The last three weeks have been busy. When I read over this thread and look at how much I have survived in that time, I want to belt out Gloria Gaynor's greatest hit - "I Will Survive".

I literally thank God that I have made it. There is even more good news....
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Thursday night, I started a thread and the computer zapped my half-written post and I lost it. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="images/icons/mad.gif" /> If it had gotten posted, it would have made you cry because it was such a horrible week.

It has, truly, been a week full of unexpected things.

Last Sunday morning, my children came home from x's before church. D looked at me and said she was very tired because she had gone to bed at 4 a.m. Her dad said she had been in her room and that he had gone to bed at a regular time thinking she was asleep. Then she told me that her social studies fair project was due the next day.

That afternoon, I took her and we bought supplies for her model of the Alamo. I walked off and didn't help her with her cutting and rolling out ouf the Sculpy clay. After all, this was her project and we had already been through this with the science fair project last month. Then she remembered it wasn't due till Tuesday.

Monday morning, after breakfast, she told me she didn't feel good and that she had thrown up. She had appropriate evidence in the toilet. I let her stay home from school. Went home to check on her and she admitted she had made herself throw up because she didn't want to go to school. I didn't scold or yell but I did hold her and talk to her and love on her.

I went on to work. At 4 p.m., my sister called and said our mom was on her way from exercise class to the emergency room because her heart rate was so fast. At 5, I went to d's registration for next year - her dad picked her up and got her there. Then I got to the ER at 7 and asked about mom. Thirty minutes I asked again, and they told me she had been discharged right about 7 so I went to her house.

My sister was in a bad place and told me privately that mom needs to be "in a home" because she had not been able to answer questions. Sister left and I visited with mom a while. She was sorry for having caused all the upset and distress.

That night I found a small pouch lying on her bedside table. In it was the unmounted opal I bought in New Zealand in 1986. I'd been hunting for it for 6 or 7 years. I knew I had been careless and lost it. But I hadn't.

I got home and had to help daughter put together the Alamo. It was almost midnight when I got her to bed.

Tuesday, I went to pick up mom's 24-hour heart monitor. Then to a meeting at son's school. It was over at 8:30. I went to pick up children and then turn in the monitor. So, children got in bed late 2 nights in a row.

Wednesday morning, I went to meeting at son's school and had a fender bender on the way - my fault. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Mad]" src="images/icons/mad.gif" /> I made it to the meeting. Late but made it. 5 hours after the meeting, the accident was reported, the car was at the shop and I had a rental.

Back at the office, I tarried on.

Thursday, I picked up son at school early and took him to visit another school because his father insists that he will pay no more tuition to the wonderful school where he is now. Son was not very participatory in the tour. Didn't want to talk and I didn't feel like it was as good a fit for him. Just didn't have the right 'feel'.

That day I had also talked to the youth sports director for the place where son plays soccer and the man can't get son on a team because we missed sign up since he didn't send me any information. He thinks it is my fault because I didn't know when sign ups were. So, I asked for coach's names and phone numbers and he gave them to me. I called a coach and explained the situation. He said bring the child on to practice. They will make a spot for him on the team.

Friday, I got to work and found out the insurance company will total out my car because the damages are about $3500 and the car isn't worth that much. Not so badly damaged but a 96 Lumina isn't worth very much. <img border="0" alt="[Teary]" title="" src="graemlins/teary.gif" />

So, I cried all day. <img border="0" alt="[Teary]" title="" src="graemlins/teary.gif" /> I wanted to resign from life. Just resign. <img border="0" alt="[Teary]" title="" src="graemlins/teary.gif" />

At the end of the day, I logged out to go home but decided to write a check and had to log back in on my phone to make a phone call. Finished the call and, before I could log out, the phone rang. I knew that whoever was on the line had dialed my straight line so I knew they very well might want me for personal reasons. I picked up the call and it was the principal of the school my son had visited last week or the week before. He said they had enjoyed meeting Nate and were very interested in having him apply. This is the school that, of all the schools I have looked at, seems like the best fit for him. It was as if hope had been restored to my life. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

That evening x and I were talking about schools and son. He said he had real big concerns about the latest school added to the list for son. I explained that I didn't think it was as good a fit but I didn't know if he thought considering two schools was adequate or if he would feel better about my making the decision with only two schools in consideration. As we don't feel as good about the third school, I will write them and tell them that Nate won't be there for the one day visit - this will save me $75-175.

