A Meeting At Home

We had the Bishop come over last night. I had been wanting to talk with him for a while now and he was visiting a member in the next town over from us so he said he would call in to speak with us. I mostly wanted to speak with him about Brodie but we spoke about a lot of things. I think I really needed to hear what he had to say.

I don't know if I have mentioned all of the things Brodie has been up to of late. Taking off for hours at a time (but he has cut back on that a lot) which is why we got his phone activated. On most days we are walking on eggshells hoping and praying that he does not explode at us. His aggression and violence is becoming more frequent. Only the other day he got angry at Mark for speaking to him and threatening to take a knife to him. And as if on cue while the Bishop was here he got angry and swore and took off on us. Before Brodie took off outside (this was at 10 O'clock at night) he said we were lucky that the Bishop was here or it would've been much worse. In a small way I was glad that he 'exploded' a little in front of the Bishop so that he could see what Brodie could be like as he doesn't get to see that side of him at Church.

The Bishop doesn't know a lot about Aspergers Syndrome so I have let him borrow a book that I bought a while back so that he can find out more about it. I hadn't finished reading it all myself but I thought that the Bishop would be able to get something out of it that may help us that I hadn't thought of or something.

Bishop did say he wasn't sure what he could do for us as yet as he is no expert in this sort of thing. Mark and I both said that we understood that but at least he will be able to point us in the right direction. Especially in one where we have like minded people with the same ideals that will help us spiritually as well as in support for both Mark & I and the boys.

Bishop also asked about Angus. Wanting to know how he is feeling and coping. So we told him about how well Angus is doing at school ad the plans that we have made for him for next year when he starts High School. He too thought it was a good idea to have the boys going to separate schools. He was kind of surprised that Angus will be going into High School next year. I tell you what so am I (surprised that is) - he is growing up to fast!
It makes me feel that we are doing the right things for him especially with the decision about school and the fact that he is playing a sport that he loves. He is so keen to play again next year and this years season isn't even over yet.

So by the time the Bishop left we had a few ideas on what we could do to help ALL of us. Like making sure we read scriptures daily (it is so easy to fall into the habit of not doing it regularly), doing FHE each week - Bishop suggested that we do the seminary manual at least that way I wont have to nag Brodie to do it, we will all benefit from it and it will help Angus in the long run in preparation for when he has to start in a little over 2 years time. Hopefully soon we will be able to talk with LDS Social Services again and see what help they will be. I know that it will help its just a matter of when we get to see them.

I must admit I felt a whole lot better sharing everything with the Bishop. He is such a wonderful man to talk with and he listens to everything we have to say. He is just the best!

Enough is Enough

I've had about all I can take for today. I'm just so tired that I don't want to do anything else but the day hasn't even finished yet. I don't know how much more I can take.

This morning I woke at about 7am after a reasonably restless night. I've had trouble sleeping these past few nights. Well just over the weekend really. Too much to think about and worry about perhaps. Anyway I didn't bother going back to sleep what's the point really I had to get up and take the boys to school. We got the little dude off no problem and then it was up to the High School with the big fella for yet ANOTHER meeting this time at 9:15 a.m. We ran a little late .. I hate driving up through Jindi like I did today but there was no point going around the other way it's a waste of time and petrol. The road has too many twists and turns and is very hilly.

The AP, suggested I take a look online to find out some information about Oppositional Defiant Disorder (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry). He was reading about it last week and he said it described the big fella really well. So when I finally made it home I checked and sure enough it does describe him to a T. So there is yet another label that we can attach to him. Something else to describe his 'behaviour'.

Oh I know that there has been no diagnosis of this but at this stage it doesn't really matter. I've had just about all I can take and I don't want ANYTHING else to go wrong. It's not like we don't have enough to contend with as it is. I still feel like I am being punished. I don't know what I did wrong but I just cannot take it any more. While at the school I was also informed that the big fella is to be picked up at 12:50 each day. (Yippee more travelling!!!! ~ that adds another 250 km at least to our weekly travels!!)

