The business is officially open. Check out the website and give me your honest feedback!
www.mckimhc.com
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Fall in Nebraska
OK... I'm an idiot. I thought there was something wrong with the trees. They're changing. I definitely stayed in the tropics and sub-tropics too long!
In the meantime, we are doing GREAT! I'm still sleeping 7 or 8 hours and now that the weather is cooler, I'm really enjoying it! In fact, I sleep with the windows open and the fans on and it's REALLY cold by morning! More quilts for me and the yellow lab is happy on the bed!
The business is really launching! We did our first staff interviews and hired about six ladies. Then we starting making marketing calls to the senior centers and some independent living facilities. Holy crap! I hope I can afford some of those we saw. Movie theaters, valet parking, 1,2, or 3 bedroom apartments, wonderful food or cook for yourself! So fancy! I was afraid to ask how much it costs! Next week we start on the harder nuts, the geriatric practices and physical therapy offices... neither of us want to do it so Jacque and I go together and take turns! Oh for the days when we can hire a marketer! LOL
We're set to go... just need a few clients! Send up a prayer for us.
Mac is doing fine. He lost TV privileges due to a beginning addiction to Cartoon Network so I thought I'd just nip that in the bud and ban TV on school nights. He's going through withdrawals but he'll be ok in time!
Big fight with CPS because they wanted me to drive him back to Houston to have his fingerprints done for his INS application! Do you see what I mean when I say they have no common sense in that entire department! So I squawked and raised dust and they agreed it might be ok to fingerprint him here but I'd have to take him back for the interview. He's flipping SIX! Really?!?! So I have another battle to do for that phase.
We're still poor. There are a lot of expenses in starting up a company. But I should be doing ok IF my unemployment is extended. If not, who knows. God will provide.
Until Halloween!
Tisa
In the meantime, we are doing GREAT! I'm still sleeping 7 or 8 hours and now that the weather is cooler, I'm really enjoying it! In fact, I sleep with the windows open and the fans on and it's REALLY cold by morning! More quilts for me and the yellow lab is happy on the bed!
The business is really launching! We did our first staff interviews and hired about six ladies. Then we starting making marketing calls to the senior centers and some independent living facilities. Holy crap! I hope I can afford some of those we saw. Movie theaters, valet parking, 1,2, or 3 bedroom apartments, wonderful food or cook for yourself! So fancy! I was afraid to ask how much it costs! Next week we start on the harder nuts, the geriatric practices and physical therapy offices... neither of us want to do it so Jacque and I go together and take turns! Oh for the days when we can hire a marketer! LOL
We're set to go... just need a few clients! Send up a prayer for us.
Mac is doing fine. He lost TV privileges due to a beginning addiction to Cartoon Network so I thought I'd just nip that in the bud and ban TV on school nights. He's going through withdrawals but he'll be ok in time!
Big fight with CPS because they wanted me to drive him back to Houston to have his fingerprints done for his INS application! Do you see what I mean when I say they have no common sense in that entire department! So I squawked and raised dust and they agreed it might be ok to fingerprint him here but I'd have to take him back for the interview. He's flipping SIX! Really?!?! So I have another battle to do for that phase.
We're still poor. There are a lot of expenses in starting up a company. But I should be doing ok IF my unemployment is extended. If not, who knows. God will provide.
Until Halloween!
Tisa
Friday, September 3, 2010
An entire month FLEW by
We're here and doing great!!
We ended up loading 2- 28' trucks! The kids flew down to help and lots of friends stopped over to help so we got it all loaded fairly quickly. Jacque drove one truck and I drove the other. That is something I never want to do again! I think it shook my liver loose! Jake drove my SUV with the kids and dogs. Jacque and I had the cats and sugar glider.
Jake left a couple of hours ahead of us. Jacque and I had to stop to rest. But we arrived the next evening coming into town with one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. I considered it my own little personal sign that I was doing the right thing.
