"Drama Week"

I don't think my mental status can take one more emergency or piece of bad news or argument with ignorance.
The week actually started off with an AWESOME FHE on testimonies on Monday. We talked to the girls about what that means and how to share one properly. Then each of us took turns bearing simple testimonies standing in front of the family. I could definitely feel the spirit and it seemed like the older girls could, too. Even Tatum and Asia stood bravely in front of everyone and, with some help, shared their young beliefs. I can't say as though we've EVER had a "spiritual" FHE.
Tuesday morning started Will's work week and the drama, in all different forms, that hasn't stopped yet.
Tuesday morning, we were running unusually late for school by about 5 minutes. We arrived in the parking lot with about 7 minutes to spare (at 8:23) before the tardy bell. (If you know my girls, you'll know that's just barely enough time for them to do anything...)
After I dropped them off with an exchange of "I love you's", off they ran. As I was pulling out of the school, a police cruiser came flying into the parking loy with lights flashing. This school shares the same complex with Vancouver School District Offices and so I didn't think to seriously about it.
I needed to go to the grocery store, so I headed to 4th Plain Rd. As I turned, I saw 3 more police vehicles screaming down 4th plain with full lights and blaring sirens and I watched them turn down the street toward the school. I stayed pulled over and dialed the school. Lisa, the attendance person, answered and I asked her if everything was ok at the school and if I should come back to get my girls who I had JUST dropped off there. She said not to worry that they were in a lock down. I asked if it was real or a drill and she put me on hold to find out. When she came back a few minutes later, she said they were being told that it's just a drill. I hung up thinking "Yeah, right" The police wouldn't be screaming down the street, so I turned back.
By the time I got around the block, there were already, at least, 15 different types of VPD vehicles and the SWAT van. I saw the school counselor, Mr. Royster, standing outside, keeping bystanders back. I heard one parent asking what the H was going on and why there were SWAT members running INTO the school with assault rifles cocked and ready.
After waiting and wondering for about a 1/2 hour, hearing live reports from local news, who was on site, about what was going on, they finally called an "all clear" over the school intercom. I walked casually toward the school, passing the SWAT guys with their ENORMOUS war weapons, to make sure the girls were ok and not freaking out.
Turns out that 2 Kindergartners reported that a 2nd grader had pointed a gun at them and "fired", but all they saw was "smoke". It was determined that this 2nd grade boy had brought a bright orange cap gun to school. I still don't know the outcome of the punishment.
I am EXTREMELY grateful to the school staff. It pays to volunteer at the school. I was able to sign in and wear my badge and wander around with no questions asked. I went to Asia's class first and everything was business as usual. The teachers kept the students calm and collected and they were carrying on with their day.
I feel like the staff absolutely did the right thing and that VPD acted swiftly and completely. I feel safer now than ever before, knowing that Roosevelt Elementary takes these things seriously.
Wednesday, the kids were off school all day for a "semester break" and Will was working again. That creates enough drama all by itself. I decided to take the girls to Build-A-Bear to use their own $5 free accessory coupons. However, the RUDE girl at the counter would not accept the coupon, claiming that I had already used them. I printed them from an email that I was sent from BAB, AND it didn't say ANYWHERE on the coupon a limit of times to use the coupon. In fact, the gal at the Clackamas store gave me back the coupons to use again. This girl tried to tell me "Sorry about that" and I said "No you're not!" as I walked out of the store. SO IRRITATING!
Thursday, Will got called into work, which is great for the OT, but not so fun to not have him home 4 days in a row, as he is scheduled to work again tomorrow.
Apparently, Tatum, Roxelle and I made the front page of the local newspaper, The Columbian, on Wednesday. A reporter was outside the school on Tuesday and asked me what I had heard/seen. I haven't read the article, yet, but the reporter supposedly only posted some "choice phrases" that I had said and it all came off as negative. He didn't quote ANY of the positive and glowing things that I had to say about the staff at Roosevelt or the VPD. When I went into the school office to drop stuff off for Mrs. Garton, the 3 darling secretaries, whom I absolutely adore, were less than warm to me. I couldn't figure out why until one of them mentioned "noticing 'my' article in the paper". UGH! I feel really bad and I need to see this article to know exactly what was said.
Friday was Mariah's birthday. I had SO much to do and not NEAR enough time to do it. I had to bake brownies for her class and be to the school by 10 to help with the PTA popcorn day on top of cleaning the house and getting myself ready for tonight and still decorating and creating the cake.
During the popcorn event, a gal that I've been working with on fundraisers throughout the year pulled me aside and told me that the PTA president had stepped down and that she just got out of a meeting with the regional PTA board and they were pressing her for a name to replace the old president. She asked *GULP* me to stand in. Say what?!!! *looking behind me* Are you talking to me?!?? *pointing to self*......... I said yes. YIKES!!!!!!!! What is WRONG with me?!
