~~October 2016~~Sew, it was the greatest Stitch Experience ever!~~Final Update 3/19/2017!

I would love to be added to that group - thank you!!!

I know V going to Europe will be stressful for you, but having Allison there with you will help a lot. We can't help but worry about our babies!! V will have an amazing time and Brian and Myrthe (sp?) will take great care of her.

Sorry you tweaked your back with the heavy lifting, but good for you for staying with it. It's so easy to make excuses to stay off track once falling off track.....that explains a lot of my problems! lol. So good for you for getting back to it.

My sister and I decided yesterday that if I take the job in Utah and we move this summer, next summer we need to do a Disneyland trip. I haven't been there since grad night 1989! The girls love the idea and even my husband said he thought it would be fun. :-)
As of right now, I think I'm taking the job and we will be moving. I'm scared and anxious but it is a giod career move that, most importantly, puts us close to the girls and our family. So much to do to prep for a move...

But before that, Brie has prom tonight. So excited to see her all dressed up!

Have a great day!
 
Hi D,

I'm so happy to hear that your Dad is feeling better. I looked for all your updates on FB and was happy things were going well. Also, happy to hear the rest of your family is doing well too!
 
I am sooooo late to the party! I was saving your TR for the end of my first semester returning to college as a celebration treat to me, It's been a great treat so far! You have lived my dream of solo travels to the world with each of my kids and it's been beautiful to read along and see your trips with Allison and Victoria. I am on page 44, I have laughed, cried and felt so touched by your TR. I am so glad your dad is doing better as well. I'll have to cut this short and get back to reading!

Awwwh... It's so nice to see you here! And you saved my TR as a treat to yourself - honored! I am so happy to hear that you've enjoyed following along, as the greater joy to me - is people actually read and enjoy doing so... I am touched! :lovestruc I feel like, I have been doing this so long (writing TRs) - there is a connection there. I highly encourage everyone to do this with their children - the memories we have in Disney over the years have really gotten us through some tough challenges, and formed some solid and fun relationships between all of us. And the fun part - these TRs will be here forever, so if ever my girls want to come back and re-live these trips from my perspective, they can do so. :lovestruc

Thank you... Dad is doing much better. V and I went to visit him yesterday, we had a nice visit... He is mostly in good spirits, considering his circumstances... So that's good. :lovestruc

Thanks for taking the time to stop by! It's great to see you here! :hug:

How great that your dad is doing well. Crossing my fingers that you will find a place he will like.

I hope your back feels better soon.

How great that you debt pay off is going well. YAY for making the last payment ever to school lunches :woohoo:


How the wheelchair accessible apartment thing works here is that if you don't have the money to buy your own apartment you can apply the municipality for money to get an modest apartment that fits my needs. It's going to be a challenge because wheelchair accessible apartments aren't cheap. I've heard that it's now takes 5 months to get an answer on the application for the money for an apartment. And it wouldn't surprise me if I first get a refusal and then I have to appeal that decision. And then they will approve and give me the money I need. Almost what ever you apply for (and the law says you have the right to get those things) at NAV or at the municipality they almost always get a negative answer to your application. Then you have to appeal and you always get approved the second time. I think they do this because they know many people won't complain and send an appeal and then they save money.

It's raining here today. The weather man says it's going to snow this weekend. So I haven't changed the tires on my car yet. It's not that long until 17th of May. I'm crossing my fingers it won't rain or snow that day. I really want to go out and watch the parade in the morning that day. But it's no fun doing that in the rain. It will be the first 17th of May I will be able to take my electrical wheelchair. So that's going to be a new experience. I haven't tried to use my electrical wheelchair with my National costume yet.

Thank you Lillian... I was able to take the folders of all of the assisted living apartments I looked at up to Dad, so he could look them over. He wants me to take him to tour all of these places personally - I wish I could... He doesn't understand that medically, he can't spend the night at my house - so just driving him to our house and back home is 12 hours on the road for me in one day - plus the driving him from apartment to apartment down here... It's just not even something I can do. :( I can only do so much... I hope that he will be able to "take my word for it" - I wouldn't just put him somewhere that didn't suit him. It's hard, because he truly doesn't understand. :(

Thank you - my back is doing much better... Still twinges every now n' then, but for the most part - it's better. :lovestruc

Yes - I am so excited to be able to cross each debt off... Knowing when it's done - it's DONE! Phew! Thanks for cheering me on!

Yikes - it sounds like your waiting lists are much like ours... Long... And sometimes tedious. I am wishing you good luck on the application process - I hope it's swift and painless... Though it sounds like, as a rule, that won't be the case. :hug:

I always look forward to hearing about your National Holiday parade and your costume - I've admired it for many years and I look forward to hearing about it for many years to come! :) I hope all goes well with wearing it with your costume and using your wheelchair! :lovestruc

And hoping for spring weather for you soon! ::yes::

Just stopped in to check on you and your family. So glad your dad is doing better. I am praying for you and him and his upcoming move. Hope he likes one of the apartment choices.
Take Care and have a great weekend!

Hi!!! Thanks for stopping by!

Thank you - it's been interesting - and definitely a learning experience for me! I hope so too... He seems OK with them, so far... I personally think they are VERY nice, and I worry that he won't be comfortable there... I just hope - since we will be living closer, that it won't be as big of a deal, because he won't have to depend so much on his neighbors and care givers as his main social outlet - not that dad is very social... :)

Thank you - same to you! I hope you are doing well too! :lovestruc

I would love to be added to that group - thank you!!!

I know V going to Europe will be stressful for you, but having Allison there with you will help a lot. We can't help but worry about our babies!! V will have an amazing time and Brian and Myrthe (sp?) will take great care of her.

Sorry you tweaked your back with the heavy lifting, but good for you for staying with it. It's so easy to make excuses to stay off track once falling off track.....that explains a lot of my problems! lol. So good for you for getting back to it.

My sister and I decided yesterday that if I take the job in Utah and we move this summer, next summer we need to do a Disneyland trip. I haven't been there since grad night 1989! The girls love the idea and even my husband said he thought it would be fun. :-)
As of right now, I think I'm taking the job and we will be moving. I'm scared and anxious but it is a giod career move that, most importantly, puts us close to the girls and our family. So much to do to prep for a move...

But before that, Brie has prom tonight. So excited to see her all dressed up!

Have a great day!

Yes - I am not looking forward to another summer full of anxiety and worry... Literally - my entire head of hair is gray now... If there is any color left to it - I am certain it will be gone by the end of this summer! :lmao:

It's sometimes very difficult to get back on track for me... Most days, the only thing that keeps me going, is that I am so routine driven... I do the exact same thing day-after-day... So, if I don't work out right away in the morning, my whole entire day is off.

