Lots of changes in just past week.

I haven't posted in a few days and quite a lot has happened during those days.

1.  My mom died the day after my last post.
2.  Drove to Knoxville and signed the papers for her cremation, drove back the same night because I had to fly to California the next morning.
3.  Flew to LA for the dependency hearing, the next day and was awarded temporary custody of Ellie - that day.
4.  It took pretty much all day for the court to get the paperwork in order for me to leave with Ellie.
5.  Left the courthouse with Ellie, drove to his foster home and collected his belongings.  We tried to make it back in time to Trick-or-Treat, but it got too late too soon and opted for a cozy dinner instead.

Ellie said goodbye to Mrs. Brown, his foster parent for the past two months.

6.  The place I was staying is an adult-only community, so we booked tickets back to Georgia.  Leaving as soon as possible served several purposes - mainly getting Ellie home with his family and into a routine, so he can start feeling safe, secure and like a kid - not having to worry about his basic needs.  Mike had a work trip, and Shelby isn't due for a couple more weeks, so I could be there to help him get acclimated to his new home, routine, etc...
7.  Some idiot decided to shoot people at LAX, about an hour after we booked our tickets.  It was a day of pure hell.  Here's a link to the photos I took during the whole ordeal. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151975461494847.1073741829.821109846&type=1&l=b0fe7607e2
8.  We ended up having to stay the night in a hotel and catch an early flight the next morning.  It was Ellie's very first time on a plane.  He did great!

9.  Mike teaches at Kennesaw State University on Saturdays, so Jay was kind enough to pick us up from the airport and drive us to Monroe.  Ellie loved his room and went into a kid version of "information overload" spastic running around like cat does when they have those crazy moments.  I popped a Xanax, observed the activity, then reeled it in and started laying down some house rules.

10.  On Sunday, Mike and I thought it would be good to do something fun with Ellie so we took him to the Yellow River Game Ranch.  I have mixed emotions about that place, but it works to keep a four-year-old occupied  and engaged for a few hours - petting, feeding, and running down chickens and peacocks.

11.  Once Mike and I learned that we would eventually get Ellie, we placed him on all of the Pre-K waiting lists with the schools and daycare facilities in the area that offer it.  We were able to get him into Walton Creative Learning.  However, he had to get some vaccines to be current and we had to complete a shit-ton of paperwork.  Nonetheless, he was a trooper getting the injections, only requiring four adults to restrain him for two shots and I drank wine as I completed the mind-numbing paperwork that evening.  Mike had to leave for the airport for his flight for his conference.  My car is still not repaired, so we had to rent a car so I'd have transportation in Mike's absence this week.
12.  Tuesday morning was the big day!  Ellie started school and he did great!

13.  Luckily, Shane (my son) and Jon (my cousin) have been helping clean out mom's apartment, since I'm unable to do it.  Shane drove to Atlanta today to deliver a few things I wanted, including mom's cremains.  I'd been holding it together pretty well, but holding the box of her ashes really created a hurt inside that was like a punch to the heart.  Shane and Ellie played, we all went to dinner and Shane had to drive back to Knoxville.  This is an oversimplification of the day - which was actually very emotionally draining, touching, sweet, and just a bundle full of emotion.  Shane's visit threw off our routine we had started and caused Ellie to have a hard time falling asleep, but it will be fine.  We'll get back on track tomorrow.

