Okay, I just had to get that off my chest. Laundry is piling up, lawn needs mowing, it's getting near time to close down the yard and get ready for winter, and if I have to wash one more load of dishes...
Every night news about the economy keeps getting worse and worse and job prospects aren't well at all.
Enough griping. Time for me to get a grip and go to bed. Way past my bedtime...DP is snoring and Zoe is passed out on the floor next to me. The faithful dog.
TTYL
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Receiving and giving support
DP has just one more session with his therapist. Next month he graduates. He has come a long way--emotionally and physically. We worked through quite a few emotional issues and are continuing our growth, mostly just learning how to adjust to each other.
From last year to this year, DP went from 4'6" to 5'2". I'm 5'4" that kinda tells me something! Over the next few months, any disciplinary "discussions" will have to be done with him sitting down, so I'll be the taller person. This makes it an even bigger challenge accepting the fact that what worked once, does not work now for this generation.
On October 1, I will be on a panel on relative care givers. (That ought to be interesting.) The panel is the result of a discussion I had with the Spokesman-Recorder before writing the column about "grandfamilies." I hope that whatever my small contributions might be, they will help or support other relative caregivers. There are a lot of us out there; we definitely need each other.
From last year to this year, DP went from 4'6" to 5'2". I'm 5'4" that kinda tells me something! Over the next few months, any disciplinary "discussions" will have to be done with him sitting down, so I'll be the taller person. This makes it an even bigger challenge accepting the fact that what worked once, does not work now for this generation.
On October 1, I will be on a panel on relative care givers. (That ought to be interesting.) The panel is the result of a discussion I had with the Spokesman-Recorder before writing the column about "grandfamilies." I hope that whatever my small contributions might be, they will help or support other relative caregivers. There are a lot of us out there; we definitely need each other.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Growth spurt
DP is growing out of all his clothes. A major growth spurt! We bought jeans that last year were a bit large, but this year fit perfectly. The shirts that fit last year are way up the wrist this year! Okay, here's the thing: When I was raising girls, they grew just a bit slower (if memory serves), but this man-child is beyond belief. At least over the summer he could wear shorts and no one knew the difference, but with cooler weather setting in we are looking at a whole new ball game.
Grampa Dave sent him a new watch and the child slept with it. I had to remind him to take it off before cleaning up this morning. He was so surprised when it arrived and was on his cell phone texting everyone with the news. This morning he kept looking at it to be sure to leave the house on time. Never mind we have clocks in every room of the house!
I was, at first concerned Grampa may have gone a bit overboard with the bling, but he assured me hadn't. As Grampa Dave said: "Kids don't need expensive stuff, just stuff that works." Yep, we have definitely been there!
DP is around women most of the time, so I enrolled him in Big Brothers Big Sisters and encourage him to keep in contact with his big brother, which he does as often as possible (thank goodness for texting). And it is really good to see him developing a relationship with his grandfather, another male role model in his life.
Thank you, Grampa Dave, for the watch...and the reminder!
Grampa Dave sent him a new watch and the child slept with it. I had to remind him to take it off before cleaning up this morning. He was so surprised when it arrived and was on his cell phone texting everyone with the news. This morning he kept looking at it to be sure to leave the house on time. Never mind we have clocks in every room of the house!
I was, at first concerned Grampa may have gone a bit overboard with the bling, but he assured me hadn't. As Grampa Dave said: "Kids don't need expensive stuff, just stuff that works." Yep, we have definitely been there!
DP is around women most of the time, so I enrolled him in Big Brothers Big Sisters and encourage him to keep in contact with his big brother, which he does as often as possible (thank goodness for texting). And it is really good to see him developing a relationship with his grandfather, another male role model in his life.
Thank you, Grampa Dave, for the watch...and the reminder!
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
DP the sixth grader
He's off to school this morning and is absolutely beaming to be a sixth grader now. Most of yesterday afternoon was spent finding, washing, and ironing clothes and getting everything ready for the big day. We decided that this year he would carry a messenger bag instead of the usual backpack. Trying something a little different.
When I peeked into his room this morning at 7:30, he was wide awake, just lying there waiting for me to kick off the occasion with the usual wake up call. I've been awake a long time, Nana. Just waiting for you. Three or four times after he showered, dressed, and had breakfast he asked if it was time to leave yet. (He definitely needs another watch.) I took a picture of him and sent it to his mom so she could be a part of the special day.
The bus stops right outside the house, so I had a cup of coffee and watched through the kitchen window until he rode away. Before leaving the house he hugged and kissed me and reminded me that when he came to live here, he was in the second grade. The image of him standing in the doorway with his social worker and bag of belongings will always be a part of me. He hugged me then, too. We were embarking on an adventure.
"We did it, Nana!" Yep, kiddo, we did.
When I peeked into his room this morning at 7:30, he was wide awake, just lying there waiting for me to kick off the occasion with the usual wake up call. I've been awake a long time, Nana. Just waiting for you. Three or four times after he showered, dressed, and had breakfast he asked if it was time to leave yet. (He definitely needs another watch.) I took a picture of him and sent it to his mom so she could be a part of the special day.
The bus stops right outside the house, so I had a cup of coffee and watched through the kitchen window until he rode away. Before leaving the house he hugged and kissed me and reminded me that when he came to live here, he was in the second grade. The image of him standing in the doorway with his social worker and bag of belongings will always be a part of me. He hugged me then, too. We were embarking on an adventure.
"We did it, Nana!" Yep, kiddo, we did.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Supporting our grand-family
DP and I attended our first Grandparent/grandchild support group yesterday evening. We had dinner then split up into adult and child groups.
Sitting in a room with other grandparents who were sharing their lives with their grandkids was uplifting. Hearing their stories about how they were and continue to be making a new life for all concerned was inspirational. It helped me to know just how far DP and I have come as a unit. When you are in the middle of it, just focused on putting one foot ahead of the other 24/7 you don't often take time to stop and look around or look back to see how far you've come. Last night helped me to do that. I could see the strides Virginia has made as DP's mother and how we are supporting each other's efforts to raise DP.
It was painful listening to the challenges other grandfamilies are working through, then remembering the changes my little unit had to go through in order to get to where we are now. God has been with us through it all; I can see that now more than ever before.
We went to the State Fair today with Virginia and Diana. Because of my bad ankle, Virginia rented a scooter for me. It was so sweet how DP insisted on walking next to me most of the time and even held my hand as we moved through the crowd. (Diana snapped a picture.)
The child stuffed back so much State Fair "fare" that by the end of the day (about 5 hours) he was ready to collapse. He even looked a little green around the gills. I was concerned he would get sick, but he made it.
Sitting in a room with other grandparents who were sharing their lives with their grandkids was uplifting. Hearing their stories about how they were and continue to be making a new life for all concerned was inspirational. It helped me to know just how far DP and I have come as a unit. When you are in the middle of it, just focused on putting one foot ahead of the other 24/7 you don't often take time to stop and look around or look back to see how far you've come. Last night helped me to do that. I could see the strides Virginia has made as DP's mother and how we are supporting each other's efforts to raise DP.
It was painful listening to the challenges other grandfamilies are working through, then remembering the changes my little unit had to go through in order to get to where we are now. God has been with us through it all; I can see that now more than ever before.
 |
| This was a good day. |
The child stuffed back so much State Fair "fare" that by the end of the day (about 5 hours) he was ready to collapse. He even looked a little green around the gills. I was concerned he would get sick, but he made it.
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