So now that we have been here a few months and out of the RV  ( believe it or not I took those Cap and Gown pics down below in the previous blog entry in the RV at the tiny RV booth Table near a window, needless to say it was a very tight squeeze, but we managed and Finesse came out Gorgeous) as I was saying, now that we are out of the RV and into a real home...I am beginning to set up my Photography Studio. This home has a really nice Huge area that is perfect for a Photography Studio with its own driveway and entry door for clients to use. So yesterday I got my Backdrops and my Softbox lights and reflectors all unpacked and put together and started organizing my Studio.

I also started changing all the Vendor sites that I am a member of to reflect the San Antonio, Tx. area that I will be working in now...and soon I will put an ad in the Local Newspaper as well. So hopefully soon, I will have a new clientele here in Texas.

It was sad, the week we were moving down I had to turn a Wa. Client down...I shot their wedding and they wanted me to shoot their eldest daughters Senior Portraits. There were a few Portrait appts I had to turn down : (

So Finesse and I had another Fun Mother / Daughter Day! Finesse has been wanting to go have tacos at Mona's Taco House, since we got here in May. So after we took a few photos at the RV Park, we headed over to Mona's...Nummy Num! Next Stop the Mall...WooHoo, Where we did alot of shopping! Shopping always makes us hungry, so we finished our Mother / Daughter Day at Olive Garden...where we enjoyed Soup and Salad and their Yummy Breadsticks ( once again Nummy Num...LOL that is what Finesse used to call Food when she was a baby).

After that we headed home and picked up the News Bulletin for Castroville, because at the park last Saturday or Sunday we noticed down at the Park that there were like 5-6 cop cars and 2-3 ambulances for about an hour, we were so curious, but to embarrassed to go see what it was all about...so we decided we'd get the News Bulletin and for sure it would be in there...since nothing happens in Castroville. Nope, No Mention At All! When I used to work at the News Bulletin one of my jobs was to type the Police Blotter and every week it mostly consisted of who took off without paying for gas at Citgo or So and So got arrested for DUIs...boring stuff. And finally something happens and NOTHING! We were thoroughly disappointed...we had waited all week for Wednesday's paper to come out.

So after that disappointment, we got ready to go to the Meeting...so that made for a very nice Ending to another Successfully, Awesome Mother / Daughter Day...Wow I can't Believe My Baby is 20!

So, Since Adam has left...I have missed him on many levels. He's a good friend, I depend on him for alot, It is harder for me to take the initiative to go places alone when I am the one in charge...it was easier to just hop in the car and shadow him, and let him take the lead, and I just Miss Him being here. (Aww...how cute I was just watching a beautiful humminbird feeding from our feeder right outside my RV dining table window) Anyway, I havent done a whole lot, but it sure seems like alot has happened since we've been here...it's been a pretty stressful time recently, because my Mom's health is not doing so good.

A couple of weeks ago...My sister Lulu called me and told me that mom was confused and dizzy and having difficulty speaking. Finesse and I got dressed and jumped in the car and hurried over there to Mom's. She didn't want to go to the hospital, but both Lulu and I insisted she go.

Turns out Mom had been getting these episodes for about three weeks...she shared that with me while Lulu and Finesse were parking the car, she later shared that with the Dr. as well. They did some tests to rule things out...they determined they thought she had signs of dementia. I had been really worried about my mom since I got here to TX. cuz I've noticed that I have to keep repeating myself to her becuase she looks at me like she doesn't understand me, and she's been super forgetful, I've been trying to drive her places cuz I dont think she should be driving much anymore. There is no test to tell you if you have dementia, rather, thru a process of elimination (testing for other things) they determine it is not this or that, so they think she has dementia.

Later on, we got some test results faxed from her Dr. to the emergency room, A Cat Scan of her heart, I had taken her to to San Antonio the week prior to have that test done...she was scared, on our way into the office I turned to look at her and she had a look on her face that I hadn't seen very often, a look of Love and Appreciation that I was there with her and she didn't have to do this alone. I reached for her and gave her a hug and told her I loved her and that everything would be okay, she said she loved me too, so for the test they had to inject dye into her to get a good pic of what was going on in her heart. Cuz she had complaints of chest pains. So now that we were at the Emergency we had those tests faxed over...because later that day we were supposed to go to her Doctor's office to have him give us those results, but now we obviously weren't gonna make that appt. Well, those results showed what at the time they thought was a 1 inch blockage in her Aorta. So because of that they wanted to immediately transfer her and admit her into the hospital in San Antonio.

