. . . and not a drop to drink

I'll start with pictures. Here is one from the 2nd day of school---TV time. The kids were watching TV so they didn't see me coming with the camera. I let the kids have an hour or so down time before we start homework. Not that they had any this week. J says he will have homework starting next week.



This next picture is from our fashion shoot in the living room yesterday afternoon. B chose to play on the computer after school, and got out her Barbie Fashion Show game. Then she pulled out the dress up clothes to do her own fashion show. This dress was an actual prom dress, I think, and it got passed down to us from another family who had altered it for their daughter. All this after allowing the kids to watch Miss Teen USA. B just enjoyed herself in her pretty dresses and fun hairdo. This "two fake buns" hairdo, as we are calling it, was worn again today. I didn't want to make her look too much like Minnie Mouse, but she is happy in her hair. And since it makes her look so very young and cute, I'm going with it. Isn't there something in the school dress code about not having distracting hair? I guess she's not too distracting with unusual hairstyle (although I am bringing this rule up as J wanted to do a mohawk for his hairstyle).

This shot was before school.

Here is my panic-sick-to-my-stomach-red-in-the-face moment of the week. We came home Wednesday to having no water. Electricity, thank goodness, but no water. I would have died if there was no electricity---B had alternate dissmissal (kids indoors waiting instead of outside in the rain or whatever) on Wednesday because of the "extreme heat" she said. Same thing yesterday. The heat index was over 105 degrees, and the temps got up over 100 on Wednesday. Today only 99 degrees projected, so we shall see if they have to wait on the concrete outside!

Anyway, no water. I called the utilities company, thinking they were working on water lines. "It looks like you have an outstanding balance. Call billing." What? I don't have a dime to spare this week, and I didn't pay last month? What? I have to go without water for how long now? I'm sweaty like a pig and I can't get water for the dogs? What? I took a deep breath and just Knew I did pay the bill. I called the billing department. I could get online while I was talking to the lady, and I saw where the check had gone through. Whew! But I had to take my printout of the cancelled check to the office, a hassle. If only I knew how to use my fax machine? So then we have to wait another few hours to get the guy to come bak to our house and turn it all back on.

All this money worry is making my blood pressure go up. What if I had not paid the month before? People are living like me and much much worse. And it is too hot to not have water or electricity. I keep saying to myself, "God will provide." Abraham was taking Isaac to sacrifice him, his very own son, and said, "God will provide the lamb." I pray I can continue to have my needs met, thank you, God!

I talked to J's school "Family Involvement Specialist" yesterday about volunteering around school, and about his visions for the Parents' Room he is trying to develop. Resources, information, coffee, comfortable sitting place, workspace for parents, uniforms and clothing for everyone, emergency food supply, computers for parent access----it's all good! I hope I can help get some of it off the ground.