WEEK ONE. CHECK.

Its 7:30 and I feel like a zombie that's just been unraveled and placed in the sun. I just want to crawl back in my tomb and SLEEP! My grandma has been living with me one week and 1 day. She goes to bed at 6:30 or 7 p.m. and is ready to get up before the sun has a chance to yawn. I usually don't go to bed before midnight. NOT because I don't TRY! But since I can't do ANYTYHING productive until after I get my little angels to SLEEP, it's usually midnight before I crawl into my bed. I have a baby monitor in my bedroom so I can hear my Grandma call me. She has to pee four to six times a night. Since she can't walk at all by herself, I get up and help her. And then my kids usually wake up several times. EACH. And Charkley has to pee, too. AND then scratches at the door until I let him back in. So my sleep is in the negative amounts right now.

That being said, having my Grandma living with me is not NEARLY as strenuous as I THOUGHT it would be. It's been an amazing learning experience. For example, I can do things I never thought possible. Where I usually gag and throw up at the mildest of NASTY, I've dumped potty chairs, scrubbed false teeth, and pulled down and up panties. I attribute it to the LOVE thing because I don't think I could hold just any person's teeth in my hands. But, somehow, I just want to do ANYTHING to make my Grandma feel comfortable and welcome in my home because I love her.

There have been a few sacrifices. Starling has to watch the television on a barely audible volume because the tv detracts from my Grandma's sleeping comfort, the sleep loss thing, and of course underwear is a MUST. NO more running around in towels because ya never know who you'll bump into when exiting the bathroom.

But there have been some awesome blessings. Brooklyn announced, "Grandma Rosie is my BEST friend!" She absolutely LOVES to dance and sing and play with my Grandma. Brighton is equally enthralled by my Grandma's presence, especially her nifty wheel chair that he keeps climbing and getting ouchies. The best thing is, she isn't rushing off to do laundry or dishes or vaccuum like ME, so they have her undivided attention. When I don't stop to watch, I can get more done around the house with her here because the kids are glued to her. The kids are ALSO loving getting to know my aunts and uncle. I've always considered my mom's family pretty close, but we've grown apart over the years as our families have increased in number. BUT NOW as they are in and out of our home helping with Grandma, Brooklyn knows them all very well and LOVES them! We've shared plenty of laughs and lots of love. We've also learned to band together when the going gets tough. LIKE NEXT week.. when my grandma has random therapy four days a week. Some therapy is back to back... some in the morning and again late afternoon... We are juggling our kids to each other trying to free up one person to take Grandma to therapy and another person to take care of all the paper work to get her into the Windham house so she can get daily therapy. My kiddos are really excited to get to know their cousins who've they've spent more time with in the last week than... EVER.

Anyway- we're doing PU-RETTY good, which lots of people DID NOT think I would be. So far I've only had to pick my grandma off the floor like... hmmm... four or five times? Well, actually Starling picked her up all those times... She only weighs 120 but I only weigh 110 and all those nights in the gym STILL haven't equipped me to pick up fallen grannies. And my granmda would NOT have fallen ANY of those times if she wasn't such a stubborn GO GETTER woman! lol. She'll get going good and decide she'll try to do something herself like HOP on her bed. Now, ONCE it wasn't her fault. Brooklyn asked, "Can I help?" When I was putting my Grandma in to her bed. My grandma said, "Sure, Brooklyn. Hold on to my wheelchair." And Brooklyn did. With one hand. With the OTHER hand she planted a solid handprint on my Grandma's bum and shouted, "Go, Grandma! Go!" And pushed her on towards the bed. The combination of startling force mixed with a burst of the giggles left my grandma and me on the bedroom floor. Brooklyn ran to Starling who was working on the other end of the house. We heard her shouting, "Daddy! Daddy! Help! Grandma Rosie's fallen and she can't get up! Come QUICK!" It wasn't so much as a fall as a slow motion body-lean that eventually made contact with the floor. And once she decided to go pee by HERSELF, at which she actually DID succeed. (Go GRANDMA! GO!) Then, with all her spunk, tried to jump back into the bed and failed miserably. I came in to find her sprawled out on the floor. Luckily, "muscle man," (yes... that is what my Grandma calls Starling), was there to scoop her up and plop her back in the bed.

My grandma is a fun person... even wheelchair bound... she's spunky, cheerful, and full of good humor. I was afraid it would dwindle after the boring set in on her (as she is used to running after chickens and other varments and gardening and garage selling and volunteering)... but she's intense on doing her therapy and insists she'll be able to get her left side to kick into gear soon. And she's doing great! Plus Brooklyn does NOT shut up. EVER. My grandma said its like reliving having me as a two year old all over again. I suppose we are similar in a FEW ways... and Brighton never stops giggling... so between the two of them one is hard pressed to get "bored."

Yesterday my aunt took my gram to therapy and my mom took my kids so I had a day to myself. I didn't know what to DO with myself! I ran errands. I went to Sam's and Target. BY MYSELF. It was equivalent to a week on a remote island soaking up sun rays and drinking fruity drinks with umbrellas in them. It was a blessing indeed. But it was great when the whole family returned, too. I'm really getting used to the hussle and bussle of people in my house all of the time. At first it was overwhelming, but its growing on me. I look forward to seeing my cousin walk through my front door or my aunts or uncle. Its- I can't exactly put words to it- comfortable, comforting... GREAt?! I sort of feel like I have the kind of GIANT family I always wished my parents wouldv'e created when I was a kid. Instead of stopping with just two kids. AND- it totally reaffirms my need to have at LEAST five kids! And then adopt like a cuzillion because, lets face it, with family- the MORE really IS the MERRIER! (And YES, even the families filled with drama-drama and hullagan members). And I thought I might start doubting the Foster Care Plan after experiencing a third "child" per say, but I honestly believe I was supposed to experience this FIRST, "WE", Starling and I- the kids, my FAMILY, was supposed to experience this first... Its made us re-evaluate what's important, get back to the family essentials, re-learn the JOYS of being part of a family filled with sacrifice and free giving. I'm kind of THRILLED to start foster caring... more than I was before... I know I can do it. I know Starling can do it. And the kids... they can do it, too. So for now, we'll keep fostering our sweet, little 71 year old. I now know the hardest part of fostering will be letting go. Brooklyn has already told me she wants Grandma Rosie to live with us FOR-EVER! "I don't WANT her to go to HER house!" Its awesome. God is GREAT!! I feel like He's mentally and emotionally aged me about 38 years. AND maybe aged me a bit physically, too. I may have gray hairs popping up by the end of the month... but scientists are good, too. They invented hair dye. And their is an endless selction of browns to choose from.