9K and school

There is a lot going on right now between wedding planning/finances, but it's little things like what happened today that make me step back and realize how lucky I am. (Even if we're flat broke dealing with a repossessed car)



The ex called C today, and asked if I would be interested in attending the parent-teacher conference with her. Me. Not him. Me. 9K has a really hard time with school, and C doesn't help because he hates school and quit high school half way thru his sophomore year. He supports my ambitions to be a teacher saying if he had a teacher like me he probably would have done better. ;) I wish he would support his son in school a little more, helping him with homework etc. but he gets SO frustrated that he usually just avoids it. The ex works full time, and I guess just kinda crashes on the couch with a bottle of wine when she gets home and she doesn't do much either. So today I found out that if he doesn't improve drastically this year he is going to be held back and have to repeat 4th grade.

I think that is amazing that she wants me to go. She knows how enthusiastic I am about early education and I would LOOOOOVE to help 9K do better.

She earned some high marking points on this one. Or maybe she just wants to get me alone and poison me or something. lol. I could take her in a fight. It wouldn't even be fair. haha, just getting prepared!

But yeah, it's little things like that...her showing a thoughtfulness I didn't expect, it's one more step to successful co-parenting on this rough and tumble path. It makes me realize that in the big picture, we are doing alright. Our little family is stumbling, but at least we're stumbling forward. Now if we could just win the Lotto....

Tonight C and I went for drinks with friends of mine, and an acquaintance was there, and so we chatted and I asked how work was going, and she tells me that she's not working. I knew she worked for her family's business and so I asked what happened, and she tells me they are shut down! This company was about a 15 million dollar company and was doing very well, and she goes on to tell me that her father hired old old family friends, 2 guys, and they embezzled 3.5 million dollars in liquid assets. (cash) Her family lost everything. Her collage fund, their house, their cars, the business. Everything. They had to file bankruptcy and if any one's seen the laws that are in effect now for that, you know it's sooo much trickier than it used to be. No more chapter 13. 7 is now really 6. Creditors can trash your credit and come after you for everything you've got. Terrible. I couldn't imagine running a successful business one day, to barely being able to pay rent in a different place...to having nothing.

After C and I left, we looked at each other and I said, "wow honey that really puts our little problem in perspective." We got one of our cars repo'ed because of a bank error and C just started a new job and he can't miss work. Since he has to go job site to job site, I can't just drop him off. His dad (praise God) has lent C his car for last week and this week. I wish my parents were supportive...we have 5 cars between 3 of us that drive. 2 extras that just sit in the circle drive. They would never let that happen though. That's aiding and abetting to them. They are good people, and I love them dearly, but like every parent they never want to see me struggle or be with someone they deem 'less than me' (in other words, from the wrong side of the tracks) More on that later. But anyways, her problems put ours totally in perspective and we both agreed that although it is stressful, we can work it out. Wachovia bank is a BITCH. Just in case you ever thought of dealing with them...don't. They misallocated a 5 thou payment, marking it as a down instead of pre-monthly payments. No phone calls. No letters. Just Mr. Repo-man. *sigh*

On a side note, The baby was sneezing in my face all day, (I swear he waited until I was holding him facing me to sneeze) and now my throat is scratchy and my head is stuffy and I have a bad runny nose. Yippee. I might spend tomorrow working on my book, (did I mention I'm writing a book?) because most people don't want a sick lady taking care of their kids. And it's not exactly like I get sick pay. No show=No money. Oh well, I'll see how I feel in the morning. As for now, I'm eating a big bowl of chicken soup and going to bed.