We're loving the YMCA

Here are some of us at the YMCA snack room. We sort of take over when we are there and drink more than our monthly payment in free hot chocolate and coffee. Hot water and showers included probably puts them in the red. It also has the only babysitter that I can count on for an hour or so of freedom from The Mongol Hoards ( got to looking at the ethnicity of the gang the other day and figured that Mongolian heritage was pretty accurate if you counted migration of Native Americans over the Russia/Alaska land bridge). The Y has not only become our favorite hangout just for fun but today was the waiting room for the family as I went to appointments at the psychiatric hospital nearby. I expected that one of my children would be there eventually but not the one that is there now. Still no diagnosis after 3 days but she seems a little more coherent and has finally begun to eat a little. It has been some major deal at the ER, mental health clinic or doctor's office every day for weeks now and I don't know if it is attacks from the devil or what. If so, I know that they are all things that God is allowing to get through, for whatever reason. Maybe things needed stirring up for some of the kids to get more help than they were getting for their problems. I am on a fast track of learning about different medical and mental conditions and and becoming more vigilant and observant of behaviors and symptoms. I need to journal behavior, headaches, fights, ....and still clean, pay bills, wish about planting the garden....adopting or raising kids with medical problems and mental illness or baggage is more of a job than I imagined. It doesn't help that I'm the most disorganized person I know and have plenty of other faults besides. I will get up tomorrow and hope that a new fire front doesn't break out, pray that we can make the right decisions in all the different firefights we are already in.

far away and not so long ago

Here is a picture of my foot next to a grizzly bear foot print on the beach in Naknek, Alaska last summer. Seem like it was another life on another planet. A series of unfortunate events, now running into it's second week has made me wish I was anywhere but here. Well, let me put that in perspective...that doesn't include Bahgdad, Darfur or many other places actually. Compared to 90% of the folks in the world, I have it made in the shade. Compared to the neighborhood, it's a different story. Angry neighbors who hate my lifestyle and my dogs.. calling the sheriff to cause me trouble, rattlesnake bite to one dog, two children in the ER on two consecutive days, one needing emergency surgery, four blown over trees.. one on my chicken yard, major anger issues erupting into violence requiring more medication and enclosing a porch for the offender to move into, a very expensive car repair...let's see...there is more. It could be worse and there have been some big blessings thrown in there. I just need a vacation..even a 20 minute one...which I might get right now. Finally the porch is now a quite nice bedroom with the occupant settled in, the trash is at the dump, the dogs are safely penned up, everyone is actually in bed at 11 pm and quiet. I am going to enjoy the peace for a few minutes because who knows what might happen tomorrow.