Laurie's Ramble

It's cold and the leaves are absolutely beautiful. I love fall time!!!! I'm sporting my long jons, jeans, thick socks, a turtle neck, a sweater, and a fleese jacket.... and I'm still cold. bbbbrrrrr Today is my sister's birthday. She would have been 34 years old today. She was born with spina bifida and was in a wheel chair her whole life. When my parents divorced, she became a ward of the state and was in a foster care home. I was just married and pregnant with my first child. The last time I saw her was at my baby shower. A few weeks after my daughter was born, we got the call that she had died!! After checking into we found out that she died of neglect. She was only in foster care for six months, so the people who had her must have not cared from her from the very beginning. This all happened 18 years ago and I've finally reached peace over the entire situation. I have no more anger towards the people who killed her, and for that I praise God!!!!! I just came back from my son's IEPC meeting at the school. It went very very well. He's my baby (don't tell him I said that) haha He's learning disabled and he spends two hours per day in a special ed class to help him. Since this is a new school for us I was pretty nervous about the meeting. But our school system here REALLY does a great job with LD children!!!! I was very impressed. They have their own hand held computer that has their spelling words on it. It plays games using the words. John loves it and he's gotten 100% on his spelling words for three weeks in a row!! I'm doing good on my eatting. My carb cravings have actually decreased. I'm almost starting to feel like just a normal person now. Food, Protein, Carbs, Weight loss - doesn't consume my entire day like it did the first year. Well, that's enough rambling for me for now. Enjoy this beutiful day. Laurie

Hey Laurie, My son is SXI (severly multiply impared) so I know how you feel about the IEPC process. It's a blessing to have a good school and district for your kids. I'm so happy that things are going well for you. Often on the boards it feels like we're all so wrapped up in trying to figure out our problems. I'm sure God will continue to bless you! Brenda

Hi Laurie I have a lurning problum to I read things backwords and I know how much the schols have changed and I,m glad Happy birthday to your sister she knows she is up their so she knows how you feel hope to see you at the meeting when ever it is A FRIEND MARY JO

Glad to hear you are feeling well and generally happy! I know you were having a bad spot for awhile! Both of my adopted sons came from foster care. We adopted them after 2 years of fostering them. Although there are horror stories like your sister's out there Laurie, there are many good ones like ours too. Your sister is in God's hands now and he will keep her whole and happy. I also have to attend the IEP's with my son's and Swartz Creek has really been a blessing for them. This LD thing is no joke and really need's teacher's that take it seriously! Thank God for those good teacher's out there. Keep up the good work getting healthy! Wendy

That's right about the importance of a good teacher for LD students!!! I thought that Lapeer schools being bigger would do a great job. But they did NOTHING for six month. He went into public school in January after my stroke and it too****il about April just to get his IEP testing done, then it was only three weeks before school got out when we had the meeting. By then, they told me they weren't going to implement the plan that late in the year!!!! I was sooooooo NOT happy!!! John adores his SE teacher. His name is Mr. Good and we make jokes with John that he's got to behave in Mr. Good's class cuz you can't be bad with Mr. Good. Yes, I know there are wonderful stories from foster care. My friend has adopted two children by doing foster care and one is a high needs child from a crack birth. It's wonderful to have ppl out there who CARE enough to do this. It's also sad that there are some that do it for the state money and don't take care of the kids at all. But just like teachers, there's good ones and bad ones out there!!!! Laurie

Dear Laurie, I have no children but I think you are a magnificent woman to be the mother you are to your son and being able to be for him the Mom he needs and deserves. I'm so very proud of you and what you wrote ......any woman can be a "mother" but it takes a special woman to be a "MOM". You are amazing and I applaud you for it!!! Hugs to you!!! And KUDOS to ALL MOM'S and MOTHER'S out there who are as wonderful as YOU are!!! Stacey W