They took her in the ambulence...Lulu, Finesse and I followed. They ran lots of tests and she was gonna stay overnight and hopefully get some answers the next day. We stayed til visiting hours were over at 9pm. When we left she was in good spirits...I could tell she appreciated that all three of us were there with her.  This is really weird, but she and I had just spoke a few day prior to this...about how Roselie and I and Adam and Finesse were at the hospital constantly day and night everyday that Russ was in the hospital both times, and how that makes a difference on how the staff treats their patients, cuz they see how loved this person is. So I could see the appreciation on her face that we were all there for her. She was very sweet and loving and affectionate with Finesse, cuz alot of teenagers wouldn't want to be in a hospital all day, but Finesse insisted on coming and being there...she wanted to be there for Grandma, and Mom could tell. At 9pm we all kissed her goodnight and told her we'd be there in the morning. She said we didn't have to stay all day tomorrow, but I told her "I dont know about everyone else, but I will be here all day with you."

The next morning I packed up some stuff to take for her stuff from her home that she wanted and stuff from my home that I thought she'd enjoy... from my place I packed up The Daily Text (read it to her when I got there ), my Bible, Watchtowers and Awakes, Harpers Bazaar and Marie Claire Mags, she loves looking beautiful, so I thought she'd enjoy them, some games called UNO and Mille Borne ( the french card game where you give each other flat tires, accidents, speed limits...etc.) I know she loves to play games. A couple weeks ago I told her we had to start playing games again like when I was a teenager, we did it all the time, she said " I love to play, but no one wants to play with me." So the reason I thought to bring some games to the hospital is because with dementia I thought this would be a good way to keep her mind sharp, as well as keep her mind off of what was happening there at the hospital. And also the week before she insisted that I go and do laundry at her home...So I did, and while there, I suggested we play a game. So she brought out Mille borne, I told her best out of three is the Grand Champion...the loser has to buy the winner an icecream at DQ, well Mom won all 3 games. So after I did my laundry I took us to DQ that was alot of fun playing with Mom again and having icecream together.  So I thought this would be a good idea to keep her mind off of things at the hospital...and the wait is usually so long between nurses visits and stuff, I didn't want her to get bored. So while we played games, Lulu did research online.

Later that night the Dr. came in and spoke to us...he didn't have all the test results in, but he wanted her to see a  vessel specialist, Dr. Ti. He came in about a half hour later and did an exam and asked a few questions and determined that she had bad blood circulation throughout, but moreso on her right side...her other dr. had talked about maybe putting her on Cumidin (a blood thinner) not sure of the spelling. But the specialist did not think she needed to be on that, but to continue on her Plavix (a different blood thinner) and before he said too much he wanted to wait on the results of a test that was gonna be performed the coratid doppler ultrasound, that would determine how much blood flow she had going to her head. The specialist also told us the cat scan they had done yesterday revealed that the blockage in her aorta was a hardening of the arteries, and that she had an enlarged Aorta, and if her doctor wanted to put a stint in for the hardening of the arteries, he was gonna recommend him doing it thru her arm not her groin...cuz he didn't think that would be good for her, he thought she may have complications. But of course putting a stint in requires surgery, so they were hoping to not have to do that cuz of her age, 83.

Mom wound up having to stay a second night...the next day Finesse and I went and saw Mom, I had just called and ordered her a nice healthy lunch from the cafeteria, when her Dr. came in and said that she could go home, that the tests were okay and she could go home, He didn't explain much, wasn't very receptive to questions so he just I asked the nurse questions later as to what they were going to do about the hardening of the arteries and what were they gonna do about the pain in her legs and lack of blood flow and she told me they were gonna control any further hardening of the arteries with her plavix and cholesterol medication. They were not going to do anything about the hardening that was already there, bcuz they didn't want to perform surgery on her. She would have a follow up doctors appt in a few days in Hondo...So Finesse and I took her home about 1pm.  

We got her in the house, I put all her stuff away I had taken to the hospital and put them all back in their  proper places, I did her dishes so she wouldn't have to worry about it later, and I stayed and visited for a bit. Then Finesse and I went to McDonalds for a much needed Smoothie and Breather...Whew! It had been such an emotional and stressful and sad 3 days.

She had her Drs appt and they said that the coratid doppler ultrasound she'd had in the hospital had revealed that she only had 50-60% bloodflow to her head, she does still have the signs of dementia that they think were triggered when she had her T.I.A.s ( mini strokes ) earlier in the year. He also said She doesn't really need anyone to live with her full time or anything yet. But it is inevitable eventually. I am very glad to be here right now...for her. Now she has 2 daughters that can help her with things.