Everything made the trip north with very little damage but I'm only half unpacked. Well, maybe more than half but half the garage is still full of boxes! (a lot of them are my book boxes so we're putting those off until last!) I paid a couple of guys to unload the trucks and they were fast but there was no organization in the unload so we're sifting through stuff and finding things I had in my high priority boxes. But it all came out remarkably well, so far.
I ended up leasing my house to a friend of mine. It doesn't cover the entire mortgage but it certainly does help. If she can keep up the payments, I may let her buy it in a year or so. Working on selling my mom's house, too. I need to replenish my savings!
Mac has started school and likes it a lot. He has new friends and seems to be enjoying his time at school. SO much smaller. It's seven blocks from the house so it takes me 5 min to drop him and 5 min to pick him up. No complicated security system with numbers on cars and kids needed like the system in Houston.
Jacque had done so much by the time we got here. Everything was painted except one bathroom, one set of baseboards and some touch up. And I need to make the curtains but she has all the fabric. That was a ton of work since there was old wall paper on a great deal of the house. They also demo'd the tile in the kitchen but nothing is back up. But a little at a time. She comes over most days to help bring up some of the heavier boxes and then leaves me to unpack them! Make a mess and clean it up... make a mess and clean it up. I should have most everything in place in a couple more weeks.
I love the house. My only complaint is that the kitchen is teeny tiny! It's a 'one butt' kitchen so we'll have to do a remodel at some point. But that's a while off, too.
I've started working on the business stuff between unpacking but August was my 'poor month' with all the moving expenses AND I got a $1100 final bill from Reliant Energy AND I had to buy a new washer and dryer. But even working on a shoestring this month, I think we'll be ready to start interviewing staff and doing marketing this month. We need to put our plan into motion. Jacque is running out of unemployment this month so I need to pay her something. It's going to be really tight for awhile but I know the Lord sent me the message to do this so I also know it's going to work out.
And speaking of HIM! I checked out the local Methodist church. Lady pastor. Not as good a musical group in the contemporary service but I was spoiled by the one in Cypress. They were superb. Seems like a nice bunch. And the first sermon was on hospitality! I was the only visitor so it was very fortuitous! We'll find us both a Sunday School class next week.
I've started my foster care license transfer process and should have a placement in October. Again, it's a lot less complicated here. And there are a lot of kids so I'm told I'll seldom have a vacancy. That will be different than waiting months between placements in Houston.
Had to make a mad dash BACK to Oklahoma to give Savanah back to her mom so she could start school on time. We brought her with us to help Mac settle in and give her Mom a 'vacation'. She's my daughter in law's sister's girl . I've been keeping for several months now, since my layoff. Mac's best friend... So we met in Guthrie (half wayish) and swapped her. Nice little town with antique stores so we may make that the swapping place of choice.
The horses are fine. Jacque and I gave them a bath and made them pretty. They've been neglected the last few weeks. Rastafarian curls instead of manes and tails. But they're better now. I'm still being sued and I had to do a deposition the week before I left. And now they've dragged Jacque's Grandma into it. Jacque lives with her so they're going after her insurance as well. The horse really belongs to Jacque so they're going every direction they can think of to get money. Sad to think someone needs money so much that they'll target an 80 year old woman.
Overall, August rushed past me so fast I wonder what happened. But I'm happy where I've landed. Looking forward to spending some time out at the lake with the family this weekend. It's cool enough for a campfire and smores!
So.. that's us in a (not so small) nutshell!!
We ended up loading 2- 28' trucks! The kids flew down to help and lots of friends stopped over to help so we got it all loaded fairly quickly. Jacque drove one truck and I drove the other. That is something I never want to do again! I think it shook my liver loose! Jake drove my SUV with the kids and dogs. Jacque and I had the cats and sugar glider.
Jake left a couple of hours ahead of us. Jacque and I had to stop to rest. But we arrived the next evening coming into town with one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen. I considered it my own little personal sign that I was doing the right thing.
