Breaking Out the Christmas Decor Before Thanksgiving

I brought(dragged) all of the Christmas boxes in the house today.

And started putting things up around the house.

The beginning of Dec. always seems to fly by.

So I wanted to get a jump on Dec. Still no tree as of yet though.

I found an inflatable carousel on sale at target last week. This afternoon, we all bundled up and went out to put it up.






And I realized after looking at my pictures tonight I did not get one of the finished product...but it's way too cold to go out there now so that picture will have to wait. :)



Yes, it's almost Dec. and we still have leaves in our front yard, lots and lots of leaves. :)

Busy Week Coming Up

I'm so not ready for Thanksgiving to be here and I'm in no way ready for my baby girl to turn 2 the day after.

Jose and I spent the weekend painting Marissa's room for her birthday. I got her a Winnie the Pooh bedding set a while ago. She mainly is crazy about Tigger but I couldn't find a set with just Tigger so she has to take Pooh too. :)

I wanted to paint her room purple but it just didn't work with the border and the bedding so we went with PINK! Much to my best friend's dismay! Lometa (Ruben's godmother) hates pink for little girls and honestly I'm not really crazy about it myself. But we did it anyway. We chose a very bright,almost hot pink. It could get to be a bit much I'm afraid, but I think it makes for a very cheery little girl's room. We also painted half of one wall with chalk board paint because the child loves to draw.

I promise to post pictures soon. We still have to get more border to put up.

I've got so much to do this week and all I really want to do on this very rainy Monday is climb under a blanket and go to sleep.

Helpless

I really hate feeling helpless but right now I do. My heart is heavy tonight because of my little sister Elizabeth. She is not my biological sister but I have been in her life for 14 years since she was 8 years old and she is my sister in every way that counts.

She was in and out of trouble throughout her teenage years, sneaking out of the house, drugs and boys were always involved.
When she was 19 she had my niece, Elaina. We all thought when she had Elaina she would change and grow up a little bit. Unfortunately that did not happen. She left Elaina with her mom (my best friend Deb) when Elaina was just 2 months old.
Elaina will be 4 this month and Deb and her husband are in the middle of going to court for full custody for Elaina.

Several months ago Elizabeth got in a lot of trouble with the law and had charges pressed against her. I won't go into all the details of that. But the things she did involved members of our family and because of the things she did our family can no longer be there for her and I totally understand that and do not blame them at all. She has a court date for Feb. 4, 2009. They are very serious charges and I don't know what will happen.

She had been staying with her boyfriend, They have been together for a few years. He is also has charges pending against him. Last week her boyfriend's mother kicked her out.

She is 7 months pregnant and has only been to a doctor once and has not been on prenatal vitamins and has been using drugs on and off. We are not sure what kind or how much. I found out today that she is in a women's shelter.

When I found out today that she was in the shelter, I called there and left a message. I didn't figure she could call me back long distance (we live 6 hours from her) But a few hours later she called. It was good to hear her voice but I could tell how broken she was and it was really hard to keep it together on the phone.

My heart breaks for her. I know what she has done is wrong. And I want to say that she finally has realized the error of her ways but I can't because I have thought and said that so many times before and I was wrong. But she is my sister and I know what it is like to have everyone walk away from you because you screwed up big time. It's the loneliest feeling one could ever experience.

My first instinct is to get in my car, drive the 6 hours and bring her here. I did offer but she said the shelter is helping her to get her GED (she is dyslexic and has always struggled in school and with getting her GED) And they will help her with other things too. Counseling and getting a medical card so she can get to the doctor.

I think about the first time I met her. I was 18 years old and in a place where I had no one except my mom. She was an 8 year old chubby little girl who only had her mom and her brother. The day we met she was sitting on the couch waiting to meet her Big Sister (through big brothers/big sisters) She was so shy. It didn't take long for me to draw her out. She was laughing and talking on our first outing.

I remember taking her to get her first training bra. And worrying about her when she was 12 and no longer chubby and older guys started to notice her. At 12 she looked 16 She was so and is beautiful.

I remember letting her drive my truck at 14 or so. She was doing great until a bee came through the window and she went hysterical. It was not funny at the time but afterwards we laughed our butts off.

I miss her so very much and I hate the thought of her in a women's shelter. I used to work in one. Some are not bad but it's not a place you would ever want to be. Especially 7 months pregnant.

She says her legs and feet are extremely swollen. And she is in a lot of back pain.I hope they will get her to a doctor soon.

I am so very worried about that little person inside of her. I don't know what will happen with this little one. I just ask God to keep his hand on this sweet innocent baby.
I don't know if she will serve jail time and if so what will happen to that little one. I know family will eventually get it but if the baby is born addicted I'm not sure of the process that we will have to go through.

I wish I was there to put my arms around her and tell her everything will be alright. I am fighting the urge to get in my car and drive there. Even though she would only be able to see me for a few minutes because of where she is and their rules.

All I can do is pray even though at the moment it doesn't seem like enough. But I know God can take care of her. He is the one that brought us together so many years ago. He gave me a sister when I had lost mine. Not as a replacement but she helped fill the void and so did her family who became my family.

I ask everyone to say a prayer for Elizabeth and our family her unborn child and Elaina. I know God can take care of all of us and turn this situation around.


Elaina, Me, Elizabeth and Marissa
This was taken last year at our girl's birthday party. Elaina and Marissa share the same birthday, Nov. 28th.

Wordless Wednesday

November, Already?

Where does the time go? My baby is about to turn two and my niece will be 4?

Wow, Thanksgiving is just around the corner and Christmas will be here before we know it.

I realized this morning that I have to take time to enjoy my mornings alone with Marissa because soon she too will be heading off to preschool before I know it.

