I am sitting here watching the clock tic and counting the hours left of summer.  Maddox is napping.  I have a chance to get one last afternoon nap in before I go back to work and I tried to lay down but my mind is twirling.

Work.

Am I ready for this?  Is work ready for me?  

In 16 hours I will be back to work, doing what I know best.  Helping kids.  Typically, at this time of year I can’t help but excitedly think about all meetings we will have during the next two weeks as parents frantically try to make sure services are in place for their child.  I help schedule appointments for parents, coordinate days of the week for therapy, introduce kids to their teachers, and so on..... I am normally very excited because I have the opportunity to reassure these frantic parents that everything will be fine.   

During this time of year, I have one, only one job to do, and that is to build a sturdy foundation so that the next 184 days of my student’s education is maximized.

This year, I have two jobs......

I am that ‘frantic parent.’

I am the one trying to make doctors appointments, make sure services are lined up for my child and coordinate days of the week for my child’s services. 

Throughout the week, I would have been helping 60 students get settled but instead I am thinking about how I am going to get Maddox to her physical medicine appointment, otolaryengology, opthamology, and pediatric neurosurgery appointment next week without taking time away from the other kids that need me.

This is exactly what I feared all along.  That heavy lump in the bottom of my heart, I can finally describe it.  

Work has become my personal life and my personal life has become work, essentially meaning that my mind never rests.

VANESSA
That is exactly how I feel. Work has now become my free time...
THURSDAY, JANUARY 12, 2012 - 03:37 PM

Maddox loves spending time with Kerri but this time, Maddox got to spend the entire night!  I don’t know who had more fun, Kerri or Maddie?!....

Or Mommy!

Maddox has spent a lot of time at Kerri’s house this summer.  She always has fun things to do including story time with grandma and slip-n-slide mania!  It was no wonder that Maddox felt right at home for her first night away from mommy and daddy.  

While Maddox was on vacation, she took time to smell (and eat) the flowers, swing from a tree, go for a walk with two adorable friends, and nap in the sunshine.  I mean seriously, what better life could anyone ask for!  It sounds dreamingly perfect!

Maddox loves trying new foods and Kerri found out just how much Maddox loves pineapple!

Just like when Maddox is at home, after dinner is therapy time.  Without missing a beat, Kerri made Maddox work on rolling and crawling.  I just love the brown headband in the second photo, it looks like she is karate kiddo!

Kerri learned three new things about Maddox tonight.

1.   Just how much Maddox loves bath time.

2.  How much Maddox hates to have bath time end.

3.  And....When you put Maddox to sleep parallel to the bed, she always moves herself 90 degrees perpendicular (if it is a really long night, sometimes she can pull off a whole 180)!

In the morning, Maddox put on her fancy dress and went to church as well as a picnic.  I love how she is sitting up and eating with the big girls!

While Maddox was having a blast, let me tell you, Mommy was too.  I was able to hang out with my amazing girlfriends, their husbands, and to top it off, my incredible husband chauffeured all of us anywhere we wanted.  We started off the evening with a nice meal, had some post meal drinks, and ended up dancing/singing the night away.   My muscles hurt from laughing so hard.  Stay tuned, our next getaway is even further away.  Scott and I and friends will be doing some touring of the TC wineries!

Maddox and I want to send a great big thank you to everyone who contributed to making our much needed break possible. 

Maddox is chillin’ in the camp chair at the traditional McClintic family campout

Scott and I are packed up for our camping trip.  We packed suitcases, linens, bathroom stuff, snacks, etc...When we were all done, I looked at him and said, “It feels like we packed for a trip to a hotel, not for camping.  

We camped in a decked out cabin with AC, a full bath, a queen bed, beautiful wood floors, a refrigerator/microwave, one hour of free internet (which was like caviar to me) and cable TV!  Yep, when we camp, we camp in style!  Pretty much when we camp, we take main floor of our house and move it to the woods.....   Nonetheless, we had a fantastic time.

Maddox spent the weekend with her cousins, Anna and Emma.  Anna watched Maddox’s every move, would tend to her if she cried, or bring her toys if one dropped.  Emma is in the Godzilla phase and spent most of her time using Maddox as her personal rock wall.  One thing for sure, is that Anna and Emma love Maddox to pieces and it was amazing watching this love develop throughout the weekend.  I really can’t wait to watch these three grow up together and spend summer vacations swapping houses with their favorite Aunts!      

I do have one comment to share.  I had an amazing weekend with family and felt so at ease.  I began thinking about why I am able to breathe when my family is around.  This is what I could come up with.  

I always talk about how Maddox is blessed to have an amazing group of friends but there is one lingering difference between what a good friend can offer and what family can offer.  Scott and I talk about this often and the mere thought breaks our hearts.  There could come a day when Maddox’s friends just might think it’s cool to not be her friend.  

When that day comes, we will do our best. 

But, back to being at ease with family.  I guess it is because with family we never have to worry about rejection.  There is an unconditional love and bond that exists and a peace that lingers when they are around.   This is comforting, family is comforting.  The rest of the world doesn’t seem to matter.  I experience moments, long moments, even hours, where I can breathe again and see glimmers of hope that we can do this.  I actually start to smile again, real smiles.

Thank you to our family, both near and far.  You are examples of the power behind unconditional love. 

Without further ado.  Our weekend!

In our decked out cabin, Maddox slept better than sleeping beauty.  The fresh air wiped her out and at night we never heard a peep from her.  During the day, she loved watching the trees blow in the wind and spent most of the weekend talking to every single camper, squirrel, dog, and chipmunk that walked by.  

We spent time at the campground park and went swimming in Higgins Lake.   We managed to get in a few games of cribbage.  Scott and I were undefeated (thanks to the new cribbage app on my phone which allowed me to practice)!!  We really couldn’t have asked for a more perfect weekend.



Scott playing with Maddox and his nieces at the park!

I had not been on a teeter totter in years, this was an absolute blast.  I can still remember the song we sang in elementary school, “Farmer farmer let me down.  What will you give me Charlie Brown?”  

I threw a few ideas out for good ol Charile but he didn’t bite..... 

Or was it simply because Charlie ate that second piece of cheesecake!?!?!

I ended up having to recruit Anna to even things out!! 

Maddox’s first time in Higgins Lake!  She even sunbathed! 

                                                                 I love how she looks just like the chalk drawing fella.


Camp weekend was so much fun.  Maddox loved being out of the house and seemed to grow up a little more.  She is now sitting and can hold herself in the crawling position for about a minute.  She knows how to say the sounds nuhnuh, muhmuh, duhduh, buhbuh.  And for those arabic speaking folks, she also learned how to say cuddhah!  

Enjoy the rest of your summer!