Everything made the trip north with very little damage but I'm only half unpacked. Well, maybe more than half but half the garage is still full of boxes! (a lot of them are my book boxes so we're putting those off until last!) I paid a couple of guys to unload the trucks and they were fast but there was no organization in the unload so we're sifting through stuff and finding things I had in my high priority boxes. But it all came out remarkably well, so far.
I ended up leasing my house to a friend of mine. It doesn't cover the entire mortgage but it certainly does help. If she can keep up the payments, I may let her buy it in a year or so. Working on selling my mom's house, too. I need to replenish my savings!
Mac has started school and likes it a lot. He has new friends and seems to be enjoying his time at school. SO much smaller. It's seven blocks from the house so it takes me 5 min to drop him and 5 min to pick him up. No complicated security system with numbers on cars and kids needed like the system in Houston.
Jacque had done so much by the time we got here. Everything was painted except one bathroom, one set of baseboards and some touch up. And I need to make the curtains but she has all the fabric. That was a ton of work since there was old wall paper on a great deal of the house. They also demo'd the tile in the kitchen but nothing is back up. But a little at a time. She comes over most days to help bring up some of the heavier boxes and then leaves me to unpack them! Make a mess and clean it up... make a mess and clean it up. I should have most everything in place in a couple more weeks.
I love the house. My only complaint is that the kitchen is teeny tiny! It's a 'one butt' kitchen so we'll have to do a remodel at some point. But that's a while off, too.
I've started working on the business stuff between unpacking but August was my 'poor month' with all the moving expenses AND I got a $1100 final bill from Reliant Energy AND I had to buy a new washer and dryer. But even working on a shoestring this month, I think we'll be ready to start interviewing staff and doing marketing this month. We need to put our plan into motion. Jacque is running out of unemployment this month so I need to pay her something. It's going to be really tight for awhile but I know the Lord sent me the message to do this so I also know it's going to work out.
And speaking of HIM! I checked out the local Methodist church. Lady pastor. Not as good a musical group in the contemporary service but I was spoiled by the one in Cypress. They were superb. Seems like a nice bunch. And the first sermon was on hospitality! I was the only visitor so it was very fortuitous! We'll find us both a Sunday School class next week.
I've started my foster care license transfer process and should have a placement in October. Again, it's a lot less complicated here. And there are a lot of kids so I'm told I'll seldom have a vacancy. That will be different than waiting months between placements in Houston.
Had to make a mad dash BACK to Oklahoma to give Savanah back to her mom so she could start school on time. We brought her with us to help Mac settle in and give her Mom a 'vacation'. She's my daughter in law's sister's girl . I've been keeping for several months now, since my layoff. Mac's best friend... So we met in Guthrie (half wayish) and swapped her. Nice little town with antique stores so we may make that the swapping place of choice.
The horses are fine. Jacque and I gave them a bath and made them pretty. They've been neglected the last few weeks. Rastafarian curls instead of manes and tails. But they're better now. I'm still being sued and I had to do a deposition the week before I left. And now they've dragged Jacque's Grandma into it. Jacque lives with her so they're going after her insurance as well. The horse really belongs to Jacque so they're going every direction they can think of to get money. Sad to think someone needs money so much that they'll target an 80 year old woman.
Overall, August rushed past me so fast I wonder what happened. But I'm happy where I've landed. Looking forward to spending some time out at the lake with the family this weekend. It's cool enough for a campfire and smores!
So.. that's us in a (not so small) nutshell!!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Downhill Slide to Papillion
It's been a quiet July but I'm starting to get excited about the move.
