So, where's the "Gilly" been?
Hmm... So, it's been a few, um... months... since I last logged in, let alone looked at my friends list, or updated. Yes, I should be spanked. I have a feeling I'll get -maybe- 1 comment, but probably not. Why? Cause ya'll don't remember me. ;)
So, the kids are ALL in school. Gilly started preschool this past fall, and she loves it. It's been good for her, as well. She really enjoys being there, and interacting with other kids really helps her out a lot, I think.
Chris is in 2nd grade, and we're still struggling to find a way to get him settled down with his ADHD. We are literally on the last ditch medication, which so far is working, though after 2 months, we had to up the dose. If the dose proves too high (that's a problem we've had with others, it's too low at 1 dose, and too high at the next dose), then we are going to get him evaluated for being bipolar. :( So far with school, though, he is doing GREAT. He's reading at an almost 5th grade level, and totally impressing his teacher. We're so proud of him!
Last is Raegan, miss pre-teen Raegan. She's getting a chest. Just lil bumps, but UHG! She's almost 11, which is the age I was. Unfortunatly, she is not growing much. She's about 50-51" tall is all. The problem is that once she hits puberty, she'll pretty much stop growing. Judging on my own puberty, I would guess we have about 18 months until that happens. I was in between 6th & 7th grade, and she's in 5th right now. She is doing great in school, though. We like her teacher this year. Her teacher last year was an uptight woman who just didn't deal with kids real well. Not loving her. Will specifically request that she not teach our other kids when they reach 4th grade if we still live here.
Lastly- job stuff. Nick's job is, putting it politely, kicking him in the sack. There's just way to much to go into to explain it, but suffice to say, what once looked like a life long job, now looks like a dead end job that he won't be working at 6 months from now. That would be his own choice.
One of his past co-workers works for a great company an hour south of here. He had Nick submitt a resume to this place, to see if it is somewhere he can get hired in at. It's a laid back place, and they take their own sweet time, but we do know that Nick is on the "Top of the Short List of 1" for canidates for this job.
It's a potential pay raise of up to $10,000 a year. Insurance was a questionable spot, but after talking with the guy who works there, we found out that the insurance is comparable or even better than the campus provides. There is a $10 appointment co-pay, and a $25 ER co-pay. Perscription is based on the type of medicine, but the co-pays are a set number- $10, $20, or $30. Our co-pays now vary based on a percentage of the cost, and the type of med, etc. Honestly, it changes often, too. One month, Chris's meds were $22, at Walgreens. A month later, it was down to $6 for the exact same perscription, at the exact same Walgreens, for the exact same generic pill. A month later, it was up to $9. It makes it hard to budget the cost when you don't know what it is. ;)
Anyway, on top of those perks, we don't pay in every month for the insurance. Now, we pay around $30 a month out of our check for the insurance. Maybe more. At that place, no paying in. So, the insurance is just as good, maybe better.
The downside is that we'd have to move, but honestly, lately, it feels more like an upside. We've had to deal with Nick's sister breaking in and stealing pills from us, constantly calling and asking to buy pills from me (pills I need, but rarely use- xanax for panic attacks, darvocet for back pain, wellbutrin for depression- she snorts all of those), asking for babysitting, and just generally pissing us off.
Of course, his mom is freaking out at the possibility of us moving. His Grandma, too. They both think they'll never see the kids again, and I have to wonder... how does this differ from what they are like now? His Grandma actually makes an effort, but his mom, his aunt- neither of them will come and see us at all if they didn't need something. They certainly don't go out of the way to stop by and see the kids. Getting them to watch the kids for an hour is a joke. Nick's mom offered to watch the kids for us so we could do Christmas shopping a week before Christmas.
I shit you not, we weren't gone an hour, and she was calling us up and asking us when exactly we were planning to get back, cause the kids were driving her nuts. Yes, a doting grandmother she is.
If it weren't for US going over there, she would see the kids roughly 3 times a year- Christmas, and two stop by's where she asks us for money. Ok, I guess it is more than 3 times, cause she stops by and asking us for money WAY more than twice a year. Or a month. Once, she ravaged our garage for tin cans to return (we have a $.10 deposit on soda bottles in Michigan) to have gas money to get to work. Yet, she smokes almost two packs of cigarettes a day. Go figure, killing herself is more important than gas money.
So, writing. I haven't done so much of that lately. Or at all, really. I suck, and you should all flog me. Because I would -hate- that. Trust me.
-sighs- I'd love to say I will write for you, so you all will love me again. I'd also love to say I'll update more often. Sadly, I can't lie to you, so I won't say either of those things.
