And Life Goes On...

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The past two weeks has been a whirlwind of activities besides the CI activation.

The girls had back-to-school orientations and shopping to do. We covered the supplies they needed. I got extra looseleaf/filler paper because they always use that up during the year and it’s nice to have that on hand rather than to run to the store for more (i.e., plan to get a ride or get Hubby to pick some up).

I made plans to get an interpreter for both orientations. Sometimes it’s nice not to have to work so hard to listen. I didn’t have the CI activated yet. I did feel a little funny, but most of the parents and the teachers all knew I was deaf. Angel was uncomfortable with my talking hands and didn’t want me to sign. I had to talk to her about it later (at home). I didn’t want to create a scene. The next night was Flare’s freshmen orientation and Angel did not bother me when I signed, but kept bugging me about how thirsty she was. Drove me nuts. LOL. The girl would make a great salesperson-very PERSISTENT!!

It was my first time in our new church. All the parents had ot gather in the church to hear the principal talk about the rules of the school. The kids never had lockers before so they had a few rules about that (no stickers or tapes) and only CLEAN gym shoes allowed on the new gym floor. The new church was very spacious and high-ceilinged. It was a tad too dark/shadowy for me, but the lighting was better overall (compared to the old church). Maybe it was just because it was in the evening and the sun was starting to set, too. The ceilings are wood-toned while the old church had white ceilings.

I got to meet Angel’s new teacher. She’s a few years out of college. It seems like all the professionals (dentists, doctors, audies, etc) I meet are getting younger and younger. (Makes me feel old. LOL). We scheduled a time for her to meet us at our house. I had a choice of scheduling it at the school or my house, but it was easier for me to just have the teacher meet at my house so I didn’t have to worry about transportation.

Flare’s orientation was confusing. The freshmen had some kind of a mock school day where they went to each class for ten minutes each. The parents had different 10 minute sessions, such as discussions about athletics, academics, and some kind of parent watch thing where any after school party must be monitored and a list of names can be used to call other parents about parties and such (parent network), discipline, and public relations.. I didn’t see Flare until the end. It was kind of frustrating because they split up the freshmen and the parents. Oh well. I would have been lost at sea if I didn’t have the interpreter there. We did have room numbers to find for each session, but I wanted to meet up with Flare again. Flare's homeroom teacher visited our home, too. He chatted with her before the meeting at the orientation started.

The girls are settled in at school now. I’m sure it’s pretty much a routine thing for them. I get them up in the morning (sometimes three times!!) before school. Hubby takes Angel to school and she gets a ride home from one of the parents. Flare rides her bike to school with two other neighbor boys. When it gets colder out, Hubby will take her to school, too.

As far as updates with the CI (cochlear implant), I don’t have new things to report. I don’t notice much with my hearing aid (HA) on, but when I turn it off once in a while, I’ll try to listen for things. I heard the clock ticking. It was muted and high-pitched, but I knew it was the clock. Voices are becoming quite ducky (Daffy Duck). I try to muddle through the “Heliumite” language, I can see the kids’ mouths move, but it isn’t clear sound yet. For now, they make great "heliumoids." It still buzzes and sounds like my hearing aid whistling. I’ve been using P2 more now. P1 seems too soft. The programs that are set on the CI aren’t draining the battery so much. I can put a recharged battery in at 6 in the morning and take it off at 10:30 at night and there’s still juice in it yet. I did try P3. The volume is very subtle and it’s hard to really notice the difference in volume. If I use P4 long enough, I feel a funny “spark” or electric shock (I am not sure how to describe it). It’s uncomfortable.

Yesterday we took a 30-minute trip out of town to pick up half a pig Hubby ordered. It was a nice drive. (It was hot yesterday!!) Since I always used to take this route to work, I couldn’t believe how many wind turbines have been put up in the last four years. It was weird seeing them scattered all over. It was the first time I’ve seen so many of them in one area, but they were unusually immobile. The big thee-bladed propellers didn't move at all.

Then, this morning, Hubby dropped us off at church. It was a little weird for me. It’s new. I am so used to having two rows of pews and now it’s four rows (or is it five?). The pews are arranged in a kind of an arc. Different. If you turn around and look at the top wall, you can see the huge organ pipes. They still haven’t gotten all the stained glass from the old church yet so there are a few clear panes of glass in the windows waiting to be replaced.

It still has a “new” smell in the walls and carpeting.

There are no curbs to the church. I kept looking for one so I can make a step, but it was all ramped-like. That’s good for me because then I don’t have to look for the curb. :)

Have a great Labor weekend, all!!

HUGS.

Oh, before I forget, Flare has been showing me her potential for poetic "flair." She's shown me about four poems that she wrote. Hmm. wonder where she gets that from?.....;)