Disabled, officially. For now.

I’ve written before about my health struggles (see here). In sum, I have psoriatic arthritis and ulcerative colitis – both of which are autoimmune diseases – and fibromyalgia, which is an issue with the pain system of the body. The good news is I’ve been awarded social security disability, for now. It’s been a twoContinue reading “Disabled, officially. For now.”

Food Insecurity Fallout

Sunny has taken to complaining that we have too much food in the house. It’s making me think about childhood food insecurity and how much it messes with people. Sunny grew up food insecure for her first 8 years. Her pantry was always absolutely bare except for bulk bags of rice. Everything else was purchasedContinue reading “Food Insecurity Fallout”

Dealing with Uncertainty

Foster care is nothing if not filled with uncertainty. We have 10-year-old Sunny with us still. She’s been here 519 days counting today. She says she still wants to go home, but my suspicion is that she would have a very hard time transitioning back to her old style of family life. Her family isContinue reading “Dealing with Uncertainty”

Life Carries On

It’s funny. I’d been longing to adopt Sprout for so long, and so worried it would not happen, that when it did actually happen I was a bit gobsmacked for a day or two. Could it really have taken place?! Finally?! But then, life just carried on, as it has a way of doing! NothingContinue reading “Life Carries On”

The joys of chronic illness

How it’s been going: As most of you know, I collect autoimmune diseases. I’ve been diagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Who knows which of those diagnoses is accurate, but the upshot is that my immune system likes to run amok and damage healthy tissues. The result is pain, stiff swollenContinue reading “The joys of chronic illness”

Solo Momming Challenges

Parade going while autistic Today is Memorial Day. It’s parade day in my household! I naively planned not one, but two parades with the kids today – one in the next town over and one in our own little village. Bright and early, we all (3 kids and I, Seth is working) piled into theContinue reading “Solo Momming Challenges”

Odds and Ends

Visit Fallout I wrote last about the visit last Saturday being especially hard on the kids. What I should have predicted was the continuing fallout. On Sunday, the girls woke up late and were just off somehow. So I asked them if they needed hugs and they both exclaimed “Yes!” and rushed over to me.Continue reading “Odds and Ends”

Oh boy. Exactly what just happened?

Yesterday was a rough day for me. We had a service plan review (“SPR”) meeting for the girls, which means the case workers and Mama and a third party reviewer go over her case and what she needs to do to get her kids back. I get to attend as a foster parent. Then laterContinue reading “Oh boy. Exactly what just happened?”

Kiddo Love Story

I love my kids. All three of them. So stinking much. But each kid is different and my love for each kid is a little different. It’s an interesting thing to stand back from and observe, really, though it sometimes makes me uncomfortable like I should love them all the same. My beloved therapist –Continue reading “Kiddo Love Story”

Snow Day Updates

It’s a snow day across much of the northeast. The snow started off slow overnight, but it’s coming down in buckets now, and I’m glad the kids are home and not on the roads. However, I’m trying to get some work done for the Planning Board for which I am secretary. Ha! Silly me, notContinue reading “Snow Day Updates”