How life can change over the weekend...

Whewwwww...I don't know where to begin.

My 18-year old step-daughter moved in with us yesterday. How do I feel about this? I'm trying to stay positive. I've never really had any really bad problems with C. I've been around most of her life. She's never lived with us, though. This isn't an easy situation for any of us. We're all she's got right now...and I'm determined to make it work...to show her some happiness and peace. (Okay...yall remind me I said that if I ever get negative.) We all sat down and talked. I told her what my expectations are and I made some concessions. My once beautiful scrapbook room/computer room is now ugly as heck. I mean...it's got a Victorian "Antique Ladies" border, peachy, floral sheers, pearl tie-backs, antique quilts, teacups...and NOW...a huge plastic Budweiser bottle, a huge pillow with flames (I made it for her never thinking that she'd bring it to my house to stay), and other things that just don't fit. She wants to put posters up all over the place but I'm just thinking...No. I've managed to put that off until I get back later this week. I keep reminding myself...it's just a room. One day, she'll move out and I can have my room back.

The worse thing for me is the smell. Now, yall have to know that I have very serious asthma. I can't be anywhere near a cigarette. Now...there are many people who smoke that I love to death. But I absolutely hate smoking. Not...the smoker. Just smoking. It stinks to high heavens. Well, my house normally smells like a gift shop. The minute she moved in...I could walk down the hall and smell the cigarettes before I even got in her room. I'm just really upset because it smells so bad. C doesn't smell it. Everytime, M, A, or I come down the hall...we've taken to spraying Fabreeze on everything. We do it all over the house...but especially in my scrapbook...uh, I mean...her room. So this is tough for me. Very tough.

C has agreed to try to get into college this fall. I'm going to take her this week to get the ball rolling. I'm encouraging her and hoping that she'll work hard and do well. C will tell you herself...she's lucky to get out of high school. So this is definitely a positive step for her. She told me that she knew she had to get some kind of education to get anywhere in life. Thank you, Jesus!

Okay...I'm thinking that something else happened this weekend. But I'm so overwhelmed right now that I can't think what it is.