Ooooh - now that would be a definite plus to moving... Aside from being near your girls - I think that alone would sway me... It's definitely a difficult decision - I will pray that you are at peace with whatever you decide. :hug:

I adored Brie's dress!!! Super tasteful and elegant!!! I've had some prom dresses in my FB feed these last few days that really made me wonder what these girls are thinking! Yikes! Neither of my girls had any interest in going to prom - which I am kind of thankful for... I was the same way at their age and never went to prom - it's one of my regrets in life, so I hope that this decision isn't the same for them later. :scratchin I hope Brie had a great time! :lovestruc

Thanks, my friend, same to you! :)

Hi D,

I'm so happy to hear that your Dad is feeling better. I looked for all your updates on FB and was happy things were going well. Also, happy to hear the rest of your family is doing well too!

Thank you!!! It's a relief to have him better, for sure! Hoping this trajectory continues! :lovestruc Thank you for the well wishes!

I hope you are doing well! :lovestruc

************************************************************************************************************

It's been a busy few days... I was just thinking to myself the other day - it's been about a year since I've been sick, if not longer... Yesterday, I woke up sneezing like crazy... Then a stuffy nose... Sigh... It's official - I think I have a cold. Oh well... It's nothing more than annoying at this point.

I did my grocery shopping on Friday... Because of Dad being in the hospital on my last "grocery shopping day" - I haven't technically done a trip in over a month... Mother Hubbard's cupboards were BARE! :eek: I had to take my list from 2 weeks ago, plus I had to add it on to what we currently needed... On top of that - I had to use some of our grocery budget from last time to feed myself in the hospital - needless to say, I didn't have as much extra in that budget as I was hoping to have this time around. Did that make sense? LOL Essentially - I was much tighter than I would have liked to have been... I made it out of Target exactly at budget... And I made it out of Aldi $50 over! :eek: But my cart there was FULL-FULL... Soooo... We will eat for another 2 weeks. ::yes::

Ummm... Once I make tomorrow's car payment... We will owe less than $300 on my car... That is cool. :woohoo: Looking forward to paying it off early on our next pay day. ::yes::

I logged into Photopass yesterday morning, and discovered that the new "Class of 2017" borders were available... Since I had an AP during all of our most recent trips - Victoria's trip pictures are still available to be edited... So, I added those borders to a few of our favorite photos and downloaded them...

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I am still having major issues with Photobucket... I am about ready to cancel my paid subscription to their services - as they are having technical issue after technical issue. :(

Long update about Dad... and the life of the average senior citizen these days.

Victoria and I drove up to visit Dad yesterday, he is doing well... Sadly - he is a carrier of the MRSA bacteria, so we all have to gown and mask to visit him - which also means, he is confined to his room... This is not good for his loneliness and really makes me feel even worse that he is so far away. :( I wish it was an option for me to visit him more often. Thankfully, he is able to leave his room if he wears a mask... It was such a beautiful day yesterday, we talked him into masking up and sitting outside for a few hands of cards. I think this was so good for him... The sun is an amazing healer - especially at this time of year!

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I was able to take the folders of all of the assisted living apartments I looked at up to Dad, so he could look them over. He wants me to take him to tour all of these places personally - I wish I could... He doesn't understand that medically, he can't spend the night at my house - so just driving him to our house and back home is 12 hours on the road for me in one day - plus the driving him from apartment to apartment down here... It's just not even something I can do. :( I can only do so much... I hope that he will be able to "take my word for it" - I wouldn't just put him somewhere that didn't suit him. It's hard, because he truly doesn't understand. :(

The other piece he doesn't understand is the financial aspect... Right now, he is fortunate, his apartment is "income based" - so he only has to pay 30% of his income towards his rent. To move him near me and still take advantage of his current waiver would put him into areas of the community which aren't safe - I don't want to elaborate on this, as I don't want to appear like I am looking down on anyone or any group - because I am not... But I will NOT make my vulnerable father live within an area that isn't safe. So, in order for him to live in a "safe" area, I have to apply for a different type of waiver - one which is more commonly used and there are many more living options available to him... In essence, this waiver is not income based - but they do take every bit of his income with exception to $91 per month... Dad sees this as "highway robbery" and I see this as "he is lucky there is any option available to him at all"... All of these places charge upwards of $2500/month for rent, which he doesn't make even close to that much - he wouldn't last a month paying that. So, to say his options are limited, is an understatement. He doesn't understand that having $91 left over per month is a blessing to being homeless, and within that price - ALL of his day-to-day medical necessities are covered, plus his apartment rent, 3 meals per day plus 2 snacks... So, he will have NO costs to cover with that $91, except his phone bill and his (very small - but expensive) life insurance plan - which he purchased many years ago. He doesn't understand that this is what EVERYONE encounters at this age if they are on Social Security... Our nation doesn't leave much for our elderly to live on while living on less than poverty wages. It's frustrating.

This has truly been an eye opening experience for me, and understanding the importance of saving for retirement... As, when I get old - I don't want to have to live off of $91/monthly. ::yes:: Yet - I am very THANKFUL that there are other options available to Dad, and he will be able to live somewhere safe - even if he is cranky about it. I am hoping that having us actively involved in his life will make the financial piece a little more tolerable to him. :lovestruc


I will keep you all updated on Dad... And really - thank you for letting me have an outlet here... :lovestruc

A couple of MM and SC photos for you all... Cooper just cracks me up - he has a huge "Labrador" personality, I am almost certain that I am his favorite human! And the second photo - the one with both boys... I am under the plaid blanket - LOL...

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Looking at my week ahead - no big plans...

I am hoping to go for a walk today - but it's very cloudy, so we'll see... :scratchin

I will be working in my sewing room all week... Hoping to work on a few side projects... Sadly - I took on a lot of extra stuff this spring - so I am working diligently to get ahead of myself there.

That's about all! I miss you all and wishing you all the best! Prayers and Pixie Dust to all! :lovestruc

D~
 
Awww, D you are going through so much emotionally and physically for/with your dad I hopethat you feel safe/comfortable coming here to talk to us about it. You, as a caregiver need that support system and I want you to know that I am here for you.
I know that helping your parents understand financially what they want isn't always what they can have is difficult, it's way harder than dealing with children, that's for sure!
Love the class of 2017 borders, so perfect!
MM and SC are adorable big babies, I have a German Shepherd who thinks she is a baby too, so it makes my heart melt and giggle when I see your fur babies!
 


I hope your cold doesn't get too bad. I hope you feel better soon :hug:

I'm so sorry the grocery shopping was more expensive than you planned. It's not easy to stick with your budget when unexpected things happen.

The pictures from WDW with the graduation banner looks great.

I'm so sorry to hear your dad has the MRSA bacteria. I hope he can get rid of it soon. How great that you and V was able to visit him yesterday.

How sad that he doesn't understand how hard it is to find a place for him with in his budget and that is in a safe neighborhood.

Great photos of the dogs and you. :lovestruc


Yesterday it started snowing here. It must have been snowing during the night as well because today it's snow on the ground. The roads are snow free, but I wouldn't have liked to drive without winter tires. I haven't changed to summer tires on my car yet since they predicted more snow. They say we are getting temperatures below freezing point next week as well, so I'm not sure when I will get the tires changed. The law say to change the tires by 1st May if the weather don't say otherwise. The police normally don't go out and check if people has their summer tires on until after 17th May. When the police starts their controls you will get a fine for using winter tires. But as long as the weather is below freezing point and they say it's risk of snowing the police won't check if you have summer tires on.
 
