Happy new years everyone and I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas holiday. Jason and I traveled up to visit his family and spent a great deal of time in the car. It was enjoyable despite the traveling. Amazingly, I was able to pull it off without my mother knowing. This new year is already proving to be completely different from last. For some time, we have been praying for an employment opportunity for Jason. My cynical self told Jason that in this economy, no construction company would hire him. Well once again I was proven wrong. Jason has received a job with a company that will still allow him to work on his own and with Works in Faith. So he has the flexibility to continuing working and can pick up the hours if he needs to. From 32 employees to 4 in the last few years and yet Jason got hired. The weird thing is they were not even hiring. I also will start a job sometime in the near future. Mackenzie's teacher is going on Maternity leave and I have been asked to fill in for the six weeks. The best part is Connor gets to go there as well. It is in the morning so it will not interfere with my other obligations to the teen mothers, our sweet ladies, and the other stuff we do.
Since coming home, I feel as though I have hit the ground running. I find myself having a hard time catching my breath and miss the serenity of the holidays.. While I was gone, my phone hardly rang and I actually was able to enjoy my kids. After driving home 13 hours and getting four hours of sleep, I kid you not, I had a houseful of people. First my brother which is never a bother and always a delight. I did not realize how much I missed our coffee talks. Next Jon-a neighborhood teen, then Gloria and finally my father. Soon after, Betty (one of our pregnant teens) brings with her a new teen that also is pregnant. Finally another little one shows up to visit. Let me remind you this was literally less then 12 hours after being home.
Mom seemed to do well while I was gone. She seems to have plateaued for the moment and does wonderful as long as her routine stays in place. It seems hard for Dad to adjust to a routine since he has always been a free spirit going with the flow of things. Unfortunately, Mom is in such a state of confusion that not having predictability really messes her up. I think it is because everything is so scary, every task so daunting, every action such a struggle, that not knowing what will happen next makes it that much harder. As I left her house tonight at 12 am, I realized that she will be up until 4 or 5 this morning,. She has gotten into this horrible habit of staying up late and falling asleep with lights on and tv on. She can no longer put her movies into the dvd player and if she feels bad about waking my dad up, will watch the same movie two or three times at night. It takes her half an hour to figure out how to hit the play button. She also has accidents and urinates in her pants because she cannot take her dainties down. I told Mom that on my movie nights I will start sleeping over because she is afraid now. I am hoping that with this new year, we can get a predictable routine in place. Maybe after Dad's quick vacation we can do it. Although I am sure Kevin will be in dire need of some time off. I think he will be getting "sick" soon.
I am worried about him more than any of us. Kevin is on the phone with mom so often. He sets her appointments up now, takes her to the drs, the hair stylist, soon to the dentist and obgyn. While he is with her, he spends every second with her. She needs a drink, he gets it. The air is hot, he pretends to change it. The air is cold, again up he goes. She needs to defecate, he goes with her. Every two minutes she wants the movie stopped so she can say or do something. There is no break when you give her your attention. He does this for five to six hours everyday devoting his entire attention to her. Then home he goes to his dog with only two friends to vent to, his sister, and his father. He has no other life to escape from this demanding life. Me-I go home to my family, Dad can escape by going to his work or visit his family. He can escape in his house by going on the computer.
But we are so blessed to have a team and it brings us closer together. We are probably closer than most families. The other blessing is that mom is actually easier to handle then ever before. As long as you give attention to her, she does fine. Ah it is late and I am completing rambling. Must get sleep and my little girl just came down ...More later...
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