I have returned

Hey guys,

This is Chris (AKA farmergirl; now 1914sierra). I took a few months sabbatical from PC just to get some balance in my life and recover from all the upheaval of the past few months. I really thought I was departing here permanently simply as a change in my life, but I decided to return.

I didn't leave because of any problem here or even because I was particularly doing poorly personally. I just felt the need to make some changes.

I hope you are all doing well. It will take some time to catch up with how you are doing and what has been going on in your lives, but I'll get there soon enough.

My son is managing along fairly well. No major problems since coming home from the hospital. I'm just praying we get him through high school alive and with a diploma. He's found a niche at school working as a teacher's student aide for the severely/profoundly handicapped classrooms. (I had his schedule changed when he returned to school, and requested this particular aide position for him having a gut instinct it would be really good for him.) He's loves it and he's good at it. He's become active in the organization of students that work with and support that population, and he's going to be an escort to a special needs young lady at the Grand Ball which is a "prom" that is held for special needs students at each of the high schools in our district. He's really pretty proud of himself on that front and seems to see a future for himself in working with special needs students. So, as they say, sometimes profound good comes out of our biggest struggles.

Our oldest son and his fiance just moved into their own apartment this past weekend. I'm happy for them; they've worked hard to finally get to this point. We worked our tails off moving and cleaning so that his brothers now finally have their own rooms, but now is all pretty settled at quite a bit quieter around here. It's an adjustment, but he isn't far away and finds us for supper a few nights a week when his fiance is working an evening shift, and of course he has to come visit his dog.

I've been pretty stable these last couple of months. Work is keeping me extraordinarily busy as we've brought in new technology that makes planning every lesson take about three times as much work at this point. It will get better (I hope) as we get the kinks out of the system, but right now it is A LOT of work.

Therapy is in a lull right now as all of our budget for medical spending is pretty much exhausted until September when our benefit year starts up again. I knew that would happen as a result of our son's hospitalization; expensive, that is. That sucks a bit, but at least I'm in a place where I can live without at this point. Our T is quite willing to work with us if we need him in the meantime and we can work out the financial end later, but at this point we're doing okay.

Glad to be back and looking forward to catching up.

Chris, So glad you have returned and thanks for the update.

So, so glad to have you back! Now I just gotta remember your new name!!!!

Yeah, the name had to change due to strange technical issues beyond my computer comprehension, but that's all cool. Glad to be back.

Good to see you. You've been missed.

Yay! I'm so glad you're back and that you are ok! I missed hearing your comments on things.

welcome back!! you were missed.

Thanks for the update. Maybe we can be your virtual almost-a-group till you start up again in the fall.

Welcome back Chris and I am glad things are going better for you now

Nice to see you! I am glad that things are going well for your family.

Missed you Chris, welcome back.

Thanks for the welcomes back. As i appear as a new member post countwise, not all of my posts are showing quite yet. Some are at least. I AM posting and suspect my responses will start appearing later today consistently.

I think your posts are appearing instantly now- I think it is only 5 posts until you're not longer moderated. Welcome to unmoderated (automatically) posting!

Welcome back. I'm glad things are going better for you and your family. Yes... they say technology saves everyone time. I'm just not sure whose time is being saved.

Not the teacher's; that's for danged sure!!

Welcome back, and soooo glad things worked out the way they did. So awesome for your son!! You know your kid! We were just talking this week in t about how my mother had no clue or interest in who I was in high school. This is so gratifying to see this - not even so much this outcome, but this action.

So very, very glad to see you back, Chris, and happy for you that things are going well.

Have missed you greatly. Welcome back!!

Chris, welcome back. I've missed you.

Welcome back i missed you allot!!

Welcome back Chris, It is really good to see you

Hi Chris! I understand about needing to get a life balance back. You were very smart. Very happy to see you back and to hear that life seems to be getting back to a bit of a pattern for you and your family. I am in a family shuffle stage myself. One son leaving for the US from Canada here in a week. Another son never home because of a girlfriend; my father working out of town for two weeks at a time; my workplace shuffle shifts around.

Happy to have you back.

Hi it's good to have you back.

Welcome back Chris

Welcome back! I am very happy to see you here. Thank you for the update!

Glad you are back! I haven't been around much myself. Always enjoyed reading your posts.

I'm so glad you're back, Chris. I'm glad to hear that things are moving in a good direction for your son...I've been wondering how you're all doing.

And we're SO lucky to have you back!