She comes to my RV often and I go and check on her periodically and call her. She has come over 2 nights in a row to watch movies with Finesse and I. The first night I put Letters To Juliet in for her...She loved it!

At meeting yesterday, Finesse made a new friend, that Lulu introduced her to, her name is Sarah Gonzalez she is 20 just like finesse will be next month. And Sarah told her that she too had been exhausted looking for work and not getting hired on anywhere, but that she and her mom had just recently been hired on at the Medina Valley  Independant School Bus Garage, as a bus aide...Which is weird, cuz just a few days prior I had mentioned to Finesse "Oh, I dont know why I hadn't thought of this before, Finesse...you should go apply as a bus aide for Medina Valley School District, I used to be a bus aide and it is perfect for you, you start transporting kids to school at like 6am finish at 8am and then you can go out in service  and then at 2pm you start transporting them back to their homes and finish about 4 or 5pm." I dont think she was gonna go apply...til Sarah told her she had gotten hired on and that they still had positions available to fill before August.

After meeting yesterday, Finesse and I went and picked Daniel and Mom up and took them to Bill Millers for dinner, Finesse was so excited about meeting Sarah, they seem to have alot in common. Very sweet girl who loves Field Service like Finesse does. Sarah looks like she is 15.

So today, I took Finesse to the Medina Valley Administration office...she applied, so we'll see what happens. After she applied we went into town and went to the Dollar Theatre and watched Soul Surfer, I cried so much during that movie...I'm such a nut! But it touched me cuz I knew it was based on a true story, and remember hearing and seeing Bethany Hamilton on the news when the shark bit her arm off in 2003. After the movie we went to Wendy's had some lunch and then went to GW's and did some shopping. I got two pairs of Jessica Simpson Patent Leather Pumps that normally run $80 bucks ea. I got them in perfect condition for $6.99 ea. I got a black pair and a red pair, identical shoes just in different colors, they are pretty, the heel has like see thru cheetah print on them, kinda Sexy. Finesse got shoes too...she's been wanting a pair of casual wedge heels to where with everything jeans, skirts, shorts etc. and she also got a Golds Gym workout top, cuz she's been jogging every evening.

And now we are just relaxing in our jammies and gonna watch a movie soon, I'm hungry tho, gotta find something to eat first.

K TTYL

Pic #1 is my Beautiful Mom at 16, and the second pic is My Still Beautiful Mom at 83 in good spirits during her recent hospital stay. And the last pic are of my new Jessica Simpson Pumps LOL 

I had the girls last week for about 4 days and Kasidy was sick, she kept coughing without covering her mouth, inspite of Danyel and I constantly reminding her too. Danyel kept get angry saying "Cover your mouth your gonna get me sick" and sure enough by the time the girls had left they were both sick. We got them childrens Tylenol and they started to feel better, but once they were gone I noticed I was getting sniffly...the next day we went to the $Theatre, and it was freezing in there, even tho I took a light blanket in with me, well I think that is what really got me even sicker. Afterwards, we went to Taco Cabana...Yum! Daniel joined us. They have got the best tasting Margaritas EVER! We had a blast!

We were supposed to go to the Riverwalk the next day...but I was SO SO SICK, it felt like my eyes were on fire and melting. So we had to cancel the riverwalk. Adrian came over that day after he got out of School to see if we were still going or not. He hung out for about an hour or so. And then he noticed that I had a guitar so he and Adam talked music a while, and jammed a bit. And then he left.

Adrian is Daniel's Childhood friend...he is like a second son to me. Since we got here to Texas...he's come over a few times to visit us on his own without Daniel, that is so sweet. He and Daniel and Lindsey and Finesse have hung out a few times as well. They've gone over to my cousin Bill's house to swim in the River and stuff. They are all good kids.

Anyway, it went from me having a headcold to having like  Bronchitis...started wheezing and making my asthma act up, and then I just got a plain 'ol ugly sounding cough. But I knew Adam was leaving on Tuesday, so I know my Mom would want to hang out with us before he left. So I mustered up enough energy and called her up to see if she wanted to go to that BIG HUGE Flea Market in San Antonio that she had been wanting to go to. We had alot of fun! On our way to the Flea Market, Daniel Texted me he wanted to know if I was gonna say Goodbye to Lindsey...he texted a couple of times. We got to the Flea Market it was HUGE and  was outdoors under open covered buildings...there was food, and Tejano bands there so people could dance if they wanted to, but people were not dancing...Except for this one man who got up and danced by himself, he must've been feeling good ; ) He was soo cute dancing by himself, I wanted to get up and join him so badly, but didn't...I Love Tejano Music...It MOVES me! So we would walk around and shop and then get hot and tired so we'd get a refreshment and sit and watch the band. It was so much Fun!

