My best friend's wedding!

From Girl Scouts to Married Ladies!

One of my nearest and dearest friends from childhood got married today! Jill Marie, I love you and I'm so honored I was invited to join you for your wedding! All our love and best wishes!

This Week...

This week is...

The leaky faucet and picking out paint for the bedroom

The last of physical therapy (!!!)

Staff meeting and Taco Mac

Laundry getting done

Chicken Tikka Masala for dinner with the neighbors

Sussing out insurance stuff

Getting back on track with Weight Watchers in preparation to start dance again

Watching a bunch of Law and Order, trying to get work done so I can sleep at night!

Quick update

It feels like it's been longer than a week since I last updated! I guess that's what happens when you work every day straight through!

Last weekend I did tons of training, and it was ridiculous. I don't understand why you would put the home address and phone number, or any identifying information, in plain view on a child. Maybe I'm just paranoid, but... I think it's much better to teach a child that information and teach them how to find someone who can help them should they get separated from a group. Then again, I expect people to be able to fend for themselves and that's what my parents taught me to do when I was little. Ridiculosity.

After school is in full swing, which has been fantastic because I've actually gotten some work done. Jeremy's not getting as many hours, but I'm trying to scrape together what I can to keep us afloat. Plus the 60 clock hours from my training will help!

Nothing too exciting has happened, though. We do have some awesome new neighbors who like all the things we do-- wine, movies, food --and are really fun! I sat out on the porch with them and had a glass of wine while we waited for Jeremy to get done with his running group, tonight we're all having dinner with them and at some point we'll probably hit up the Movie Tavern. "Those are my two favorite words in one title! Movie and Tavern!" -John

We also had a small victory in our potted garden-- I'm sure you noticed a lack of pictures, it's because the heat killed them dead! We were watering them three times a day and they were still wilting from the heat. It's cooled off SLIGHTLY so now the basil has bounced back, another jalapeno grew, and they seem to be flourishing again-- I even have a tiny tomatillo that's growing!

Well, off to work, gotta make them dollaz! More later!

So Angry I'm Shaking

It's been a while since I've been this angry, possibly since I worked at the airline-- I just tried to call in suspected child abuse to the DeKalb County DFCS and they laughed at me. Passed me around the office and LAUGHED at me. Apparently I shouldn't have wrestled with this decision, gathered evidence like I've been taught to, and called with precise facts about the symptoms of abuse. Apparently I shouldn't have cared that I'm a required reporter and therefore required under penalty of law to report any and all suspected child abuse. Thankfully Jeremy was here, so if this thing goes to court I at least have a witness that I tried to call and was laughed off the line. "Well, tell the child's parents to call us for help." was the response. I'm sorry, but if the family is going through a hard time, calling DFCS to get laughed at is not what I'm going to tell them to do.

"You should get a bonus for this!"

The first week of after school has gone so much better than I could have ever hoped! I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that this is an indicator for the rest of the year!

Monday was tiresome, as mentioned in my last post, but we didn't have trouble with the schools and none of the kids were weirded out about getting on the vans.

Tuesday was OK, we did have one of our UMCH kids scare another child in his group in to having an asthma attack, but she was so impressed with my response ("Miss Meg got my breathing treatment in like two seconds! She's awesome!") that thankfully it didn't put her out on playing or after school. I also had a parent tell me that she's never seen it this organized, that she loved my parent handbook, welcome letter, and wish list and that I should get a bonus! Talk about an ego booster :D

Wednesday and Thursday went by pretty smoothly, with not a whole lot of remarkable things to pass the day. Sarah and I have gone ape on getting the place organized and ready for the school year, and I've started writing up a list of goals for the program. I'm almost done staffing, and it looks like a good group of kids coming through! We even have a kid named Bruno who doesn't speak any English only, get this, PORTUGUESE! He's super cool, and is learning a little more English every day and my friend Megan helped me learn a few phrases in Portuguese that kinda weirded him out at first, but I think he appreciated it. He's had a lot of fun with the counselors, each of them trying to figure out what the other's asking for, it's pretty hilarious!

Today was great, it ended with a huge storm and more parent compliments. My entire enrollment is up 30% in a recession!! while other programs are struggling to make ends meet. What's that you say? Reasonable prices, quality service, and an awesome staff made this happen? Why yes, yes it did.

This weekend we'll be back in the office working, but gotta make them dollaz while we can!

Long day, yummy night

Yummy night...

BBQ, shrimp cocktail, artichoke dip, Scottish tablet, English tea, black mission figs, more tea.

Not all in one sitting, but it's definitely been a rich night!

The first day of after school was EXHAUSTING! I feel like I've been up since 4a and am only just now getting rid of the headache I've had since lunch. I'm going to wrap up the tea and go to sleeeeeep!