Waiting, waiting, waiting ...

So today has been a day of chronic waiting. Waiting on 35 for an hour in traffic because fools can't drive on 1/2 inch of ice. Waiting for clients who are running late. Waiting on the office staff to call me once my clients actually get here. Waiting to put charts back until someone can unlock the cabinet. Waiting to go home. Ugh. Mondays suck.

Hello??

It's funny the way the universe works. So, here I am running in a hundred different directions having forgotten this damn blog when the universe seems to be trying to remind me about it. It's come up a couple times this week, including a reminder from Mark who I am just surprised even read it let alone remembered. The final straw was that my favorite mom in Loveland, Miss Erin, started one of her own. So far, it's pretty cleaver and a fun read. Check her out at trickypeanut.blogspot.com.

So, I am sad to say it's been about a year since my last post. Frankly, you can blame Facebook. It's just too damn convenient to reach everyone that eay. But I know I enjoy the blogs written by others that I love to read. YOu get so much more detail about the people you love but never have enough time to see.

So here's a quick synopsis of our last year (hang on to your seat): Maddie struggled through the end of fourth grade but finally got her academic stride just as the year was ending, I finished my second year of school, completed my rotation at South Community Behavioral Healthcare where I was a rockstar therapist. We went to Michigan again for vacation. Mark and I finally decided to stop trying to maintain two households and moved in together. We've been busy trying to blend five kids (two out of the house, three in the house), 2 dogs, a ferret, a rabbit, a hampster, dozens of fish and now an outdoor cat that has decided to claim our little group as it's own.

I started my third year which has included the dreaded prospectus project for my dissertation research, a new rotation at another community mental health site, and preparation for my clinical competency exam. And did I mention that I still have classes? Maddie, Jason, and Devon have started the academic year off fairly well. I am learning the "joys" of coparenting teenage boys, which includes an incredible amount of smells that I'm sure cannot be human.

Fifth grade seems to be the year for Miss Maddie. Her grades are better than they've ever been. She's working her little butt off. She has a couple really good friends that she hangs out with. She also joined a group at school called Project Citizen. She was one of 30 kids selected to participate. In her application, Maddie said that she thinks people need more education about the impact of nutrition on health and about the U.S. Constitution. Yes, she has been totally brainwashed.

The group identifies problems in the community and then develops an action plan to correct those problems. The kids choose the problem, research solutions, work with lawmakers and civic organizations to get it done. They do other things like have mock congressional hearings, take trips to the statehouse, etc. Mark is trying to encourage her to suggest that they try to have the Fed audited.

Okay, there you have it. The highlights. I'll try to get back into the swing of it if nothing more than to promote Miss Erin's blog trickypeanut.blogspot.com.

Okay, as my good friend Karen pointed out, "I know you must be busy if you didn't write about the election." And we have been. I'll spare any commentary on the election since it is thankfully long gone. And I'll skip my constant diatribe about school and practicum. Instead, I'll share some fun news. This holiday season we added two new members to the family - a bug-eyed fish named Bugsy and a rescued rabbit named Velvet. Maddie is in animal lover heaven. Here are some photos of Maddie and Velvet.

The Power of Mentos

Just an update

It is amazing how fast time is flying by. As I told my mom and sister this weekend, every hour of my life seems to be devoted to something. I started seeing clients. I've been at it for a month now. It's an intense process in which I have felt completely overwhelmed and under-qualified at times. At other times, I think I might actually be better than good at this job. Still juggling classes and trying to pull together my dissertation. It is a nutty process.

Moops is bouncing along in fourth grade. Right now, we aren't in any sports or anything because there is little time and she wants to run races, which there are very few for her age. She's growing like crazy, looking very much like an almost preteen. It makes me miss my baby.

Hope everyone is doing well and we hope to see you soon.

Love

Jami and Maddie

So now it's real

Today was my first day of practicum. I am working a a brief therapy center at a local community mental health center. The population is low income and mostly Medicare/Medicaid patients. Most of the time today was spent going over charts and what needs to be in them. Then I was assigned my first clients. I learned (or had confirmed for me) two facts of life:

1. Insurance companies and secondary payment providers do have an impact on quality of care. We will spend hours filling out charts in order to document in a rdiculous way so payment can be made. And then organization audit the charts and find even more ridiculous ways not to pay.

2. People's lives are complex and can be infinitely sad. That seems like a "no duh" statement. But in my role as a therapist now, just how complex is becoming very clear. I can't tell you anything about my clients or their lives because of confidentiality. but I can tell you that it will be a challenging year.

One Year Down

Today officially marks the end of my first year of grad school. A big step. This year has been full of ups and downs. I've learned so much that I can barely think straight. My eyes are getting weaker from all the reading and my wrists are sore from all the writing. It's been a helluva ride. If I wasn't so tired from finals, I would write something philosophical about the passing of the first year. Right now, I'm going to crash.