It is wonderful that your girls can come back and re-read your TRs and relive these beautiful memories.
Oh and I finally finished your TR and now I am sad I don't know what to read now
 
MRSA?! Oh my!! That's not good. Is he just a carrier or does he have an active infection? A coworker of mine had that after a surgery and it was not fun. I pray it gets under control soon! I'm glad you got your Dad outside to enjoy some sunshine - the sun is a great healer and also great for the emotions! I can always tell when I need a good dose of sunshine to boost my spirits and energy.

Your dogs are so cute!! Mark and I babysat an adorable baby from church last night and my dogs were very, very jealous. Lol! After the baby went home Sadie (my mini dachshund) wouldn't leave my side or get off my lap. Jealous girl!!

I love Aldi - I get most of our fresh fruits abs veggies there - it's great! My typical Saturday grocery shopping trip includes Aldi, Super Target, and Costco. My Aldi had cases of Hint flavored water yesterday-- yum! It's understandable that you would go over your grocery budget after spending so much time with your dad and having to eat out so much during that time.

I am sure your Dad will come around on the housing situation. It's got to be hard to change living situations at that stage of life and in poor health....but you have his best interests at heart and would never let him live in an unsafe area. I pray that the transition will be an easy one for him.

Brie had a great time at prom last night. We found her dress on clearance at Lord and Taylor for about $60. Yea! Her school prom was last night but she didn't go to that one - our church does a church prom for all the youth in the area (juniors and seniors) and she went to that one. She did the same thing last night. Because it's put on by the church they have set standsrds for what the kids wear, and I like that. I saw too pix of kids going to the school prom who looked like they were mission by significant portions of their dresses!! Lol Thank you for the kind compliments on her and her dress. She asked me to do her hair for prom and I really enjoyed that....but was feeling quite sentimental about it all.... We are celebrating her birthday today with my parents and some family friends so that will be fun.

Have a great week!
 


Aw having a cold is not fun, it's funny you mention it, I also caught one, I think it's from all the stress of final exams... Feel better though!:lovestruc

Glad to hear your dad is doing well. I hope everything with his new place to live goes well.

Love the pictures of the dogs! :goodvibes
 
We have talked about my dad and a nursing home if and when he needs it. My brother-in-law went through it with his parents and told me about taking all his income and just leaving him a small amount. I imagine it is shocking for your dad to hear, but once he realizes he doesn't need much maybe he won't mind so much. Plus the benefits of being near you will be so great for him. It sounds like he is accepting it at least. Once he gets moved I bet he will love it.

We went to my granddaughter's first soccer game last night. Of course it was called after 15 minutes because of lightning. I didn't mind not sitting in the rain for the whole game. If it just rains they keep playing, but lightning even in the distance stops it immediately. They said we had to wait 20 minutes before they could play if it stopped, but both coaches just decided to call it. Which ended up being good as it rained for quite a while last night.

Love the 2017 pictures. I think they had those when I did my pictures. I need to go back and see if there are any new ones for my pictures. We also had the annual pass and I think I went back and added some things to my pics from the year before. I need to check to make sure though. I'm still working on my scrapbook and could use a few more pictures.

Sorry to hear you caught a cold. Usually spring colds don't seem as bad to me. Hope you feel better.
 
Popping in to say ' hello ' and that I'm so happy to see that your father is doing better. I agree with you in making 1 move is better than multiple. I'm sure everything will work out for the best :)
 
So glad to read that your dad is doing better. Sounds like you have chosen a good option for him, even if he doesn't understand that yet. Having him closer will definitely make it so much easier for all of you. Best of luck!
 
Hi, D! Just popping in because I haven't in a bit. Reading about the issue of $$ and finding a safe place for your Dad reminds me so much of watching my Mom and aunts go through the same thing for my Grandma. It's really a shame in our country that we do nothing to care for our elderly. She was inthe same boat as far as the place taking every last penny. She didn't even have any money leftover :(

Hope it all works out in the end. Safety and proximity to your family will surely be a positive once he can see it!
 
Awww, D you are going through so much emotionally and physically for/with your dad I hopethat you feel safe/comfortable coming here to talk to us about it. You, as a caregiver need that support system and I want you to know that I am here for you.
I know that helping your parents understand financially what they want isn't always what they can have is difficult, it's way harder than dealing with children, that's for sure!
Love the class of 2017 borders, so perfect!
MM and SC are adorable big babies, I have a German Shepherd who thinks she is a baby too, so it makes my heart melt and giggle when I see your fur babies!

Thank you - it's been tough... Especially with him being on isolation the entire time he has been in the nursing home - I feel so guilty that he doesn't have any social interaction right now.... I've been doing my best to spend extra time with him - though that's been hard as I still have to work and take care of my family/life obligations.

It is so difficult - though I do think that Dad is coming around... He is getting better about understanding that he will have to give up some things in order to gain other things - but it's been a process for sure. :lovestruc

I was so happy that we were still able to get them! I've been stalking the site in order to add them to our favorites. ::yes::

Hahaha - that they are! I think all animals are babies. :lovestruc I am glad you enjoy seeing them! :hug:

I hope your cold doesn't get too bad. I hope you feel better soon :hug:

I'm so sorry the grocery shopping was more expensive than you planned. It's not easy to stick with your budget when unexpected things happen.

The pictures from WDW with the graduation banner looks great.

I'm so sorry to hear your dad has the MRSA bacteria. I hope he can get rid of it soon. How great that you and V was able to visit him yesterday.

How sad that he doesn't understand how hard it is to find a place for him with in his budget and that is in a safe neighborhood.

Great photos of the dogs and you. :lovestruc


Yesterday it started snowing here. It must have been snowing during the night as well because today it's snow on the ground. The roads are snow free, but I wouldn't have liked to drive without winter tires. I haven't changed to summer tires on my car yet since they predicted more snow. They say we are getting temperatures below freezing point next week as well, so I'm not sure when I will get the tires changed. The law say to change the tires by 1st May if the weather don't say otherwise. The police normally don't go out and check if people has their summer tires on until after 17th May. When the police starts their controls you will get a fine for using winter tires. But as long as the weather is below freezing point and they say it's risk of snowing the police won't check if you have summer tires on.

I am pretty much recovered from my cold - it held on much longer than I would have liked, but it wasn't anything unbearable.