So today I went up there to collect him at the time I was told to only to be informed that he has 'hurt' his ankle and that he told the teachers that he wanted them to phone me so that I can get crutches for him. Well of course I don't have the money to get them. I have barely enough money to put food on the table this week. In fact I spent all of the $70 we had on groceries after I collected the big fella. Anyway the big fella abused me for not getting the crutches and started yelling at me and telling me that he would rather stay at school! Well HELLO!! They don't want you there in the afternoons MISTER!! So you have to come home!! He tried to make a huge fuss in front of some kids that where there so I just told him straight out that the school doesn't want him there and he has to get into the car. Well if looks could kill I would be dead!! We left the school and I went grocery shopping and the big fella sat on his butt in the car and left everything to me. Needless to say that when we got home I was not a happy camper! I told him off for being lazy and faking his sore ankle. He put weight on it and could walk about. If you've sprained it you can't put any pressure on it. I know I've sprained one of my ankles before!!

Oh great I look at the clock and I have to go out AGAIN in a few minutes. This time to collect the little dude. I swear I am going to HATE driving soon. It have become such a chore when it shouldn't be! I would love nothing more than to sit on the couch and curl up with a book or pretend to watch t.v. but that wont happen! When I get home I'll have to start doing something about dinner among other things. I just want this day to end already!!

Tonight is meant to be family home evening but I don't even know if we are going to do that either. Mark is asleep at the moment. He's been asleep nearly all day so I don't know if he is up to sitting at the table tonight or not. I'm in such a grump I am likely to snap at the kids and I don't want to do that. I'm not even in the mood for FHE. Who knows what the little dude will be like .. probably fine until he gets home and the big fella abuses him like he usually does.

I've been thinking about our finances and to tell you the truth it is giving me a headache. We've done a budget that we showed the Bishop last week and it needs to be amended with extras added in more detail so that the Bishop can see where we need some assistance. Mark hasn't been up to doing it. Well not today at least but it need to be done before tomorrow afternoon when we have to go to the chapel for the big fellas Young Men's activity, which for the moment is basketball practise. They have a game coming up this Saturday. We need to finalise the details for that too. I don't even know if Mark will be able to drive Brodie there tomorrow night or not yet. If he isn't able to I'll have to do it and I hate driving at night. Not only that but we need to measure the front window that the big fella smashed. To be honest I hate asking for charity. It means that I am unable to provide for my family. Things have just been so hard I don't know how we are going to manage at all.

Gosh I've lost my train of thought .. the big fella interrupted me .. not that it matters really. I need to get off this thing and get ready to collect the little dude from school. MORE travelling .. just GREAT!!

STOP the world. I want to get OFF!!! I can't take any more!!

What a day!

I can't believe my boys they were at it again this morning! But why should today be any different to any other day?? I am so tired of their fighting, swearing and general carrying on!!

After a rather slow and reasonable relaxing morning I was flat out at the school this afternoon. Seeing it's Friday I go in every week to do the weekly school newsletter, update the school website and work in the library. This weeks newsletter was an extra long one this week and took me much longer then I anticipated, almost a complete hour, which didn't leave me much time for anything else once I had updated the website. I have a stack of library books will still need processing and I just ran out of time. Looks like I might need to go in one day early next week in order to finish them.

I can't believe it .. the school wants MORE money. The little dude wants to go on camp. That's not a bad idea for him to go on it either. It will give him a much needed break from his big brother. A break which I believe he deserves. That costs $110 but since I have already paid a deposit of $20 that doesn't sound so bad anymore. However there is an excursion coming up on the 7 or 11th I can't remember which, it's in the newsletter. This time the whole school will be going to Inverloch (visitvictoria.com) to the rock pools there. It's a kind of follow up excursion to the Melbourne one they went on last year when both boys got to go to the Aquarium. I swear that sometimes the school forgets that some families are on a very limited income and that they have a tight budget that only stretches so far!! I guess I need to talk to Ian (the principal) and see what kind of payment options I have. I know that I could probably use the conveyance allowance that I will be getting later this term to pay for it. That's always an alternative I guess.

The boys have been asking about another family night. We haven't done one for nearly two weeks so we should really do one either tonight or tomorrow night depending on how we feel I guess.

Oh well I suppose I had better get off this thing and do something useful.

Family Night

We had our first family night tonight. Where we would just spend time time together without the t.v. being on and just have some fun.

The little dude suggested we play monopoly. A game that the boys weren't to familiar with but the learned reasonably quickly. We were laughing so much at one stage I was sure that we could be heard several cabins down! In fact Lynn, from next door, popped in for a quick visit and said she could hear us. Next time we're playing scrabble though .. I want the boys to expand their vocabulary and practise their spelling.

It was refreshing to just spend some quality time together. Especially after we've all been under so much stress these past few days.