Life as it happens with our three beautiful and adopted children, Shayla, Yamira and Manuel: I haven't been here all week?

I knew I was a little behind on blogging, but not a weeks worth. Talk about being asleep at the wheel. I don't even remember what we did this past week.

Tuesday we stayed home. Wednesday was a very busy day. I had a physical at 2:30 pm in Norwood and then I went to "The Lighting of the Memory Tree" in Norwood. I go every year. I did ask Bill to come with me because I really didn't want Ping to have to hang around while I had a physical. She did last year, but she is older and I was there for nearly two hours. Then we had a quick dinner at Conrads and then we went to a church in Norwood for a half hour service. You donate money to hospice in honor of a loved one. I always honored my dad, but now I honor both. I have another one to go to in Worcester next week. That is for mom, but really it's for both no matter where I go. It was a long day and we were anxious to get home. Ping was bouncing off the walls. She sat in the car with Daddy while I had my physical and watched a movie, but it was still a long time to sit and wait.

We didn't have any plans on Thursday, so we stayed in. I have been doing a lot of shopping online as well as some other stuff, so it's nice to have hours to dedicate just to that.

I remember Friday too well. Day from hell! Everything that could go wrong yesterday did in fact go wrong. First of all, one of the cleaners broke one of our glass shades to our dining room light. I was crushed. It was an accident, but I know it was not replaceable. So I have to find a new light fixture and an electrician to install it now. UGH. Things happen, but I have to say that I was really crushed. I felt helpless and I also don't like the fact that I have to surrender the fixture I love because I can't get a new shade! In the grand scheme of things, this is so trivial. I get that. I have been through hell and back with losing parents, this is so not a big deal, but I was in tears over it. I have loved that fixture since the day we got it and now I have to start from scratch. Not as easy as one would think. I am so sick of trying to hire people to do little jobs too! It's not easy. The jobs tend to be too small for trades people. Now some people will say, "Poor Jill, the cleaners broke something." Two things here that I want to share. First of all, I don't know why the cleaners would be cleaning the shades. The shade snaps on, it's not lose, so how did it break? Second of all, just because I have a cleaning service, doesn't mean I don't clean. I clean my house daily. However, I used to be obsessed with cleaning every other weekend and it took me 18 hours to do. I know, because I had each room timed. Finally my mom got sick of me cleaning at all hours of the night, so she suggested I get a cleaning person and she would pay for it as a way of helping around the house. After mom passed, I didn't get rid of them. I just couldn't. Cleaning four bathrooms is a lot of work, and I can't scrub two tubs like a cleaner can. So I kept them. They don't do the job like I do, but it's nice to have the floors officially mopped every couple of weeks. I can't help but wonder if they noticed that I spent three hours scrubbing my grout last weekend?

After the cleaners left, I called Yale Electric to see if I could find the shade, but they were in fact discontinued a few years ago. To make matters worse, the gentleman I spoke to was a complete jerk. Smug and acted like he was above finding a shade. When he told me to come in and I told him it was quite a distance and that I would send a picture, he was bothered by that. I also said that I didn't want to wait around an hour looking for help as it's always so busy in there. He proceeded to tell met that it is not always that busy in there. I love their product, but their customer service over the years has been horrendous and that is with every interaction. So I know what I am talking about. I don't want to wait as there is always a line and I just don't want to deal with them. I couldn't have been nicer to this may as I was desperate, but after talking with him for the third time at the end of the day, I finally confronted him about his attitude. I was sick of hearing that what I was asking was impossible and that he has been in the lighting field for over 25 years. Dude, you are relating to light bulbs, hence the reason you are a jerk. They don't object to your poor behavior. I am though. I was pleasant, but told him that I felt that we got off on the wrong foot and that I have sensed that he was angry that he was asked to check into this. I also said that I understood that he may be the lighting guru, but I am not, hence my questions. Needless to say, I basically said that I would take care of this on my own, thank you very much and hung up.

In addition to that, Ping brought home 2 retake photos. I had called Lifetouch the day before to find out why the terrible original photo was sent back to me. The new ones were ordered and all was good supposedly. So when Ping brought home two new photos, I wasn't sure what the heck was going on. So I called. I got the good fortune of someone who should not be in customer service. No matter how many times I told her that there were three photos, she was not getting it. She kept tripping over everything, but it wasn't like she was new, it was more that she clearly didn't care. I told her I wanted a supervisor. I told her this several times. She finally checks and says that nobody is available, but she will ask the question and get back to me. Sweetie, you are not getting it. I don't ever want to talk to you again! So in two days, I have spent over an hour trying to straighten out the photo issue. It is still not solved, but I have to move on. Too much to do and too little time. All I wanted to know is which photo they were going to use in her class photo as it goes to anyone who has ordered it and I also wanted to make sure they send me the right package. I don't want the first one, I want one of the two that were in my hands, but she didn't know what I was saying. Oy Vey!