Mac is all set to move (administratively anyway) and today we're sorting toys and packing up his room. His INS paperwork is all done. CPS has now decided that he can go with me to Nebraska and still be adopted from Texas retaining his Texas adoption packet. That is significant for us as it gives him free tuition to college when he gets there. That's a huge financial burden that I won't have to worry about. Just have to worry about getting him accepted! He's been having some emotional meltdowns lately. He just does not like it when he gets into trouble and tends to throw hissy fits (wailing, rolling, throwing) instead of just going to his room as instructed. Throwing things does not tend to work with me so we've been having refocusing sessions. I'm sure a lot of it is nervousness about the move. I don't think he understands all of it yet. And he's going to miss his best friend, Savanah. And I'm going to miss her like crazy. She's become my faux grandchild and she's so well behaved. She's a very good example for Mac. But these hissy fits are going to cease!
No interest in the house so I have found a renter. I'm going to let them rent for two years and then I'll decide whether to let them buy it or not. They want owner financing and I don't think I want to do that. Maybe in two years, they can qualify for a loan. The rent doesn't pay everything but it takes some of the burden off. And they are people that I think I can trust to take care of the place and that means a lot.
Jacque has been working on the house in Papillion for several weeks now. New paint, curtains, I don't know what all... She won't tell me everything so I can be surprised! Jake, Megan and my ex's sister Debbie have all been over helping. I'm so proud of them and grateful. So much easier to do all this stuff when the house is empty. And I can hardly wait to see it! I know it's unusual to buy a house sight unseen but since when have I done anything in the usual way! Where's the fun in that!! I guess I'll have to throw a big barbeque and invite all the helpers.
I have done all the items on my move checklist except the change of address with the post office. The kids arrive next Tuesday and we will pack the trucks on Saturday, the 7th. Hopefully, drive away Sunday morning. Hired a few people just in case my friends are smart and blow us off! It is so hot and humid here I won't blame anyone for not showing up. It will be a long drive (900 miles) but we can do it in a day. I hope the truck has satellite radio! I may have to buy one of the pod docks... something! It will be just me, the sugar glider and a cat! Jake is driving my Explorer with the kids (Savanah is going up with us for a couple of weeks before school starts) and the dogs. Jacque is driving a truck with two cats and I'm driving a truck with Ruby in a pouch, and one cat. I think Jake has selected the 'short straw'. But he's pretty patient as long as I can keep him from speeding!
I'm working for Shell tomorrow. It will be a long day with a lot of driving since I'm going to two different sites, one on the opposite side of town but I'm happy to do the work. It's a good session on Trust and usually well received. This is also a session I can do for any audience so I plan on doing it as an inroad into the medical community in Omaha. Many hospitals require their nurses to have continuing education so I can offer to do this session as a 'lunch and learn' and make some marketing connections.
My next entry will be from Papillion!! Wish me luck!
Mac is all set to move (administratively anyway) and today we're sorting toys and packing up his room. His INS paperwork is all done. CPS has now decided that he can go with me to Nebraska and still be adopted from Texas retaining his Texas adoption packet. That is significant for us as it gives him free tuition to college when he gets there. That's a huge financial burden that I won't have to worry about. Just have to worry about getting him accepted! He's been having some emotional meltdowns lately. He just does not like it when he gets into trouble and tends to throw hissy fits (wailing, rolling, throwing) instead of just going to his room as instructed. Throwing things does not tend to work with me so we've been having refocusing sessions. I'm sure a lot of it is nervousness about the move. I don't think he understands all of it yet. And he's going to miss his best friend, Savanah. And I'm going to miss her like crazy. She's become my faux grandchild and she's so well behaved. She's a very good example for Mac. But these hissy fits are going to cease!
No interest in the house so I have found a renter. I'm going to let them rent for two years and then I'll decide whether to let them buy it or not. They want owner financing and I don't think I want to do that. Maybe in two years, they can qualify for a loan. The rent doesn't pay everything but it takes some of the burden off. And they are people that I think I can trust to take care of the place and that means a lot.
