Sunday, June 19, 2011

Running in So Many Different Directions

Figured I'd take half a minute to myself and update this thing... Upward Bound is officially done with week one, and I don't think I've ever had a harder week in my life. Up at 7:00 a.m., breakfast by 8:00, and then nonstop work until the students go to bed at 11:00 p.m., at which point we sit down to get that day's paperwork done. We're working sixteen hour days, then falling into bed to get up and do it all over again.

And somewhere in there, I'm trying to make time to talk to Jon. It's been really difficult. I know he's working hard too, and that there's a time difference (only an hour) but it seems like I'm trying harder. I stay up til 1:30-2:00 in the morning just to talk to him, and then it's only for a few minutes because he says he's tired. And that hurts, a lot. And I've been trying to make him understand this, but it's just not getting through. He hasn't been feeling well the last couple days, and that just makes him prone to snap at me. Which doesn't help when my nerves are already fried.

So far, I've taken two students to the emergency room, and a third met me there by ambulance. I have been managing medication for a handful of students, chasing them down at each meal. I have dealt with more attitude from singular people than I thought I would deal with from the whole group. My staff has been all over the place, falling out here and there, and it's incredibly frustrating not to be able to rely on them all the time.

But more than anything, when one of the students calls me, "Miss Amanda," it's all okay again. I love these students to death, and I worry about all of them. I'm Momma Bear, and they're all my cubs whether they want to be or not.

Finally, Laura's wedding was yesterday, and it was absolutely fantastic. She had a Disney theme that she managed to pull off without being at all cheesy. The bridesmaid dresses were amazing, Josh looked incredibly handsome, and Laura was more beautiful than I ever thought possible. I'm so glad I was there, and I had a lot of fun sitting with the other people from work.

Now it's time to go, because there are a million more things to do before the students get back at 6:00.

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