The main reason I said yes is because she said that I don't really have to "do" anything more than what I'm already doing because the rest of the school year (school ends the first week in June) is already planned. They just need a name for the roster and someone to attend 2 regional board mtgs......... Still a little scared, though. :-O
When we got to Build-A-Bear for the birthday party, the gal says to me right off, we can't take any more of those coupons from you. I'm like, WTHk?! I am here for my daughter's birthday party. So, I was talking to my mom while the girls were shopping and she read the coupon and agreed with me. So she took it to the front with the little girls and they wouldn't take it from her either! So we got into this big long discussion with the manager about it being illegal, yada-yada. And even though Mariah's 2 little friends had never even been in that store, they wouldn't take the coupons from them either. SO MADDENING! I asked the mgr, "So you're gonna stand there and tell these 2 little girls (that have NEVER been here before) at my daughter's 10th birthday party that they can't use a $5 coupon??! She said "NOPE!" BAB Corp. is sooooo getting a call from me.
THEN (getting ridiculous now) after we finished up the party here at the house (which was really fun and I will blog it later with pics, btw) I was driving Mariah's friend Lauryn home and I went to go around the barricade that blocks our street off and some car came over like they were going to come through. So I backed up to let them through and they just sat there, so I pulled into my neighbor, Lola's, circular drive that goes all the way behind her house and comes out on the other side of the barricade. By the time I got around the house, the car had backed up and was blocking the end of the driveway. A lady, that I recognized as the neighbor that had the barricade erected illegally to stop traffic from driving in front of her house (ridiculous, I know), got out of the car and came to my window. She said she just wanted to let me know that I'm not supposed to go around the barricade that I needed to go around the block the other way. I said that I understand that she had the barricade put up illegally and I have been given permission by Lola, who owns the piece of land directly to the side of the barricade, to drive on her property. This woman, Danelle is her name, said, but I own this piece of land (pointing to the road) and I have asked the general public not to drive on it. I told her that I know it's illegal to do that and that you can't connect 2 public roads (ours and the other side of "hers") with a private one, unless in an industrial area. She said, but I OWN this piece of land and if you go on zillow.com you will see that it is part of MY property (yeah, like I'm gonna trust a site like zillow). She said you can call my lawyer and the commissioner and tried to give me their names. I told her not to worry that I've already contacted the commissioner and there is already a neighborhood backed lawsuit forming. She said, can I get your name so that I can have my lawyer contact you and I said "It's KRisty WITH A K ERickson and I live in that house RIGHT THERE!" and pointed to it. She said ok and walked away, turned off her car and yelled, you can turn around and go back the way you came now and went into her house, leaving her car there to block me in. I yelled..."but I can't see!" It's pitch black in Lola's yard. I wasn't about to try backing up in the dark. So I called 911. The sheriff took her address from me and tried to call her. While I was on hold, I got out of the car and realized that if I drove a little bit on the "grass" (which is dead and non-existent anyway), I could get around her car. So I did, and she comes running out the door trying to stop me, but I was off and gone. UUUURRRRGGGGH!!! What is it with people altercating with me lately?! SHEESH!
I was on hold with the sheriff for another 5 minutes or so and he came back on the line saying he tried to call her 3 times and it was busy. I told him that I was able to get around her vehicle safely and got out. He told me that if I have any more problems whatsoever to call them and they'll take care of it. (Maybe I'll post the other long and drawn out story about the blockade business another time)
But the drama doesn't end there...... (SERIOUSLY.)
This morning at 6:40, Mariah came running into our room saying that there are flashing lights at Joe's house (the empty farmhouse behind us). I told her not to worry about it and to go back to sleep. I got up to check on the other kids and looked out Brinlee's window at the front of the house and saw our ENTIRE STREET lit up with emergency vehicles. At least 3 fire engines, many more police and fire marshall and ambulance.
Lola's house BURNT DOWN! Our friends, Trevor and Wendy Narvasa, from our ward that live directly across from Lola, got a call from Lola (who's 91) this morning early and she was saying that she was burning a fire in the fireplace and now there was smoke coming into the house. So Trevor, threw on his shoes and RAN over there to see flames coming out the fireplace. Her house is SO OLD and there are old photos, papers, newspapers EVERYWHERE that it was starting to light up that he couldn't find anything to put out the fire, so he grabbed Lola and ran out of the house screaming "FIRE! FIRE!"
Wendy called 911 and by the time they arrived there were already flames coming out the front windows and glass breaking. OMGsh!!!!!! Trevor is a HERO! He totally saved her life. If she'd just called 911 directly..they would have never made it, ESPECIALLY with that DANG barricade making life difficult.
This is ALL why I am going to be having a nervous breakdown soon. LOL!!!!