Whew!

Up at 5:20, pray, meditate, journal, sip my cup of coffee while I Facebook and scan the morning headlines to see what is being reported as important by news outlets.  I have at least 20 things to attend to before I get to work this morning.  I must get the girls up, get their teeth brushed, dress them, prepare breakfast for both and a snack for the 6 year old, make sure she reviews her science unit one last time because she has a quiz today, check to see what the whacky weather is like outside, shower, load the car, kiss the husband (oops, he is still in the shower, get the jackets on, grab the umbrella, double check that I have everything and now get the girls in the car, whew...wait, where is my second cup of coffee?  There it is, on the window sill, inside of the living room.  Ughh, now I have to get back out of the car.  I drive the girls to school and we talk about the day ahead we set our intentions to have a fabulous day!!!  Now for the drop off, the 6 year old is in the first grade line and the 4 year old has been delivered to her Pre-K class.  Now, back to me I have... the 45 minute drive to work is the time that I use to get focused and ready for the day at work or to reflect on the previous day's work.  Its 7:55 a.m.  I have a 9:00 a.m. hearing.  It should be a quick hearing, but that is what I thought about yesterday.

Yesterday, I spent 8 hours in court litigating the lives of children and their families in the de.  My role is to provide legal assistance to my client, the Department.  Children were removed from families and placed in Foster Care, kinship care and group homes.  The reasons vary but are all, generally, heart wrenching.  Often, though, we do have wonderful stories; children are reunited with their families because the family gets the help that it needs to succeed or children are adopted into new ones.  There are even cases where children, who are living independently from their families, graduate from high school against the odds and they have been accepted to colleges or they have plans begin working toward the day that their case is closed and they are no longer wards of the court.  This work is good work.  It is intellectually challenging and it is also emotionally challenging but it is good work.  At the end of days like Wednesday, I go home and give my kids extra hugs and give thanks for my blessings!