I'm alive

Yep, I'm still around. I left the blog so long, friends were starting to e-mail--concerned for my health and well being. Health is o.k. Well being? Iffy. I know I've said this before, but things are crazy here. They're out of control at present. Where shall I begin?
The master (well, the whole family really), has been much involved with getting the vending machine business off and running. It takes alot of snacks to keep 13 vending machines filled!! We've added bi-weekly trips to Sam's and stocking time to our family schedule. The word has gotten out about our new venture and through friends of friends (you know how it goes) we've already added three locations to our business. Only problem is, we either have to buy some more machines or move some of our machines from a weaker location. Our smallest machines weigh 900 pounds! Rich Dad would say, "Expand." But our long held, Poor Dad mentality screams, "Wait and see before getting in any deeper." Fat and Lazy Dad says, "Don't you dare try to move one of those puppies. You could pull something!"
I hate to tell you this, because I promised I would NEVER, EVER do it again, but I'm trying the home childcare thing again. Have I ever told you I don't handle failure well (read "at all")? I decided I went about it all the wrong way. So I took a new tack and instead of registering as a home provider, I went straight to licensed home center. Which means that the state will be coming to do an inspection on my home within a matter of weeks. You think a homestudy is rough? You should see the minimum requirements law book for a state licensed childcare home. Yikes! I also have decided to do the Food Program, which means that the government will pay for all of the meals I serve (even the ones to my own children). The good news is that, because of the school district we are in, we qualify for the maximum amount of reimbursement, the bad news is more mountains of paperwork.
I have already started keeping one nine month old little boy. Guess what? He's a screamer. It' his third week here and he is still screaming the entire time he is not eating, sleeping or being rocked. And when I put him down and leave the room? Freak out city! I'm starting to remember why I said I would never do this again. Come Thursday/Friday, he starts to realize that this is a pretty cool place after all. He finds peace in that--while he isn't held non-stop--there is a predictable schedule to his day, lots of fun people, and cool things to see and explore. Then the parents (or worse, the grandparents) take him for the weekend, and we are right back to square one on Monday. People tell me all the time that they don't know how I do it with five. I don't how they do it with one! When all you do is carry your baby constantly, around the clock, they think they will not survive if they get put down. They can't do the things babies are supposed to do if they are on always on your hip! They need tummy time and crawling time. A chance to pull up and cruise. Opportunity to experience object permanence. Mommy/Caregiver goes away...Mommy/Caregiver comes back. Mothers of America--PUT THAT BABY DOWN!
We joined a church yesterday. The master is already installed as adult Sunday School teacher (they are in the middle of a building program and all of the adult classes are meeting together), and folks are calling him Bro. John. It is good to hear that name again. It sounds right. Of course, the master couldn't care less if the called him "Mud," just so long as they let him teach and preach.
In the midst of all this, we've had a crisis within the family. It is not our immediate household, so I won't post it on the blog, but it has been a gut-wrenching, extremely upsetting ordeal, nevertheless. Please keep us in your prayers.
O.K. ladies, I'm going to bust my all time record on groceries this month. Are you ready? $118.00!!! Is that wild applause I hear? I thought so. How'd I do it? I ordered through Angel Food Ministries. It is a non-denominational (though most of the distribution centers are in churches) grocery relief program. There are no income limits, no stupid classes, no personal questions, no strings at all. You just show up and pay your money and your meal packages arrive two weeks later. $25 dollars buys a grocery package meant to feed a family of four for a week. I ordered four units for my family of seven, so we'll see. I also bought the optional chicken pack. I think by adding our WIC allotment, we'll have enough for the month. Go check it out! It could save you PAPs a few hundred dollars a month. There is probably a distribution center near you. If not, ask your church to become one.