At the Flea Market Adam bought me a little "Siesta Man" atleast thats what I've alwasys called them...I have always wanted one since I was a teenager, to put up against the wall near the front door or resting under a tree. Now I have one for the door of my RV. When I was in Washington I wanted to have one for the front porch of our home to greet people and to show my heritage/culture. So I finally have a little one. Siesta means Nap...so that is why I call him the Siesta man...he is taking a nap, taking a Siesta. I will attach a photo of him at the end of this blog, as well as a short video of some of the music that was playing...you can really only hear the music and see my skirt, cuz i was holding my cell phone down, in case the band didn't want to be video taped, ha ha but you can see the Man that was Dancing by himself sometimes...LOL. And you can hear Adam and I and My Mom having conversations. The last time I had been to a big flea market with tejano bands playing was when I was about 14 or 15 when My Mom used to take us. So this was so nice to be able to take her now ; )There was a man wearing a ball cap  and Khaki shorts that asked Finesse to dance, but she declined so he went and asked someone else and you can see them out there dancing, towards the middle of one of the videos.

Mom Bought Finesse and I and herself some perfume and some little bracelets there, and she and Finesse got  nail polish too. And during one of shopping breaks Mom and I got a Margarita and Adam got a beer and Finesse a water ( second pic.)...FUN, FUN, FUN!

Then we came home...and dropped mom off, but then she quickly realized she had forgotten her keys inside...She locked herself out. So Adam had to climb into a window to get her in. Then we were getting ready to leave, but then decided to ask Mom if she wanted to go eat Mexican Food with us, So we all went and had dinner together. Then we all went home. When I got home I got a Text from Daniel saying: " I propesed to her....and she said Yes" So now I know why he had tried to text me so many times earlier this moring...he wanted to come by on his way to take her to the airport and tell us.

I texted Daniel after the Meeting on Sunday to see if Daniel could get the girls on Monday evening so that Papa could say Goodbye to them before he left the next day. So he said he probably could. So on Monday...Mom came over early and we were about to go to Hondo Walmart and asked her if she'd like to come along, and then we went to lunch, and then we got home and sat out on the pic nic table and played Aggravation...Mom Won! Daniel came over with the girls...mom left, we all signed Papa's cast and then we took the girls to DQ for an icecream. Then Daniel and Finesse went to pick lead, daniel picks lead and sells it for cash. Papa and I watched the girls til around 10pm. We enjoyed our time with them.

Well today is Tuesday...and we all woke up at 6am to get ready to take Adam to the Airport : ( How Sad! So as I sit and blog he is on his first plane home. I miss him already.

My poor Baby is going home to an empty chaotic home. But he is so loving he was willing to do that so that Finesse and I could be here in Texas. Can't wait for the house to rent out so he can join us.

First Pic...is Me, Mom and Finesse getting to the Flea Market.  Second one is of Finesse listening to one of the Tejano Bands, The second band was much better and they are the ones I took video of, and the other pics. are me and My Little Siesta Man.

So we had been planning our move to Texas for sometime now...Finally we started to put the plans into effect. I started selling things on Craigslist to make money for the move. We also had a 7 day yard sale...we reached our $ goal on the 6th day. Unfortuanately the first day of the yard sale...Adam Fell down our steep driveway and rolled his right foot under him and landed on it with his entire weight...he was in extreme pain. Brother and Sister Lautner and Stephanie Sands were here at the time and witnessed it all : ( We iced his foot and gave him Ibuprofin...and elevated his foot, and Stephanie happened to have a pair of crutches with her in her car...which was very helpful. The pain was not going away...So I had Finesse watch the yard sale while I took him to emergency...he had torn some ligaments and had muscle separation in his ankle...very painful, they say sometimes moreso than an actual break. So that night Finesse and I had to carry all the furniture from the yard sale back into the house, and for the next 6 days we hauled it all out every morning and hauled it all back in every evening...We were both so sore and bruised up by the end of it, and so grateful we had made our goal and that the 7th day had finally arrived...we did the yard sale for 7 days, cuz we were going to have nice, sunny weather for those days and on the 8th day it was gonna start raining for a whole week, we were glad for the rain... so we wouldn't have to have the yard sale for another day : )

Adam was going to have a follow up appt. with an Ortho Surgeon on the 3rd of May, so depending on what was done or suggested we would either leave the 4th or postpone our trip a month or so. Well, we went to his appt. we were praying he wouldn't need surgery...they suggested casting his leg from the knee down for 6 weeks...they said there was no reason he couldn't go on the roadtrip.

