Slime, socks and silver linings...

So on Monday we find out that our case has been closed! Closed since Sept. 6! Of course that just throws Clint and I in an upheaval. He had been deligently calling our case worker AND 2 of her supervisors every week at least 2 or 3 times and leaving messages on their VM for the last 3 weeks. The last time I had called was 2 weeks after the 6th and she was such a BIOTCH that I swore I would never call her again. This is grating on Clint's nerves the whole time because I refuse to deal with her and he's had to be the one calling AND do school work too. So, that had been a heated debate in itself and then to top it off unbeknown to us our case was closed because of not having the papers turned in on time. I spoke with her on Sept. 10 because all th forms she requested hadn't been sent back to us and she said she would extend it by 5 days. I guess she forgot and shut our case when she noticed the forms not in by the 6th. Very annoying and I find myself getting worked up on just the thought of it all. So, Clint requested a hearing because we were not properly notified and I will be there re-applying on Thursday. I hope we don't need to prove anything from Clint's old employment because they send it directly to the office and I think it gets lost in the shuffle. I had all the other forms sent back to us and then we made copies before we turned them in. I hate this kind of rig-a-ma-role when things get screwed up like that -it really affects us - not just money or lack of health insurance (Thank God - we didn't take Crispin to the ER!) but it throws Clint and I for a loop and before you know it we are acting like we are not on the same team. I can totally handle all the other shit but when we are divided like that - that is what gets me thinking that I would rather be someplace else! Again, I am happy for short lived emotions - give me a few hours and I'm good to go. Of course I had to call mom and let it out and take a couple of Excedrin PM's during the day - just joking I took them at bedtime.

I will get there bright and early tomorrow and pray that we get another case worker that has some empathy and that our old case worker gets her fingers stuck in a stapler! Part of me wants to go ghetto on her if I see her - like she needs to know how she has screwed us over. The other part of me takes inventory of all that we have and how we could be in a worse place with all this.

Yesterday I thought was a good day to try to wrap my head around a sock pattern. I found a very nice step by step tutorial with great instructions and pictures online. I'm starting at the top of the sock and have about 1/4 of inch done. I'm hoping that tomorrow while I'm waiting to see the case worker, I can get to the heel part. That is where my head starts to spin. I will probably have at least 1 to 2 hours of sitting there, so it will be perfect timing. K is taking Crispin for me - bless her!

Since last Friday, Crispin seems to be doing much better with the marathon nursing. He's taken an interest in food and in milk from a cup. If I tell him "no nurse -- get your milk" he jumps out of my lap and finds his cup and forgets all about nursing. It's down to 3 times a day. Once in the morning and once before nap then he nurses to sleep. Last night he only woke up once to nurse! I can handle one or the other - if he marathon nurses during the day and at night - I will go nuts! So, I am finding much pleasure in this turn of events. It's the silver lining in the muck!