Mid Day Report from Dunn Brothers

I'm sitting in the famous Dunn Brothers that Kari frequents. I am drinking a decaf iced chai. Makes me feel urban if not yuppy (which I am sure is a word that went out in the eighties). I dropped of the kids at the mall (the girls, Rand and John, and Salinda's friend). They hvae a cell phone and their a few blocks from me so I'm sure they're safe.

We got off 3 minutes ahead of schedule this morning, only because I announced that we would be leaving 30 minutes earlier than we needed to leave. I said 9:15, knowing we had to be gone by 9:45. We were driving out of the driveway for the final time at 9:42.

Things have been as expected. Everyone is with the program but John. He literally argues about everything I say. It's so draining and no fun for me. But 30 seconds later he wants a big hug. His moods are all over the place, he remembers nothing of the bad spurts, and my patience is wearing thin. I have had a headache for the last 5 hours.

There is good news though. The school Rand and John and I toured today (which he has decided he definitely wants to attend) is perfect for him. They have a separate building that houses EBD classrooms and a few tech ed, mechanical type shops. John can be mainstreamed as much as possible, but if he can't handle it, he can be in one of those two rooms all day long. He can still play sports, so it's the best of both worlds. He liked it, the people we met were friendly, and it looks like a good fit. Rand is still undecided and wants to see a few other schools.

In a little over an hour I'm heading back to the house to meet with the electrician. Then I'll shop with the kids, we'll eat at the mall food court, and then we'll go back and possiblly paint a little tonight.

As predicted, John sucked out all of my emotional energy by having a fit that I wouldn't buy him a pair of shoes when he has 3 pair that fit him. I even reminded him early in the week that he could work for money before we went to the mall. Instead of working he snuck out 3 nights in a row and tried to steal the car. But now he wants new shoes. EVERY time we go shopping we have this horrible arguments yet he is unwilling to help out at home even if he is paid.

But we're a horrible family because he only has 3 pairs of shoes. Each of them cost more than $75.00. Plus, we've bought him two or three other pair over the past year that have disappeared. Wow... I think I have Parenting Teens Stress Disorder myself.

At any rate, I've survived half the day. Hopefully I will survive the rest as well. Now I need to tend to emails.