Interesting couple of days.

Yesterday at school I looked into renewing my teacher certificate. It's up next July '09 and the requirements are kind of steep. When all this changed about four years ago I was just switching from my initial certificate to my standard. You are required to keep up to date with professional development in an attempt to keep teachers updated in teaching methods/styles/etc. You can take graduate or continuing ed classes, or build up CPDUs. They are basically credits for doing things like attending workshops, participating on committees, etc. They told us "Don't worry about it, you will always have enough CPDUs and that's because they gave them out, along with the documentation, for everything. Our teacher institute and inservice days, committees, etc. Well, I just didn't pay close enough attention to the fact that they stopped giving them out for everything. I go to a few workshops per year and just didn't think much about it. I woke up this week thinking about my certification and worried and I wasn't sure why. So, I checked into it yesterday. I'm in trouble. I have 32 CPDUs. I have to have 120!!! I can register more due to some other activities lately and I may be able to get some for our Niagra trip this summer. I had already planned for us to visit an orchard which has an underground railroad "compartment" and was going to use pictures, etc for school. I'm still going to be short CPDUs. So, I most likely am going to have to take one or even two online courses!!! Talk about time and money! I can be reimbursed after the class, but it's upfront money which stinks, not to mention time. Yuck!!! It's my own fault though and I know better for the next five year go around! :(

Also at school yesterday our sewer backed up into the school kitchen. It was so disgusting! Luckily I wasn't by it much. They had to set up a cafeteria line in our entryway and brought the food over from our middle school for the kids to load up on and then eat in our classrooms. It was an adventure to them! :)

(Of course this was also the morning I broke my glasses! No appointment scheduled yet.)

I did get two things listed on ebay so that was a plus. I am going to try to set aside any/all money I make on ebay and our local consignment place to start an adoption fund. I have felt so drawn to adopting a child with Down Syndrome lately. I just know that at some point I really want to do international adoption. It wouldn't be for a while, but I would love to experience that side of adoption. I love the Reeces Rainbow site. It's all children with Down's. You can also donate money to help with the cost of these adoptions. Many of these children live in countries where they end up institutionalized if they are not adopted by the age of 5. That floors me!!! I thought our world was more advanced than that. It saddens my heart.

Today I had a nurse come over to assess me for my new life insurance I just purchased. I thought I had to have a urine sample and blood test, but was pleasantly surprised it was just the first - no blood test!!! I did have to step on a scale however, and think I may have traded that experience for the blood test if I could have! :) lol

I also am soo soo soooooo excited to announce that I now have a sitter for when my kids get sick!!! I had asked at church if they knew of anyone and was given the name of someone soon after. I called her a few days ago and she came over today to meet us. She is a stay at home mom with twin 16 year olds. She also has a 28 year old not living at home anymore. She has thought about returning to work, but isn't ready to yet and thought this would be a way to maybe make a little as well as helping out someone. She said she understands, she's been there. Her husband didn't understand her wanting to take care of someone's sick kids, but she told him she knew how it felt and wanted to help. I'm so thankful. She seems so nice and the kids did well around her. I didn't tell her about Olivia's HIV, but I figure she's rarely sick and if she is the one who is staying home I will probably stay with her. Even if she stayed with Olivia and didn't know, there wouldn't be a risk to her, but I did feel kind of bad not telling her. I just don't know her well enough yet. If she ever asked about the meds or anything I would let her know, it's not a secret, but it's still hard to just bring it up like it needs to be announced or something. If that makes sense?

Then, tonight, a first for our home. Have never had bathrooms shenanigans with any kids before. Tonight I was helping the littles with brushing their teeth and the sink was filling with water. I pulled at the "stopper" but it wasn't going down. Then, I saw it, a tiny piece of toilet paper floated to the surface. I asked Braeden if he put something down the sink??? Yes, he put toilet paper down. Not happy!!!!! I have Drano so I'll wait for it to go down and then will try that. I am going to kill him! :)

Also, Olivia started feeling sick today. She has managed to stay away from the flu and such when the rest of us had it. She had a slight temp this morning and said most of the day that her stomach hurt. I had her sleep/rest most of the day as that is what the rest of us needed and she ate really well at dinner. Hopefully it will be something quick and won't lay her out for a long time.

What will tomorrow bring!? :)