Happy Birthday Tom!

Today's blog post is dedicated to my wonderful, sweet, kind, and understanding husband Tom. I wish I could be with you on your birthday, but I can't wait to go out together on Saturday!

My evaluator finally showed up on July 11th, my first day back from "staycation". The kids were crazy, but I guess it went okay. She was here for 6 hours! I won't know any official results for 6-8 weeks, but I am just glad it's over.

This week has been VBS at our church. I'm leaving here everyday around 4:45, getting home about 9:30 or so, and then getting up and doing it again. I'm driving the bus and Tasha's riding with me to help monitor the kids, plus one of my child care families is helping transport the overflow. Plus I'm helping teach the 5th & 6th grade class. Needless to say, I am TIRED! But it has been a wonderful week and I've got to know some really great kids.

Loving the Coupons

I had got behind on cutting and sorting coupons. When Tasha and I went to Norman last week, I spent some time in the motel room cutting, then sorted them out Saturday. Then Saturday evening, I went to K-mart because they were having a double coupon event (they would double any coupon up to 99 cents). I was able to get:

Brownie mixes for 67 cents each
Cake mix/frosting for around $1.00 total
Curad band-aids for about $1.30-$1.50 (got some different sizes)
Ban deodorant for 50 cents (only got one because that was all the had. BUMMER)
Suddenly Salad pasta mixes for 50 cents each
Also got some sugar free and regular Jello pudding (pre-made 4 pack containers) for 75 cents with a buy 3 get 1 free coupon (they were on sale for $1).

Got some bug spray to go around the outside of the house for 4.99. I had a $3 off coupon for it and it was on sale for 7.99. Was almost $12 at Wal-Mart!!!!

At Wal-Mart, I got some stuff too:
White Cloud toilet paper (12 pack on rollback for $5.37, had $1 off coupons making it $4.37, got two)
Boxes of microwave popcorn for 98 cents each with $1 off 2 coupon
Two more boxes of Gain fabric softener sheets for 87 cents with $1 off coupons
And used a 10% off All You magazine to get my July issue of All You (they are full of coupons). It was the most trouble and it only saved me 19 cents, LOL.

I wrote White Cloud last week telling them how much I liked their toilet paper and they said they would send me coupons. I'll let you know what I get!

Still waiting...

I'm still waiting on my evaluator to show up. Monday and Tuesday are the last two days. So by Tuesday night, it should be over one way or another! This waiting has been hard! But with all the other stuff going on this month (losing my ex-mother-in-law, etc.), it has just been a long month.

I have one more week to work until we're on staycation. We are taking off the week of the 4th this year because Vacation Bible School falls the week we normally take off (Tom's birthday week).

Sounds like life to me

I heard the most awesome song on the radio on the way back from Norman today. Tasha's been listening to country music lately. I loved this song:

Sounds like life to me it ain’t no fantasy
It’s just a common case of everyday reality
Man I know it’s tough but you gotta suck it up
To hear you talk you’re caught up in some tragedy
It sounds like life to me

Fridge is Fixed?!

Hopefully the fridge is fixed now. The repairman ordered a defrost timer and put it in today. Wasn't real expensive and I'm really hoping it fixes it. Will be nice not to be using that little dorm fridge, although I am incredibly grateful that we were able to borrow it! What a blessing!

Life's Curveballs

Well, as usual, in our household, when it rains, it pours. Our fridge is on the fritz. A guy came and looked at it on Friday, cleaned the coils, etc., declared it fixed, and left. All weekend, it was up and down. It would be zero in the freezer, then 40, 40 in the fridge, then 50 or 55. So I called him again yesterday. His response? "Well I can look at it, but that should have fixed it". Well Hello! It didn't! Anyway, he came and looked at it again and now it's the defrost timer. So we'll see. He ordered one, hoped it might be in today. Then my ex's mother passed away Saturday. We got the call as we were leaving our great-niece's birthday party. That funeral is tomorrow. Plus, I am on pins and needles everyday waiting for the evaluator to show up for my Environmental Rating Scale. And the cherry on top? I've been having trouble lately with a couple of child care clients (checks that wasn't good and other drama).

My mantra? God is in control!

The Path Life Takes

Have you ever thought about the path your life has taken? And how different people along the way have changed it or affected it? That's been on my mind lately with my ex's mother not expected to make it. I think about that part of my life, when I first met them. Last month would have been my 25th wedding anniversary, had we stayed married. This month is the 20th anniversary of him walking out of our life (mine and the kids). I always wanted the kids to have a relationship with their grandparents, no matter what choices their son had made. So even though it was hard for me emotionally at times, we stayed in touch with them. In time, they "adopted" Natasha and treated her just like one of their own grandkids. And treated Tom & I like one of the family. I am sad for the path that their son chose to take, but I am happy that I stayed involved with them and stayed close to their family. He doesn't know what he missed out on-knowing two great kids who have grown into wonderful adults. Everyday, I thank God for sending me Tom to be a part of their lives and mine. I am not sorry for taking the path where I married him because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have Josh & Serenity, nor would I have Tom and Natasha.

Please continue praying for the family. My ex-mother-in-law is still hanging in there.