No Appointments Today!!!

For the first time in ages I have no meetings all day. I don't have to get in the van except to take kids to school and possibly pick some up all the way until this evening!

Monday was a crazy day. I had a meeting 2 hours from here and 2 conference calls that I did -- stopped in towns along the way -- sitting in the van. Ended up being gone for 5 hours. Then worked at my desk until 10 trying to get a project done.

Yesterday was a 2 hour late start, followed breakfast with Kari and the mom of the Dynamic Duo. Then watched Isaac for 2 hours, attempted to get the same project done, and headed out of town for a home visit, after stopping by my office to get ready for the visit, work on files, etc. Jimmy came with me and helped me clean up from training on Friday and Saturday and then we had supper before my home visit. It's been a crazy few days.

I did attend a school meeting with a family and I have to be careful to be very anonymous here, but the school was attempting to expel a student because they were declaring that her anger outburst and the fact that she assaulted two other students were not directly nor substantially related to her diagnosis of RAD, PTSD, and ODD. REALLY PEOPLE???

The situation was muddied by many other factors, so I simply asked the team to clear their minds of all of the specifics of the people themselves and justify for me how anger outbursts and assaults were not directly or substantially related to those three diagnosis. They backed off, did not expel, and now will be providing services to the family. Had they been able to expel, one hour of home bound schooling was the only education the child would receive.

So sometimes I get a glimpse that all of my travel and the crazy schedule is worth it. I get a blog comment or an email or I meet with a family, or something happens that shows me that some of what I am doing matters.

One more positive note from my world.... Jimmy doesn't work again until January 6th because the university is on Christmas break. And he is SO helpful around the house that it is wonderful. He keeps things tidy in the kitchen, -- the most tidy of anyone else in the family -- keeps up with laundry, and makes sure that the living room is clean (which was Salinda's chore this month and she's not here). It's a joy to be home when he is here because he likes to be helpful and doesn't complain, needs no nagging, and does an excellent job.

I'm off to awaken the children and take them to school. Then I need to to tackle two desktops -- the one full of email and the "real" one full of papers, snail mail, and lots of junk!

A virtual hug to everyone -- they are the best you know. No risk of smelling bad or having bad breath!