So, son has one real option for next year.

The school x wants him to go to doesn't feel good to me. I don't think they are academically strong enough for him.

X even said he had wondered about the logistics of getting both children to school at the right times since the schools are equal distances on opposite sides of my house. It was the best talk x and I have had in ages.

Such a roller coaster of a week. I have no idea what kind of car to get because I have no money. All my money for three years has gone to tuition. So, I have the money from my insurance company for my car. Don't know how much that will be. No clue. But it won't be enough - it never is enough to get you back in a car you like. And there is the $500 deductible. And I only have 2-3 weeks of rental time and I will be out of town next weekend for 3 days. So, I won't have the weekend next weekend to shop.

Not to mention tuition due by early to mid May.

So, how long can mom live alone?

Will x's first choice school ever reply to the admissions packet I sent?

Will son get accepted to my first choice school?

As non-Catholic Christians, how will I cope with s having to study Catholicism at school?

What will I drive in 2.5 weeks?

How much more am I expected to endure?

<small>[ April 05, 2004, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: cinderella ]</small>

As much as God thinks you can take.

This week my mom called to say she was OK, but someone broadsided her car and it was totaled. Now she's typically the type to worry about the expense of the car.
My family in town told me how very lucky she is to be alive, so who cares about the car.

On weeks like this, we all need to count our blessings.
I thank God that my mom is OK and survived the accident.

Thank God for all the choices of good schools for son. Thank God that you are close enough to your mom to help out (I'm not). Thank God that X will cooperate with you on sports and schools for the kids - mine won't. Thank God that your children are happy and healthy, and understand that sometimes they too need a mental health day - or just a day off school.

May God bless you and your family.

I know that God will not hand me anything I can not handle. However, like Mother Teresa, I wish He did not trust me so much.

I think it is wonderful that x and I have been able to talk calmly.

And last night I had the best visit with my mother. It was so wonderful - just the two of us.

For a week that was so horrific, up until 5 pm Friday, it ended so magnificently. But I did not think I would live mid-afternoon Friday. I just wanted to curl up in a ball in a hole and pull it in after me.

I guess God let me go to the limit. Nothing like the gaining strength process.

Hi Princess! First off, let me say that I am sorry this past week has been so SUCKY for you.
My past week has mostly SUCKED as well, except for a few moments of 'normalcy'...
I'm 46. My wife is 47, BUTT - nearly this entire freaking week we've felt (and moved) like we were 76 and 77! It's a wonder we have any a$$ left, as we've been dragging all week!
So! Here's how I look at this...
THANK GOD we don't have MORE weeks like this - Lord, we wouldn't be able to survive it! Therefore, logically... NEXT week will be better!
Here's a toast to a much better next week! for you, my wife, me, and whomever else had a week that totally SUCKED this past week!
Is that the light at the end of the tunnel... or is it a train??? heheheheeee
TDL

I am leaving in a few minutes to go look at a car. Where is the throw-up icon? I have no idea what insurance company will give me for my other car and how much I can round up from what sources. Blech!!!!! I can't even afford son's tuition for the rest of the year. Blech!!!
Like I want to buy a car........oh, well. That's life.

But I anticipate next year's tuition will be $2K dollars less than this year's. Maybe I just need a get-by car for a year. Sell that and get something better.

But what about a vacation?

What about a better computer?

What about savings?

What about retiring?

Breathe. Just breathe. It will work itself out. You got friends who are going to say a prayer or two for you.

My grandmother has a saying...that bad things happen in 3's. You're ahead and they should stop any second now (the bad things) lol!

We are Catholic Christians, and our children have been in Lutheran pre-school and day care. Our grade school children are in a Catholic school that goes to 6th grade, and one of the options we are considering for 7th and 8th grade is the Lutheran school where our 4 year old now attends pre-school. I spoke with the principle about the Catholic/Lutheran issue, and he is going to put me in touch with a Catholic family who pulled kids from a Catholic school to send them to the Lutheran school.

