First week done, well almost

It has been crazy at my house!! Between getting the kids ready for back to school, Back To School night, fundraising stuff and Richard working for Kresta this week, we have been running around like crazy people!!
Since Richard and I are the fundraiser co chairs for the Buchanan High Band & Color Guard Booster Steering Committee, we are in charge of getting, preparing and distributing every single fundraiser we want to do for the kids. So far we have one set up every month sometimes even thre that month. I just want the kids to have the opportunity to earn the money so that they can do what they need to be able to participate in band or color guard. I have never gotten so many emails in my entire life. I have 175 on the email I use for boosters. Crazy!! Crazy!
The kids are getting into the swing of things and adjusting to being back at school. Each is new to the school they are in. But they seem to be loving it alot! Homework already and everything!! ReAnna seems to be really liking junior high and the same for Rebecca. Rebecca now hangs out with all the kids she goes to church with and mutual with. I am so happy about that. Her old friend from last year, spent most of the end of the year ditching Rebecca and is now mad that she does not hang out with her. She is mad that Rebecca is hanging out with "her people", that is what she calls the Mormons Rebecca is hanging with. I think she is just mad that Rebecca got tired of her and plus that she is hanging out with Upper Classmen and they like Rebecca. She went to her first dance and had one boy digging for her shoe, so he could have the last dance with her!! Not sure if I should be happy or go beat him up. :)
I got an message on my myspace account from my little sister last week. We talked through emails and the girls are going to call her kids on Saturday to talk to them. My therapist said this is a good thing and she is glad that I am being cautious. She knows I want contact with my family and totally supports me on this. It is hard though, I have not talked to any of them in over 5 years. They were not the greatest family when I was growing up.
I know people say that all the time, but trust me, they are the meaning behind dysfunctional. My mother favored my little sister and twin sister openly and my dad favored his oldest daughter and son, openly also. I was always the stupid one and the ugly one and any other insult they could think of. My sisters would blame me for everything and I would get hit with the stick or made to clean up their mess. Whenever my father needed help, my mother would send me, so when I was not fast enough or smart enough I would get yelled at and hit. I use to sit around and wonder why I went through what I did and why did God hate me so much? Was I not suppose to live and is that why everyone hates me?
Well, when we were going through our training for foster parents, I got my answer. Like a big huge donk on the head from God! Here you go dorka!! Here is why you went through what you did, because their are children going through what you did and you can help them. I understand more why now, and I wish there were more people out there that can help these kids. No on deserves a horrible childhood, I didn't, but I learned from my childhood. I know how not to be and how to be. I love you in my house got me a What do you want now? response.

Enough for now!! Type more updates later!!

First Day of School

Well this morning all of our kids started school. Christopher and Amber at Cole, ReAnna at Alta Sierra and Rebecca at Buchanan. Everyone was running around this morning being grouchy because we were all panicking.
First to drop off was ReAnna, so we dropped her off right by her first class. We walked her classes yesterday and she has some distance to go to get to everyone today!! Crazy!! She is going to be very tired tonight.
Next we dropped off Rebecca as close as we could get to her first class. Richard walked her classes and found her locker for her on Friday. He says she has a considerable walk also. Plus she has PE Band every day!! She thought her legs were sore during band camp. Wait until she has been doing PE band every day and night practice Tuesdays and Thursdays. She will be going to mutual at another ward, because she will not be able to make it to our ward's the first few monthes because of these night practices.
Christopher was next and he was acting very nervous standing in line. There were four kids from our ward in his class, so at least he has some familiar faces. We stayed until the teacher took the kids to her class, then we went to finalize their registration!!
Amber has afternoon kindergarten, so I dropped her off before I ran to work. I took a half day so I could help everyone get ready for the first day of school. She was an easy drop off. I stood with all the parents watching them play and waiting for the bell. She was so happy to finally to go into class. She waved Good bye and said I love you! It was funny to watch some of their parents document their child's first day of kindergarten in pictures and videos. One father followed his son around with a video camera until his son was inside the classroom.
When we dropped ReAnna off people were pulling over to take pictures of their new seventh graders in front of the Alta Vista sign. Strange.
I take a picture of them before they leave for school and that is it. Power to the parents that have the energy and memory to grab the camera and take it with them for the drop off. I am not looking forward to all the paperwork I have to sign and fill out tonight!! They need to let us just do an online form. It would be so much easier!!!

