They won’t congratulate her. They won’t even say that to me. This isn’t exactly good news, from where I sit. Lauren is pregnant. She is just about 22, a high school drop-out, works part-time, lives at home, and the father is being a total jerk. Does she really expect anyone to be happy for her? Only those who have no idea of what she is about to begin in her life will be happy and fake about all of it. She can barely take care of herself, let alone a baby and a bi-racial one at that! I am not prejudice or a bigot, but there is just no way she can handle this. And the father is doing just what we thought he would do. He is playing those head games with her. Acting very caring one day and then the next, like he wants nothing to do with her.
There is no way she can live here. Yet somehow, the thought of telling her to leave is near to impossible. How do we do that without looking like monsters? This is NOT our responsibility. She IS and ADULT! We don’t have to be anything more than grandparents.
We will be encouraging her to explore the options of adoption. There are so many different ways to place a child these days, and that may be the best answer all around.
Do we think she will be open to it? No, but we are going to make her listen. Do we think she can handle it? Not really, but again she has to consider it.
How in the hell does she expect to raise this child? My days of being a mommy to a baby are over, I am raising school-aged children now. I am enjoying being a grandma. I don’t want to start over, neither does Phil.
I am so mad at her. I will not lose my stability over this. I will not spiral out of control or downward or get so angry that my family wants to abandon me. I don’t have the answers to this problem. I don’t know what to do, or what is expected of me. I just don’t know.
So next week Lauren will go to APS and get some counseling on her adoption options, GED information, etc. Also, she and I will go again to APS and talk with Jenny about some other options for her. If she won’t or can’t be open to all options, then she is out of luck and on her own. She will have to listen and be humbled or she won’t have us to help her. It’s just that simple. Phil, the boys and I can’t watch her spiral out of control and we can’t deal with her emotional hijacking any longer. No way, no how!
Archive for December, 2007
What does she expect folks to say?
Friday’s Feast
A camera-less Christmas
Since my digital won’t take pictures any more, I guess we just have to rely on cellphone camera pics this year. Hopefully I will have a few to post soon. Things are not yet back to normal here, whatever that normal was. Still lots of issues that we are dealing with and I will mention them later. My daughter and her little growing family are still here today. I love being a grandma.
My honey bought me a new coat for Christmas, but it’s a little too small. I have to send it back. Hopefully my size is still in stock when I get to reorder it.
Jake has been taking his meds the last few days and that is making him easier to live with and giving him good days. He deserves good days.
I think everyone is happy with their gifts. I know I am. I hope all my readers had a Merry Christmas….maybe I will do a TT later today.
Menu Plan Monday
Join Laura and the rest at Organizing Junkie for more menu planning.
Monday: Chinese Food take out: General Tso’s, Sweet & Sour chicken, Chicken with Garlic Sauce
Tuesday: Ham, Turkey breast tenderloin, refridgerator potatoes, veggie tray, rolls, cranberry sauce, chocolate cake, and cookies
Wednesday: Leftovers from Christmas
Thursday: Chicken and rice, cauliflower
Friday: Chili and cornbread
Saturday: Off to dd’s house for Elizabeth’s first birthday party.
Sunday: Soup and sandwiches
Breakfast casserole for Christmas Brunch
BAKED SAUSAGE, CHEESE, AND EGGCASSEROLE
1 doz. eggs
1-2 tbsp. water
1/3 c. low fat milk
1 lb. bulk sausage meat
6 oz. grated, sharp Cheddar cheese
Spray Pyrex oblong pan with Pam. Brown sausage in fry pan. Break sausage up into small pieces. Drain sausage of all fat. Spread sausage in bottom of pan. Beat eggs in large bowl. Add water and milk. Grate cheese and put over sausage. Pour eggs over cheese and sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour Done when eggs are firmly set.
Can be made the day before and refrigerated overnight. Good for breakfast or brunch. Enjoy!