Our Catholic grade school has 20% of the students as non-Catholics. Some Catholic schools are like that. You might want to ask what percent of the school population is non-Catholic and talk with the principle about how they accomodate non-Catholics.

Going into the entire interview process, I have made it clear to the school and to my x that this is my only concern. x felt much better when I explained to him that I have struggled with that issue and that I feel we can explain that the stories in the Bible are the same no matter where you sit on Sunday mornings. I will stress less over the religion grades than over the other academics.

But, son has a couple of learning differences and both his psychiatrist and his counselor think this school is a potentially excellent place for him. And it feels right. So, I plan on filling out the application this weekend.

I have a feeling that the school is very used to non-Catholic children.

It is unlikely that the school would be offended if you asked what percent of the student population is non-Catholic and what is the difference for Catholic vs. non-Catholic students. Personally, I don't even keep straight whether a student is Catholic or not, and it has no impact on whether I want my child to be with that student.

I have a friend who has children in a school that is 100% Catholic. I would not want my child there. In fact, we are considering the Lutheran school but not that school because the Catholic teaching seems so fringe. How about, during Catholic Schools Week, having a pre-schooler dictate to parents how the school helps the child in his vocation? Our children had an all school hide and seek to celebrate Catholic Schools Week! So -- for your comfort, it is worth exploring if the Catholic school has non-Catholic students. What I most love about our school is that children just love to be there, and so they enjoy learning. And our almost 8 year old boy is quite the social animal. Hope this helps...

What I am taken with is the fact that the place 'feels' right.

The things I have to watch out for are:
- academics; (child's IQ is over 130 so he has tons of brain power and needs to be challenged academically otherwise he will get board and the inappropriate behavior is more likely to start

- structure; one of the things parochial schools are noted for

- class size; he has never been in a class, since kindergarten, with more than 8 children in it. He can not go into a class of 25. This school is projecting to have 20 5th graders at the start of the school year. I won't be able to beat that anywhere. Unless the tuition fairy sends me $16K in scholarship money to keep him where he is.

That's great. I am so happy with our children's school. For all they have been through, they are fairly well-adjusted children.

The next crisis is I have to buy a car. I had a rental for 6 days. I'm driving my mom's car right now - doctor told her not to drive for a week or so. But I am going out of town this Thursday and, given the fact I want to spend only $3K on a car - refuse to incur any more debt than is necessary and I can manage this expense but NO more. So, I do have about 14 days more of time in which to look for a decent used car, get in looked over by the shop that does most of my car work, and get it bought.

I am really feeling the crunch.

Re: your son's current private school

Is your son in some kind of special needs or gifted classroom, or is the small enrollment (8 students or less) due to the fact that it is a private school?

He is an LD child - and intellectually gifted. This school is a fabulous school. Every teacher is a special ed teacher. They have social skills tutorials. A diagnostic center. Every child has a dedicated laptop which they can begin bringing home in 5th grade. I recently met a woman whose family is moving from Montana to Tennessee so her child can attend school there. And that family is one among several to make such a move.

Well, this evening I will be the worried owner of a red 1998 Chevy Malibu. I just hope nothing happens to it. Good grief. Since I started this thread, I have dealt with totalling out my car. I am driving my 4th car in 3 weeks. The one I liked that I wrecked, a rental, my mom's, the one I'm buying, and the current rental. I feel a bit homeless.

This is the third car I have owned in less than a year. Last spring, while driving an old clunker, I did the research and bought a Lumina which was big enough for all we drive around with. It was nice. It was a good car. Now, I'm getting another car under duress. Not nearly as much fun as buying a car when you already have one.

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Son was accepted to the school of my choice!!! He is excited!!!!!

<small>[ April 03, 2004, 07:48 PM: Message edited by: cinderella ]</small>

Why you ask would I say I was the worried owner of another car? What always happens to your just purchased vehicle? SOMETHING HAPPENS!!!

I bought the car last Monday - around lunch time.

Today, less than 7 full days later, on my way to work and the school drop offs, someone rearended me 1.25 miles from my house. On my street. At a stop light. No damage done but made me mad anyway. Not even a scratch on either car but made me grouchy anyway.