It was hard - but we did make it through that time frame with the groceries we had... Already into the next one. LOL

V and I were so excited to get them added to our pictures! I knew they would be available eventually - it was just a matter of me remembering to go back to add them. I'll probably check into MDE one more time before her pictures expire in Nov just to see if there is anything great I can add to them. I'd love to see them add back the Walt Disney World stickers - I used those on almost every photo as they were just classic. :)

It's frustrating for him... And for me - as I know he is in isolation, so he gets no contact with anyone unless I go up to visit - which is difficult, as I've taken so much time off of work recently. I am just doing the best I can and hopeful that it's enough. :lovestruc

Dad is coming around as far as what's available to him for living... I really had to sit down and explain it though - once I did, he has been much better with it... Still annoyed, but better. I think he is starting to see that he will have to give up a few things in order to gain other things - hopefully the sacrifice is worth it for him.

Hopefully the weather is becoming more spring like for you and you have your summer tires on by now... It's a sign of better weather at least. :lovestruc I really enjoyed seeing you in your new wheelchair wearing your costume... I think that is my favorite time of year for you, as I know how much you enjoy participating in your National Holidays! :lovestruc

I hope you are doing well Lillian! :hug:

It is wonderful that your girls can come back and re-read your TRs and relive these beautiful memories.
Oh and I finally finished your TR and now I am sad I don't know what to read now

I love that about writing them... It's like our trips can live on forever. :lovestruc

Oh no!!!! Believe me, I am working hard at getting something else going. ::yes::

MRSA?! Oh my!! That's not good. Is he just a carrier or does he have an active infection? A coworker of mine had that after a surgery and it was not fun. I pray it gets under control soon! I'm glad you got your Dad outside to enjoy some sunshine - the sun is a great healer and also great for the emotions! I can always tell when I need a good dose of sunshine to boost my spirits and energy.

Your dogs are so cute!! Mark and I babysat an adorable baby from church last night and my dogs were very, very jealous. Lol! After the baby went home Sadie (my mini dachshund) wouldn't leave my side or get off my lap. Jealous girl!!

I love Aldi - I get most of our fresh fruits abs veggies there - it's great! My typical Saturday grocery shopping trip includes Aldi, Super Target, and Costco. My Aldi had cases of Hint flavored water yesterday-- yum! It's understandable that you would go over your grocery budget after spending so much time with your dad and having to eat out so much during that time.

I am sure your Dad will come around on the housing situation. It's got to be hard to change living situations at that stage of life and in poor health....but you have his best interests at heart and would never let him live in an unsafe area. I pray that the transition will be an easy one for him.

Brie had a great time at prom last night. We found her dress on clearance at Lord and Taylor for about $60. Yea! Her school prom was last night but she didn't go to that one - our church does a church prom for all the youth in the area (juniors and seniors) and she went to that one. She did the same thing last night. Because it's put on by the church they have set standsrds for what the kids wear, and I like that. I saw too pix of kids going to the school prom who looked like they were mission by significant portions of their dresses!! Lol Thank you for the kind compliments on her and her dress. She asked me to do her hair for prom and I really enjoyed that....but was feeling quite sentimental about it all.... We are celebrating her birthday today with my parents and some family friends so that will be fun.

Have a great week!

It sounds like he is both a carrier and also carries the active bacteria on occasion. It's a confusing thing to me, and I admit that I don't understand if fully. Dad has been doing really well with getting outside... Which surprises me - as most times, he just likes to sit in his apartment and watch TV - so getting him outside is sometimes a chore... It seems like he has been doing it willingly while he has been in the nursing home - which is good. :lovestruc I hope it continues once he goes home.

Thanks! Josh has them up at the lake this weekend - so it's been a little strange not having them home... I still find myself closing the gate to the living room all the time. LOL

Yes - the grocery budget over the last weeks was a bit tough... Our fridge was definitely bare at the end there. ::yes:: I would have liked nothing more than to chuck the budget out the window and go grocery shopping early - but we all persevered and became creative with our food choices for the last few days - and miraculously we survived. :lmao: I didn't even have to clean out the fridge before I went grocery shopping on Friday - LOL - as there was nothing to clean out. That part was kind of nice. :scratchin

He is doing much better - I think he is starting to understand that there just aren't any other choices... Sadly. It's to the point where he will have to give up some things to enjoy other things... I do think that he is really looking forward to the move and being near us - his eyes really light up every time we talk about it. And even the girls - they are just so excited... There are days during the week where Allison has to "kill time" between jobs - and stopping by to see Grandpa for an hour or so is the perfect opportunity for her to spend some time with him... It's little things like that, which just (logistically) cannot happen now. Or even - when I go to town... I can stop by and pick him up to make a quick trip to the store - as things stand right now - to do that is an all day trip for me, while taking time off of work and being totally exhausted at the end. So many things just fall right into place - and as the time goes on, we are all more and more convinced that this is the best decision for all of us - to the point that I think we all wish we would have considered it sooner. :lovestruc

Brie was just beautiful! And I loved seeing the video of Alyssa's wedding on FB! That was super cool! Such beautiful girls you have!

Any more news on the move??? Update???

Thank you - same to you! :hug:

Aw having a cold is not fun, it's funny you mention it, I also caught one, I think it's from all the stress of final exams... Feel better though!

Glad to hear your dad is doing well. I hope everything with his new place to live goes well.

Love the pictures of the dogs!

I hope you're feeling better and finals went well for you! You must be close to going home for the summer if you aren't there already? :lovestruc

My cold is much better - it never really hit me too hard, but it sure hung on for a while - nothing I couldn't live with though. ::yes::

We are getting there... It's been a little bit of a struggle finding the right place for him - but I think I have made my final decision... I'll talk more about it below. :lovestruc

Thanks - I love sharing them here. They are such goof-balls! ::yes::

We have talked about my dad and a nursing home if and when he needs it. My brother-in-law went through it with his parents and told me about taking all his income and just leaving him a small amount. I imagine it is shocking for your dad to hear, but once he realizes he doesn't need much maybe he won't mind so much. Plus the benefits of being near you will be so great for him. It sounds like he is accepting it at least. Once he gets moved I bet he will love it.

We went to my granddaughter's first soccer game last night. Of course it was called after 15 minutes because of lightning. I didn't mind not sitting in the rain for the whole game. If it just rains they keep playing, but lightning even in the distance stops it immediately. They said we had to wait 20 minutes before they could play if it stopped, but both coaches just decided to call it. Which ended up being good as it rained for quite a while last night.

Love the 2017 pictures. I think they had those when I did my pictures. I need to go back and see if there are any new ones for my pictures. We also had the annual pass and I think I went back and added some things to my pics from the year before. I need to check to make sure though. I'm still working on my scrapbook and could use a few more pictures.

Sorry to hear you caught a cold. Usually spring colds don't seem as bad to me. Hope you feel better.

It's been tough for Dad, but you are right - I think the more we talk about the benefits and what's available to him here - it's just a really great move and I truly think his quality of life will be much better = a stronger will to live as independently as possible for as long as possible... I almost feel like - for a while there - he was just very "ho-hum" about his daily life, and feeling very lonely - it's hard to have a strong will to live if you are lonely all of the time. I feel a LOT of guilt for that. I am working diligently to make progress there.

