Board jinx...

[Suz]

... :::spit::: pppptheeeeeewwweeeeeeeeeeeeee:::


It looks like Everywoman is joining me in the naked chicken liver dance squad, too. Excellent!

Okay, hopefully that will take care of it because this is

A GOOD NEWS THREAD!

So spill it.

Esther, you have some good news that you are reluctant to share.

I saw that Katya has some good news, too.

Who else?

I just talked to Rob on the phone and he FINALLY HAS MEDICAL BENEFITS for the first time in his working life

Okay....your turn!

Suz

 

[goldenguru]

My difficult child and sister in law are looking at buying a house. She has come so far. Who would have thunk?

I'm thankful.

 

[trinityroyal]

difficult child got to vote for the first time in a federal election.

He carefully researched the candidates and the issues, and chose who he wanted to vote for. He was so excited, and I'm very proud that he took it so seriously.

 

[Suz]

GG and Trinity, it's wonderful to read your posts. These are both really BIG DEALS...and BIG DEALS that the average family takes completely for granted.

I've learned so much from Rob's struggles. The best lesson has been gratitude and appreciation. They are gifts.

Good for your kids. I'm proud of them!

Suz

 

[Hound dog]

Aw heck, I'll do the nekked chicken dance too to keep away the board jinx.

gg buying her own house! That's huge.....HUGE! Awesome!!!

Trinity, he approached it like a true responsible adult! You have every reason to be proud.

My News:

Nichole is studying her arse off. Studying people. For hours. Doing all required work herself, with only questions about what she doesn't understand, not wanting the answers. Comes and gets me to study with her. And last night I showed her some ways to help make studying easier and more efficient. And she was sooooo grateful. She is beginning to distance herself from friend S as S only wants to know what questions were asked on tests (Nichole has anatomy right before her) or copy the answers to homework and lab assignments. Nichole ran S off the other night refusing to let her cheat. Then came to me and said, "Like I'm gonna let her do that when I have to work twice as hard as she would just to read it."

Proud Mom here, for sure. Nichole is doing the EMT for herself. Not boyfriend, not me, not Aubrey, not just to make a living. It's something she really really wants and she's determined to do her best to make it happen. I was afraid she'd back out when she discovered she couldn't just take it a level at a time, but instead has to go straight thru for the degree. But she didn't waver.

If she keeps this up, it might not be too long and I'll be able to graduate her to easy child statis.

(see why I feel the need to join in the nekked chicken dance? lol)

 

[Estherfromjerusalem]

OK, I'll risk the "evil eye" and tell you, that I think my difficult child seems to be turning the corner, and all the time, slowly but surely, there seems to be an improvement. He has a girlfriend, about 8 months already. She is a quiet steady girl, she is a good influence on him. I hear him speak to her on the phone not very nicely (he has a foul mouth) but she seems to be OK with this, and they are still together. She comes to our home with him. She sits down and is polite to us and seems to feel OK with us. She participates in family occasions.

He finished 3 years in the military (that was very difficult, but he did it), so it will be on his CV that he served for 3 years, which is very important in our country for his future, since the military is compulsory here.

He served in the military as a driver, and also a bit of a car mechanic. He learned a bit of car mechanics in high school, and he is very good with "fiddling with cars." He has been riding a motorbike since the age of 16, legally. He went after a really good job, was shortlisted, a graphologist analyzed his handwriting, he met with the company director, and he got the job. He has been there for six weeks. He works very hard. The job is as a motorbike salesman, a nationwide firm, working in the branch here in Jerusalem. The first salary was very small because it was after only a few days work. He has just received his first full month's salary, and he is so happy. He works Sunday to Thursday from 8 to 6, and on Friday from 8 to 2, which is very long hours. Every night he leaves a note for my husband to wake him up, even with water if necessary, because it is so important for him to get there on time.

My gut feeling (and I pray to heaven that it is right) is that he is really turning the corner, at long long last. He is behaving better to my husband, after being really awful for so many years. We haven't seen a meltdown for ages. Yes, he loses his temper but it passes very very quickly.

There, you wanted to know. My hopes have been raised in the past, and then dashed, so I was really reluctant to write it, but I do think that maturity also has something to do with it. He is 22. Maybe he is just "growing out of it" slowly but surely.

I hope to read other good updates from you guys.

Love, Esther

 

[everywoman]

You felt the need, because, like so many of us, you know how far Nichole has come. And like us, you know how unpredictable life can be. And you are as scared as most parents that the good times won't last. That things will reverse and somehow you will be back in the place where you are sad, and lost, and afraid. But, it will be much worse because you have seen the other side...

But, for now. I am going to celebrate. And enjoy this child that has struggled with his demons and for now has won the battle. Mental illness and substance abuse robbed him and us of so much. And often I was sad for what I had lost. Only in the past few years have I even begun to fathom what it must have been like for him...

So, today and tomorrow, and for as long as the good times last, I will celebrate. I will celebrate his successes, and Nicole's, and Rob's and Trinity son and GG's daughter. And I will dance the nekkid chicken liver dance in celebration, not in fear. For today is a good day!!!

 

[Andy]

Can I join the dance? My awesome good news is that I have heard from a neighbor that easy child is actually appreciating being home early for bed. This kid has a runners streak in her - out very late at night (sometimes after 3:00am). She is getting home before midnight (often 10:00 or earlier), getting her on-line school work done and up very early in the morning to babysit.

That in hand with showing much more respect than in past several years.

So, with her I am dancing with joy!