Jacque has been working on the house in Papillion for several weeks now. New paint, curtains, I don't know what all... She won't tell me everything so I can be surprised! Jake, Megan and my ex's sister Debbie have all been over helping. I'm so proud of them and grateful. So much easier to do all this stuff when the house is empty. And I can hardly wait to see it! I know it's unusual to buy a house sight unseen but since when have I done anything in the usual way! Where's the fun in that!! I guess I'll have to throw a big barbeque and invite all the helpers.
I have done all the items on my move checklist except the change of address with the post office. The kids arrive next Tuesday and we will pack the trucks on Saturday, the 7th. Hopefully, drive away Sunday morning. Hired a few people just in case my friends are smart and blow us off! It is so hot and humid here I won't blame anyone for not showing up. It will be a long drive (900 miles) but we can do it in a day. I hope the truck has satellite radio! I may have to buy one of the pod docks... something! It will be just me, the sugar glider and a cat! Jake is driving my Explorer with the kids (Savanah is going up with us for a couple of weeks before school starts) and the dogs. Jacque is driving a truck with two cats and I'm driving a truck with Ruby in a pouch, and one cat. I think Jake has selected the 'short straw'. But he's pretty patient as long as I can keep him from speeding!
I'm working for Shell tomorrow. It will be a long day with a lot of driving since I'm going to two different sites, one on the opposite side of town but I'm happy to do the work. It's a good session on Trust and usually well received. This is also a session I can do for any audience so I plan on doing it as an inroad into the medical community in Omaha. Many hospitals require their nurses to have continuing education so I can offer to do this session as a 'lunch and learn' and make some marketing connections.
My next entry will be from Papillion!! Wish me luck!
Monday, July 5, 2010
Summer Fun!
I've had a busy June! It actually went much as planned! Surprising!
I closed on the house in Nebraska scraping together every penny I had and a last minute line of credit from my Navy credit union. PHEW!!!
Jacque and I went to FL and did our course. Really had a nice trip and learned a lot. We're so anxious to get started! We even had a day of antiquing and Greek food before we left. Everything was done on a shoestring but we got it done.
Finally got a program in place for Mac so we can move in August. I have to complete his INS application and then he can go. We have his photos so we have to do a physical, TB test and have an interview. Why interview a six year old? But whatever...
So the trucks are reserved, the kid's tickets are bought and we're going to get this done. We're doing a self move with 2 20' trucks! I've asked the youth group from church to come over and help load. We'll see how that works! Otherwise, it's going to be a few very tiring days for us.
I drove to east Tx to my brother's lake house. It's a gorgeous spot and they are always so fun to hang out with. Float in the pool, feed the catfish and turtles, watch the deer, birds, etc. Left Mac there for one night and drove another 700 miles to St Louis to see the Eagles. (The reason I bought tickets in St. Louis is that was the closest place they were playing to Omaha and I was supposed to be in NE by now!) I tried to sell my tickets but didn't so Jacque drove down from Omaha and I drove up. It was a long, long drive but the concert was great. Hot and crowded on the floor of Busch Stadium but really, really great. I'll go again every chance I get! Glenn Fry told the best joke: "I'm from Detroit where "mother" is half a word!" Don Henley ate a bug accidentally and joked about the protein. Timothy Schmidt's hair is still super long; must be like Sampson's hair cause he still sings and plays great. And Joe Walsh is still a wonder on the guitar even sober. But why did he put on a jacket in the middle of the concert when it was 100 degrees??? The Eagles are the greatest band of all time...
My house is NOT selling STILL. I've lowered the price. The open house was a failure. I'm interviewing another realtor tomorrow but basically when the stimulus expired, housing sales have dropped dramatically.
Well, that's about all... I did a couple of training sessions on "The Speed of Trust" for Shell and they want me to do two more so that money will help although I'm not charging much! It'll pay for one truck! LOL
Say a prayer for me to sell this DANG HOUSE!!
I closed on the house in Nebraska scraping together every penny I had and a last minute line of credit from my Navy credit union. PHEW!!!
