Good Morning to Me!

It is a lovely morning, my favorite sort. It's early, I'm awake, and no one else is. I have enough quarters and then some to do all the laundry piled up around the corner, a good book to read, and plenty of coffee to drink.

Yesterday was our usual Wednesday afternoon SCI support group meeting. We were half an hour late because of yours truly. It was one of those drives where every single choice I made was the wrong one. I started out heading towards the wrong facility; for reasons unknown to my conscious self, I headed towards the ancillary site where the psychologist has her office in the spine clinic (miles from the actual hospital where the support group meets). When we were leaving the freeway, KidThree asked, "do we usually go this way?" Uh oh. Drat and Blast. More errors and misjudgments later than I care to admit, we got to the right place half an hour late. It was embarrassing. At one point, as I was staring right at a sign telling me to turn to the left but stayed to the right, KidThree asked with real concern, "are you alright?" (I was, it was just too late to change lanes safely. But still. . . .)

KidThree went right up to the meeting and I stopped at a specialty clinic 'just for a minute' to make her a needed appt, and there went the rest of the meeting time for me, as I had to explain that yes, even with our out-of-county coverage we were allowed to be seen at that facility because of KidThree's special needs, then the staff had to find an office location with accessible exam tables, and so on and so forth.

When I got to the floor where the support group meeting was held, KidThree and a friend were waiting by the elevators to come down; I had missed the entire thing. Drat again. But it probably turned out to be a good thing, as KidThree had to do the talking all for herself, instead of relying on me to do it for her. There were three new SCI folks there this time (attendance is never the same from one meeting to the next, but we know most of the regulars) and so lots of comparing notes. And, KidThree reported on her experiences at the wonderful, wonderful gym, which all were pleased to hear about. Of course I had the gym literature in MY bag, so it didn't make the meeting. Next week for that. KidThree thought that it would be a good idea for me to sit out some of the meetings, as it did force her to talk, but that I should attend some of them as I can tell more about logistics and such than she can. What a good kid. So sometimes I will take a book and read in the cafeteria (which we JUST found a week ago--it is unlabeled and not listed on the directory), and other times I will go to the meeting.

Two days ago I remembered to stop at the optometrists' office to see if my glasses were in: they were. I now have lovely new glasses, for the first time in nine years. The technician could hardly believe it when she saw them. I only use glasses now for distance. When my eyes did that 'over age forty' change, I was able to read without glasses for the first time in thirty years. What a treat. It is annoying to have to take the glasses on and off, though; I keep misplacing them.

KidTwo has chosen a school for herself. This was a big deal, as her country location changes periodically and she had been expecting to be in one country (with a university she wanted to attend) but is now going to be in another, where attending a university in person might not be the safest choice ever made. Online it is for her, with a major in International Relations and a minor in Latin American politics. This is exactly what she has been interested in and headed for her entire life--Mama here is thrilled. She is having so much fun working at the embassy and is so intrigued with all she has seen and heard there that she is looking at a Foreign Service career. And full-service mother that I am, I have a cousin who has done that very thing--made a career in the Foreign Service. One of these days, I'll get around to putting KidTwo in contact with that particular cousin.

KidOne is doing well at work and is about to start classes for the fall. This is her last semester (finally!!) at the junior college, after years of false starts and logistical delays and personal problems delaying things. I am so proud of her for sticking to her goals no matter what the obstacles in her path. Now she will be trying to find a spot at a four-year school, which might be an issue. Her choice of career is quite impacted at this level and her scholastic record is a bit uneven.

KidThree has forgiven me for saying a mean thing about her boyfriend. Thank goodness for good kids. What I said was true, but I should not have said it. I know from experience with the other girls that nothing will push a girl closer to an unacceptable guy than parental disapproval, and this particular boyfriend is not a bad or dangerous kid, he is just not nearly good enough.

Next Monday KidThree and I have a meeting with school personnel to determine her placement for her senior year. She will have to have two senior years because she missed so much school after the shooting, but she understands that and is okay with it. The tricky thing is that she has not yet been able to return to the high school because of PTSD and other issues, so she has been at the small continuation school. She now feels ready to return to the big high school, which presents many, many logistical difficulties that will have to be ironed out. Picture me apprehensive at her choice but supporting her nonetheless.

Nothing more to say this morning, so off to do laundry I go.

A