Good things

Well the last couple of days have been very stressful. First I was treated like I do not exist at work, then someone prominent at church told people she does not like me, then one of our very good friends moved to San Diego. The first part of the week was just horrible, but things are looking up!!
We will not not ever see David again! We can go down and visit him and bug him!! Rebecca is still sad about him moving, but it is all for the best for him. His life up here is a total disaster, and he can start over down there. I feel this is a great move for him and he will be successful in whatever he does down there!
We were having huge problems with Alex, throwing massive rage infested fits and trying to hurt us and damage our house and property. I was freaking out over the thought of him coming to live with us. So I prayed and prayed and everything is alot better. He has a lot he has to complete before he can even have another overnight and that could be monthes, but if he has another fit them visitations stop and his workers will wait until he is ready to visit again. We had to call the police to get him to go back to his home last night. He broke the security door, but everything is fixed and he knows that his bad behavior will not get him what he wants. Richard was really wanting him, but after last night he is willing to follow whatever his worker plans for him. Even if it means he can not live with us for a long time.
I was really considering resigning from my teaching position at the church, but after two people that told me to stick it out and even that one of their children enjoyed my teaching, has helped me come to a decision. I am not quitting. If she has a problem with me then she needs to come to me and not say things about me behind my back. Instead of talking to me, she jumped to conclusions and hurt my feelings very badly. I am not ready to accept an apology from her just yet, but I am sure that will come in time. The Primary President does not think I did anything wrong and her counselor should have handled all this in a completely different way.
Plus, Shari Gilbert's mother lent me the first two books of my FAVORITE movie in the entire galalxy!! The Work and The Glory!! I love the movies and I have been wanting to books for soooo long!! Now I am halfway through the first one and I have only been reading it for like 6 hours!! I love it!! Happy happy happy happy happy!!!

Church Today

This was the worst day ever for me. Last week one of the prominent members of our church's primary presidency, had her son in another Sunday School class and with Senior Primary. I though nothing of it, because maybe he had a friend visiting that was in that class. Then today he is again not in my class. One of the presidency brings him back to my class because he was in the wrong class. This was after his cousin told me and the class that his mother does not like me and did not want him in my class anymore. So he is sitting there and she walks by and yanks him out. How am I suppose to handle this?
Now I am sure she has told the presidency why he is to be in the other class and her extended family that she hates me. You know how that works. You tell one person and they will tell another, plus I am sure her son has told people that she does not like me. I really want to quit primary, but I love the kids I teach! I told Richard that I want to quit church, but he will not let me. He talked to the Bishop and the Bishop said he will talk to her.
I am just very confused. I was ok with no one talking to me, but now that I know that someone does not like me and has told people this, I no longer feel like I belong. What do I do? Quit primary or just try not to show that is bugs me and move on?

People at Work

At work today is one of my co-workers last day. After 35 years of working for this company, she is retiring today. She saved up all her vacation and will take that starting today. So 5 weeks from now she will offically be retired!! Lucky I want to retire now!!
Watching everyone coming over to say good bye to her and bring her Happy Retirement gifts. There is a mexican style potluck planned from 11:30am to 1:30pm and the cookies from 1:30 to 3:30. It is nice that everyone in our department is really happy for her, but it only reminds we more of how much I do not fit in here either.
Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but it would be nice to have friends here that actually liked me. I feel they tolerate me more then everything else. But they all make me feel like I do not belong. On birthdays they have a potluck and wish that person happy birthday. On my birthday, I got no such thing. Nothing. At first I thought maybe they just did not celebrate control clerks(that is what I am), but then I remembered they celebrated Kim's, a fellow control clerk. Then each time I went in to have surgery, no calls, no card, but when I got back people were like, how was your vacation? When I tell them I had surgery, then they act concerned. That was on my first surgery, so the next time I made a point of telling a few people, and still nothing. But each time I got back from disability someone else either was on disability the same time or went on disability right after I got back. Each time they passed around a get well soon card for that person.
Kim has managed to make good friends with alot of the ladies here and goes on breaks and lunch with them, walks during break with them and seems to do things after work with them. It makes me wonder if they just do not like the big fat ugly me, that they work with. It hurts, but I got to continue to work and show that it does not hurt. I do want them to change because they feel sorry for me. I want them to genuinely like me. Maybe I am just not meant to have any friends, at work, at church or in life. I try very hard, but many people do not stick around long enough to see the Rhonda underneath the rough outside. I know I have a harsh personality, that I understand, but why can't people see past that? Are we not suppose to love one another? Maybe for some, but not for others. I am not going to try to be someone I am not just so someone can like me. If they can not like me for me, then maybe being friendless is what I am suppose to be.