Jacque and I went to FL and did our course. Really had a nice trip and learned a lot. We're so anxious to get started! We even had a day of antiquing and Greek food before we left. Everything was done on a shoestring but we got it done.
Finally got a program in place for Mac so we can move in August. I have to complete his INS application and then he can go. We have his photos so we have to do a physical, TB test and have an interview. Why interview a six year old? But whatever...
So the trucks are reserved, the kid's tickets are bought and we're going to get this done. We're doing a self move with 2 20' trucks! I've asked the youth group from church to come over and help load. We'll see how that works! Otherwise, it's going to be a few very tiring days for us.
I drove to east Tx to my brother's lake house. It's a gorgeous spot and they are always so fun to hang out with. Float in the pool, feed the catfish and turtles, watch the deer, birds, etc. Left Mac there for one night and drove another 700 miles to St Louis to see the Eagles. (The reason I bought tickets in St. Louis is that was the closest place they were playing to Omaha and I was supposed to be in NE by now!) I tried to sell my tickets but didn't so Jacque drove down from Omaha and I drove up. It was a long, long drive but the concert was great. Hot and crowded on the floor of Busch Stadium but really, really great. I'll go again every chance I get! Glenn Fry told the best joke: "I'm from Detroit where "mother" is half a word!" Don Henley ate a bug accidentally and joked about the protein. Timothy Schmidt's hair is still super long; must be like Sampson's hair cause he still sings and plays great. And Joe Walsh is still a wonder on the guitar even sober. But why did he put on a jacket in the middle of the concert when it was 100 degrees??? The Eagles are the greatest band of all time...
My house is NOT selling STILL. I've lowered the price. The open house was a failure. I'm interviewing another realtor tomorrow but basically when the stimulus expired, housing sales have dropped dramatically.
Well, that's about all... I did a couple of training sessions on "The Speed of Trust" for Shell and they want me to do two more so that money will help although I'm not charging much! It'll pay for one truck! LOL
Say a prayer for me to sell this DANG HOUSE!!
Friday, May 28, 2010
PHEW!!!
Well, with the help of my friends and my Credit Union, I have enough money to pay for the house in Nebraska when it closes on the 7th of June AND go to Florida next week for training in the new business. I didn't have to borrow much. Actually, had more than I thought once I tallied everything up! Just so nerve wracking. It's funny when you have no debt and over $200K in equity in real estate and you're considered too 'risky' for the bankers for a short term loan! I still hate bankers... will avoid at all cost for the rest of my life. Because of their greediness and screw ups, we consumers now have to suffer under their new tighter restrictions that have swung way past 'common sense'!
The only thing that will have to be postponed until this house in Houston sells is my move. And that's actually ok. It gives Jacque more time to "decorate" the new house. She's excited so I hope I am when I see it!
And it gives Mac and I more time to get his situation sorted. Despite several calls and messages this week, nothing has progressed with him. CPS = molasses in winter time UPHILL!
Doing some child care juggling to make sure Mac and Savanah and all the animals are taken care of while I'm gone. Savanah is my daughter in law's sister's girl. Also six and Mac's best friend. I keep her a lot and love her like she was my own. I claim her as a faux granddaughter a lot. Her mom surprised her this week and took her to see Taylor Swift!! She was over the moon.
And lastly, I had already purchased tickets to see the Eagles in St. Louis June 24th. I thought I was going to be in Nebraska. Jacque is going with me so now we'll be rendezvousing there. The Eagles have been my all time, life long favorites and I think I've had tickets 2 or 3 times to see them and had weird things happen every time. This time, I'm going! None of us are getting any younger! So Mac and I will be driving to east Texas to my brother's house, Mac will stay with them a couple of nights and I'll go on to St. Louis. Desperado, Tequila Sunrise, Wasted Time, Heartache Tonight, Hotel California... and we have good seats! I'm stoked!! Then come back and stay a couple of days in Leesburg. They have a wonderful lake house with otters, deer, hummingbirds... just total peace. Then head home for Vacation Bible School for a week. That means free mornings for me.... whoohooo!