It seems like we have had so much rain lately - and now the cold too... Sigh. I am sure we will go straight into summer though. LOL

Yes - go back to check to see if there is anything new. I am glad I ordered the CD during that little window where all of my pictures from all 3 trips were still available... So now, I just go back and check every once in a while to see if there are any new borders to add to V's trip - since that is the only trip I have yet that I can edit.

I am doing much better now - thank you! :lovestruc

I hope you are doing well and staying warm! :)

Popping in to say ' hello ' and that I'm so happy to see that your father is doing better. I agree with you in making 1 move is better than multiple. I'm sure everything will work out for the best :

Thank you - it's good to see you! :lovestruc

I am making good progress on finding Dad a place to live near me... I am pretty sure I have a plan - now it's just getting everything into place properly. I'll do a nice update on Dad below. :lovestruc

:hug:

So glad to read that your dad is doing better. Sounds like you have chosen a good option for him, even if he doesn't understand that yet. Having him closer will definitely make it so much easier for all of you. Best of luck!

Thank you - I am doing my best... It seems like there are really no "great" options for him - but there are definitely some that are better than others - all for different reasons. :scratchin We are just looking forward to spending good time with him during the course of our days, vs' having to take an entire day out of our weeks to spend very little time with him - as most of it now is travel time. ::yes:: We all strongly feel like this is the best decision ever and we are a bit disappointed that we didn't consider it sooner.

I hope you and the family are doing well. :hug:

Hi, D! Just popping in because I haven't in a bit. Reading about the issue of $$ and finding a safe place for your Dad reminds me so much of watching my Mom and aunts go through the same thing for my Grandma. It's really a shame in our country that we do nothing to care for our elderly. She was inthe same boat as far as the place taking every last penny. She didn't even have any money leftover

Hope it all works out in the end. Safety and proximity to your family will surely be a positive once he can see it!

Hi Jackie! :lovestruc It's such a shame - I agree completely. I know how much your Grandmother means to you - and I also feel like I've gotten to know her through you... It is terrible that, as a country, we cannot provide better for our own.

Thank you... I do think I've found an option for Dad... I'll do more detail below. :lovestruc

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Dad update:

So the last few weeks have been a little crazy... It seems the biggest obstacle to moving dad - at the moment - are the waiting lists. I fully admit to putting the cart before the horse in this case... I've managed to call every single assisted living facility within a 20 mile radius, put Dad on their waiting lists - THEN touring at my convenience. This has worked very well - as it has kept my "frantic-ness" to a minimum. Most places have a 6-18 month waiting list, so as long as I have him in line - It's not as urgent for me to go look, and I can always pull him off of the list if I don't like the place. At the moment - I believe he is on about 15 lists. ::yes::

That being said - I feel like we have come to a decision. In living the last years with him so far away - I hate to say that the location has become a priority and really a deciding factor in our decision... As long as the facility can provide the care he needs, their location is really what is making or breaking the deal. I've narrowed it down to 2 places right now...

The first apartment is suitable for a good while yet - it is less than 4 blocks from the Target I work at, and in the town I spend the most time in... On top of that, currently, they don't have a waiting list - so theoretically, I could move him now. The apartment itself is very nice - and comes with a very small kitchen (which is a bonus - as most of these places do not have a kitchen)... The facility is nice and has many activities, and they pride themselves on their "home made meals"... Which - if you know my Dad, this is important. Sadly - this particular apartment does NOT provide "continuation of care" - so he won't be able to stay here forever..

The second apartment, I just toured on Friday... This facility is VERY similar to where he is living now. They DO provide continuation of care, so when he moves here - he will be able to stay here for the rest of his life. The apartment, in this case, is very sucky (IMO) - no kitchen at all - and the bathroom is less than stellar - to say the least. That alone is enough for me to not make him live here until it's absolutely medically necessary. This particular building though is not only attached to the nursing home, but it is also attached to the hospital - so in reality - the continuation of care is all encompassing. Location is not terrible here - it's roughly a mile from the Target that I work at. Their activities are stellar - and sound like a lot of fun... It's stuff that I would tag along on if I am allowed... Going to the local free zoo (the one my Dad used to take me to when I was a little girl)... Going to Twins games... And even going on "surprise excursions" - where they sign up to go, but have no idea where they are going until they get there... I'd totally do that! LOL Not only that - but all of the staff I interacted with during my visit was very "down to earth" and friendly... Finding a place where Dad fits in is very important to me, as his mental disability as also a factor in where he lives. If it wasn't for the suckiness of the apartment itself - I'd move him here immediately. Sadly - their waiting list is long... 6-12 months...

So, here's the plan... As of now - ideally - we will move Dad here either Aug 1, Sept 1 or Oct 1... Depending on when an apartment in the first facility opens up. We cannot do it before then - as with V's graduation and going to Europe - June 1 and July 1 are out of the question. We plan to downsize his belongings from his current 1 bedroom apartment when we move - as everything local (with his wavier) is a studio apartment... We will move him into the first apartment - and God willing - he will stay there as long as possible, until it's medically necessary to move him to the 2nd facility. We figure - once he is local, and only has "stuff" to fill a studio apartment - packing/moving him will be a simple weekend task. And - he will be able to enjoy just "being here" with us for a longer period of time. If we were to wait until the other facility opens up - potentially - he might not (medically) be able to enjoy the freedom that his health currently allows. ::yes:: IMO - the longer he can enjoy this, the better.

Regardless... This is going to be a big move and a big adjustment. Eleven years ago - when we moved here - it was never my intention (nor had it ever crossed my mind) - that moving us would later require me to move my entire family here. It was hard enough for me to uproot our little family - and even harder for me now to separate my Dad and brother. Realisitically - I don't see any other options. We have lived here alone for 10+ years, with very little family contact - when before we moved, we were smack-dab in the midst of family and very involved in everything... It was a big adjustment for us to lose that - and one of my biggest regrets in moving. However - over the years, this has become home for us, and we do enjoy living here. For the girls - the prospect of having their Grandpa so close again (before we moved, he lived 4 blocks from us) is a HUGE deal to them. While my Dad has never been rich or been able to purchase them many gifts - until we moved - his gift of TIME and unconditional LOVE has meant more to them over the years than anything else - and for them, as adults (yes they are both 18+ now), to be able to give that back to him - they are very much looking forward to it.

