When beepers came out, I thought to myself, "Wow, what a cool little gadget. I could carry this while I'm going to college so my mom and children could beep me if there's an emergency." When cell phones came out, I didn't think I'd need one, as my beeper served it's purpose. My cell phone is almost always with me now. When computers came out, I didn't see why I might ever need one. Wow. I am with this little box, cell phone by my side, more than I care to admit. When I heard about myspace, I only made one because my teens (there were 5 at the time) had them and I wanted to keep an eye on them for safety sake. When facebook came out and my teens were grown, I didn't think I'd have a facebook, as myspace had served its purpose for me. Lo and behold, a former student put a post out asking if anyone knew one of her former teachers (me). A friend of mine "googled" me, for some odd reason, and discovered that post ... on live journal. This student convinced me to join facebook so, as a courtesy, I did. I now get my facebook updates on my cell phone. lol. Now I'm blogging, something else I thought I'd never do. My, how technology can change the way we live ...
When I was home with my first 3 young children, post-partum depression often hit hard. I didn't work outside the home. I did some house cleaning and babysitting. My children were always with me. When I became a single mom, it was very difficult having so little interaction with others. I had one or two friends in a similar situation who I spent the majority of time with. This little box has opened up a whole new world of support and socialization, conveniently spent in the comforts of my home with my children (5 at the time of this writing) still by my side. I love my online friends - you know who you are.
At the time of this writing, I have 3 birth children, 6 adopted from foster care, and 2 teens I fostered until adulthood. I have 1 adult child living at home and 5 younger ones ... with a 6th on his way and his brother, the 7th, expected to join us shortly thereafter. That's the plan I have, anyway. Sometimes, God's plan is different than my own. My children deal with ODD, ADHD, autistic spectrum disorder, mood disorders, PTSD, dissociative disorder, fetal alcohol/drug exposure, developmental delays, and mild mental retardation. I, myself, struggle with autistic spectrum challenges, although I was never formally diagnosed. I guess you'll get to know all of us as time progresses.
I also recently purchased my first RV: a 1985 Class C. Admitedly, I bought it as a vacation home but also as a "plan B" if I were to lose my house in this economy. I tried looking for homes/apartments to rent but very quickly learned no one wanted to rent to a family of 7, especially a family of 7 with special needs. I never lost my home, by the grace of God, but we kept the RV. We love that ol' dinosaur. We spend lots of time in it. It's been in and out of the shop more than I'd like so we haven't traveled far but now that most of the kinks are worked out and I've learned enough about it's operations to go somewhere, we'd like to start traveling in it long-term. Some of us would love to live in it full-time but others of us are on the fence about that so we'll see what happens. In 2009, we traveled around much of the USA in a minivan with a tent. We passed 16 states on one trip then visited 3 more on other trips. So, we've seen parts of 19 states so far. We did spend quite a few nights in motels and at friends' homes (you know, those friends I met in the box). We just "winged it" but we had a great time. The only thing I desired was a personal potty that traveled with us. Funny to think I spent $14,000 for a personal potty. lol. OK, we have living/sleeping quarters and a kitchen traveling with us, too, but originally, it was for the potty. I go often, especially in the middle of the night, and I hated walking to the bathrooms in the dark at campgrounds. TMI, I'm sure. I'll close on that note. There's a sticks and bricks house I need to clean before our work/school week begins. Even though I'd much rather be RVing and homeschooling full-time, we're still in the sticks andbricks house, attending public schools (with mixed emotions) and working part-time as an 8th grade science teacher (thinking I'm ready to retire soon but not even close to 'retirement age').
