Downsizing

It definitely felt like we were in an alternate reality today when we walked into Killer Pizza From Mars and ordered only one "Family Meal" and nobody had to share. For the past five years we have had to order 3 of the four-person meals and even then sometimes we had to split salads and buy extra drinks.

Yesterday we took the kids to the movies and could still afford to buy some popcorn. The last time we went to the movies, we took up an entire row.

Four years ago we drove both an SUV and an eight-passenger van and every seat was filled. Today we can fit all the kids in a sedan and the SUV has an empty row.

Every person in our house finally has their own bedroom. We actually have enough room for everyone to sit together on our only couch but we can barely reach each other when we join hands around our large dinner table. Our 3000 square foot house seems absurdly huge now (to us anyway...we still have 3x as many people living here as the previous owners!).

We have so much more space--and time--now. This is the longest we've ever gone without filling that space up again.

Secrets

Why is my girl so compelled to withhold the truth even when it seems completely obvious and not even all that bad? I usually have figured out what is really going on way before she lies to my face. Asking only confirms because she is such a bad liar. I'm pretty good at reading signs (and My Sp*ace...it is public, after all, not a diary) and I don't usually get taken by surprise. But what's with all the secrecy about every little thing? Maybe it's a control thing or something. Maybe she thinks I'll disapprove or ask questions or try to give advice or in some way actually try to be a part of her life. Who knows? I do know that all of her relationships and activities outside of this house are what she considers her "real" life and she shrouds it all in secrecy and doesn't let any of us in.

Headcounts No Longer Needed

Quiet days here with so few kids in the house. Sorta-adult daughter is often gone so it's just the middle girls and The Boss hanging around most the time, although Lucky is gone to her mom's almost every weekend. Seems weird to be planning the holidays knowing only two kids will be at home. But on the up side, we are nearly done with Christmas shopping with a lot less strain on the budget than we normally experience.

Squeaker hasn't had a major blow-up for several weeks which is great. Most of the eye-rolls and snorting I'll just chalk up to "normal" fourteen-year-old girl attitude. Still some big concerns with both girls over their dishonesty combined with extremely poor judgement. Lots of supervision is required at all times which they appreciate less and less as they get older. Lucky will be thirteen next month and Squeaker fifeern in February. Still, they cannot stay home alone even for a few minutes, cannot be dropped off anywhere, and absolutely under no circumstances can they ever be left alone with the Boss even if we are in the next room. This makes it a bit challenging for us to make an escape for a kidless evening. It is fairly easy to find a babysitter for a kindergartener but much less so for middle and high schoolers especially with all the extra cautions and caveats. (except when oldest niece is available for teen-watching....she's the bomb!)

We're looking forward to lots of free and low cost holiday activities in our small town. Such a kick to find so much to do since we are pretty content with simplicity and low tech entertainment.

A Slap in the Face*book

I got "unfriended" on FB by my own kid. Kind of amusing.

If I didn't buy groceries, make food, give rides, provide a bed and a roof, pay for hot water, electricity, heat and A/C, I'm sure I wouldn't be on the radar at all.

Do I Look Stupid to You?

I surely must to the kids. They lie or at least omit the truth and really, truly think that I don't know it. It's so weird, I don't even get it. Maybe I'm just too sequestered in my own crazy little foster care world and I'm somewhat jaded and cranky by this time, but I find it unbelievably annoying. It's almost like part of a shared culture that they bring with them.

I really do think the most irritating thing about it is that they think that I'm dumb enough to believe them. Yes, I do make it about me far more than I should.

Pete and Repeat

Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete jumped out. Who was left? Repeat. Pete and Repeat were in a boat. Pete jumped out. Who was left? Repeat. Pete and Repeat were in a boat...

Why don't I just make a recording of myself saying the same things over and over? For the sake of those with brain disorders living under our roof, our days are very structured, reeking of routine and tediously boring repetition. So how come no one can remember to even brush their teeth without being told?

Sheesh.