The Countdown

I am leaving tomorrow after church, so today I begin the countdown that includes a to-do list and my need to click off so many things before I go. I get like this often before trips -- determined to have certain projects done so I don't have to come back to them. I started the high expectation to do list on Monday and made good progress until I got to the Salinda School Crisis which took up a good bit of three of my days.

However, she had an excellent day yesterday. We finished her enrollment and we withdrew her from her old school, turned in her books, and cleaned out her locker which didn't take long. She was up on her own before she would have been had she had to go to school and cheerfully helped around the house without being asked. We had a very good conversation about online schooling and my expectations as well as hers on our trip to her boyfriends where she left me with a smile and a hug.

Now I get to remember her that way for a whole week -- at least that mental image -- so that is a good thing. Things are set up for her to begin on Monday and when I receive paperwork today I will do some additional preparation to make sure the technology is working on the computer she'll use and give her some extra things to do during a slow week as I understand the first week is not really full time.

I have some ideas of how this can really be a good thing for her. Her inability to make friends because she refuses to initiate any kind of contact has caused her a great deal of stress. So maybe taking that stress away will make her more pleasant. I'm actually thinking of a few ideas of ways this can be an even better experience for her.

And now, today, I will make every effort to finish the projects I had in mind and head to the airport tomorrow with a sense of relief instead of already dreading my return because I left so many tasks undone. Here's hoping....