I am not alone!

(This is not the image of my stone, but that of one of my blogger friends)

I've been feeling quite overwhelmed lately. The kids are officially out of school on Friday and I have almost no plans for the Summer. Plus, for some reason Blogger isn't letting me comment on anyone else's blogs! I want to connect and comment, but I can't!! It's SOOOOO frustrating! I hate it!

Yesterday I was feeling particularly down when I opened a package in the mail (I was pretty excited since I rarely get anything but junk mail and bills nowadays. I slit open the end of the envelope and this warm stone slid into my hand (it's in the 90s outside, but I prefer to think it's love and warm understanding that heats the stone). I have to tell you that I didn't want to let it go. I typed several e-mails with it clasped tightly in my right hand.

Thank you Corey!

After along time I decided I needed to really type so I could finally get to bed so I dropped it into my bra in a "special pocket" close to my heart. I've been wearing it there for 2 days now. Don't worry, I've gained so much weight, no one will notice a little extra. *sigh*

This is me working at the ACT Seminar a couple of weeks ago. I saw this picture and it really hit home how much weight I've gained over these last 4.5 years dealing with RAD kids. Did you know the average RAD parent gains 20lbs a year?!


I've met a lot of good people lately, and most of the time I do know I'm not alone.

Not only was this a good seminar (check out Lark Eshleman's presentation), but I met a lot of great people to whom I owe e-mails.

I finally got around to joining CABF - Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation and taking advantage of their frequent chats (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sun evenings!) and the support groups (I belong to one for teens and one specifically for adoption). (Check out the link to their blog too - I've put it on my sidebar). If you're already benefitting from their many services by the way, they could really use some financial support. They support 27 different support groups and don't charge any membership fees. The big Pepsi grant they got recently is allocated for specific things so they have some other areas that need a little more support.


I am aware that I'm stretching myself a little thin (unfortunately it doesn't apply to my figure!). There is so much I want to be able to do need to get done:

• (newsletters for NAMI and ACT),


• keeping up with PCT and trying to get some support groups and get-togethers organized,


• hooking up with parents I met at the ACT seminar,


• trying to get to the NAMI support group (haven't been in months because of the issues with Kitty),


• gotta get the house clean for my dad's visit next week (I finally get to meet my new little brother!),


• over a hundred blog posts to read (and hopefully comment on),


• all the appointments the kids need to get Bear started at DARS/ Goodwill job training and Kitty needs to get stable (CRCG, skills trainer, pdoc, case manager...)


• drive Kitty to school and home and supervise her while we finish up school on her abbreviated schedule


• write a thank you note to Corey for my "I am not alone stone"


• finish researching and getting the Power of Attorney stuff for Bear (who turns 18 in July)


• get the states (NE and TX) to agree that Bear's TX Medicaid needs to be extended to age 19


• keep pounding away on getting Nebraska to consider paying for Kitty to go to partial day hospitalization (aka intensive outpatient)


• finish researching and moving to new pdocs (Bear turns 18 and the funding for Kitty's telemed pdoc runs out in July)


• ...


• and need more than a few hours of sleep a night!
  

Going to bed now!