GOODS AND BADS
You know. The usual routine is to list the good things that happened and the not so goods. With any luck, at the end of the day, they will all balance out. Today the goods far outweighed the bads.
GOODS
Had a pleasant one and a half hour drive on the highway to pick up Radish, Step Mom and half sister at Dad's family based rehab program after a successful 3 day visit.
Radish was told by his SW about 10 day notice and was relieved and happy that he'll be closer to Dad. Was given the option to just stay at the rehab program - and he didn't want to do that!!! He recognizes they are not yet ready for that big step!!!! He just wants to be closer.
Also picked up his step-Mom and seven year old half sister MCF to bring them back to the town where we live. This saves them the expense of the train fare back to our side of the state. They were planning on coming to our town for a several day visit with Bio Dad's mom: Grandma.
We had MCF in our home for about six months last summer and fall as a foster placment until The Divison of Family Services reunified her with her Mom and Dad at the family based rehab program where they reside. That was another reason to advocate for Radish to reunify also. If MCF can go live with Mom and Dad- why can't he???? It was very hard for Radish when in October MCF moved to the family based rehab from our house and he didn't get to go. How can you explain that crazy Social Service logic to a wounded kid like Radish????
We have always had a positive mutually supportive relationship with both Mom and Dad which continues today. Even after the ten day notice. They are working hard at staying clean and doing the right things. We believe in them and want them to do well.
We spoke and Dad really gets that Radish has some seriously BIG FEELINGS that he needs to direct to the appropriate persons. As I said to Dad..."I don't know why he's so mad at us...we didn't relapse and mess up his move in date!!"
Dad gets it. Our collaborative parenting relationship remains strong and focused on a positive transition for Radish.
MCF is sleeping here tonight. She asked to stay over and go with us to Vermont tomorrow. We'll go up Saturday morning and come home Sunday evening. Her folks think that is great. We think it is great. She thinks it is great. Bucksquat thinks it is great. The Division of Families will think it is strange that we all get along - but OH WELL!!! AK is happy because he misses his 3 little sisters and is happy to have a little girl around. Radish is well...Radish is just RADISH about the whole thing....But the three cats are all pretty stinking happy!!!! They were up on her bed sniffing and investigating...they remembered her. How could they not?????
BADS
When I got back to my house from the drop of at Grandmas I heard this really odd high pitched whistly kind of sound. Room to Room I went...Was it alarm clock? Watch alarm? A faucet left on? Construction vehicles down the road??? What the...
At the basement door it got louder. When I opened the door, it was clear it was coming from the furnace/cement side of the basement - not the finished family room side. When I went down the stairs what do you think I found????? Three inches of water in the entire basement and a burst hot water heater valve....It took me a while to find the shut off valve in a closet ....Three inches of water.....
REALLY REALLY GOODS
It was only water.....it could have been sewer stew...YUCK
It was only 3 inches...it could have been more
I have insurance. Good insurance.
I had been meaning to purge out all that extra furniture and accumulated possessions
The Furnace repair guy arrived quickly and suggested I call the insurance company pronto (good idea on a Friday afternoon...)
The insurance Company had me call one of those disaster recovery firms.
The insurance adjuster came by at 5:00 on a Friday and was AMAZING. He lowered my blood pressure immensely.....
The big green disaster reccovery truck arrived two hours later.
As my children watch a movie and I sit here and type -two wonderful, fabulous, big, burly men are busy working magic in my basement.
They have industrial strength water vaccuums, huge fans, and dehumidifiers the size of refrigerators.
I am so very grateful for their talents and time .......
All in all ---- it has been a very good day
RADish is mad at you because all those reactions are actually his positive feelings covered by a bad reaction to prevent you from attaching. Every time he reacts badly its a good sign that he actually likes you. If you'd told him that you were recording all his negative reactions that way in notebook, he'd have had to change his behavior. Do you think he didn't know how to play this game?
ReplyDelete