Now I can get back to being productive
Number of days we have lost with our daughter due to the negligence of the state of Illinois: 45
To say I've been a bit distracted this week would be an understatement. I've just been finding it a wee bit difficult to focus. But, I have some good news to share with everyone. HB 3079 unanimously passed in committee and will now be sent off to the House for a second reading. It's just one of many steps, but it is moving forward and that is very good news.
Now, for a little civics lesson. I wasn't sure what happens next and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of others who aren't sure, either. Most of us know vaguely that bills go before house and senate and then get signed into law. (You may now start softly singing to yourself, "I'm just a bill...) Well, just like the song, we have a long way to go. Out of a possible 19 steps, we have just completed step 6. Here's a list of the steps if you want to see it all written out. The short story is, I sure hope all of you saved those terrific letters you sent to the members of the adoption committee, because we're going to need to go through this letter writing business three more times. So, everyone take a short break, congratulate yourselves, and rest up for the next battle. I'll do my best to keep track of when it will come up before the House and let everyone know.
What have all my people been up to around here while their mother has been a tiny bit preoccupied?
Well, L. has been very interested (read obsessed) with making books and has often roped H. and G. into a type of illustrator sweat shop. If she can find a person who is able to write, she will commandeer them and insist (as only L. can insist) that they take dictation. Now, we are not talking just a line or two here, were are talking paragraphs and paragraphs. She writes "chapter books," you know. Here is some of the collaborative artwork just waiting for her to catch some unsuspecting pencil-pusher to fill up all those blank pages.
K., who has managed to avoid his sister's vortex of book making, has been doing this, though really, it's what he does all the time anyway, so it's nothing new.
We've even had an on-going science experiment happening. Well, some people would call it getting ready to garden in the summer, but it's the same thing. (B. was home over spring bread and got this all set-up before he went back to school. I have very specific instructions as to what I am supposed to do and haven't killed anything yet.) Everyone has been fascinated with how fast these little seedlings grow.
Of course, there is always a lot of reading these. I can read out loud and think about other things all at the same time. It's my super power.
And we've listened to the William Tell Overture by Rossini because we read about William Tell for school. (Interestingly, I think this will be the first generation of children in a long time who don't listen to the finale and think, "Lone Ranger.") D's been working through a long DVD series on the clans of Scotland for a class on Scottish history. Other people have been doing other things while I reply to emails and constantly hit refresh. I think.
But right now a weight has been lifted and I'm going to spend the afternoon working on getting the house back in order... and I'm going to like it.
To say I've been a bit distracted this week would be an understatement. I've just been finding it a wee bit difficult to focus. But, I have some good news to share with everyone. HB 3079 unanimously passed in committee and will now be sent off to the House for a second reading. It's just one of many steps, but it is moving forward and that is very good news.
Now, for a little civics lesson. I wasn't sure what happens next and I'm pretty sure there are a lot of others who aren't sure, either. Most of us know vaguely that bills go before house and senate and then get signed into law. (You may now start softly singing to yourself, "I'm just a bill...) Well, just like the song, we have a long way to go. Out of a possible 19 steps, we have just completed step 6. Here's a list of the steps if you want to see it all written out. The short story is, I sure hope all of you saved those terrific letters you sent to the members of the adoption committee, because we're going to need to go through this letter writing business three more times. So, everyone take a short break, congratulate yourselves, and rest up for the next battle. I'll do my best to keep track of when it will come up before the House and let everyone know.
What have all my people been up to around here while their mother has been a tiny bit preoccupied?
Well, L. has been very interested (read obsessed) with making books and has often roped H. and G. into a type of illustrator sweat shop. If she can find a person who is able to write, she will commandeer them and insist (as only L. can insist) that they take dictation. Now, we are not talking just a line or two here, were are talking paragraphs and paragraphs. She writes "chapter books," you know. Here is some of the collaborative artwork just waiting for her to catch some unsuspecting pencil-pusher to fill up all those blank pages.
K., who has managed to avoid his sister's vortex of book making, has been doing this, though really, it's what he does all the time anyway, so it's nothing new.
We've even had an on-going science experiment happening. Well, some people would call it getting ready to garden in the summer, but it's the same thing. (B. was home over spring bread and got this all set-up before he went back to school. I have very specific instructions as to what I am supposed to do and haven't killed anything yet.) Everyone has been fascinated with how fast these little seedlings grow.
Of course, there is always a lot of reading these. I can read out loud and think about other things all at the same time. It's my super power.
And we've listened to the William Tell Overture by Rossini because we read about William Tell for school. (Interestingly, I think this will be the first generation of children in a long time who don't listen to the finale and think, "Lone Ranger.") D's been working through a long DVD series on the clans of Scotland for a class on Scottish history. Other people have been doing other things while I reply to emails and constantly hit refresh. I think.
But right now a weight has been lifted and I'm going to spend the afternoon working on getting the house back in order... and I'm going to like it.
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