Iowan's where are you???? (2)

[PegasusOnFire]

Anyone going to the fair this year?

My secret pal from church gave me tickets and since Jay hates crowds his mom is going with me and the girls, we are going on the 16th.

 

[StarryEyes]

Not me, but a small fair came through town so went to that one. Nice you get to go!

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I know I am so excited.



Ok I look like a lobster!!! I forgot my sunscreen, I have uber sensitive skin so I have to be careful with what I use, but I made sure the girls had theirs on, Mary is still pale as ever but I forgot to reapply Christian's so she is a bit pink. We went swimming with day camp today.

 

[LightHearted]

I hope you don't overextend yourself.

Thanks. I'm consciously trying to go to bed earlier, even if it's just to watch TV in bed. The past week has flown by, and so far I'm really enjoying the new job. It's a little aggravating at the same time. The two people that can give me guidance on what I need to tackle first (and how), are busy people whom it seems I'll rarely see. No one is going to train me - I've been left to fend for myself. It's aggravating to know that work needs to be done, and that I don't have the means to get the tasks done.

Earlier this week, another aunt told me that Serena's grandmother called her to see if she could watch her. She told her to call me. She never did. I tried calling over there and never was able to reach anyone. I don't know if she has any suspicions. The "intervention" is next Saturday. I'm getting things organized at work so I can take a couple weeks off if it happens. Both my boss and his boss are being very supportive. If we can get her next weekend, we can both theoretically take off until school starts with pay.

Good luck on the intervention. I'll keep praying for your cousin.

Also, we're working on getting a benefit together for my nephew to get his communicator that's going to happen in October. One of the churches in the area (Lutheran church actually) does benefits for people with varying needs as their ministry. They seem to know what they are doing - a bank account has already been set up, and they even have Thrivent matching donations - whatever they get over the cost of the communicator ($15K) will go towards his therapy, which is also up there. The benefit is going to include a raffle, silent auction, spaghetti dinner, cake walk, and turkey shoot. My job has been to hit up businesses and friends for donations for the silent auction, so I've been doing a lot of that. I'm also making some baskets with stuff.

We're getting pretty pumped about it. I had no idea how many people I knew in such interesting fields until the last couple of weeks. For example, my best girlfriend runs that county's cable access station and is going to put something in the community calendar. I've been going to happy hour at a pretty nice restaurant downtown ($2 beer) and gotten to know the owner, so I'm hoping he can donate some dinners. Co-worker's boyfriend is the manager at a photography studio, and he's going to donate a session package.

This has actually been so much fun, I'm going to talk to the organizers about how they do their ministry, and maybe see if we can start something like that at our church.

Ooh. Good luck on all of this. It definitely sounds like a lot of fun... and work.

Anyone going to the fair this year?

My secret pal from church gave me tickets and since Jay hates crowds his mom is going with me and the girls, we are going on the 16th.

Ah, that's so cool! No plans to go to the fair. There's a Christian band playing at the fair this year that I would've loved to have seen.

I found out recently that my favorite CCM singer will be coming here in September. I'm so excited. If anyone wants to come see Chris Tomlin with me, you've got an open invitation to stay at my house.

Ok I look like a lobster!!! I forgot my sunscreen, I have uber sensitive skin so I have to be careful with what I use, but I made sure the girls had theirs on, Mary is still pale as ever but I forgot to reapply Christian's so she is a bit pink. We went swimming with day camp today.

Any new pictures of Mary?

 

[PegasusOnFire]

nope no new pics of Mary, sorry. I have been very bad about taking photos lately, I will be sure to get plenty the 16th

 

[Flipper]

We had our little intervention. Not so well. They said no.

Now we have to figure out what to do. We can get Children's Services involved but it's a cr@p shot at best if they would listen to the ones willing to come forward about their life in that home. I initially thought we would try the confrontation, and if it didn't work, just try to be part of her life as much as possible, and when she gets older, which is when we thought the abuse started with the others, we would revisit it then.

