Saturday, August 28, 2010

Little Things Can Make Me So Happy

Tonight I came home from Wal*Mart very excited to call my mother and tell her what I'd found! So excited that I called and *then* realized she would be in bed. Oops! Sorry mom!

But, guess what I found!!! COUNTRY HAM AND RED EYE GRAVY GRITS from Quaker!! My favorite!!! You just have to understand! These are apparently regional, and I have not been able to buy them in a store near home in my entire adult life! I have had to take them home in a suitcase after visiting my mom, my mom's mailed them to me, but not anymore! Now I can take my happy little self to Wal*Mart and buy them all.by.myself.

I feel so grown up. All able to buy my own breakfast food and all. :)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

First day of His Last Year of School = Nightmare

DS is a senior this year, and we just moved to Louisiana, so he is in a brand new school.

He has to wear uniforms for the first time ever, and he is not happy about that He is truly and independent spirit, but he seems ok with it now that he's been in school a day.

This morning he gets up, and he is in a panic. Full blown anxiety attack. He doesn't know exactly where the bus stop is - just that it is on the corner. He doesn't know where exactly to get his schedule. He doesn't know where the bus to the technical school will be. Nothing too major, but all together it was just too much.

After getting him calmed down I took him to school. He was ok by the time we got there. Not great, but not panicked.

I go home, and eat breakfast. I'm about to head out to the doctor when I get a call. First, there is more than one "wall" where the schedules are. He finds his, and then goes to ask a teacher where the bus is for the tech school for his Sports Medicine class. She shows him. He gets on the bus and verifies that it is the bus for "Name of City" Technical School. "Yes, this is it."

Yeah, not so much! He said he knew he was in the wrong place when on the ride there the students start talking about how many Yeagerbombs (sp?) they had last night, and how Scotch is good to drink. It doesn't burn your throat after the first few sips. Then the kids are telling him backpacks are not allowed...HUH? We asked about that, and they are... so???? Then someone tells him he is wearing the wrong color shirt, but "we will let you live for one day." (jokingly, I hope)

Then he arrives at the school and the bus driver starts telling all of the students to not hang around and talk after school at 2:00 because they will miss their ride home. 2:00?? He supposed to be back at his home school at lunch time. He doesn't even try to go to class, and heads straight to the office. They sent him to the alternative school. For troublemakers. My child who has never even so much as had detention or a phone call home for that matter.

He calls me, and the counselor gives me directions on how to get there. (We're totally new here, remember). I get there after spending half of the ride going "This can't possibly be right. This is a rough looking neighborhood. I must be in the wrong place". Nope right place.

I get there, find him and call his counselor at his school to let her know what is going on. She felt soooo bad, and she gave me directions to where he is supposed to be, and called the other school to let them know what is going on. He's supposed to be testing this morning since we weren't here last year. We get there. They are expecting him. All's good...for now.

I now go to the doctor. Got lost...twice. Gas light comes on while lost. Get stuck at a train crossing. I make it there and home. Whew.

DS goes back to his school at lunch time. Misses lunch and half of his first class because you only get your first class at "the wall". He is pinged back and forth between the counselors office, the library and the vice principals office.

One of the classes he has to take is all Freshman because it is a class they do in their Senior year in Virginia. One of the kids starts picking on him...He stands up to get his book, another kid tells the first kid to shut up before he (DS) beats the C*** out of him. DS is very broad shouldered and built more like full grown man than a high school student. First kid shuts up, and doesn't pick on him anymore.

The good news is he likes all of his teachers, his counselor is wonderful, and things have to go UP from here...right?

This was like the nightmare first day for him. I feel so bad. We went to pick up the last few school supplies, and he kept asking for things, and finally I said, "Are you taking advantage of the fact that I feel so bad for you?" "No mom, really." Riiiiiight.