No good news

Ok... so I was excited because I thought that we were going to buy a very nice mobile home. It was 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, with a small yard. It was really nice inside too. I went to the bank where the guy has his loan... the loan officer was very rude... told me they did not want to do loans for a mobile home and, therefore, my interest rate would be 14.4%... then he pulled my credit history and said no way! I was only asking for a loan up to $13,000 and I know from a previous check that I should have been approved for a LOT more than that! Anyway, blah, blah, the guy was reluctant to carry the loan - even though he said it wouldn't be a problem and he was going to just let me make payments (rent to own). Ok... so I told him I wanted to sign the papers and be in by the end of the month. No problem! he said. School let out last Thursday (21st) and I told him I'd be out of town for a few days - went to see Mom. We came back Wednesday evening, Hayleigh had her eye surgery Thursday, and I called him on Friday.

He said: "Oh, I've been trying to call you."
I said: "Really? I didn't get any voice mails from you."
He said: "No, I just got the voice mail, but didn't leave a message."
I said: "Oh, well I told you I would be out of town for a few days."
He said: "Oh yeah, well, I sold the trailer. A guy came and bought it and he's moving it off the lot."
I said: "HUH?!"

I've already paid my deposit for the lot because I was told that I had to do that before he could rent it to me. Now, I doubt I'll get my deposit back because she's going to be pissed off that he's moving the trailer off the lot. I'm just in shock, I guess. Anyway, now it's the end of the month and I don't have anywhere to go. I've put a call into a realtor and lender to see how much I can get approved for and we're just going to buy a house.

Ok... so we only had until the end of the month with our friends. Now I'm trying to find a place to go. So... we're going to camp out! Yep, camp out. Actually, we'll camp for a couple of days and cabin the other days. Monday night: tent; Tuesday-Thursday: cabin; Friday-Saturday: Oklahoma Girl Scout family camp; Sunday: tent; Monday-Thursday: cabin. Hopefully by then we'll have someplace to at least rent for a few months until we can buy. I'll have to find a kennel for Riley for the weekend we're in Oklahoma, but the rest of the time she can camp with us.

A lot of people would be down by now. Ok... I've been really down... but you know what? It really could be worse. At least Chuck still has a job with a paycheck and both our vehicles are still running. I even sucked up my pride and called my brother... I know that my family (minus the pup) can always crash there if we need to. Is it bad that I would rather camp out than stay at my brother's? He and I get along ok. It's just that he thinks that we're losers and this just adds wood to that fire. I can't take the pup because she's a puppy, and hyper, and likes to bark, and likes to nip when she plays, and his dog is nearly 12 years old and blind. The two just would not mix well.

On the bright side... I got to see my mom last week. It was short but great. Chuck even got the week off so he could go too and so he could be there for Hayleigh's surgery. It's actually been kind of nice to have him around during the day. Wow! can't believe I just said that. LOL. He's also taking next weekend off to go to the family camp in Oklahoma with us.

Kodi has her first camp starting Monday and coming home on Wednesday. It's called camp cook. Maybe she'll learn how to cook for us while we're doing all the camping out. :) Her next camp will be Tennis camp July 20-23. She really wants to play tennis next year in 7th grade so this will be a little training practice for her. Hayleigh goes to her first camp on the 22nd. It's a week long - day camp on Monday-Wednesday and overnight on Thursday to end on Friday. It's a pedals and paddle camp - biking and canoeing. It should be fun for her. The next camp she goes to is an overnight camp July 8 through the 10. It's a CSI camp. I wish I was going to that one - they'll learn some forensics stuff. It should be cool. Deklan is supposed to take an art course this summer July 7-30 for one hour a day - if he doesn't freak out into meltdown mode and not go. Our summer of camping will end on July 31/August 1 with an overnight at the mall (Mall Madness).