Well, one of the people at the intervention is another cousin who grew up in the home. After the players left, she detailed to us everything that happened in the home and she also told us that the molesting started when she was 9. Serena is 6. She's willing to come forward.

Knowing that, I guess we need to do this the hard way, if we can do anything. I'm getting in touch with the lawyer on Monday and ask her to send us a letter as to what our options are and the pro's and con's.

The more I think about her living there in that, the more ill I get.

 

[LightHearted]

Aww... I'm sorry to hear that it didn't go very well.

 

[Phoebe]

I've got one of those aggravating/ rewarding jobs. It sounds like parenting... plenty of advice, but you have to figure it out along the way.

My students did pretty well on their presentation. We rehearsed the speaking parts quite a bit. The Passover Matzoh Layer Cake turned out okay. The butter cookies (Germany) were even better.

I'll have a new group of kids in a week. We'll see how it goes this year. The program director's grandchild is in my class, and we are in the "main room." That means the director will be in the same room on occasion. I'll be organizing and setting up beginning tomorrow. I found some good teaching supplies at the dollar spot at Target. I even found two lesson planning books, so I took 'em both! HAH!

Mark and I went to the fair last Saturday, but I still have two discount gate coupons. Maybe I can talk him into going again on Sunday. It was hot when we went. The heat should break by Thursday. I kinda wish Mark would have put in our window air conditioner this year. I'll be here sweltering. Yesterday, I went shopping in Des Moines. (finally got some casual slacks that fit)

We bought new draperies and lamps for our living room. We'll probably be changing our wall color in the next year. We got bergundy drapes and copper colored lamps. They're really cool. ( a grandaughter knocked one of the faux crystal lamps off of a table- we were already tired of those anyway)

 

[LightHearted]

Kimmy-poo!

I would die without A/C. Especially in this kind of weather.

My aunt was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She had the cancer removed earlier this week, and seems to be doing well.

I thought that I was in the free and clear as far as breast cancer was concerned. I guess now I can add that to the list of cancers that I'm susceptible to getting. Skin cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, leukemia, now breast cancer.

 

[Flipper]

Kim, I can tell you are getting so much more out of it than working at Breadeaux.

Susan, I'm so sorry. Pray it was caught early.

I sent a letter to the attorney asking what to do next. I haven't been sleeping very well. Strange dreams and all. Good thing work isn't all that busy right now. Actually I wish it was, I wouldn't dwell so much.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I am getting a new neice this weekend!!! My sister in law and her husband are taking in a 7 year old girl for foster care possible adoption. She was adopted from another country then when she turned 5 her adoptive parents didn't want her anymore so she was put into the system. My sister in laws husband is a Pastor in Clear Lake, and they have two boys the oldest is 8 the youngest is 4. My sister in law has wanted a girl for so long and this poor child may very well be an answer to their prayers. She is very depressed, the little girl, and so they have that to learn how to help her with/through it. But I know that our family will love her as though she has always been with us. Please pray that this will be the right thing for all involved.

 

[Flipper]

I am getting a new neice this weekend!!! My sister in law and her husband are taking in a 7 year old girl for foster care possible adoption. She was adopted from another country then when she turned 5 her adoptive parents didn't want her anymore so she was put into the system. My sister in laws husband is a Pastor in Clear Lake, and they have two boys the oldest is 8 the youngest is 4. My sister in law has wanted a girl for so long and this poor child may very well be an answer to their prayers. She is very depressed, the little girl, and so they have that to learn how to help her with/through it. But I know that our family will love her as though she has always been with us. Please pray that this will be the right thing for all involved.

That's awesome!

 

[PegasusOnFire]

now what would you get for a little 7 year old girl? I want to get her something to welcome her.

 

[LightHearted]

Susan, I'm so sorry. Pray it was caught early.

Thanks. It was caught early, I believe. They didn't need to do chemo or radiation therapy. They said that they could just remove the cancerous mass. I think that means that they caught it early enough, that it didn't have time to spread.

