Just chalk it up to experience

I like the old saying: "It never rains but it pours." I believe that it is true sometimes. We'll be toodling along (yes...toodling along) minding our own business when all of a sudden our apartment building floods or we have an infestation of cockroaches on the top floor or everyone gets sick, etc. Things seem to happen in groups, especially when they are bad things.

Today wasn't super bad but it got me a little riled up when:

Funding for an expensive (but fun) program we have lined up for Claire got cancelled. Now we have to come up with $350 out of thin air or not enroll her.

A medical consultation appointment we've been waiting 1 year for just got cancelled and moved to an indeterminate date in April. We rescheduled our physio and OT appointments this month so they could accompany us to this special appointment so now we probably won't get either of them to visit us this month - so it kind of feels like we're flushing a month's work of PT and OT goals for Claire down the toilet. Thanks Glenrose!!!

Our GRIT programming for March 20 is cancelled due to medical issues with our Developmental Specialist. Of course that happens to be Madeline's birthday, the day when I will have tons of people coming over for supper, the day when my house should be spick and span and I have to whip up an amazing meal but it's also the day that I will be at an AACL Conference until 4:30. I was really counting on the help for my mom and for me.

There was a misunderstanding in our new financial agreement with FSCD so the receipts I submitted for February did not get paid in full and I can't seem to get our worker on the phone to explain what has happened.

An old lady was blocking the drive-thru (or through?) car wash this morning for almost 15 minutes because she wasn't pulled far up enough so the sensor could detect her car and open. I also almost got hit because someone who was supposed to observe a merge felt the need to speed up and then lean on the horn to let me know I was the rude one.

Claire has been on a screaming kick the past few days. She has a very high-pitched, high-volume scream and lately has been blowing my eardrums out. She wants to be chewing on something all the time, but she's so worked up that I can't get her to hold onto her Chewy Tube for more than 1 second and it's not like I can sit beside her and hold it in her mouth 24/7.

And sometimes when all these worries start piling up, all the regular worries of life (like a clean house, doing laundry, money problems, instilling values in your children and teaching them the joys of life, etc.) seem even more daunting.

But luckily, I have a great husband who comes home and comforts me and really makes me feel like everything is fine. We ate a quick (and tasty) dinner and hopped out to the library where Ryan and Maddie looked at books on tape for his daily commute and Claire and I walked outside, enjoying the sunset and the warm weather (we were outside because her screaming was a little much for the other patrons of the library). The rejuvenating feeling of a family outing with no pressure or deadlines (or spending money) helped me to regroup and feel ok again.

On a side note, a little snippet about Claire, the GRIT program and the Hope & Harmony fundraiser was in the newspaper today. Here's a link for it.

Our musical number for the concert went well - although I was the only accompanist who didn't get a spot light put on her and who didn't get her face up on the video screen. I'm not sure whether to be insulted, or relieved. :) Claire's framed fingerpainting auctioned for $125! It was a fun night and it was nice to be surrounded by supportive people. Thanks so much for Natalie and Travis for braving the cold weather to come be with us, and for all the others who sent donations! We love you!

Anyway, Ryan just finished his report cards and now we are going to bed. Late as usual. But better late than never, right?


(WOW - a post with no pictures)

100 Things

Bold the things you've done:
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait drawn
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie - a tiny little Wetaskiwin made movie that played at the Reynolds museum. I was the piano player in the background.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - piano lessons, does that count?
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a cheque
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - my mop doll
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Been in a commercial or other ad
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - on the pioneer trek in the Red Deer Stake
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - Sherri Dew
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee - a wasp actually
100. Auditioned for a reality T.V. show (like American Idol...)

Blah, blah, blah - I can't think of a title right now

I don't know why I haven't updated our blog in a few weeks. It seems like the time has flown by. I've been busy typing, Ryan's been busy with school and we have something going on every day of the week. I definitely haven't been getting enough sleep, hence the lack of title. Even though I know that I need to get more sleep, I can't seem to give up staying up late because I like having the time to myself or spending it with Ryan.

We've had some fun activities lately:

GRIT Winter Festival - it was a day-long drop-in activity at the GRIT offices with so many fun things to do. The girls loved it and we met a lot of new people. It was good to see other kids in wheelchairs there because I had felt like Claire was the only one!

Here is our little Picasso. She's getting very good at painting.

Claire loved being in the open jumping pit. She stayed in it for awhile.

It doesn't show up very well in this picture but Madeline's hair was
sticking straight up the whole time she was in the jumping pits (click on the picture to enlarge it). There was another, bigger jumping castle that she enjoyed - she got tossed around like a rag-doll because of all the other kids jumping, but I guess that is the fun part!
They had a fun fishing pond where the kids got stickers.

Our Primary had a PJ Party which was okay. I always feel like Claire is on the outskirts of things at church and I have a hard time expressing my feelings without becoming either angry/rude or too emotional. I need more practice to be a better advocate for her. Thanks to my friend Cindy who stepped in a made sure they included Claire and thanks to Shauna for making sure she had a nice prize for Claire at the end. Madeline was allowed to tag along and I couldn't even get one picture of her because she was running around and having so much fun.

The GRIT fundraiser Hope & Harmony is coming up this Saturday and I think it will be great. I hope I don't screw up - that's my huge fear when I accompany people. I always say a prayer that I won't detract from the good singing!

We set up an RDSP for Claire this week to make sure we made the cut-off date so we could take advantage of the government grants offered in 2008. It will be so nice to have these savings for her so that we know she'll always be taken care of.

I'm feeling renewed and encouraged by my friend Shauna's successful purchase of a home. Everything fell into place for them and they found exactly what they needed so I have to have faith that it will happen for us as well when the time is right.

FYI - Here is what was on my "to-do" list today:

Rhymes & Songs group
Deposit cheques
Mail letters
Call Sears re: yearly appliance checks
Finish Maddie's Heritage Maker card deck for her birthday
Find fun songs for piano on Thursday
Fill out Little Bits medical/liability release forms (Claire starts riding in APRIL!!!!)
Organize Claire's GRIT binder/file cabinet/seizure list for Dr. Sinclair's appointment
Write Elder Patterson a letter
Sewing - mending/velcro for Claire's walker/chest strap for Claire's new chair
Groceries
Laundry/dishes/clean-up/meals/bathtime/etc.

Here are some fun pictures:

Madeline is such a delight in our family. She makes things so much fun. The other day she found Ryan's toque and gloves and put them on and danced around the house.

Here is a cute picture of Ryan and Claire. They love to cuddle together.
I must have been really boring this day. I need to think of more fun activities!