See? It's not all bad. :)

Hayleigh

Hayleigh had her first eye surgery. Well, first since she was 8 weeks old anyway. She had her right lens implant put in today. We'll go in the morning to have the eye patch removed and see how it's doing. Keep praying for her. It was a little rough for a couple of hours this morning after we got her home but she's really doing ok right now.

Good News...Maybe

Ok, so I don't want to get my hopes up because everytime I do something falls through. However, I think I may have a place to move into next week. I'm not going to say more until I know for sure... Just please keep us in your prayers.

Off to field day at Deklan's school in a couple hours. Yippee!

Have a great day!

Good News, Bad News

Bad news first.

Bad News: Still staying with friends. The rental we were looking into... the guy NEVER called me back. How rude! Sounds like I didn't want to be his tenant anyway if he doesn't have the decency to at least call and tell me no. I've got a friend who just built a house. I heard through another friend that she may be renting out her house instead of selling it. I've put an email out to her to let me know. If the rent is right, it would be perfect - and in the right school district. As of right now... I'm ready to move, stay with my mom - oh yeah Oklahoma, live in my van? I don't know. Anyway, of course they believe that their son is smarter than Deklan and therefore, he MUST know what he's doing and Deklan does not. It's getting frustrating. Although I don't think they do it intentionally. Deklan is limited to what he can do because it's not my house. He's limited in the computer and video games because I won't allow him to play unless the other kid is playing or invites him to join him - not my stuff and I'm not comfortable just letting him use it. He could probably kick the other kid's little bottom when it comes to computers but he's not given the chance. It's really not fair. Here's where I and my friends differ: I wouldn't let my kid on the computer without either sharing the time - 15 minutes each - or allowing the other kid to automatically be invited in to play too. On the other hand, we're the ones staying with them and just need to be thankful that we have friends willing to let a family of 5 plus a dog move in with them. I truly am thankful and we'll still be friends when this is over.

Now for a little good news.

Good news: Our Girl Scout troop won the People's Choice Award for their "Groovin'" float in the Wichita River Festival. It was a '60's theme. Yay, Girls - good job. It was a plaque and a large monetary prize ($1,000). That will help our troop funds with trying to take a cool fall break somewhere with all the girls. We're looking into Great Wolf Lodge in Kansas City. That would be so much fun. It was so cool that the girls won. I'll post pictures when I can - still using someone else's computer. What else? Oh yes, we had a service unit event. It was a father/daughter dance. It was awesome! It was wonderful to see so many of the dads/grandpas/uncles come with their girls and participate. We had a DJ so the music was great; he had karaoke for the girls. We also had dance and craft competitions for each level, as well as door prize drawings. My Hayleigh and her daddy won the Junior dance competition. They were so funny... and cute. I hope I can get some of those pictures to post too.

Today is Mother's Day. Happy late Mother's Day to all you wonderful mothers. I'm grumpy and in a bad mood though. Have been all day. Don't know why, but who cares? I'm grumpy.

Last week was kind of busy. Monday: Hayleigh's GS meeting. Tuesday: Hayleigh had a program at school - I went to the morning performance because I also had a Service Unit meeting scheduled for the evening. The evening meeting was a recognition dinner and I really wanted to have the break and go. I had a lot of fun too. Wednesday: Hayleigh had an eye doctor's appointment. Scheduled for 8:45, but ran over and didn't get out until nearly 11:00. Took her to school and then because it was Teacher Appreciation day at school, I spent all day at the Middle School. Helping with the luncheon and setting up concessions for the dance on Friday. Kodi had a GS meeting to work on the float for the parade. Thursday: Hayleigh had a therapy appointment and then the rest of the day off! wow! Friday: Non-stop. Loading pop in the cooler in the outside concessions. Getting Deklan registered for summer school. Running odds and ends errands to get ready for the parade that night. Putting together costumes for the parade too. Picking up snacks for the girls. Running to storage. Going to the parade - had to be there an hour early at 5:30. Saturday: Getting through a melt down with Deklan. Going downtown for photo op with the girls collecting the prize from the parade. Taking the kids on some of the rides (thank goodness they were free with the festival button!). Chasing after Deklan. Getting the girls home to change for the father/daughter dance. Off to the church to help finish setting up for the dance. Working and keeping track of Deklan during the dance. Sending the kids home with daddy and staying to clean up after the dance. I'm tired and my husband doesn't understand why I'm so grumpy. But, alas, that is the call of the mother, right? LOL

This week? Monday: Field day at Hayleigh's school. ..... Friday: Field day at Deklan's school. With everything in between. :)

Just a couple of more rambles. I don't know when I'll get a chance to log on again.