Something else went wrong, but I can't remember what it is now. By the time I took Ping to dancing lessons at 4:00 pm, I was so angry and emotional, I just couldn't stop tearing up. So I think I will drop off Ping and then run and get an ice tea, but I decide to stay. Good thing because Bill came. I wasn't expecting him too, but he did. It made listening to the dribble in the waiting room easier for me. The mothers in the waiting room waiting on their child are all pretty friendly with each other. They are all teachers. What is even better is that they are all mothers by giving birth. I have to listen to them weekly discuss their kids and how much they weighed at birth and what their labor was like and so on and so forth. I don't know why this needs to be discussed weekly, but it is. My skin literaly crawls. I have brought a magazine with me every week to try to bury myself, but they talk so loud, so that is all I can concentrate on. Yesterday it was just painful and I ended up getting teary. I do not want to hear these same 4 women talk about their kids for another minute. I know I have a child, but I can't relate to these women at all. I can relate to many woman who have had their own children, but these woman annoy the hell out of me. That may sound terrible, but it is what it is. I was grateful that I was at least able to point out to Bill what annoyed me about these women. I will say that by the time I left, I was no longer angry. I had calmed down. Thank god. Really, I was in a fit and I don't like feeling that way. I don't know if it's because I am overtired? There is no reason why I had to be spinning like a tornado within myself, but I was and it wasn't pretty.

On top of everything during the day, Ping lost her ears. You know, the listening ones? I really wanted to throttle her for most of the day. It was a catch 22 kind of day. Ping would upset me while I was on hold with a jerk in customer service and so on and so forth. So everything was energizing me to spin off my rocker.

The rest of the night was fine. I sat and watched some TV to relax.

Today was a great day. I got up a lot later than I wanted to and then took Ping to get her picture taken with Santa which was from 10-2 or so I thought. He and his reindeer left by 12:30 pm, so that was disappointing. I felt bad. Ping was disappointed. What can I say, I forgot the hours. I have been making dumb mistakes like this lately. Why?

All was not lost today though because we had plans to go to the "Chain of Lights in Sutton." Sutton is a really pretty town. I never saw that much of it until today. They have some gorgeous homes. The " Chain of Lights" is a day where they have trolleys that take you to various places in the town. There are crafts people at churches, Christmas Tree farms, gift shops, etc. You take a trolley to various stops. There are two routes. Since we left so late to go, we decided to drive to each stop vs waiting on a trolley. We got to quite a few places. It was nice because it let us see the sights and see them while it snowed. It was so cold, but really pretty too.

We went to do a few errands and had dinner before returning home. Ping had a bath and went to bed and I watched a Christmas movie. I am now heading upstairs for a bath with my People magazine. I love my People magazine!!!!

An adoptive mom wrote the following and I thought it was fantastic. I hope you enjoy.

Mama Out!!!!!

Twas the Night Before Christmas--for the Parentless.....

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the land
there are parentless children, with no toys in hand

No stockings to be hung by the chimny with care
no hopes for a family soon to be there

Their beds are not snug--but cold and quite bare
there are no goodnight kisses--no one to care

While we in our homes, laughing in delight
all settle down for a Merry Chistmas Eve night

When in someone's heart--there arises a clatter
there are children in need--who's lives really DO matter!

Away to the computer please go in a flash
to see the sweet face with whom YOU could be matched!

While a child you see--their beautiful face all aglow
could this be MY child--could I already know??

When in the dreams of the orphan--what always appears
is a family to love them, to care and hold dear

As you stare at that child--your heart beats real quick--
for you know in your heart that sweet face will stick

More dreams sweet children have--to call parents by name-
come mama! come daddy! come family to claim!

To the ends of the earth--your heart seems to call
now child--I'm coming--I wish for you ALL!

So on a plane to your child--over rooftops you flew
to hold this dear soul--a wish did come true

And then in a twinkling-I saw through the door
this child of my heart-that was waiting no more

As I got my camera and was turning around-
into my arms did she come with a bound!

She was dressed in many layers from her head to her foot
and into my heart her life was just put

there was no round face--no plump little belly
just sad little eyes, and legs shaking like jelly

In a swirl of a pen, and a stamp and a seal
my world became brighter--like I could suddenly feel!

We spoke not a word--they weren't needed at all
and I knew in this moment where I got this call

God layed his hands on my heart--and to the occasion I rose
and He could do it for you--this question He'll pose.....

It won't be a shout--no not even a whistle
it won't be real clear--but faint like a whisper

Can you make room in your heart--if you try with your might?
And make a difference for one--help them see the light?

I can see you exclaim as you hold your child tight--
Thank you Lord for this gift--you got it EXACTLY right!

Our little ice skater trying on her skates.