Anyways... Dad is still in the nursing home in "rehab" status... I just went up last Thursday for his discharge meeting. He goes home on Tuesday - fully independent and recuperated. :woohoo: After having him on the vent and truly hanging on for life... I almost worried that this day wouldn't come for him, and I am so thankful it has. Despite being in isolation the entire time - his spirits are very high... I honestly think he is looking forward to the move as much as we are. :lovestruc


In other news... Ahhh - the disadvantage to falling behind here - my updates are dreadfully long. LOL

Victoria graduates in 2 weeks! :woohoo: Can you believe that???? She is soooo excited! She is coming in to her last weeks of finals, and looking forward to her trip to Europe. While in Europe, she has trips to Rome, London and Paris on her itinerary. She is beyond excited for London - and I must say I am a bit jealous of that one. ::yes:: She applied to a local art college last week - though she won't hear back if she was accepted until she submits her portfolio - which won't happen until she is back from Europe. I continue to encourage her to apply at her 2nd, 3rd, 4th (etc) choices, as her first choice is VERY competitive. It took her uncle 4 years of applying to finally get accepted... So, I want her to have a back-up plan. :scratchin

Allison has been working like crazy... It pains me to update that she is no longer working at Caribou. This was a very difficult decision for her, but in the end, we encouraged her to give her notice... As it turns out - her boss became ~um trying to be tactful here~ abusive and made Allison's work place very ~um~ hostile. Allison was working hard to save $$ while at Caribou, so thankfully she has $$ in savings to keep her afloat with all of her bills and responsibilities for quite some time... It sucks - no doubt - but I am proud of her for making a tough decision and being responsible in the last months - so things like this don't cripple her financially. For the time being - she has taken on some PCA work to fill in while she is applying (like crazy) anywhere and everywhere for any full-time/dependable work. She is planning to go to college in the fall of 2018, and still intends to pay for it in cash... She is loving the PCA work, and while we were in the hospital with Grandpa, she spent some time really watching the nurses... She is seriously considering going for her RN degree. I know this has been at the back of her mind for years - and when she first mentioned it back in 10th/11th grade - I couldn't see her doing it... But now, I can see it. So, we'll see. I feel terrible that her year has been one of constant transition - most of which was out of her control - as she desires nothing more than stability. Not sure if I told you all that her and Gus are dating again? :scratchin It seems to be going well - though I am staying out of it.

As for Josh and I... We've been laying low and working hard to pay off debt. Yesterday was kind of a monumental day in our debt pay-off calendar... It was our "half-way" point, sort of. Yesterday, we paid off my car! :woohoo: What an awesome feeling that was!!! Since January, we have paid off 7 out of 15 outstanding debts! For a grand total of $12,172! We still have a long way to go - since we are using the snowball method (paying off smallest to largest balance) - we are now into the higher balance debts, and it will take us longer to pay off each one. As it sits right now, I have our "debt free, besides the mortgage" date as June of 2018. I am hoping it will be sooner. ::yes::

She is now ours, free and clear! :woohoo:

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I've also been trying to clean and organize the house in small spurts in preparation for V's grad party next month... Even though I took the week prior off from both jobs - I have a lot of prep work to do that week, and I don't want to have to spend too much time cleaning. Last week - I took the time to clean my sewing room... That was a lot of fun... I discovered many items that I'd forgot that I had. :eek: It sure is refreshing though, to go up there to work and have it nice and clean... Clean being a relative term - as my space it so small, it really is difficult to keep it from getting too cluttered. ::yes::

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And last week, in honor of Mother's Day (and to keep this post a little on Disney topics)... Victoria did the sweetest thing... She went online and found the recipe for our favorite pizza from Via Napoli... Since she works at a local pizza shop... She went to the local grocery store and purchased all of the ingredients, then she invited me to join her at work - where she made me a pizza for Mother's Day. The cost was very minimal - but the thought and the effort was so meaningful to me. Truly. :lovestruc If I do say so myself, it was a darn good replica! Absolutely delicious!

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And the card she made me also brought tears to my eyes... It's not often that I get master-pieces like this anymore. It filled my heart with joy!

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I've also been working hard at my healthy living - as I do every day... Some days, I feel like a make great progress, and other days - not so much. I continue to try and work hard at it. :lovestruc

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Finally - not much other news... If you made it to the end here - I commend you. To all of you who continue to check in and read, thank you... I miss all of you every day, and I am very much looking forward to the day that I can start another PTR... Believe me when I say - I am trying to find a way. :lovestruc

I wish you all the very best... Sending out lots of hugs, prayers and Pixie Dust. :grouphug:

D~
 
Sounds like a good idea to put your dad on the waiting list for a place to live and then visit each place to see if it fits him. As you said you can always get him off a list if you don't like the place.
Crossing my fingers you will find a nice place that fits his needs.

Sounds like a good idea that Victoria has some more options for college if she doesn't get into the art college she want to go to. I love London. I'm sure Victoria will like it there.

I'm so sorry to hear about Allison's boss being abusive at Caribou. It's a good thing that Allison said no to working there anymore. Crossing my fingers that she will find a new job very soon.

How great that you have payed off your car so it's all yours now :woohoo:

How nice of Victoria to make you pizza for mother's day.


I had a good 17th of May. I decided that if the weather forecast said it was going to rain at 7am I wouldn't go out to watch the first parade of the day. Well the forecast said it wouldn't rain until 2pm so I decided to go out and watch the first parade in my electrical wheelchair. Since I was following the parade I drove my wheelchair in the middle of the road so then it wasn't a problem getting around. After the parade I went back home and had breakfast. After breakfast I went back to town to watch the next parade. This time it was more difficult to get around in the electrical wheelchair in town because now cars was driving on the roads so I had to go up and down sidewalks. Which was a big pain in the a** because they haven't planed it well. On one place the sidewalk can be so low that it's no problem getting the electrical wheelchair on to the sidewalk, but then when the sidewalk ends or when you want to cross the road they haven't lowered the sidewalk so the electrical wheelchair can get off the sidewalk. So I ended up going on the road where I could because that was the easiest thing to do. I said to Ulf and my parents now I know why I never go to town and always go to the shopping mall when I need something. It's so much easier to take the wheelchair at the mall because there everything is flat and I don't have to think that much where I can go with the wheelchair.

Ulf tried to change tires on my car last weekend without luck. We couldn't get the tools we needed out of the compartment they were in in the car because the lift is placed right in front of the compartment. So on Monday this week we had to go to the garage that modified my car to ask them how you are supposed to get into that compartment. Well they showed us and we went back home and tried to change the tires. Well then a new problem arose. Ulf couldn't get the jack under the car on the drivers side on the font wheel because of the electrical extra footstep they have mounted under there right where the jack is supposed to be placed. Well then we had to go back to the garage and ask them how we were supposed to solve this problem. The answer we got was that they didn't know. It ended with Ulf changing all the other 3 tires outside the garage and when he had done that the garage helped us by putting my car on a HUGE jack so we could change the last tire. Since the garage didn't have an answer to how we can change the tires our self, I will contact NAV this week and tell them that they have to fix this some how because if I'm unlucky and puncture the tire while out on the road I need to be able to change the tire. I'm crossing my fingers that NAV will have a good solution to the problem.
 
So many changes happening at once. 2 more weeks and V graduates! That is very exciting. Her trip will be wonderful.

Sometimes it is surprising to me how quickly life can be full of challenges. It is difficult for planners to live with uncertainty, so I think you are handling everything very well.

Hope you have a wonderful week.
 