With the 2 cars (Finesse's Explorer and my car) all packed up (packed by me...arghh, since Adam couldn't cuz of his foot, well Finesse did help too, but I knew how I wanted things packed so that we could fit more in) I stayed up til 3 am packing the cars up. So anyway...with the two cars all packed up we headed out Wednesday the 4th we were gonna take our time getting to Texas, not rush it. We only drove til around 6pm the first day...with only 3 hours of sleep, I couldn't go on. So anyway it took us 4 days all together to get to TX. Cuz we Stopped in Az. And spent the night and day with my Sister Yolanda and her family. Then we headed out and got to Tx. the following day.

As soon as we got to Castroville, I went and saw my Mom. Brought her with us to see the RV for the first Time, and we were gonna take her out to dinner as well. Ya know...a Wrench always seems to get thrown in our plans...We had Texted Daniel to turn on the A/C in the RV before our arrival. But when we got to the RV, we noticed there was NO power at all. No lights, or A/C or anything (Unbelievable...you can't live without A/C in TX). Good thing it was Daytime when we got in, around 2pm. So we tried a few things...didn't work, with my Mom outside at the pic nic table, we decided to just go to dinner til we figured something out. The RV Host had given us the numbers to 2 RV repairmen. So we called them and when we were finished with Dinner and Mom had dropped us back off at the RV and left ( she had said if the power didn't get fixed to come to her home). Anyway we hung out at the pic nic table for awhile and one of the RV guys called Adam, and said he was finishing up Mother's Day Dinner but would make it out within the hour...WooHoo!

So after a couple of hours of him and his wife working...we had lights and one of the A/Cs running, barely. He said the front A/C was shot. And the back one that he was able to get running is on its last leg...GREAT! That's all we needed...more expense! So anyway in the whole RV, he could only get one electrical outlet to work...I was sure we were gonna blow that one, with all that we had plugged into it. But we didn't...Days later he came back and fixed the other outlets. Then a couple days later we were having trouble with No hot water, and sewage draining problems...we had to learn about RVs real fast (black tanks, grey tanks...blah blah blah). So anyway all of that seemed to be going okay...But now that A/C last leg? is down to half a leg now...its going bad! So the RV guy is gonna replace the front one with a brand new A/C unit tomorrow. Which is the one I would prefer to have running anyway, since the living room, kitchen and dining table area is where we spend most of our time. And we will just let the back one run til it dies!

Finesse is loving it here...she was texting my neice, Hope, her cousin back in AZ: " I dont know what it is about Castroville, but it just brings me and my Mom closer...Our bond tightens everytime we are here" So I was of course so pleased to hear how very HAPPY she is here.

Inspite of all the Trials we've had since getting here with the whole RV fiasco, I am so relaxed and at peace here...Finally!

I cannot believe it I AM HOME!

We are parked at the RV park in the Castroville Regional Park. This is the park I took My kids to when they were young...this is the park I taught Daniel how to throw a Football at, how to throw and catch a baseball. We are all home again! This is the same park I remember coming to as a teenager as well. There is so much to do here: The river, the 1 mile walking trail, the hiking trail, the park with 3 playgrounds, the public swimming pool, the tennis courts, basketball courts and volley ball. We are having a blast and the Glama Girls love it too!

The only sad part is that Adam will be leaving on Tuesday the 24th...to go and tie up loose ends, either rent our home out to a witness family or rent the individual rooms out to single brothers, once he accomplishes that...he can join us for good!

We went back to our old Congregation...it was so nice to see everyone! We got such a loving and warm reception. It all feels right, as a family we have been through the wringer in the past 2-3 years, but Satan did not win...with Jehovah's Holy Spirit we have remained strong and loyal to him, WE ARE STILL STANDING! Jehovah, you truly do empower the weak with your holy spirit...we Love and Thank You Father!

Well, I will continue to blog from our new home Castroville, Tx. The plan thus far is to live in the RV for atleast a year, save up and either continue to live in the RV if we become accustomed to it...or Rent a home or purchase a small home. And if we rent or purchase a small home...we will park the RV in the driveway and let Finesse use it as her apartment. We are enjoying ourselves, however, it has definately been an adjustment going from our 3,300 sq. ft. home in Wa. to the 1984 Holiday Rambler RV which only has 240 sq. ft. It is a 30 ft. , very old.... but hey, it is a roof over our heads.

We are learning to Keep our Eye Simple...our new motto: Simplify, Simplify, Simplify : )

Talk to yall Soon