So June is going to be exciting and busy! Hopefully, somewhere in there my house will sell. There's an open house on the 11th and I hope that brings some interest.
I'll check in when I get back from Florida.
Oh... side bar... I've become a GLEEk! I'm totally loving that show!! And I HATE show tunes so I can skip over those but the other covers and the characters are great!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Still not Grand!
Sadly, I'm still not having much success on several fronts.
No one has viewed my house and now it's been a month. I reduced the price and we've scheduled an open house. I'm now in a financial bind to pay for the house in Nebraska that I put in a cash offer on. My severance was taxed at the 30% rate, not 20% that I expected. My financial advisor told me to pay off all my credit. And my 401K lost about 8K last week in that dip so now I'm short of cash for the house... about 20K short. And that's not counting moving expenses or the fee for the course I have scheduled in Florida in two weeks to get the business started. No one wants to give me a loan... can't imagine why!! Oh yeah, no job! I make enough to pay for everything in my budget but banks don't care about that anymore. Just your debt to income ratio. I hate banks. When a bank you've banked with for over 30 years, won't give you a secured line of credit, there's a problem somewhere.
I have my 'last chance' loan application in and should hear something tomorrow. Otherwise, I will have to throw myself on the mercy of the seller and see if she will let me owe her the balance until I sell either my house or my Mom's which I decided is not worth the trouble to rent. Worse case, she could sue me, too, for breach of contract. Or she could be nice and take the balance when this one sells. Then I'll just have to stay here in Texas until this house sells. I'll have to reschedule the move and keep paying for a storage unit. I'll lose the money already spent on airfare for the course in FL and I'll have to reschedule that after this one sells as well. Which means I won't be able to start the business as planned in July and won't start making any money until who knows when... I can't do much from here. So I'm praying that my 'last chance' loan comes through.
And CPS is not cooperating on any front with Mac. First they said he could go to a kinship placement and his teacher and her family wanted to take him. Perfect answer. But no, she didn't know him before he came into foster care so they can't get qualified on the fast track. So I said I would adopt him. Now they don't want to let him leave until his citizenship is sorted out. They've had six months to do that and haven't. So I suggested just letting him go with me on a vacation status and hopefully, it would be sorted in 2-3 more months and now they don't want to let that happen either. They need to see him every month. They want to move him to a new foster home until the citizenship issue is solved and he can be put back with me in adoptive placement. What a crock! Unless I stay on their butt, it could take a year or years for them to get it all sorted. The current case worker wants to help but like all of them, she's green. So I may have to call my congressman for the first time in my life but I'm not going to let this little boy be bandied about by incompetent bureaucrats!
And lastly, the lawsuit filed against me (horse kicked someone) is progressing. My lawyer has submitted a "general denial" on the claim and I don't know what happens next. Allstate is also defending me so I hope I'm covered. Again, what a crock!
I knew all this was going to be hard, but I really thought the hard part would start when I got to Nebraska.
Happily, the horses were shipped to Nebraska a couple of weeks ago and they arrived safely and are adapting well to the new barn and stables. Jacque is enjoying the time she gets to spend with them.
My church friends are so supportive. I've been so mad lately. It's been hard to keep myself in check and not worry about all this. I have to take a deep breath every hour to just relax and let it go back to God. I'd like to go back to that peaceful sleep I was enjoying a few weeks ago. That was short lived!
I've had a few very nice lunches with the "Leavers", those of us leaving Shell. And some with other friends, too. I'm turning into a lady that lunches! It's nice to get together over a great meal and share our plans, secrets and just generally catch up. I have a few more scheduled and they are always bright spots to look for in my week.
So for anyone out there, say a prayer for Mac and I. We need all the help we can get.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)