Discovery Cometh

We head off to Chicago on Thursday for Discovery. We are a bit apprehensious about this - we have absolutely no idea what we are in for. Diane is a bit more nervous than I am. Everyone says it will be great, but that doesn't really allay our fears. Katie is still working, and getting ready for her Orientation. I hope she does well, it will be nice to see her start progressing. Thanksgiving wasn't too bad. But we really aren't in the Christmas mood yet. We still haven't put up a tree - and we usually do that the weekdend after thanksgiving. I'm taking my bonus and using it to buy the boys airline tickets to go see their mother - they haven't seen her in over three years, and they need to. Plus they have never seen one of their half brothers. I'm very frustrated there as well, as their mother said she was going to pay for it, but didn't. So it looks like it will just be Diane and me home alone for Christmas.
M-

Getting ready for Thanksgiving

Been very hectic. Diane took her daughter to Vegas for her 21st birthday to celebrate, and won't be back until Thursday, leaving me to get the turkey ready all by myself. Not a big deal, but it is tiring. In her letters she is talking a lot about working the program, but is still not doing it. It is interesting - they won't let her wear her hair in her face at all any more. She is finally in a full uniform - only took close to two months. It is funny, she is complaining about all the drama in her group - yet she is the queen of drama. It will be hard to have Thanksgiving without her, but we will get by.
M-

Any progress is good news.

Katie finally said happy birthday, only a month late. But at least she is trying. She needs more underwear and socks and bras - things her mother said she was going to help with and send. So I guess it is time to make another box and ship it off. Oh, and shoes. She left with her 'chucks' as she calls them, and needs more shoes. She also sent a huge collection of home drawn cards - at least she is exercising the artistic side of herself a bit. And then the big news - she finally worked her way out of Orange! She is also starting to lose some weight, and that is a great thing. She is finally scheduled for Orientation - the same time as when we are in Discovery. So things are finally looking up a bit.
M-

Keeping up with the news

It is hard writing every week when the letters take so long to get there and come back - they end up being disjointed. In each one you end up responding to things that are by then weeks old. But I do try. I tell here recent news around the home. Her brother is going on the 8th grade Washington DC trip - the same one she got pulled from the year before because of ending up in the hospital. Everyone on the BBS system for the school keeps saying that we need to go to Discovery, and we are looking forward to it, even though it is 4 weeks away.
M-