Settling Into Phoenix

I have been busy trying to settle into Phoenix.  With my medical insurance FINALLY kicking in I am starting to make appointments for the children.  I tried to call a GI doctor to take Margaret and Joseph to but the doctor requires a referral.  I have to find a regular pediatrician first I guess. I have appointments for the children for a developmental pediatrician.  I am glad I got that done! The first one is February 19th.  Joseph will be going.  I am hoping the doctor will be able to help me figure out what is wrong with him.  I also got an appointment with an endocrinologist for Joseph.  This will be the first time he has seen one in awhile.

Countdown to Homelessness: 3 Days

Photo Credit: collegeboxes.com

Sorry I have not updated what has been going on but I have been both tired and busy.  John took the children for the whole day yesterday and I was suppose to get U-Boxes (U-Haul's version of PODS) to store my stuff in and then I could move it once I knew where I am going.  I had to stand at the U-Haul place for about an hour and a half yesterday trying to get everything worked out.  It was a complete mess.  I was not able to get the boxes delivered.  So John keeping the kids yesterday was partially a mess because I could not pack like I wanted to.  I ran around though and went to a couple of doctor appointments and followed up on several things I had been working on.  I literally left the house at 10am, when John got the children, and did not return until 3:30pm when the landlady said she was coming by to talk to me about the house. I was SO busy.  I had an hour at the house before John dropped the children off.

Today I am hoping I will get stuff packed.  My parents collected money from the family (even extended relatives) to get me the U-Boxes so I can have somewhere to store my stuff that will be easy to ship when I know where I am going.  My parents were also able to find me a cheap ($150 per week) extended-stay hotel.  Being that cheap I can't imagine the place will be nice but at least is it somewhere to go!  I am taking two of the crib mattress.  This way two of the children will sleep on the crib mattresses in the floor while one of the children and myself will sleep in the bed.

For state and federal aid purposes we are still considered homeless. Being in a hotel is considered being homeless by the government but at least I will not be rolling into Phoenix with NO WHERE/NO PLAN on where I was staying..  It will be rough living in such cramped conditions with all of them.  I am not sure what I am going to do about getting a sitter.  What am I suppose to tell them?  Come to my hotel and watch the kids all days.  I know it is boring and cramped here but try not to kill any of the kids when they get on your nerves.  I don't know.  That will be another problem for another day.

I have to go to a doctor appointment for myself this morning.  We will go to that.  Once I am done we will leave and go pick up some helpers to pack.  I will have to miss a doctor's appointment for Joseph at 11am because the U-Boxes will be delivered between 10am and 11am.  I have to be here for the delivery plus I don't have the the time to drive 40 minutes across town to make the appointment, spend the time there and drive back.  This sucks too because it was an appointment with the pulmonologist.  I am NOT happy U-Haul is making me miss this appointment!

John will be by at 6:30pm tonight to pick up the children.  This is technically his weekend.  I am hoping everything will be packed by then.   Keeping my fingers crossed!  I will try and update what I can I would guess that more of my updates will be from my Kindle or phone so bare with me.  : )

It's all Bon Bons from here - Part II

OK, it has been so long now I have forgotten all I was doing this morning...lol.  I know I took out all the trash.  I have a ton of it since I am moving.  Pack and organized things for the dentist appointment.  I folded and packed away some of my clothes.  I know there are other things but I just don't remember.

We did make it to the dentist.  I know Margaret has a problem with barfing at the dentist office.  They now even have it in her file...LOL!!!!   So we went back and Margaret was only sitting in the chair.  She was whining and starting to cough.  I KNEW if they did an x-ray, which I heard them talking about, she WAS going to barf!  So I thought I would be smart and tell them to bring a bag in before they do the x-ray so she could barf in it but as I was started to say that Margaret coughed again and barfed all over herself.    Of course, I did not think to take extra clothes with me.  What kind of mom would I have been if I was super organized and thoughtful like that?   *rolling eyes* So I helped the technician clean off the barf.  Margaret calmed down.  The dentist came in and looked at Margaret (no x-ray...lol).  The dentist found two huge sores in the back of her mouth.  So that was the problem!  Thank goodness it was not a tooth!  The dentist asked me if she had something in her mouth recently since the sore was one on the upper gum and one on the lower gum.  I said with her being autistic there is no telling what she may have done.  Sadly, I JUST do not know!  I was told to try and keep her mouth as clean as possible and not to feed her foods that are salty or acidic.  Good to know so I packed the kids up and headed home.  By the time I got home my car was starting to stink of barf.  Good time to get out...lol  

Once home I changed Margaret's clothes and called my mom to tell her the news.  Then we talked for a bit while I spent time making a list of people to call tomorrow and things I have to do.  Tonight I made an appointment at 6AM (UGH!!!) for a blood draw for myself and Joseph.  Oh, what fun we will have on the morning of the 18th!

So for tomorrow I have on my list of things to do...

• Call the WIC office again in Arizona
• Call UCLA and bother them
• Call the pulmonologist and set an appointment for Joseph
• Get an appointment with my general doctor so I can make sure I have what I need before I leave Vegas
• Get an appointment with the pediatrician after the 25th (when I will have a little more money) to see the kiddos and get any medical and other clearances I need.
• Talk to the school district about the kids IEPs
• Call and speak to the Desert Regional Center and let them know I am leaving. Get any information they have so I can hopefully hand-deliver it to the Division of Developmentally Disabilities in Arizona. 
• Get paperwork to get a new birth certificate for me.  Can't find mine.
• Call the homeless shelter again
• Send an email to a new friend to see if she can help me. Thanks Monica!

I am sure their are other things but I can't remember right now.  Tonight John will stop by and visit with the kids for a bit.  It is going to be devastating to James when we move away from John.  It makes me sad but I will see about getting him into therapy.  When John comes by I will leave to put gas in my car and buy some groceries.  I will miss that help too.  I HATE taking the children to the store.  They are normally great for me right up until I have to check out.  Then they go nuts!  I will miss being able to go out by myself to grocery shop.  Maybe I can find another mom and we could swap child watching for a bit?  Maybe?

Tomorrow I will try and scan more pictures and pack.  I will try and not stress over too much and just enjoy my bon bons...lol.