New Car

I was looking for a car for Maggie but also pondering that I needed a taller vehicle so the arthritis in my knee wouldn't bother me as much.  We decided that Maggie would buy my Camry from me and I would buy a new car for me.  I test drove a RAV4 and a Highlander including parking them side by side so I could see which was easier to get in and out of.  I decided that I really wanted a Highlander.  I found this used 2017 Highlander in my price range.  Mom drove me to Omaha so I could buy it.  I took her to McDonald's for supper before we each drove home.  When I got home, I sent these 2 texts to my mom and sisters:

I’m home. I figured out how to turn on the blind spot monitoring and a few of the other safety features that I like. Philomena moved my Camry to the rock drive off the alley so I came home & was able to pull into the driveway 🥰 I also figured out how to lock the doors without the key fob. The sensor is in a slightly different place than my Camry. Loving it!

I was on the ramp to the interstate when I realized my headlights weren’t on so I pulled over and figured that out. In a black vehicle that could be bad at night!

 

It all started with guinea pig hair...

Philomena was upset that she had washed her clothes and she still had guinea pig hair on them.  I thought we probably just needed to run a tablet through on an empty load to clean the washing machine.  Next thing I know, I walk downstairs to find Philomena had taken the machine apart.  After helping her put the machine back together, I wrote the following message and shared it with my mom:

Dear Dad,

I’m sorry for all the times I took things apart & couldn’t put them back together. I’m extra sorry for the times I handed you an extra screw that I didn’t know where it went after I’d finished a project. I’m also really sorry for all the times that I forgot to shut off the electricity or at least unplugged the item before I started working on it. I now know the heart racing fear & laughter when your child shocks themselves. 

Love, your child who learned from the experiences and is now on the parenting end

The washing machine is working better now so I appreciate her going down that rabbit hole.  At bedtime, Philomena said to me, "I'm really not sure how I got from being mad about guinea pig hair on my shorts to all the parts of the washing machine laying around me!"

 

Choir Concert

The Lincoln High Choir is really good.  Mom, Maggie and I enjoyed the concert!

 

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Philomena and Maggie were both in the tech crew for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe production at LHS.  Philomena is in these pictures because she helped with the production all the way through.  Maggie chose not to do the last 2 weeks because it was difficult to balance homework and going to long practices.  She was still listed on the flier as part of the crew.

 

Honors Night

Maggie and Philomena made Honor Roll.  Philomena was inducted into the National Honor Society with the other selected seniors.

 

Homecoming 2026

Rebecca, Katie, and their mom, Lindsey, came to our house to get ready.  They thought they'd have time for pictures at my house, dinner out to daVinci's, and pictures at their house.  Plus Lindsey and I talked about pictures at the Sunken Gardens.  The girls took so long getting ready that Lindsey left to get their food for them and took it to her house.  I followed them over there and got a few pictures.  One I was able to use AI to change the background so I've got a good one to print.  It was quite the evening with 4 autistic girls getting ready together and both sets of sisters arguing with each other at different points in the evening!  John picked up Katie and Maggie when they were tired of the dance and they went back to Lindsey and John's house to watch Spiderman in their fancy dresses.  Then when Rebecca, Philomena, and Elyssa were ready to leave, they picked up Maggie.  They all got brownie sundaes for dessert.  They were home by midnight so this mama was able to get some sleep!

 

Mom & Philomena's Birthdays out for Lunch

Grandma joined the 3 of us at Mazatlan's for lunch to celebrate us.  Mom and I had gone in together to buy Philomena a dorm refrigerator with freezer.  Mom had it stored at her house and then we gave it to her after lunch back home.  She pulled the blanket off and saw the box and got excited!  She's using it in her bedroom now to keep her pop and snacks so Maggie and I don't eat them!  I wish we'd done a picture of the 4 of us but I didn't think of it until after Mom had left.