Two days late....

I know, I know. I was supposed to be back here Monday. And it's Wednedsay. To offer a follow up on the hot water tank drama, and reveal if Easter actually happened. Cut a girl some slack. Monday morning, my little brother packed up his car and took off for a friend's cabin in Standish. He broke down in Bay City. I went to help get his car towed back home. My mother took a separate car up, and shuttled him and his girlfriend the rest of the way to the cabin, so they could still have their vacation with the group. (The car situation wasn't likely his fault.) Then when I finally got back, we scrambled to Lowes to order up a fence. Yesterday I spent the day cleaning up from Easter, visiting with the friend who gave us her dog so they can move to China and not have him stolen for meat, and then running out to a meeting for foster parents. This morning I woke up and the cold I caught got the best of me. I moved pretty darn slowly for several hours. This is the sickest I've been in a long time.

So. On to the good stuff. The plumber came on schedule. They sent a female plumber. So of course, it got fixed. (Hee.) She was familiar with this problem and knew the ultimate fix for it - an entire new gas valve. The gas valve is the portion of the tank that has the design flaw and thus the ventilation problem. She said she's never seen one of these get a whole new valve and break again. An hour and a half later, we had steaming hot water, and were very happy.

Easter went fabulous. The night before, my grandfather fell at the grocery store and broke his arm. The hospital coldn't set the bones. He needs surgery. So he wasn't feeling good. Everything else went smoothly. I even found time for cute little placecards for everyone.

Brownies & Coffee for Breakfast

The struggles that have been going on in my life are starting to come to a close. Most, if not all of them, I could not discuss openly on the Internet.

But here's a synopsis.

My mother lost her job. It was a very unfair situation. She had a mock grievance process available to her, and she used it. She is not represented by a union, unfortunately, and the grievance process they have does not typically reinstate people who are discharged wrongly. In her case, it was so blatant, that she was reinstated with full back pay, and an apology. But, going through the process nearly killed her, and thus broke my heart in the process. If anyone reading this thinks unions have "had their time" or actually are a detriment to society, I have two things to offer to you. First, you are almost guaranteed to have never been part of a union that you needed. Second, you are almost guaranteed not to have a firm understanding of exactly what the union was formed to do, and the purpose it has served for people who now work in the NON UNION PRIVATE SECTOR. Like me. (Well, when I'm actually employed, that is.) Big business has put many stigmas out there that people believe, and those people don't realize how they are hurt by the whole deal. I beg you all to question this, and seek answers for yourself. I have formally studied labor relations in a non-partisan program - simply because it fascinated me. I was a believer that unions were becoming "old news" before I went through this program and was enlightened. That, with a better understanding of how an "economy" works, changed my personal view, and then made me angry that the media and businesses have the power they do to change the stream of information to the public. This is America, and it's supposed to be home of the free and the brave. Not home of the censored and belittled.

Anyway, she got her job back.

My sister came to me with a legally charged issue that she needed help with, and I was able to give her some help. That issue isn't fully resolved yet but I believe it is very close. She's not in any trouble. It's really one of the stupidest things I've ever heard of. So that is close to resolution.

I've been in the midst of struggle with our foster child. This has been the biggest strain on me for some time now, and the biggest cause for my being pulled away and not being able to write what I needed to write on here. She ran away on Thursday, and is staying in an undisclosed place with a "friend." One of the details in this situation has rendered her beyond our trust, and she will not be allowed back. For any of you who know anything about this particular young person and what we've gone through on her behalf, you know that's a big deal. I have kept a basic paper journal over the course of time. That information will likely get published at some point.

The therapist who is hired to do in-home therapy with the (former!) foster child came over this morning - he was far more worried about us given the situation than he was worried about her.

So here I am in my home that I love beyond measure, with only my husband and our pets. Relieved from the hardship and struggle that has been so prevalent in our home. Relieved from the worry about my parents' financial status. Peaceful. Happy. And not sure if we want to do foster anymore, or at least for a while. We need a break. And yes, breakfast is brownies and coffee. Life is good right now.

One request - please visit www.momentswithmoriah.blogspot.com (sorry I can't remember how to link) and leave love for this family if you have time. Now, I'm off to visit all my favorite blogs and see if Amy has started painting. Ciao everyone.