So this morning I did some cleaning while she followed along and helped me. And then I gathered her in my arms and rocked her. Just taking in all of her. Thinking about how she has grown and changed and how independent she has been from the very beginning. She is such a joy, always looking for something to get into, her little mind always working in overdrive, her little face always wearing a smile. Oh how I love that little girl!

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We have been going back and forth to mom's lately. And just got back yesterday from staying for the weekend. I'm trying to help Deana out more because she does so much. Deana recently had a kidney stone and was in bed for about a week. I took care of mom and realized all that Deana does for mom. I have never heard her complain one time though.

Mom's physical therapist has been trying to get her a lift. It will make everyone's life a little easier, especially mom's. She will be able to get in her wheel chair and sit up more during the day. And it will be a lot safer than just one or two people trying to get her up.

In order for Medicaid to approve the lift they need a weight on mom. The last time she was weighed was a year ago in the hospital. So tomorrow the Department of Transportation will be coming to the house with a scale to weigh mom. They volunteered their scales for free, the ambulance volunteered a stretcher, and several people have volunteered their time to help get mom weighed. We will be heading back tonight to stay so we can help tomorrow. Jose is off work for Veteran's Day and we will be taking Roo out of school.

I am hoping Mom will get the lift soon. It would be awesome if the lift would work to get mom in and out of the car. Then she could finally come here and see the house and stay for the Holidays. She could also go shopping for Christmas. She has not been anywhere other than doctors appointments for the last year.


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Well, gotta go now. The electric heaters we are running just tripped the power.

Oh, did I mention that our heat has been out for about two weeks???
Which was fine because it has been fairly warm but last night it was pretty chilly. The whole unit has to be replaced. Jose has called two different places but it seems they are taking their sweet time. Oh the joys of owning a home ;)

A Very Booo Time

Well we were all dressed up and trick or treating in Madisonville. I am told that in our neighborhood our neighbors were handing out cupcakes. Cupcakes! Well, Marissa wanted to be a pirate, even though I wanted her to be a ladybug. Ruben was predictably Darth Vader. Enjoy.

Jose

Just Pics

I'm a little behind in my postings. These pictures were taken about two weeks ago. I will post Halloween pics later tonight or tomorrow.

I'm Just a Girl

I've recently been asked why I don't write more on the blog. Why I just post pictures and give updates about the kids.

Well, I guess for a few reasons.
One, this blog started when we moved from CA so that family and friends could keep updated on our lives. Then after Marissa was born it became more of a tool for friends and family to watch the kids grow. Since the kids are here now it's really all about them, none of our family and friends care how Jose and I are doing. lol

Another reason is because at one time I had gotten in the habit of reading blogs that all seemed to portray perfect little lives, complete with perfect husbands, perfect children, perfect houses, and even the perfect pets.

One particular blog went on about how she wakes at 5 am and cooks breakfast for her husband, drives her son to school, comes home and gets her house squeaky clean and then takes her well behaved 3 yr old to play dates, to the park, to mommy and me classes. Returns home to cook a 4 course organic dinner for her family. And on and on. (This is no one I know just a random blog I stumbled upon.)

Well, I have none of that to write about. Don't get me wrong, I am very very grateful for my life and overall it's a great one. But if I were to write about my day it would go something like this.

I hear Jose's alarm go off in the morning and struggle to open my eyes because I have been up most of the night because I am an insomniac, and happen to have a sleep disorder.

On mornings where I actually am able to get to sleep before 4 am I do get up with Ruben and put a pop tart in the toaster which he won't eat anyways. But on most other days, Jose gets him up and he gets himself ready with clothes I've laid out the night before. He is very proud of getting himself dressed he says "I'm a big boy I can dress myself." He comes in my room to be inspected and kissed goodbye.

By that time Marissa is in her room screaming "Mommy, out please." She has a gate on her door because she can't be trusted while we are sleeping. :) I stumble into the kitchen grab my Pepsi, put her in the high chair and give her a bowl of cereal, let the not so perfect dog out and finish trying to shake the cobwebs from my head.

After she is done with her cereal, I turn on cartoons (all the good mothers are gasping) and I get some housework done. How much depends on the day, how I feel and if Miss Priss will actually sit and watch cartoons.

By this time it's lunch time, Roo comes home, we eat lurch, which is usually something very easy that does not have to be cooked or can be microwaved.
We run errands if we have to, nap time for Rissa, quiet time for mommy, and Roo can has quiet time in his room and even *gasp* watches cartoons, KET because that's the only channel he gets in his room.

Yes, I play with my children, I take them outside. But it's not a set scheduled kind of thing. And the closest we get to gymboree or mommy and me classes is toddler reading time at the library, we have only been once but it's counts.:)Marissa is not the structured scheduled play time kind of gal.

I don't cook dinner every night, some nights my husband even cooks dinner. I have days where the last thing I want to be is a stay at home mom, and times where I want to strangle my husband because I can't believe how many things he just doesn't get about being a stay at home mom.

I question God about something almost everyday, I get mad at Him too but I come around eventually and He is always there. He knows the kind of person, mother and wife I am. He knows what goes on behind the closed doors of my home, so why should I try and hide it from anyone else, when His opinion and approval should be the only one I seek.

See, I'm just a girl who has become a wife and mother. Just a girl trying daily to get it right but failing just as many times as I succeed.

I believe that is what we all are, just girls who love our family and want to get it right. We want to be the perfect wife and mother. But I think it's dangerous to perpetuate that perfect image to other mothers. Because then they feel like they are less and are failures for not being able to measure up.

Next time you see someone who looks like they have it all together, just remember you don't know what goes on behind the closed doors of their home, and she could probably use a friend to let her know it's ok to not be perfect all the time.

Fall Fun