I'm going, do you want to go?

http://www.watchingthewaters.com/2010/09/orlando-159-days.html

No, I don't know a single one of these women in real life.
But I've known some of them for years, some I've never said (wrote) a word to.
But I feel I know them as well or better than their best friends, and them me.
I've never done anything like this before. But the idea of spending the weekend with someone who knows exactly the kind of life, drama, hades,other world-ness I live is surreal. To know there really is someone,lots of someones, who know what I'm talking about is priceless....and I have not been without a kid hanging on me for about 6 years...really. I selfishly want to go so I can pretend I don't have a care in the world & I wont hear mommymmommymommymommy one million times in an hour.
I don't think doing something totally out of character in 40,hmm,hhmmm years is too bad.

Too Much

Sometimes there's just so much going on, you just want to turn your back on the whole thing.
There's no words to explain it anyway.

Surprises around every mouse click

Just clicking around trying to find the very earliest pictures of The Boy...I found some too cute to even believe!

Let's talk Sinus'

My husband had sinus infections for years. He had one at least every other month.
Finally he had to have sinus surgery a few years ago. (it's a very miserable surgery, by the way) But lo & behold about a year after the surgery he started having them again. There was no way he was going to go through the surgery again. So the ENT dr said he needed to try a Neti-pot. He wasn't so sure to begin with, but would rather try that than have infections all the time or forbid, another surgery.
He has religiously used a neti-pot twice a day or at least once a day for years now.
He can't go without it. And I can tell you he only has about one sinus infection a year, if that. It really has made that much difference in the number of infections he has.
I asked the ENT why more people didn't use these and he said he always recommends them but most people are put off by putting water up their noses. Personally, I think I'd rather do that than feel like I'm dieing from a sinus infection or have sinus surgery.
He said it was also good for people with pollen allergies. You can wash all the wonderful pollen out, when our beautiful southern trees and flowers bloom.
I asked my husband if I could take a picture of him doing the neti-pot...he just looked at me like I'd lost my mind. After 22 years, I think that means NO!
So you get to look at the bottles instead. It really is easy and it really does make a difference.
WaterPic even has two different ways to do it.
Squeeze Bottle- allows you to customize the amount of water flow for a complete cleanse, simply with an easy squeeze. The SoftSeal™ nozzle maximizes comfort and the One-Way FlowControl™ valve prevents backflow to maintain solution purity.

Neti Bottle- a unique approach to the traditional neti pot; its ergonomic shape, SoftSeal™ nozzle and One-Touch FlowControl™ valve make the Neti Bottle easy to hold, comfortable against your nose and creates a controlled gravity-fed water flow that provides a gentle sinus cleansing.

Even better, all SinuSense™ products are BPA free, dishwasher and microwave safe and safe for everyday use, even for children ages 4 and up. Now everyone in your family can breathe easier- and cleaner!

My Baby My Baby

After 28 years of being a mommy, my last baby is starting his journey into education.
He is going to Pre-K this year. He has a late birthday, so he'll be one of the oldest in his class. There is no turning back now. Next year my baby boy will HAVE to go to school or I will have to homeschool him. In a few months he'll be 5! 5. Where has the time gone?
I think 5 is the "you can't even say he's a baby anymore cutoff". ~sigh~

Nothing like griping to make you feel better

(This one's mine by the way, not up for grabs. this was taken at a festival today)


I don't usually write in too much detail about the *foster children I have in my home. Oh, I know I do my fair share of griping. I just kind of generalize it.
But both of my boys will be leaving soon, I believe. It's not like it's not about time. I happen to believe a child should not be in *foster*care one minute longer than it takes the parents to get their crap together. I *foster the very young ones. Attachment issues are very real in this age group. One little one is the cutest thing you've ever seen. As a matter of fact one of the complete strangers who's lap he crawled up into said," Those eyes are so bright, you'd need to change the bulb in there every once in awhile." He knows no stranger. Which is terribly scary if you know anything about RAD%. He's been with us 18 mos. of his 30 mos. of life. I fear for his future and the perspective parents, who I doubt ever heard of RAD^, let alone know how to handle it or even know if this is something they can deal with. All they know is the superduper *SW says he is *healthy,white,male child. period. I will be sure to fill in all the very large gaps they fail/forget to tell them. Plus he's still a *legal risk. If I were them I would run and never look back. But I keep telling myself, who am I to judge. Maybe they can deal with it. But the first time they meet and he calls them mama & daddy, it will all be over, and they will hear nothing of my warning. People, love does not cure all things.
My other baby, has been with us 21 of his 24 months. His poor case has languished for far too long. One day he's going home & the next he's going to TPR*, staying in state or going out of state for *adoption. They don't have a clue. All the while this baby thinks this IS his home, the only home he's ever known. Why shouldn't he think that. It's the courts that should be ashamed of what they've done to this child's life. It doesn't take 2 years to figure out if mom's got what it takes to parent a child. Especially if you've had 2 more since the first came into care. Folks, this ain't rocket science. Foster*Care is a necessary evil, if you will. But it doesn't mean the state couldn't do a better job of taking into care the ones who need it and sending home the ones that need to go. Whether that be back to bparents or adoptive parents. Sitting in foster*care for years doesn't do anyone, on either side of the fight any good.
I've said my rambling piece for the night. I feel so much better.
I wonder why Juvenile court judges don't read foster blogs. Maybe they could learn the real truth.

You know it's September in the South

Beautiful, Beautiful Kudzu is in bloom. I wonder if most people know it actually
has a bloom? Zooming by on the highway, you'd never know.

(Actually late August, early September. But that wouldn't fit in the title.)

I love kudzu. It's like huge green leafy drapes everywhere you look.
The blooms smell like you walked into a giant piece of grape bubblegum.
My husband hates it and says it smells like deodorant cakes they put in men's urinals. I'm just going to have to take his word on that one. I don't want to know what they put in there.