Hi! Lovely update! It sounds like things are falling into place for your Dad's move. That's wonderful. It will be so nice and such a blessing to have him nearby. One thing I have been grateful for is that my husband and I moved our family from Alaska to Georgia years ago so that our girls could grow up close to their grandparents. My husband didn't really have any grandparents (his mother was orphaned before age 7 during WW II and his father's mother passed away when his father was a teenager, and his father's Dad was totally estranged from the family), and so it was very important to him that the girls grow up near family. It was such a blessing, and continues to be. And we're grateful that the girls can build relationships with my husband's family while they're in Utah, since they're within an hour of his family. You will never regret moving your Dad closer to you and your family. I'm so happy things are falling into place for that.

V's graduation is coming up fast! My daughter's graduation is June 13. I don't know about V, but Brie is *SO* done with school! LOL She's finished all of her AP exams and will be exempting her finals, so she keeps talking about how pointless it is for her to even go to school. I agree...but if she doesn't go she can't exempt finals, so to school she goes. I love that V got the recipe for that pizza and made it for you for Mother's Day, and the sweet card she made for you! Things like that are priceless.

YEA to Allison for leaving that job! No one should have to put up with treatment like that, and you were so right to encourage her to leave the job. Poor thing -- that cannot have been a pleasant situation for her, but she did the right thing. It sounds like nursing is something that she would really enjoy and has a natural aptitude for. So she and Gus got back together? I hope things go well for them! Young love... :-)

Your sewing room is so cheerful. I love it.

Congratulations on paying off your car! That is fabulous! You're so close to being completely done. YEA!!! I still haven't gotten started...although I'm working very hard on reining in my spending. I ended up having to incur some unexpected medical debt last week and I'm not happy about that, but it had to be done. I'm trying very hard to put a little extra on payments right now. Something that will help with that, I hope, is.....

Our move! Yes, we decided to make the move. It makes sense on several different fronts and feels like the right thing to do. Unfortunately it looks like housing out there will be more expensive than we had planned, so that's not fun. But we will be living with my mother-in-law for a while when we get there, while we decide exactly where we want to live (the metropolitan area is big and there are so many little communities that all run together...). Of course, that will depend in large part on where my husband's job ends up being. He interviewed for a job last week and was offered the job on the spot but he has another interview today for a job he would like better and would pay a bit more, so we're hoping that he gets it. But if not, we know he has a job in hand and that's good. Staying with my MIL will enable us to pay down some debt and that will be a huge blessing. In other ways I'm not looking forward to living with her -- I love my MIL and she's absolutely wonderful, but we'll be staying in her basement which is a claustrophobic place for me, and we're going to have to figure out where to keep my clothes and stuff since the closet in the bedroom is TINY. So is the bedroom. All of our household goods will go into storage until we figure out where we want to live. So....lots of stress ahead for us for the next few months. Right now we're keeping it quiet since I haven't received the official paperwork...and given the hiring freeze that was just lifted last month, there are backlogs in the personnel offices so I'm not sure when I'll actually receive the paperwork. We're hoping to make the move in early August, since that timeline would work well for us for a few reasons. It will be hard to be farther away from my family, but we've never had the opportunity to live near my husband's family before and since his father's passing earlier this year I know this is something very important to my family. Both of the girls are excited that we'll be within about an hour to an hour and a half from where they are. :-)

So...lots of changes on the horizon!

Have a great day!
 
I'm glad your dad is doing much better! With the second facility--the one you don't like the bathroom--are you able to do anything to it to make it better?

I bet V is super excited for graduation! I know Winnie couldn't talk about anything else for about a month before. We were (secretly) kinda glad when graduation was over so she could talk about something else. I feel like a bad mom for feeling that way, but she was wearing us out! My work announced her graduation today in their newsletter so I sent her the snippet. And V's trip sounds amazing! I would LOVE to go to London one day, if for nothing else, Harry Potter!!

I'm sure Allison will find something shortly. Kids are good at networking and getting placed nowadays. I know Andy, after getting medically released from boot camp, was very discouraged looking for a job. He finally got a decent one that we hope will work out until he starts college in the fall. Supposedly, this place will work around his college schedule so we've got our fingers crossed. He's actually going into nursing, unless he changes his mind again....which I'm sure will happen. It's a tech school so it's the LPN program instead of RN. Winnie was originally going into nursing, but switched it to early childhood development.

And congrats on having the car paid off!! I've got YEARS to go, but I'm dreaming of the day already :)
 
Dad update:

So the last few weeks have been a little crazy... It seems the biggest obstacle to moving dad - at the moment - are the waiting lists. I fully admit to putting the cart before the horse in this case... I've managed to call every single assisted living facility within a 20 mile radius, put Dad on their waiting lists - THEN touring at my convenience. This has worked very well - as it has kept my "frantic-ness" to a minimum. Most places have a 6-18 month waiting list, so as long as I have him in line - It's not as urgent for me to go look, and I can always pull him off of the list if I don't like the place. At the moment - I believe he is on about 15 lists. ::yes::

That being said - I feel like we have come to a decision. In living the last years with him so far away - I hate to say that the location has become a priority and really a deciding factor in our decision... As long as the facility can provide the care he needs, their location is really what is making or breaking the deal. I've narrowed it down to 2 places right now...

The first apartment is suitable for a good while yet - it is less than 4 blocks from the Target I work at, and in the town I spend the most time in... On top of that, currently, they don't have a waiting list - so theoretically, I could move him now. The apartment itself is very nice - and comes with a very small kitchen (which is a bonus - as most of these places do not have a kitchen)... The facility is nice and has many activities, and they pride themselves on their "home made meals"... Which - if you know my Dad, this is important. Sadly - this particular apartment does NOT provide "continuation of care" - so he won't be able to stay here forever..

The second apartment, I just toured on Friday... This facility is VERY similar to where he is living now. They DO provide continuation of care, so when he moves here - he will be able to stay here for the rest of his life. The apartment, in this case, is very sucky (IMO) - no kitchen at all - and the bathroom is less than stellar - to say the least. That alone is enough for me to not make him live here until it's absolutely medically necessary. This particular building though is not only attached to the nursing home, but it is also attached to the hospital - so in reality - the continuation of care is all encompassing. Location is not terrible here - it's roughly a mile from the Target that I work at. Their activities are stellar - and sound like a lot of fun... It's stuff that I would tag along on if I am allowed... Going to the local free zoo (the one my Dad used to take me to when I was a little girl)... Going to Twins games... And even going on "surprise excursions" - where they sign up to go, but have no idea where they are going until they get there... I'd totally do that! LOL Not only that - but all of the staff I interacted with during my visit was very "down to earth" and friendly... Finding a place where Dad fits in is very important to me, as his mental disability as also a factor in where he lives. If it wasn't for the suckiness of the apartment itself - I'd move him here immediately. Sadly - their waiting list is long... 6-12 months...

