Approaching Glory

Goodbye Dear Friend

There are days when I hate being an adult.  This is one of them.  You know the times.... when someone has to make everyone face facts and make hard decisions.  Marmalade has been member of our family for fourteen years.  He has survived the longest of all our pets.  Over three months ago I noticed a big change in him.  He was always a huge cat and he was slower but surely losing alot of weight.  Then it got to where he was getting sick all the time.  We tried every remedy we could find.  He would get well for a few days and then begin getting sick again.  And he would cry because he wanted to eat.  To make a long story short - this is the day I finally got through to Jbird that Marmy was suffering and that he needed to go to the Vet to be put down.  As I type that is where they have gone.  I could not go.  I've been crying already.

In other news - please be praying tomorrow.  I will be taking my friend Judy to surgery at 5:15am for major surgery.  They are repairing a huge hernia that formed after her cancer surgery of last year and also removing her gallbladder.  She'll be in the hospital for four days and then come here for awhile to recooperate.  Yeah - I know - niece is moving in this weekend also.

I figure if God wants so much on my plate than it is up to Him to enlarge the plate to handle it all.  I do believe Tango will miss his buddy as well as the rest of us.

Oh My Goodness!

I absolutely have NO idea how people are affording the cost of tuition and books for their children.  Thankfully, Jbird is attending an in-state two year college where the tuition costs are relatively minor (around $1500 for 15+ credit hours per semester).  If he had attended a public high school the tuition wouldn't cost us anything due to the Hope scholarship program (must maintain a B average) - and we'd get $100 toward the cost of books.  However, because we homeschooled J, he has to maintain at least a 3.0 for his first year of college and then we will be reimbursed for the tuition money we've paid out.  Which is what we are hoping to achieve by the end of the fall semester - he currently has a 4.0.

However, the book costs are crazy.  Today I had to go pay the tuition and while there decided to get more of his books.  I'd already doled out close to $200 on two classes.  So I did not expect the cost of today's purchases - $400+.  Give me a break!  We still will have to adjust his schedule during drop/add and then buy more books.

I looked at the school I first started attending back in the 70's.  Tuition costs are now over $36,000 per year - not including books of course.  No wonder these kids are coming out with loans over $100,000.  Absolutely crazy.  I read about the girl who just graduated with over $70,000. in loans and is suing her college because she can't find a job.  I wonder if that would work retro-actively with me - now that I can't find a job in my profession?  Right - nope.

While They Are Sleeping

These past several days have been a fog of medicines and sleeping.  So now that I'm awake as a little snake - the guys are in bed sleeping away.  It's okay though - it gives me a little time to myself.  I won't have too much of that for too long.

Hubby, after spending all of last week in math workshops, (his last week which was supposed to be free) officially has to report to work tomorrow.  And then on Friday he will have to take his first furlough day (without pay).

SIL is totally moved into her new apartment.  I guess my niece will be arriving next weekend sometime since her school starts on Monday.  My goal this week is to get the downstairs totally clean and ready.

Tomorrow I get to drive down to the college and pay the tuition for this coming fall semester.  Also will need to get some more books.  I'm pleased to announce Jbird got an "A" in his summer class.  Now if we can get his class schedule sorted out - I'll be a happy camper.

Me?  Well - I'm feeling better but bummed that we didn't get a quarter of what I hoped we'd get down for this summer.  Looks like I'll be working on the projects slowly by myself.  I continue to look for a job but it is a dry market out there.

Hope you all have been doing well....