Our Last Night...

Well, as most of you already know, Jake and I are leaving our current job as houseparents. We have been working as respite houseparents for over three years. After the birth of our daughter we decided it would be best for our family to resign our position and move on to something new. Our decision was an easy one because we feel like we never have time of our own and Jude was starting to pick up different behaviors, slang & attitudes from some of the children we work with. We gave a 60 day notice and it sure has prooved (like everything else we do...I have nicknamed it "the miller way") to be crazy and somewhat chaotic. We were going to rent from Jake's sister, then we were going to buy a house, then we were going to be homeless and now finally we will be renting. Saying all that I wanted to share with you my last day as a houseparent.

It all began when my alarm clock went off at 6:15 A.M. I crawled out of bed when it was still dark out (ughh). I took a shower and got myself presentable for the day. Then I woke up our two respite girls and got them going. Two pigtales, one ponytail and a lot of detangling spray later we were out the door at 7:15 A.M. The girls go to schools that are on opposite ends of the county from each other. I got the girls to school and arrived back home by 8:30. I spent most of my morning straightening things up, packing a little and mostly planning to do stuff. I went to the grocery store, took care of my own kids, cleaned up Jude's messes (he keeps trying to pack stuff - it is cute). The next thing I know it is 2:15 P.M. and it is time for me to go pick up one of the girls from school. I get her and then get lost trying to find my way back to 77N because I need to go to pick up our veggies from Crown Point (we are CSA members). I get to the farm, get our stuff, pick some cherry tomatoes and let Jude chase the chickens a little bit. After all he is a city kid and the farm is kinda like going to a zoo for him. By time I am done with that I have to drive clear across the county again to get our other girl. When I pick her up I have to go in and sign her out...so, I get Jude, Elise & respite girl #1 out of the car and get respite girl #2. I want to go home and cook dinner so I can get #2 back to CFalls to go to an appointment. And I hit rush hour traffic in Monroe Falls. For those of you who aren't from around here, MFalls isn't a big city. In fact, I doubt there are even considered a city at all. But for some reason there is always a huge traffic jam there. So, I ditch the idea of going home to cook. I opt for a nice delicious meal at McDonalds. After that I stop at Sherry's house to get boxes, but because I am early and her hubby expects me to be late (I wonder why) he's not there yet. So I leave, take #2 to her group, then decide to run home because by this point Elise is hungry and I don't have a bottle with me and I don't want to breast feed her in public or in front of a respite child. So, I go all the way back home to feed Elise. Then I ran back to Sherry's and get the boxes (thank you Bill) and back to pick up #2 from her group. I talk to her mom breifly and off we go again. Whew...are you tired yet? Well, I had told the kids I would take them to get hot chocolate at this coffee shop nearby, so we walked down and noticed there was a car show. There was some music and the kids were all (except Elise of course) dancing and having a great time. FINALLY we make it to the coffee shop and get our hot chocolate. We sat down and I noticed there was a guy sitting there with his guitar and microphone. I ask him if he is taking a break or not playing because there was no one there. He said he was waiting for an audience so...I told him we could stay for 2 songs. The kids loved it. As I sat there drinking my cappachino (so I could stay awake) I watched Jude sitting on the couch in the coffee shop, with the two girls. They were all mesmerized by the music (and hot chocolate with way too much whipped cream). I saw them tapping their feet and having such a good time. Not a worry in the world. And I thought, this is it. It is our last day. And I am really going to miss these kids. As much as I can't stand some of them (I know I am not suppposed to feel that way) I really do love them all. I hate that they have messed up lives and so many problems that aren't there fault. I just hope that someday they look back on their time with us as time they were just allowed to be kids and feel loved.

So, after all that, we got home. Elise was crying, Monet was eating tissues out of the trash, Jude puked on the floor, #2 cried for her mom, #1 slammed the door in my face and covered her ears because I caught her in #2's room (which is a no-no) and respite goes on......

Goodnight.