexually abused and had to testify in court about the abuse. I have worked with children who showed the police where the meth was being manufactured in their home and told about having been accidentally stuck with a needle. I could go on, but the horror stories never end. Most parents are good parents and never have any dealings with CPS. Some parents are good parents and have had reports called in. If a false allegation is made, cooperate with the investigator and the facts will come out. The majority of CPS investigations are closed with no further action. CPS investigators aren't out to get your kids. When I did investigations, I perferred to investigate the ones that I could close with no further action. I knew those kids were safe. I know it can be a hassle to deal with a worker coming out to your home, but isn't it worth the hassle to know that CPS will investigate and protect the ones who are being abused/neglected? How many child deaths have been prevented because CPS removed children from an abusive parent before the parent lost their temper one last time? How many children have been protected from accidental needle pokes in their parent's meth lab?
I know that there are cases in which a worker abused their position. That happens in every profession. Those workers are hopefully weeded out. But, by and large, CPS workers perform an important job to the best of their ability. And we have many children who are safe today because of that.

Procrastination

2008-01-29T19:00:00.000-08:00

I am the queen of procrastination. Part of my work entails that I see every one of the children on my case load in their placement at least once a month or call the ones that are not in this region. I saw the ten kids that are placed in the Amarillo area before the first week of January was over. I thought I was doing good. Why then, three days before the end of the month did I have eleven kids that I hadn't seen yet and four that I hadn't called. Needless to say, I am making up for lost time. I worked until after 7:00 tonight visiting children and I will get the rest seen the next two days. I hate having to rush at the end of the month. I would say that next month will be better, but I have two less days to see them all.

A Fun Trip

2008-01-28T21:40:00.000-08:00

I had to go to Childress this afternoon for work. So I thought I would write a blog for my friends, Sisser and Brandy. They are living in snow country and would like to see some warm weather.

Sista, Brandy...don't you two snowbunnies be mad, but I had to turn on the A/C on my way to Childress today. It was that warm. But before you start envying me, let me tell you about the fun game I got to play on the way. First, I played "dodge the tumbleweed blowing across the road." Then, I played "dang, I hope there's not a car in front of me since all I can see is dirt." I played that little game right around Matador. Thank goodness it didn't last long. And the last game I played on my trip was "can I keep the car from blowing off the road so Enterprise won't be mad at me?" Needless to say, I was having a great time.In Childress, once I had finished the business I was there for, I had a wonderful meal with Iggy. That was great fun and I look forward to more. It was getting dark by the time I left Childress, so the wind had died down. That is good, because it gave me more of a chance to focus on the deer that live out in the scrub brush. It is amazing how those sweet little deer like to congregate on the side of the road and then time the speed of your car so that they can romp across the road right as you are getting close to them. I only almost hit one of them. Took a while for my heart to quit racing after that one. I guess that was my aerobic workout for the day. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I had a blonde moment in Matador. Did you know that there are two highway 70s in Matador. There is US 70, which I need to take to Floydada. And there is State 70, which I actually got on and headed north, thinking, "I shouldn't be going north. I should be going west." Thankfully, I was able to shake off the blonde moment before I ended up in Minnesota or somewhere. Had to turn around and get back on the right highway. So, how was your day?

Chat

2008-01-28T20:11:00.000-08:00

I enjoy chatting with wonderful friends I have made on one of the boards. We have a chat room that has really been hopping lately with ten or more members in the last couple of nights. Unfortunately, with that many in the room and all of us talking and visiting I don't always get a chance to read everything everyone says or to respond to everything. It can get a bit confusing also. Once in a while a new chatter will come in and have a difficult time keeping up due to the speed of the chatting and the quick change of topics. I was discussing this tonight with one of my friends in the chat room. Her motto is, Just jump right in. Brandy, you are absolutely right. It's hard for new folks to get started. I went through that when I first started chatting. But, it is worth it to get your feet wet. All new chatters are welcome. I hope we regulars don't seem rude or unapproachable. I think we get caught up in our individual chats sometimes and forget that new chatters are in the room. I am going to work on being more cognizant of that. Of course, being me, I will probably have to be reminded time and again of this goal.

I wonder

2008-01-27T14:16:00.000-08:00

I've been pondering (to borrow a phrase from my good friend, sisser) about how people can say mean and hateful things about other people and then turn it around to look like they are the victim. I've had my fair share of arguments and yes, people who don't like me, but none of this has overtaken my life. I have friends who are accused of many things that they are innocent of on forums and then the accuser twists their own words to make it look like my friends started the accusations. I think that some people must not have fullfilling lives. I would feel sorry for them if it wasn't so scary.

Difficult decisions

2008-01-26T17:34:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here holding my seven month old grandbaby thinking about the call I just received from a hospital concerning a little boy on my caseload. You see, this little boy has so many health and developmental problems that we asked the judge to grant us the authority to get a DNR (do not resucitate) order. The hospital was calling to check on the order.
The reason that this is a difficult decision is that this little boy will never have any kind of quality of life. He is currently existing. He is the sweetest, cutest little boy you could imagine ever seeing. A team of doctors here and in Fort Worth have been trying to 1) find out why he has these medical problems and 2) trying to figure out how to if not heal him, at least get him to a state of being able to progress somewhat. All of this has been to no avail and he continues to worsen. I don't talk about him to others alot because until you've been through this you just don't understand. His foster mother has been talking to me about what we are going to do when he passes (funeral, who is considered family, etc.) His parental rights have been terminated, but it is doubtful we will ever find an adoptive family. He has siblings and I will be telling them that he will never get any better. That too will be extremely hard because these kids have come to mean so much to me. I've known them for almost four years now and have developed a close bond with them. Right now, I think he needs prayers, so if anyone is reading this, please send your prayers.

I'm blogging now

2008-01-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

I decided to create a blog because some of my friends don't accept comments from non bloggers. I don't know how often I will blog because I am very busy and I was never a diary type person, but I'm going to give it a try.