14.  Mike comes back from his business trip late tomorrow night, so I will have a bit of a respite on Friday.  Friday is also the day the car repair shop said my car should be ready to go.
15.  I've been trying to get the apartment downstairs ready for me to move in - but that's been slow-going due to all of the other stuff.  I still don't have a closing date for my condo, which is good, since the apartment is not yet ready for me to move in it, and I don't have the time to move right now.  My heart is still broken for having to move away from Midtown.  I'm painting downstairs, the apartment, to try and make it as cozy and comfy and make it "my own space" - just really really wish it were in Midtown or Virginia Highlands or Decatur, or even inside the perimeter (insert sad pouty face here).
16.  After Mike teaches Saturday, I'm returning to my condo for the rest of the evening and then flying back to California on Sunday.  I'll be out there until Shelby gives birth.  She's due November 22nd.  Once the baby is born, I'll come back and then it'll be two kiddos.  But at least that part will mostly be over and I'll be able to focus on closing and getting moved.
17.  Jay is coming out for a weekend for a nice little get-away, the week before she's due.  That'll be a nice little getaway. In one of my previous blogs I wrote that we broke up - which we did - but he's really wanting to try and give this one more chance.  My heart hurts, because I do love him and we have a good time together, but if this is going to work, then it's going to take a lot of nurturing (on both of our parts) to keep it going.  Unfortunately, I'm a little overwhelmed right now and so he's gonna have to pull a lot more weight than he's had to in the past.  I guess we'll see if he's up for the challenge.  I do know this - I don't have the luxury of time to play games of the heart anymore.  I hope it works.  We'll see.
18.  The other good thing about me being out in LA, besides being there for the birth of the baby, is having the ability to talk with her lawyers.  I'll also get to attend a hearing that's set for November 12th and I can see her for visitations.

So, that's a quick update of things that's happened over the last week.

Oh, almost forgot: I've been looking for a "time-out" chair.  Jon sent the perfect one with Shane.  It's perfect and I love it!

Going to bed now.  Goodnight, Moon.                                                              

Kids' Rooms & Mom

So, I think I've finally got both of the kids' rooms put together.  I ordered a glider today, bit that will come while I'm away in California, but that should be it.  I'm sure there will be little bits and pieces here and there, but I'm happy with their rooms and hopefully they will make them feel welcomed, loved and like they're finally home.

Ellie's room:

Emma's room:

 The Family Court (dependency hearing) is Thursday, October 31st at 8:30am.  This court date is what will allow the state of California to hand the case to the state of Georgia to clear us (Mike - my ex-husband, and Shane/Shelby's step-dad and me).  In a proactive attempt to move things along, I went ahead and paid the Georgia Sheriff's office for a background check (came back clean, of course) and Mike has printed his "good standing" paperwork from the Georgia and South Carolina Bars - which he is a member of, since graduating from Emory law school.  It would be nice if the court just let me go ahead and have Ellie.  That is basically what I'm going to plead for.

As I stated in the last blog, I was able to get a place to stay from October 30th until Shelby gives birth.   Since she's in custody, and will be giving birth while in custody, she's able to sign over a Power of Attorney for me to take the baby when she's born and bypass the whole bureaucratic process we're having to going through to get Ellie.  So, I'll be there until around the third week of November.

However, today I got a piece of bad news about my mom.  Looks like she's taken a turn for the worse and is having lots of seizures.  It's pretty severe that my aunt is having to go to the rehab (it's also a nursing home - just not allowed to call it that to mom) tomorrow and sign a DNR, as that is my mom's wishes.  Her health has declined to the point that it looks like my mom might not make it before I get back from California.  I hope this isn't the case.  I honestly don't know if I would be able to afford a flight back to Knoxville, if mom dies, and then a return flight to LA, to wait for the birth of the baby.  If mom does die while I'm away, I think I'd actually be okay not tending to her cremation services.  Mom has specifically stated that she does not want a funeral.  She wants her ashes spread in the Gulf of Mexico.

The problem will be the logistics of carrying out her will and taking care of her belongings - her apartment and so forth.  Luckily, she does have a will and has specifically assigned certain things to certain people, then leaving the rest to me and for me to distribute as I see fit.  I will need to talk to her landlords and see if they would be willing to work with me via time frame.

Then, I will need to work on getting out of my own condo.  We still haven't set a closing date, so that's good.  That buys me the most time.  Moving is expensive though, and takes a lot of time.

Ugh...so much going on.  The things that keep me going are the thoughts of having Ellie and Emma here.  Getting to watch them smile.  Getting to watch them have a normal life.  Being able to love them, squeeze them and embarrass them with kisses in front of friends.

I'm thankful for Mike.  I'm thankful for all of my friends and family who have helped me get through this and get these rooms ready for these kids - donating items, labor, opinions, time, etc.  I'm thankful for Angela.  She helped me find a place to stay in California.  It truly does take a village.  I'm glad to be part of a good village.