 

[Hound dog]

Esther that was a truely wonderful update. I'm so glad you shared. I got teary eyed. difficult child has come a long long way. Huge congrats to him on the job and completing the military. And for finding someone special who brings out the good you and husband instilled in him.

I so understand that feeling of holding your breath. I've only begun to relax with Nichole.

Andy sounds like the maturity bug has bitten your easy child as well. Good for her!!

Ok. I'm with Everywoman.............I'm stripping to do the nekked chicken dance in celebration of our kids doing so well right now, at this time. There was a time not even long ago I thought I'd not even get that much. My, we certainly learn not to take much for granted as parents of difficult children, don't we?

 

[donna723]

I'm just thrilled that everyone has so much good news to report! So much progress being made! Mine is pretty mundane, but I actually talked to both kids tonight! OK, more like emailed one and talked to the other one, but that doesn't happen very often!

My daughter is now about ten weeks pregnant and doing fine so far! This did not come easy for them ... they've been trying to have a baby for 3-1/2 years. Still very tired and queasy all the time. Her doctor has her taking vitamin B-6 (I never knew there even was a B-6!) and a Benadryl at bedtime for the nausea and it seems to be helping. Has anybody ever heard of this? She has her first ultrasound next Tuesday. And my sister in law wants to know if it's possible to mail a chocolate marble cheesecake from Tennessee to South Carolina! I used to make one every year for my daughters birthday - it was last week on the 9th.

My sons birthday is Monday and he has to work that night (I work 8 to 4 and he works 6 pm to 6 am) so that's out. I got him a prepaid Visa card so he can pick out some new clothes or whatever and a few other things. We're going to go to the mall on Sunday and then go to dinner. We always used to go shopping, have dinner and go to a movie on his birthday but we might not have time for the movie.

Just plain old ordinary stuff ... but it's GOOD stuff!

 

[Hound dog]

donna glad to hear daughter pregnancy is going well. easy child has been doing the B6 too. Can't do the benedryl as it knocks her out cold, but her morning sickness has finally passed. She's 22 weeks now.

Yes, you can mail the cheesecake. (Hmmm maybe not if it needs to be refrigorated) Wives and mothers did it all the time for troops in combat. Not sure how though.......my Mom only did cookies, she figured they were easier to share. lol

 

[donna723]

This is definitely a 'refrigerated' cheesecake. I hope he was kidding! This recipe came out of an old cookbook we found in the library at least 20 years ago and it's a pain in the butt to make but it's absolutely the best cheesecake I've ever had! I used to make it every year for my daughters birthday. I lost my copy of it but if I can ever get the recipe again, I'll share it with you. My daughter had a copy of it because she made it once, so she's going to look for it.

 

[susiestar]

Wiz has almost straight A's, one class is an 89, so that is the almost A!!! Even in his vocational class (machinist training) he has A's!

He has VOLUNTEERED to hug and even kiss me the last few time I saw him!!!! This is major - used to be major tactile defensiveness adn after age 8 he HATED being kissed, much less giving them. REALLY does a mommy heart good!

Susie

 

[katya02]

This is a great thread! It's so encouraging to know about the things that are going well. I guess I'd better do the nekkid chicken liver dance twice after I post this, but here goes ... difficult child has gone two weeks without acting out, without any random acts of violence, without losing his temper. Oddly, he says he feels more irritable on his new medications but we see none of that, so either he's dealing with it incredibly well or he wants off the new medications. That's between him and his psychiatrist. He's finally putting in job applications again and working around outside, helping get the garden ready for winter. And he's not melting down regarding next Tuesday's omnibus hearing, which is huge in itself. Earlier this summer with the preliminary court appearances, he would hyperventilate, have panic attacks, and act out at home all around those dates. Home has been feeling ... dare I say ... like it's approaching normal for two weeks. I could get used to this! (Okay, nekkid chicken liver dance coming up!)

 

[Hound dog]

Susie I'm thrilled. Vocational classes can really make a major turnaround form some kids. I know it did Travis. He was so happy there.

Katya it does sound like the new medications are working. ;D I'll chicken dance harder if it will cause him to continue to take them. lol

 

[trinityroyal]

Joining in the nekkid chicken liver dance to keep the board jinx away.

This post is so uplifting. I'm crossing everything crossable that it continues.

Yay!

Trinity

 

[Suz]

I had a heckuva week this week. There was a full moon and there was a FULL MOON at work, that's for sure.

So I'm tellin' ya, the nekkid chicken liver dance has moved the jinx to my office and not our personal lives. Let's keep dancing to keep it away from there, too!



That said............it's lovely to come home to read your positive threads. I'm just so proud of everyone's difficult child's successes!

Nichole is studying!
Esther's son has a longtime girlfriend and is turning a corner!
Andy's daughter is respecting curfew and showing respect!
Donna is rejoicing in the "ordinariness" of her life and she should!
Wiz is not only doing well academically, he's giving Mom hugs!
Katya's difficult child's moods seem to be settling...

These are the days and the events that get us through the hard times. My hat is off to all of you who have sweated and mourned and cursed the skies during the hard times and have stuck it out.

You are my heroes.

Suz

 

[Fran]

I am enjoying your good news. Keep it coming. I don't have good news but I don't have bad news either. So that's ok with me for now.
I love hearing your kids progress. I feel like I know each of them. Thanks for the uplifting post

 

[DammitJanet]

Well I will do the dance with you but its way too soon for me to be contemplating any major turn arounds here. Does Cory having power in his trailer count as a good thing? LOL.

 

[Marla]

For those who remember me...

I'm graduating college with my BA in December.
I work in corporate IT.

I get along with my parents now too.