First...Does anyone have any ideas for a harness (or use one)? We found one today that is actually a small back pack with a "leash" that goes out behind for me to hold onto. It's not really meant for a special needs 6 year old though. And I'm afraid that when he gets tired of wearing it he'll just pull it off. I'm just having so much trouble keeping up with him. He likes to hide a lot in public. Although he is very high functioning and can talk well... he chooses not to answer me when I'm frantically looking through racks of clothes or down every aisle for him. It's a little frustrating and embarrassing. Anyway, any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Second... Hayleigh's first eye surgery is scheduled for May 28. A week after school gets out. For those that don't know, Hayleigh was born with cataracts. She had both lenses removed before she was two months old (3 eye surgeries to do so). Anyway, she is now at a point where "coke-bottle" glasses are a burden in her busy little life. She has chosen to get the lens implant surgery. She will still have to have bifocals for reading - always will. But those will be glasses she can take off while she's out playing. Her next eye surgery will be 4-6 weeks after the first. The doctor needs to make sure there are no infections or complications from the first. She's excited and nervous. So am I!

Third... Deklan has decided that he definitely wants to do the summer school program. Art class. One hour a day in the mornings from July 7 through July 31. That should be interesting. I'm sure he'll absolutely love it though. He really likes to create things.

Have a great week!

Quick update

Being homeless ain't what it's cracked up to be. We're actually staying with some friends. 9 people in one house - it's fun. These are the friends that Deklan sometimes has playdates with. Their son has sensory issues too, plus he's officially dx with ADHD and OCD. Put him with my son and the room is just not big enough for both of their egos because neither is ever wrong. Don't get me wrong - I am extremely thankful that they've opened their home to my clan. I've had a couple of leads on properties but nothing has happened. We have an application in for a property - please pray that we get that house.

First, I was not a good leaving tenant. I left the place kind of a mess. I feel really bad. On the other hand, we were still moving junk out at 10 at night on the 30th. I was tired and done! The manager had already implied that I wasn't getting my deposit back anyway so I guess that helps with the guilt. Unfortunately, it doesn't look good on a rental application when they call for references. Of course it can't be much worse than "reason for leaving: lease was up and received a notice of non-renewal."

Second, the friends letting us stay with them do not care for dogs. When we leave, if we don't take Riley with us, we have to leave her in a kennel in the garage. When we are home, we have to use a baby gate to keep her downstairs with us. The other kids are afraid of her. Nevermind that they are fine with teasing her, running from her so she'll chase them, "petting" her by poking at her, flapping her ears. She's been a really good girl though. She barked at first because she wasn't used to everything yet. Now, other than the occasional slip, she doesn't even bark. She hasn't nipped at them or growled at them. My kids she has but that's how they play - she knows the difference. She's a good girl.

Last week on the first, they kept their son home because he was up late and would have had a hard time getting up for school. I sent mine. I had to keep Riley leashed and at my side the whole time. I stayed in my room most of the time. Today, they kept their son home because he has a doctor's appointment. I would still take mine to school - even if it caused a melt down. Anyway, I didn't want to be home all day with the little ones (the younger son is 4) running around. I try to stay away as long as possible when they're home - I don't want to intrude on their privacy. It's very difficult and I'm ready to move on. In fact, I'm at a different friend's house using her computer and making myself at home.

Anyway, just keep us in your prayers. And that's the update... for now.