Two IEP Meetings - Zero Panic Attacks

Walking into Two Sisters after an IEP meeting is like traveling on a hot, dusty road and stopping at a cool lake for a dip: Samantha was finishing a quilt, bread was in the oven, pastries were in the cabinet, Sharon was wielding a knife. It's a refreshing delight.

DeeJay's meeting went well. No, he did not attend. We got more done that way I am sure, I still think that he can not adequately learn to advocate for himself until he has an ability to understand what all these people have been saying about him all these years, but... this isn't the year to include him I suppose. When we explained to his history teacher that he was in the room finishing the project, the teacher started laughing. At the end of his part of the meeting he said, "Well, I'd better go, I've probably got 20 kids freaking out in line behind DeeJay...hee hee hee." We were laughing too.

It's great to work with experienced professionals. It was a very encouraging meeting. DeeJay's teachers really like him and they all had really great ideas about how to make next year enriching and successful for him. They all said, "He is so positive and into the 'blue and gold' (Homer High Colors) we'd hate to see him turn to the dark side." To that end the new principal had an idea about having him tutor the severely math challenged kids for credit (since he is drawn toward the helping professions), work study for credit, vocational rehab starting next year, and other great ideas. I am glad to see that there are new and exciting things that we can try in place of doing the same things over and over and expecting different results.

After the meeting I ran into an old Head Start friend of mine in Safeway. She also has an IEP 10th grader. We have talked before about the need for remedial English and so I told her that I just had my IEP meeting and that it went well. She said, "Gosh! I never thought of planning next years schedule before the school year starts. Maybe I should call them." I felt that this was validation that my year of DeeJay Angst was worth it.

I pulled this card at the bakery today. It made me laugh because Matt always makes Irene and I laugh with his concept of a magazine for people like us. It is a complete juxtaposition of "Simple Living". It's called, "Complicated Living." Here is my confession. The new principal at the school is coordinating a new K-12 PTA and wants me to join it. She hooked me in with the theme: 'Wellness'. I said, "Do you mean tackling these gross hot lunches?" She said, "Yes." I said, "More physical activity?" "Yes". "Sign me up." I am one step closer to the fully 'Complicated Life'.

I also finished my traffic school for the judge today. The memory of the judge looking from behind her desk at me and saying, "You, you admit that you did it, and yet you marked not guilty?" is surely one of my more gloriously goofy memories.

Falcom came home from voice lessons today with a new favorite song. This one comes from the movie Kinky Boots and is called, "Beautiful". Very campy and European. We went to McNeil School last night and watched their spring concert, "Bugz". They were amazing, very coordinated and fun to watch. There was a stink bug that kept walking through the scene making all the bugs cringe and finally took the microphone and said his feelings were hurt. Marina turned to me and said, "He doesn't stink in real life mom, no he doesn't, just in the play." Very cute! What a fantastic job training the kids and orchestrating that.