[kay]

So many things going on with C and school, and his upcoming surgery, and regular getting-ready-for-Christmas stuff, and I've been holding it together so well! Last night I got a call from C's sister, A, wanting to know if she can spend Christmas with us - and I thought, oh, what the heck, why not? and said yes. Just now I got a call from A's worker (yes, she's still in the system for another 8 months) saying that my livescan fingerprints have expired (EXPIRED?!?) and that before an overnight can be authorized, I have to make the time to go do that again. And I fell apart.

And it gets better, she just called back and said that they need to do a home evaluation before they'll allow the visit! A has had overnights with us at least 5 times in this house, and more in the one before we moved. And this is the home that C is systematically destroying, so what are the odds we won't even pass??? If it weren't for the fact that this visit is so important to both A & C, I'd tell them to take a flying ****.

I'll get through this, this too shall pass, but right at the moment this was the straw that sent me from coping, just barely, to feeling totally overwhelmed.

[Lorraine123]

Oh Kay. You have a lot on you right now. I can understand how this has been the straw that broke the camel's back. You are a strong mom. Keep venting to us, it helps.

[zebramom]

Just keep repeating to yourself....

The system does not work in the best interest of the kids.. The system does not work in the best interest of the kids.. The system does not work in the best interest of the kids.. The system does not work in the best interest of the kids..

[Barksum]

Aw, Kay. That's the pits. I know that someone who has a normal life might read what you wrote and think, "What's the big deal?" but we all know how big a deal it is - and all that on top of doing daily life, too!

Just do the next thing on your list and don't sweat the small stuff. Wait. What's the small stuff?? I don't have any small stuff or I'd let you have it so you could have something to not sweat over.

Hey! Somebody needs to donate some small stuff to Kay so she has something to not sweat. Anyone? Anyone with small stuff? Anyone at all...?

Well Kay, I tried. No one has small stuff for you to not sweat. I guess you'll just have to have a glass of calm and sweat away over the big and the small.

[skirbo]

But wait! I have some small stuff. I have to go to a completely useless 'regional training' seminar tomorrow and Friday. And because I'm not staying overnight, I'm not getting the per diem everyone else is getting. I'm driving an hour and a half each way for this-I just can't stay away from home overnight.

So, don't sweat that, okay?

Sarah

[JGarrick]

Originally Posted by Barksum

Hey! Somebody needs to donate some small stuff to Kay so she has something to not sweat. Anyone? Anyone with small stuff? Anyone at all...?

I had to come in to work tonight to compile a few programs. It's a late dinner, probably cold too, and some of the rugrats might be asleep before I get home, but I've got it covered.

So Kay, don't sweat that either.

[aspenhall]

I'm gonna speak in church with DH this sunday, sweat over that for me ok?? oh wait, don't sweat it....

[kay]

Thanks, guys, for the support (and the tissues!) I'm back on top of things today. C and I made a noble effort with the house last night; I think the remaining counter/tabletop junk can, if all else fails, be crammed into my closet, so tonight's efforts will be just vacuuming, mopping in the kitchen and bathroom - and replacing the battery in the smoke detector!

I'm also writing a letter (so far just in my head, but I really want to mail this one!) to my state representatives and U.S. Senators, saying - why, Why, WHY, since Big Brother has all our information anyway, can't there be one central database for fingerprints, so you do it just once, and any agency, nationwide, can check on it????? Every time I turn around I'm being fingerprinted (or now, LiveScanned) and it's ludicrous that they can't just punch in my name and ss # and see that I'm ok! <End rant>

And thanks, also, for sharing some "small stuff" for me not to sweat! I'm not even, at the moment, sweating the meeting this afternoon with the police and the district attorney about C's continued tardies! I've just turned into Doris Day (for you youngsters, she sang a song called "Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be, the future's not ours to see, que sera, sera."

[aspenhall]

i think that the finger print is what proves you're you....this way any jerk with your info can't crud up your record...

[lela]

Kay, I'll let you borrow my manta. "It is what it is". It's an abreviated, english, version of that lovely doris day tune. I used it a lot yesterday during my inlaws visit. I used it the day before when I found out my baby was going to need yet another eye surgery. I used it the day before that when...oh, you get the picture.
Do you ever wonder if we are all going to get some weird finger disease from all the live scanning? I'm not going to sweat it...

lela

[kay]

We lived through it all! After all my fretting, the home "inspection" was very perfunctory, lasting under 5 minutes. Where's the smoke detector? (she didn't even test it!) Where's the fire extinguisher? Hmm, your cleaning supplies are under the sink? Oh well, she's 17, no big deal. Where will she sleep?

Then yesterday something Truly Horrible happened! I had to go into the county home to be livescanned again; and, though I had no contact whatsoever with any children, just being there really touched my heart with how many children still need homes, and maybe I'm not Too Old! It's been a LONG time since I've had That Feeling; I'm thinking "you've got to be nuts", but then thinking, "well, maybe after C is out of the house, I can do short term foster care . . ."

Did anyone see the report on kids in the system on MSNBC last night? Pretty interesting; I liked both judges they profiled, especially the one who was so frustrated with the system that he quit being a judge and took on the job of head of DCFS! I think this was all in Indiana - Indy? Mike? are you familiar with these people?

Our SARB (school attendance review board) meeting was Thursday, and the jury's out on that one. C is perfectly capable of saying what people want to hear, so he agreed and signed the papers, but I'm not sure what his actions will now show, if he's really willing to do what he needs to do to get to class on time (though he did on Friday, I was really pleased!)

Countdown now to his tonsillectomy this Friday. Will be glad to have that over. Thanks, all, for your support during this crisis. Now back to the regular chaos!!!