deadlightsgirl | never thought I'd say this

...but it looks like I am joining the PTA.

Constant Reader, Gracie's school is frigging AWESOME. I mean, I have said this before, but last night was Open House Night, and I got to experience the awesome firsthand.

My mom and I both went, and we brought Gracie with us because the TAs in her classroom volunteered to provide in-house babysitting. BTW, my meeting earlier with the school shrink went great. She is a temp, but she was lovely and supportive and promised she would leave detailed notes for the regular chick so I won't have to go through all the backstory again when the regular chick comes back from maternity leave. She also brought in one of the social workers to talk to me about things called Respite programs which can be provided to those who qualify, getting a couple of hours assistance with the kiddo, or sometimes Saturday play programs, whatever. They're for kids with disabilities, so everyone at that school qualifies, and intended mostly for single parents (ding-ding-ding), and me having MS will absolutely help. I don't know how much we'd get offered, but a helping hand for a couple of hours on shot day would be nice (this way I could give Rob more flexibility about when he visits and still get help), and the option of a Saturday thing would be great, either as a drop-off while I teach my yoga class, or even just something else to do with her during the winter when it's too cold to play outside, and I'd go with her. I certainly don't want to push her off on anyone, but the option would be nice. And you can do it through several agencies including the one with the preschool Gracie went to, so we know them and they know us and remember her. Apparently they had a night at her gym last week and everyone remembered her and was bowled over by all the progress she has made.

(Interruption - I just made a lunch date with old dear friend CL from the piano bar! I've missed him so much!)

Anyway, Open School Night. I chatted with the principal, who remembered me from ages ago, and she said that not only is Gracie awesome and everyone loves her, but out of all the new students, Gracie has made the most progress since the beginning of school. Then we spent time in the classroom, where her adorable charming SO with-it teacher gave us a rundown of the teaching methods they use, plus some anecdotes of Gracie's adorableness.

This school is apparently big with special occasion days, and this is why I volunteered. Coming up is their Fall Fest, and I will go in and wear a cute costume and do some interactive storytelling. ANY of you performer types who occasionally have daytimes free and would like to build up some good karma/give me and Gracie a present, please let me know. They always have appreciation for performers, storytellers, artists, DRAGONS, general help, etc. In the spring, they have PIRATE Day, Circus Day, all sorts of fun stuff. I already told them that Gracie has very talented extended family members and they were very excited to hear that. The parents were all kind and friendly (parents of special-ed kids generally are), happy to meet me, and happy to hear ideas I might have or help I might be. I'm also going to go along on some upcoming class trips, my logic being that if Gracie sees Mama as part of her good-behaviour school world, maybe it would help the good behaviour carry over out of school and into Mama world. Plus it will be fun.

Anyway, the whole thing was terrific, a great experience. I don't think Gracie will be at this school for long (she was definitely the most high-functioning in her class). Her PA from preschool always thought she would be able to be mainstreamed by second grade, but I am in no rush. She's getting the extra help she needs right now and is going to have a wonderful time while she's at it, and I'm meeting great people who are supportive and helpful who can help me feel less alone. So a full round of Yay about this.

PS, having nothing to do with Gracie - came close to wussing out of krav maga this morning, but inspiring tweets from

ladyjoust got me motivated. Here's a thing - girls can't wear boy cups. It's ridiculous. If they make girl cups, that's not what they gave me, and there was no way I could work in what they did give me. So I improvised - I scrapped the removable plastic boy-shaped cup bit and replaced it with a double piece of plastic needlepoint mesh cut into a triangle shape. MUCH better, though it turned out today didn't involve any groin-kicking anyway. I'm getting a little better, I think, and we ended the class with a round of slow-sparring, which scared me because I'd never done it before, but the whole class is like that. This weekend will be a lot about babying my shoulder, which I think is just pissed off at me having added a fight class, making it 3 in a week instead of 2.

*edit, Gracie now being home from school - they are having a thing at her school next week called Kaplan World Series, a baseball special event, with teams made up of one or two students from every class (the rest of the class is audience). Gracie has been chosen to be the player from her class, and will represent her class on the Red Team. I have to send her to school in a red shirt (this gives me fear in a Star Trek context).
Also, remember how I said I rejected the piece of boy plastic from my cup for krav maga? I didn't throw it away, but left it on the table - and since she has been home, Gracie has been walking around with it on her face like it is a gas mask. Her Frank Booth impression is fabulous indeed.