Band Camp

Today is the last day of a week long Band Camp for Rebecca. People always ask what instrument she plays, so we tell them none, she is part of Color Guard. There is a larger Color Guard team this year, 30 plus! Last year Buchanan only had about 15 Color Guard members, so this year they all seem excited to have a larger group.
Monday was the first day and Rebecca came home so sore!! They are there from 8am to 5pm, working the entire time. Her legs were sore from the running, walking and marching. Her legs have gotten less sore everyday, as she gets use to the routine. I am sure she lost weight and will continue to lose weight from practice and Color Guard PE. This team is very competitive and they work HARD!! She can not slack off at all.
Richard was there every morning also for a head count for pizza! We sold pizza at lunch as a fundraiser. So far it has been a decent fundraiser. We raised some money, not alot, but more then we had before. One day he even had to go back and get more pizzas! We are hoping to sell the rest of the drinks and a couple pizzas today, so there is no leftovers.
Tonight is the performance, so parents can see what they have been working on all week. Before that we are serving the kids a tri-tip dinner with all the fixings! Richard is going to the store to get all the supplies. We have to have enough food for 175 students. He is going to multiple carts at the store, I can just see it now!! Plus he has to have drinks for everyone!!
We are going back tonight to help and hopefully announce some of our proposed fundraisers starting very soon! We have planned alot, because the kids all have to pay $525 each plus the cost of supplies, uniforms, shoes, etc. So if Rebecca calls you, even if you order something small, anything helps!! Thanks!!

Rebecca's Favorite Group!

With all the music out there, this band is actually not bad. They come from a religious family and pay tithing on everything they earn!!

Weekend and craziness!

This weekend was crazy. Again!! I was awakened at 3:00 am to Amber saying she had a bad dream. I put her back to sleep and gave her the "Mommy Cure for Nightmares." Unfortunately my mommy power has a low power right now, due to the fact I have not had to use it since ReAnna was 3. That was a long time ago!! So I put her back to bed, at 3:45 am, with every stuffed animal I could find, to "protect" her from the bad dreams.
Then at 7:30, Christopher is waking me up, asking if he can go outside and play. I told him no and to go back to his room and be very quiet. 7:35 he is playing his radio, "quietly" but I can hear it perfectly in my room. I go in there and tell him to turn in off and get back in bed. Ten minutes later, I hear him playing with his cars. Plus Amber is in his room helping him make car noises. Richard got up and told them all to get back in bed and wait until Mom and Dad got up. Saturday is our day to sleep in. That gave us another 45 minutes sleep. I am just going to put them to bed at midnight on Friday nights!!
After breakfast, all the kids helped Richard make enchiladas for dinner that night. Each had a job and the worked as a group in a assembly line. ReAnna dunked the tortillas in sauce, Amber put on the cheese, Christopher the meat and Rebecca rolled them and put them in the pan. We ended up with two pans of beef and one pan of chicken.
After that was done, we all went over to Uncle Dan and Aunt Shari's to swim. We hung out with them until about 3:45, swimming and watching Madagascar. We saw it in theater when it first came out and I fell asleep watching it there. Stretched out on three or four theater seats! My knee was hurting, so I took some pain meds and fell asleep watching the movie. Apparently I did not miss much back then. I so do not like that movie. I like the Move It song, but that is it!
Dan and Shari came for dinner and we all had the enchiladas. Unfortunately, ReAnna said they were spicy, so Amber would not eat them. We keep telling ReAnna to think before she says anything, but somewhere in her head, that switch is on the off position. She will figure it out. Soon, I hope!!
I spent most of Saturday and some of Sunday finishing laundry. I washed clothes on Sunday only because, Rebecca brought me three HUGE baskets of clothes. Apparently she has been hording her dirty clothes upstairs in her room! We had a talk with her and that will not happen again.
Also on Saturday, I went through Rebecca and ReAnna's closet and drawers to clear out all the clothes that do not fit or are too old. I filled 4 large garbage bags!! Plus some shoes. The past three or four loads of clean laundry I had sent upstairs to be put away, was tossed into the closet. Clothes they had not seen in a long time, was under all the shoes they tried to cover it up with. I spent two hours in their room!!
Sunday we moved ReAnna downstairs to share a room with Amber. Amber is afraid to sleep alone, so ReAnna had been sleeping down there since she came to us. The room is now officially ReAnna and Amber's girly room. We put up ReAnna's Tinkerbell posters. We need to get some for Amber, but that will have towait until Saturday.
Rebecca has band camp this week and because Richard and I are the fundraiser chairs for the band and color guard, he has to be there to facilitate the pizza lunch fundraiser.
OH!! On Wednesday from 5pm to 8pm at the McDonald's on Willow and Nees, if you eat there between those times, the Buchanan Band and Color Guard gets 20% of the profit! SO come eat with us and tell all your friends!!!! We are hoping to raise $2000!!!

ID Pictures

Ok I need to vent really quick!!
At work we have to wear our id badges with our pictures on them. Almost every one I seen, has the most horrible pictures of the people on them!! Why is this? Do companies purposely go out and find the worst camera or photographers to do the pictures? I am beginning to think so! My picture makes me look like a drugged up freak!! I am going to take a new picture when I lose another 35 pounds. (lost 35 already) Then when I lose the last 70, I will take another one. They will not let me go to Glamour Shots and bring back a picture for them to use. I guess I will try not to look too freakish in my next too. Maybe it is the big goofy smile? Who knows?!?
Ok I am done venting!! Thanks!!

