About Bonnie
Bonnie Rice: My life revolves around my passions and home organization is one of my passions. I want to have a home where I can invite people over and feel comfortable entertaining support and study groups. I have done some of that in my life, but I have never been able to make a real place for that. Home organization is one means to that end--if I can become and stay organized, I can turn the house I am in into a sanctuary for myself, my family, and others who wander into my life.
I want to open the house for retreats for Christian women's groups and for people who live with a mentally ill spouse or child. Having a mentally ill spouse, I know that people in that situation could often use a safe place to get away and just think, but most spas are too costly. Mental illness is an expensive problem--and medical insurance doesn't cover most of the damages. This spa will work on a donation or sliding fee basis so that those who can't afford it but need it can feel comfortable coming.
I want to start a support group to meet in the house on a weekly basis. I haven't been able to locate a support group for spouses of mental patients--although there is one locally for parents. I do not know exactly how to set it up or what to do, but it ought to be done and I don't see anyone else doing it.
I know it will take a monumental degree of organization to pull it off, but I have not spent 10 years studying home organization for nothing. If I can't get it together now, what's the point?
Bonnie Rice
Wife to Troy--Bipolar 1 and currently hypomanic
Mom to Michael--21, normal, married and in the navy--getting out this fall after serving 4 years
Chris--20 ADHD and in an apartment across town
TJ--18 GT, and reasonably normal
Josh--15 and obnoxious
And a real person in my own right