I -can- say I will TRY to do both.
-hugs-
Heather/Gilly
So, the kids are ALL in school. Gilly started preschool this past fall, and she loves it. It's been good for her, as well. She really enjoys being there, and interacting with other kids really helps her out a lot, I think.
Chris is in 2nd grade, and we're still struggling to find a way to get him settled down with his ADHD. We are literally on the last ditch medication, which so far is working, though after 2 months, we had to up the dose. If the dose proves too high (that's a problem we've had with others, it's too low at 1 dose, and too high at the next dose), then we are going to get him evaluated for being bipolar. :( So far with school, though, he is doing GREAT. He's reading at an almost 5th grade level, and totally impressing his teacher. We're so proud of him!
Last is Raegan, miss pre-teen Raegan. She's getting a chest. Just lil bumps, but UHG! She's almost 11, which is the age I was. Unfortunatly, she is not growing much. She's about 50-51" tall is all. The problem is that once she hits puberty, she'll pretty much stop growing. Judging on my own puberty, I would guess we have about 18 months until that happens. I was in between 6th & 7th grade, and she's in 5th right now. She is doing great in school, though. We like her teacher this year. Her teacher last year was an uptight woman who just didn't deal with kids real well. Not loving her. Will specifically request that she not teach our other kids when they reach 4th grade if we still live here.
Lastly- job stuff. Nick's job is, putting it politely, kicking him in the sack. There's just way to much to go into to explain it, but suffice to say, what once looked like a life long job, now looks like a dead end job that he won't be working at 6 months from now. That would be his own choice.
One of his past co-workers works for a great company an hour south of here. He had Nick submitt a resume to this place, to see if it is somewhere he can get hired in at. It's a laid back place, and they take their own sweet time, but we do know that Nick is on the "Top of the Short List of 1" for canidates for this job.
It's a potential pay raise of up to $10,000 a year. Insurance was a questionable spot, but after talking with the guy who works there, we found out that the insurance is comparable or even better than the campus provides. There is a $10 appointment co-pay, and a $25 ER co-pay. Perscription is based on the type of medicine, but the co-pays are a set number- $10, $20, or $30. Our co-pays now vary based on a percentage of the cost, and the type of med, etc. Honestly, it changes often, too. One month, Chris's meds were $22, at Walgreens. A month later, it was down to $6 for the exact same perscription, at the exact same Walgreens, for the exact same generic pill. A month later, it was up to $9. It makes it hard to budget the cost when you don't know what it is. ;)
Anyway, on top of those perks, we don't pay in every month for the insurance. Now, we pay around $30 a month out of our check for the insurance. Maybe more. At that place, no paying in. So, the insurance is just as good, maybe better.
The downside is that we'd have to move, but honestly, lately, it feels more like an upside. We've had to deal with Nick's sister breaking in and stealing pills from us, constantly calling and asking to buy pills from me (pills I need, but rarely use- xanax for panic attacks, darvocet for back pain, wellbutrin for depression- she snorts all of those), asking for babysitting, and just generally pissing us off.
Of course, his mom is freaking out at the possibility of us moving. His Grandma, too. They both think they'll never see the kids again, and I have to wonder... how does this differ from what they are like now? His Grandma actually makes an effort, but his mom, his aunt- neither of them will come and see us at all if they didn't need something. They certainly don't go out of the way to stop by and see the kids. Getting them to watch the kids for an hour is a joke. Nick's mom offered to watch the kids for us so we could do Christmas shopping a week before Christmas.
I shit you not, we weren't gone an hour, and she was calling us up and asking us when exactly we were planning to get back, cause the kids were driving her nuts. Yes, a doting grandmother she is.
If it weren't for US going over there, she would see the kids roughly 3 times a year- Christmas, and two stop by's where she asks us for money. Ok, I guess it is more than 3 times, cause she stops by and asking us for money WAY more than twice a year. Or a month. Once, she ravaged our garage for tin cans to return (we have a $.10 deposit on soda bottles in Michigan) to have gas money to get to work. Yet, she smokes almost two packs of cigarettes a day. Go figure, killing herself is more important than gas money.
So, writing. I haven't done so much of that lately. Or at all, really. I suck, and you should all flog me. Because I would -hate- that. Trust me.
-sighs- I'd love to say I will write for you, so you all will love me again. I'd also love to say I'll update more often. Sadly, I can't lie to you, so I won't say either of those things.
I -can- say I will TRY to do both.
-hugs-
Heather/Gilly