Dr Appointments for the little kids!!

Last Friday, Richard took the little kids to a new doctor for their physicals. Well he forgot a paper saying we had permission to let them be seen by this doctor, so they had to reschedule until Monday. Well, he filled out all the pertinant paperwork, so he would not have to do it Monday.
Monday, Christopher got three shots and both got TB tests. Richard could not find Amber's immunization record, so they were holding off on giving her shots. Christopher was not happy about that at all.
Wednesday we went back and had the TB tests read and of course both negative. We found her Immunization record and she needs no shots until 2014. All her stuff is up to date and every doctor's appointment registered on the medical log, but nothing for Christopher. Makes me think they preferred Amber over Christopher. Very not nice!!
The more we hear about this family, the more and more I do not like them. I am very glad we have them and in 6 monthes we can start the adoption.

Family Home Evening, well sort of

Last night the kids put together the funniest little skit. We always watch American Idol and this year, So You Think You Can Dance, so the kids put the two together. Rebecca and ReAnna were the judges, Rebecca with a weird accent. Not the English one she was trying for. ReAnna had some name like Mr. Booger Brain.
First up was Amber and her talent was to dance. She was Mckayla for this part. She spun around in cirlces "dancing". The judges told her they would call her and she left the stage.
Next up was Christopher and the only part he could remember was the punchline. His character was Dummy Head, so when Rebecca said what is your talent, Mr. Dummy Head, he said don't call me a Dummy Head. Then he pretended to attack her so she yelled Security and Amber, now the security guard, chased him around the yard for a few minutes.
Then it was Amber again and I forget her character's name, but she was suppose to sing. She of course forgot the words to the song and runs over to me. She said what is that song we sing at church and you sang to us in the car. It was I am A Child of God, so I sang the first two lines to her. I sing horribly, so it was torturous for anyone who heard me.
She runs over sings the first two lines and Richard and I finish the first verse for her. Then it was Christopher again and he attacked the "judges" again. The "security guard" ran over and all four were rolling on the grass pretending to be fighting and our dog runs over. She has her tail wagging and she is so confused. She cannot tell if they were really fighting or playing. So she keeps running from the door to them, the entire time with her tail wagging.
It was the end and we went back inside. I really need to find some FHE lessons that will capture the attention of a 5 and 6 year old and be short enough to keep it. Any suggestions, please feel free to let me know!! Thanks!!

Gray Hair

What is it with gray hair? You buy the hair color from the store, and follow the directions, but the gray still comes through!! Is there a plot with the beauty salons and the store bought hair color, so that you have to go to the salon to get the gray covered? Am I crazy? Am I trying to find conspiracy theories? I know, I am only 35, but I have alot of gray hair!! I had a really stressful and bad life before I met my husband, so I have ALOT of gray hair. Now that I am trying to cover it up, it will not go away!!! I just want my hair back to brown and at this point I will never have it!!!

Ok I am done venting! I will blog later about our crazy weekend!!

Update

Well July has been a very busy month for our family. On the 12th we welcomed Laura from France. She was a part of a program called World Exchange. The kids come to America and are fully engrossed into our language and culture. It is a learning vacation. She stayed with us from the 12th and left yesterday the 31st. She was a sweet young lady and will be missed.
In addition to Laura, we were called on the 16th and given a little boy, Christopher and his sister Amber. We are a licensed Foster Home, but are catagorized as a FostAdopt home. Which means we want children to adopt. SO we are hoping to start the adoption process in six monthes. We really love these kids.
Right after we got all the kids, we went on our family summer vacation. It started sleeping on a boat in San Francisco at Pier 39. Then on to Clayton to visit a long time family friend, the Carter's. From their house we went to Fairfield to the Jelly Belly Factory. We all had a great time there and on the boat. On Monday we headed home, for a short stay and to do laundry.
Tuesday we headed for Los Angeles to visit with our friends the Scott's. We stayed at their house for one night and then headed to San Diego. We then spent two days in Sea World, having a great time. It was Laura, Christopher and Amber's first times there. We saw all the shows and really did the tourist experience!!
Thursday about 630 we headed home. I had to be at work at 7 on Friday. We got home around 130 in the morning and everyone went straight to bed. Luckily I only had to work one day and then had three days off. We bascially vegged all weekend and hung out at the Gilbert's house and went to the Thomscon/Fyfe wedding reception.
Now that it is August, school starts in 24 days. Am I counting down? You better believe it! They are all bored and need to go back to school!! I do not have another vacation until the week of Thanksgiving and I am anxiously awaiting that week.