I like my job. I'm still learning, but next week once my CAPS are back (background check re: CPS reports) I will start with my own clients. I've been to a couple of people's houses and a couple of supervised visits for CPS. Makes me appreciate what I have materially and emotionally. It's so hard to imagine not having family or friends that you can count on. I go to a lot of places that stink and are hot. I am carrying a stool in my car because there was an incident that the only place to sit in a 5th wheel trailer would have crumbled if I had even stared at it very long. I've taught two parenting classes. Anything about child development or children's basic needs/nutrition that any of you would like to know...just ask. I think next week is on communication with your child. Ask me after Tuesday about that one.

The Beetle is finally being terminated as a family member. He is still on life-support in the hospital (read: Volkswagen service department). As soon as they get him running again, we are going to list him in the paper to sell. I now have a black Saturn Vue. He doesn't have a name yet, but we got a kick ass deal on an '04. Oh, and it has a XM Radio which really melts my butter. I love the 90's station.

School is kicking my ass. That whole thing they tell you that "once you quit you will never go back" is just not true for me. I have gotten 3 hours in the past 2 years. I have never read a textbook in my life. This semester, I'm ahead on my reading in ALL THREE CLASSES. I am also reading a book that I don't have to read, but am planning to write a paper on this man's theory so I thought I'd read his most famous work. I'm really excited about class tomorrow night because I'm working on controlling my heartrate through breathing. Yeah, it's in that neurofeedback class that I was dreading....but I'm really diggin this controlling the "involuntary" functions our bodies do. It's used for people with chronic pain and phantom sensations and such...but it's fun for me to be able to lower my heartrate just with breathing and thoughts. Anyway, this book that I'm reading is amazing.

Viktor Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning is just amazing to me. He was in four different concentration camps for years and while there developed this whole psychotheory (called logotherapy) about the meaning of life and how just having the ability to make choices, even if they suck, allow us to move forward. Very cool. These are cool things I've highlighted:

"The meaning of our existence is not invented by ourselves, but rather detected." p.157

"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." p.122

Anywho, I am busy. Probably more so than I ever have been before in my whole life. But I heard Ice Ice Baby, PM Dawn's Set Adrift on Memory Bliss of You, and Paula Abdul's Opposites Attract today on my XM so all is well.

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!

AMANDA GOT A JOB!!!!!!!!!

29 hours a week as the "Family Services Specialist" for Friends of the Family

it's not much, but it will help greatly $$$ wise and go nicely with my school schedule!!

Busy Beaver is my name, cleanin' house is my game!

That's all I've done all week. Even sleeping was hard because I was so anxious about my SIL coming. Some of you may remember Jennifer from my wedding. Well, she arrived today and the house is pretty and organized and sparkley clean. And now I'm ready to go to sleep and not get up for 14 hours.

I've also been going to class. They are all much better than I thought and I think that I will get through them with minimal problems. I do need to add that someone who reads this blog (M*sti) tried to be a BAD BAD influence today. I said to her "I don't want to go tonight." Her response, "Don't." But I did, so I will pat me on the back. I am really surprised that she and I got as much accomplished in college as we did living together! We are both horrible like that and such procrastinators! But I'll have to tell yall about that later ;)!

About Lydia Grotti. Wow. I am really disappointed with our legal system. I am also tossing over and over the truly distorted views of death that "modern" society has. I know it's a sensitive issue and that there are a lot of "right" answers, but really...stopping the agonal breathing an hour after being pronounced dead is now being called murder??? She admits it was a bad decision on her part...but prison? That's really scary to me. Doctors are in the business that is truly life and death, but this a situation that NO human should be held responsible for. God takes lives all the time and forcing someone to take an earthly responsibility for this one is asinine. But as we all know, God doesn't give more than one can handle and her limits are definitely going to be tested to the max. It makes me really sad and I'll keep her in my prayers.

On that note, I got a forward today that has some really good God-type quotes in it. Rather than posting the whole thing, I will post them one at a time. But I'm not starting from the beginning of the list...this one seems very valid with this topic:

"God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead. So why should you?"