No feast today…
so I guess I am on my own for blogging. Things are rough around here but I think we will make it through. I was super super busy yesterday. I went shopping for all the groceries and presents that had yet to be purchased. I ended up going to 5 stores but they were all very close to one another. And in the middle of all the shopping, I had a counseling appointment! lol…only a bipolar person can truly swing from thought to thought like that and still maintain some level of insanity! I think of it as a gift of the curse. I was so focused the last few days. Today is a little different. I got easily frustrated just making Jell-o and getting it into the fridge! I spilled a bit on the floor and the shelf inside the fridge. And because the fridge is tipped back, thanks to our crooked, uneven kitchen floor, the Jell-o wanted to set crooked. I wedged a paper towel, all crumbled up, under the one end of the bowl. I should check on it now, as it’s most likely to be set by now.
I had to let Lauren borrow the van for work so I am missing Caleb’s Christmas party at school. I wasn’t scheduled to help but wanted to be there for him for a little of the time. That’s ok though.
Ok I still have to assemble the dips for tomorrow’s trip to see my family, make truffles, wrap gifts, and write out a few cards. That’s about it for now. Ta-ta for a few days.
Merry Christmas!!!
Thursday Thirteen
1. I baked 2 kinds of cookies and a batch of peanut clusters.
2. I made my menu plan for the next 12 days.
3. I made out my shopping list for the grocery store.
4. I cleaned out my fridge.
5. I made a to-do list and put it on the fridge.
6. I folded several loads of laundry.
7. I went to the library and grocery store for just a few things until tomorrow.
8.I split my pills.
9.I put on the morning’s coffee.
10. I beat my friends while playing Literati! Woot Woot!!!
11. I helped Caleb put lights on the tree.
12. I managed to hurt Jake with my yelling again. I apologized.
13. I finished my mom’s gift.
Now, I need to go to sleep, sometime. I have shopping and an appointment with Ric tomorrow. Counseling after the shopping is good!
Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
This is a simple cookie recipe that will surely delight young and old. The cookies are coated with cinnamon and sugar for an extra special taste.
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 large egg• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, and stir in remaining flour. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Combine the 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes or until edges are beautifully golden. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
Chocolate sugar cookies:
Prep Time:20 min
Total Time:45 min
About 3-1/2 doz. or 21 servings, about two cookies each
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 squares BAKER’S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
MICROWAVE chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add 1 cup of the sugar; mix well. Blend in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Refrigerate 15 min. or until dough is easy to handle. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. (If flatter crisper cookies are desired, flatten balls with bottom of clean glass.)
BAKE 8 to 10 min. or until set. Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.
Hugs
I was reading at The Bipolar Diaries the other day about hugs. I told Phil last night about the post. He said sometimes he isn’t so sure about me needing a hug when I am exploding. Well last night came the proving ground. I was frustrated about getting a few sandwiches made for the guys so they could leave for scouts and swimming. No one seemed to want to cooperate with me and it was driving me nuts. I am a clock-watcher as well. I then turn into a nag if I think they aren’t moving fast enough. No one is safe from Mrs. Nag! So just as I was about to get on the edge, Phil just hugged me. He smiled and hugged. Then he made the mistake of patting me! Argh….I was ok, I told him the hug was great and it really did calm me down and put me back into some kind of control. But next time do it without the “patting” on the back. I just need the hug.
I am looking forward to doing more reading over there.
Not a wordless Wednesday…
Today is not starting out to be good. My lack of organization and Jake’s lack of the same caused him to not get his permission slip and money in for a play this Friday. Poor kid! He’s been doing so great in school lately and here I go and mess it up, albeit he helped as well. If it’s not written down then I forget.
Then he called to say he needed his pencil pouch and could I bring it. Ok, yeah since I messed up on the form. But when I went looking for it, it was not here. No where to be found. So I called and left a voice mail for his teacher to ask him to look in his things again for it. Plus he was supposed to bring in pizza? for some class project. He told me two times, one last week and one time last night around 9PM. I don’t have pizza makings around here!!!!
I am hoping this day gets better, like with a job offer for Phil! That would be uplifting. Or that I can successfully make some Christmas treats and they turn out good. Something has got to give!
