It's 1:03 in the morning

Very early in the morning on Sunday and Traci decided to start a blog. I knew it would happen one day, I just didn't know how long I could hold out. I don't have to work in the morning, so I am up late messing around.

I am sitting on my bed with my baby girl cuddled next to me. (no not a human baby- it's Tess my dog) I love calling my dog my baby--it makes me feel like a spinster. The picture is an old one of the silly girl.

So I have so many stories from work that I just need to share. Now, many stories will follow so I must explain first. I work at a mental health hospital. I will use no names of patients (or I will make up names if needed)--please try to see the humor in my stories-- I have been spit on, slapped, kicked, etc., but the humor gets me up everyday to go to work.

So this morning I went in to work at 7:00 and due to some strange scheduling I only worked until 11:30--what full-time employee only works 29 hours a week (answer: one who usually works 10 hours overtime every other week!) I arrived at work precisely at 7:00 (I love that my car wasn't covered in snow) and the children were all still in bed where I left them at 11:30 the night before. It was miraculous--they wake up so early on Saturdays and make so much noise trying to wake everyone else up (they are supposed to get up at 8:00 on the weekends). So I was LOS (line of sight) meaning I had to keep a particular patient in sight at all times, so I sat outside her room for an hour--she sleeps late everyday. At 8:00 I entered the room to wake the sleeping beast (okay she is a 50 lbs. 9 year-old), but still. She was pretty good this morning. We went to breakfast (all 12 of the kids ages 8-13). I was getting constant "bombarding" (Meadows lingo) from one particular child, so I made him sit next to the kid who bugs the heck out of everyone around and picks his nose-- I know I am mean, but look at where I am working! The day continued, we did goals group--they asked for my suggestions for goals, but then shot them down. My suggestions run from STOP YOUR BABY TALK YOU 11-YEAR-OLD to "how about you only use 15 words an hour" to which I got the response "you have no right over my mouth and I should be able to talk whenever I want at appropriate times" (20 words). I complimented the 13-year-old for acting close to his age-within the hour he was running up and down the hall flapping his arms yelling "fly birdie!"

I went and saw the teenagers for a few minutes and put the movie "Newsies" on (the High School Musical of my time). One of my favorite kids looks at me during the first song and says, "Traci do we HAVE to watch this?" I took my movie and went home.

Well my dog is starting to jump (must be a bad nightmare) and I am starting to pop my jaw yawning so much. Church isn't until 1:00 tomorrow, so maybe I can update with my stories of "woah, what did you do to your hair" and "hey zit head, can you be on our team so we can use you as a laser?"--these were both directed at me. (until tomorrow then)