My Girl

Saturday before last Big Sis and I had some one on one time.  We did some shopping at some second hand stores and went to lunch together at Squid lips.  She received a free lunch there for making good grades and all the kids received rewards from Mom and Dad for their good grades and good efforts.  Not everyone is mastering every area but if the teacher feels that child is making their best effort that's what we expect.  For instance in 7th grade French my teacher sent a note home saying not to punish me for the D I received as I was "doing her best".  Yeah French was not my strong point.  Who knew that I would much prefer Spanish and I actually took several years of Sign Language.  But I digress.

We had a great time and it emphasizes the need for one on one time with each child since what she choose as a reward was time with Mom and not a toy or DS game.

Fortunate

I am fortunate.

Fortunate to have a faith that gets me through and can always show me the way out.

Fortunate to have a husband that sticks with me and our kids no matter what life brings to us. 

Fortunate to have a mother in law who stands by her son and myself and our kids.  That she will absolutely do whatever whenever it is needed.  Who told me daily even when we did not know what was wrong with Miss M, "It's not you.  You are a good mother." 

Fortunate to have outstanding professionals guiding our family and sticking with us.  That actually say, "I don't have all the answers either but I am not going anywhere."

Fortunate that some wonderful scientist in Japan made an AMAZING medication that benefits my daughter who was so out of control at 5 years old she needed to be hospitalized, we just couldn't find a hospital that would take her.

Fortunate that the video camera was invented so that I had and have proof of how mentally ill my child is, even if she can hold it together through out the school day and at Grandma's house.

Fortunate that she has raged in front other people and professionals who have written reports that confirm our daughter is mentally ill and needs the help that she is getting.

Fortunate that her insurance covers the cost of her medications and behavior services.

Fortunate that my house is small enough to make monitoring possible and functional so that we don't all kill each other.

Fortunate that so many things have come together to make her healing process possible.

This weekend has gone well so far.  The school week went well here at home.  No problems in the morning.

We went to Ci Ci's Pizza this afternoon for lunch. 

Here's the car ride view.

Do we look a little full up?

See everyone looking at the movie?

See that no one was fighting?

Dad got a new toy. 
His boss bought him a lap top for work.                                                                      

Which one of these does not belong? 

That's right, both of them. 

First the almost 7 year old snuck came into Mom's bed. 

And then Daisy the Pit Bull joined him snuck in.                                                                        

The cuteness factor is way not fair. 
How can we kick them out? 

We are a work in progress.