I sent a letter to the attorney asking what to do next. I haven't been sleeping very well. Strange dreams and all. Good thing work isn't all that busy right now. Actually I wish it was, I wouldn't dwell so much.

I am getting a new neice this weekend!!! My sister in law and her husband are taking in a 7 year old girl for foster care possible adoption. She was adopted from another country then when she turned 5 her adoptive parents didn't want her anymore so she was put into the system. My sister in laws husband is a Pastor in Clear Lake, and they have two boys the oldest is 8 the youngest is 4. My sister in law has wanted a girl for so long and this poor child may very well be an answer to their prayers. She is very depressed, the little girl, and so they have that to learn how to help her with/through it. But I know that our family will love her as though she has always been with us. Please pray that this will be the right thing for all involved.

Congratulations! I would suggest that you get her a new outfit or two, or a cute backpack for school.

My six and a half year old niece asked for a Hello Kitty backpack. My brother said he couldn't afford to buy her specialty items like that.

There's a store here called "Vintage Baby." They have gently used clothes for a fraction of the price that you could buy at a department store. I can afford two or three outfits from there, whereas I might only be able to afford one from Penney's. Some of the clothes at Vintage Baby haven't even been worn at all - they still have the original tags on it. A store like this might be a good option.

Having been a part of the adoption system, she may not have too many nice things, and would likely cherish things along this line.

 

[Flipper]

Eee Gads, another change.

I don't mind staying here just so I can keep in touch with the rest of you. If you decide to leave, please let me know where I can keep in touch? Thanks!

 

[LightHearted]

Eee Gads, another change.

I don't mind staying here just so I can keep in touch with the rest of you. If you decide to leave, please let me know where I can keep in touch? Thanks!

The name change sucks. I feel that Erwin copped out, and am disappointed in his decision, but I'm not planning to go anywhere. It's not like I post here a whole lot as it is. I just don't have much time to spend on messageboards these days.

 

[Flipper]

We haven't heard back from the lawyer yet, but my aunt did allow Serena to go to my niece's slumber party that was at my house last Friday (8 girls between the ages of 6-9 - what was I thinking!!).

Long story short, but I learned more about the get-together that I didn't see. I'm quickly coming to the realization that my family is all talk and very little action. Also, against the instructions of myself and the attorney, my sister and cousin both confronted my aunt on the real reason we want Serena - because there's a pedophile in the house. My aunt never denied it, and actually admitted that F is a pedophile. However, she said no anyone getting Serena. Unfortunately even that isn't enough to get her removed.

Further, my family thinks I'm irrational because I wanted more family at the house when my aunt and her husband dropped off Serena at the slumber party. I'm not going to believe that they didn't tell him, even though that's what they told us. He's threatened the other kids with knives and guns. Sorry if I'm irrational, but I kind of think he's less likely to do something if an aunt, uncle, or my mom is also there. He only attacks the vulnerable, and the alone. Adam and I are the ones paying for the attorney. We are going to be the ones with every move we make scrutinized by both Children's Services and the Courts, when the time comes. Did I also say that we are bankrolling this? If I want to say I'm scared and I want another family member present, I think I'm entitled!

I haven't been sleeping. I can't get her out of my mind.

Thanks for letting me vent.

 

[LightHearted]

I don't think that you're irrational at all.

How can it be that there's no recourse for you guys, being that there's a pedophile in the house? I just don't get it.

 

[Flipper]

Gotta prove it. The conversation with my aunt was not recorded, so it's our word against her's. There is also nothing that proves he's doing it now, and we only have the word of those who grew up in the house as to what he has done. My attorney was telling us in our first meeting that their testimony might not be enough for Children's Services to do anything. CS might not believe them.

I kind of understand - you don't want someone to file something saying you are a bad mom, and their word be completely believed without you having a chance to prove your case. However, this is an example of who falls between the cracks as a result.

 

[LightHearted]

I understand that there's got to be proof. It's just that I think that the word of his wife and children would count for something.

Got a recorder in your purse for the next time you go over?