So, here's the plan... As of now - ideally - we will move Dad here either Aug 1, Sept 1 or Oct 1... Depending on when an apartment in the first facility opens up. We cannot do it before then - as with V's graduation and going to Europe - June 1 and July 1 are out of the question. We plan to downsize his belongings from his current 1 bedroom apartment when we move - as everything local (with his wavier) is a studio apartment... We will move him into the first apartment - and God willing - he will stay there as long as possible, until it's medically necessary to move him to the 2nd facility. We figure - once he is local, and only has "stuff" to fill a studio apartment - packing/moving him will be a simple weekend task. And - he will be able to enjoy just "being here" with us for a longer period of time. If we were to wait until the other facility opens up - potentially - he might not (medically) be able to enjoy the freedom that his health currently allows. ::yes:: IMO - the longer he can enjoy this, the better.

Regardless... This is going to be a big move and a big adjustment. Eleven years ago - when we moved here - it was never my intention (nor had it ever crossed my mind) - that moving us would later require me to move my entire family here. It was hard enough for me to uproot our little family - and even harder for me now to separate my Dad and brother. Realisitically - I don't see any other options. We have lived here alone for 10+ years, with very little family contact - when before we moved, we were smack-dab in the midst of family and very involved in everything... It was a big adjustment for us to lose that - and one of my biggest regrets in moving. However - over the years, this has become home for us, and we do enjoy living here. For the girls - the prospect of having their Grandpa so close again (before we moved, he lived 4 blocks from us) is a HUGE deal to them. While my Dad has never been rich or been able to purchase them many gifts - until we moved - his gift of TIME and unconditional LOVE has meant more to them over the years than anything else - and for them, as adults (yes they are both 18+ now), to be able to give that back to him - they are very much looking forward to it.

Anyways... Dad is still in the nursing home in "rehab" status... I just went up last Thursday for his discharge meeting. He goes home on Tuesday - fully independent and recuperated. :woohoo: After having him on the vent and truly hanging on for life... I almost worried that this day wouldn't come for him, and I am so thankful it has. Despite being in isolation the entire time - his spirits are very high... I honestly think he is looking forward to the move as much as we are. :lovestruc
PHEW! The search for suitable accommodations for your dad sounds exhausting! BUT, we would do anything for our family :hug: I'm glad you are able to get him into your top choice facility with no wait time. I'm so glad he is doing much better and will be discharged soon!

Victoria graduates in 2 weeks! :woohoo: Can you believe that???? She is soooo excited! She is coming in to her last weeks of finals, and looking forward to her trip to Europe. While in Europe, she has trips to Rome, London and Paris on her itinerary. She is beyond excited for London - and I must say I am a bit jealous of that one. ::yes:: She applied to a local art college last week - though she won't hear back if she was accepted until she submits her portfolio - which won't happen until she is back from Europe. I continue to encourage her to apply at her 2nd, 3rd, 4th (etc) choices, as her first choice is VERY competitive. It took her uncle 4 years of applying to finally get accepted... So, I want her to have a back-up plan. :scratchin
Is it crazy to think that you have TWO high school grads now?! That sounds like an awesome European vaca V has planned, I'm jealous as well! I wish her luck, and hope she gets into her first choice!

Allison has been working like crazy... It pains me to update that she is no longer working at Caribou. This was a very difficult decision for her, but in the end, we encouraged her to give her notice... As it turns out - her boss became ~um trying to be tactful here~ abusive and made Allison's work place very ~um~ hostile. Allison was working hard to save $$ while at Caribou, so thankfully she has $$ in savings to keep her afloat with all of her bills and responsibilities for quite some time... It sucks - no doubt - but I am proud of her for making a tough decision and being responsible in the last months - so things like this don't cripple her financially. For the time being - she has taken on some PCA work to fill in while she is applying (like crazy) anywhere and everywhere for any full-time/dependable work. She is planning to go to college in the fall of 2018, and still intends to pay for it in cash... She is loving the PCA work, and while we were in the hospital with Grandpa, she spent some time really watching the nurses... She is seriously considering going for her RN degree. I know this has been at the back of her mind for years - and when she first mentioned it back in 10th/11th grade - I couldn't see her doing it... But now, I can see it. So, we'll see. I feel terrible that her year has been one of constant transition - most of which was out of her control - as she desires nothing more than stability. Not sure if I told you all that her and Gus are dating again? :scratchin It seems to be going well - though I am staying out of it.
Good for Allison! Working in a place like that can really suck the life out of you. I hope she finds her calling as an RN! I feel like late teen/early twenties is a kind of a "hang on for dear life" period in life where you never feel like you have complete control. There so many decisions to make and variables to consider. That's lovely that Allison and Gus are back together. What's that saying? If its meant to be...

As for Josh and I... We've been laying low and working hard to pay off debt. Yesterday was kind of a monumental day in our debt pay-off calendar... It was our "half-way" point, sort of. Yesterday, we paid off my car! :woohoo: What an awesome feeling that was!!! Since January, we have paid off 7 out of 15 outstanding debts! For a grand total of $12,172! We still have a long way to go - since we are using the snowball method (paying off smallest to largest balance) - we are now into the higher balance debts, and it will take us longer to pay off each one. As it sits right now, I have our "debt free, besides the mortgage" date as June of 2018. I am hoping it will be sooner. ::yes::

She is now ours, free and clear! :woohoo:

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AWESOME! I can only imagine how it feels to have that burden off of your shoulders. BTW I have the same SUV! Black and all lol

And last week, in honor of Mother's Day (and to keep this post a little on Disney topics)... Victoria did the sweetest thing... She went online and found the recipe for our favorite pizza from Via Napoli... Since she works at a local pizza shop... She went to the local grocery store and purchased all of the ingredients, then she invited me to join her at work - where she made me a pizza for Mother's Day. The cost was very minimal - but the thought and the effort was so meaningful to me. Truly. :lovestruc If I do say so myself, it was a darn good replica! Absolutely delicious!
How sweet of her!

Omg how cute!

I've also been working hard at my healthy living - as I do every day... Some days, I feel like a make great progress, and other days - not so much. I continue to try and work hard at it. :lovestruc
Trying and working hard is what really matters :goodvibes
 
Thanks for updating us. I was wondering how you were doing.
Putting your dad on waiting lists is a good idea. I hope he likes the apartment you found for him. It's be nice to have him closer.
I'm still having trouble with the idea of V. graduating this year. I keep thinking she's younger. The Mother's day card is very nice and the pizza looks good.
I'm sorry Allison had to quit her job. Working that kind of situation is not good. Hopefully she finds a job that's a good fit soon. There's always a need for nurses around here, so if it's what she wants to do she shouldn't have a problem finding work.
Not too much is going on in my life. WE went on a hike on mother's day(it was my idea) then we had Longhorn's. At work, it's the annual spring reset. You know how that goes.
Have a good day
Liz
 
Your girls sound so sweet! The greatest gift is time and you are so right, that time spent together is worth more than any physical gift that your dad can ever give them. Allison sounds so determined and level-headed, I'm sure she'll find the right calling soon enough :) She's so brave to chase after her future and give every option a serious try. Take care!!
 

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