Procrastinator's Update

I've been bad about writing lately... so here's a procrastinator's entry. Ben's family had their yearly beach vacation on Kiawah Island and, this year, everyone was able to make it which is quite a feat considering all the crazy schedules. Ben and I really wanted to go but because he didn't have any time off from school we were only able to make it for the weekend.

Ben finished the summer semester with all A's and as the new director of his school's PA-run free clinic. I'm very proud of all the hard work he's done while still managing to be an incredible husband.

He had only one week off before starting one of his hardest and longest semesters. Yes, that's one week off from May through December. One week. And what is he doing right now? Studying. Why? Because during the one week off that he is supposed to get, he received emails from his teachers saying they had to pre-read before Monday's classes. Like, 100+ pages.

Can you tell I'm a little bitter? (I don't need permission to complain on my own blog, do I?) I mean, give the kids a break... one week out of 8 months to spend undivided with your families and not have to study seems a bare minimum in my eyes... then you pile on work during that one week? Ugh! Ben's glad I'm not his mother or I would probably go in and give those teachers a piece of my mind!

On the bright side, we were able to spend all day yesterday together which was great, and we visited Ben's home last weekend. Ben also spent some days over the break r&ring with our friends Chris and Janette. Overall, we've maintained a pretty good balance this summer. My job is going well, though one of the counselors on my unit (there are 3 of us) is going back to school to get her PhD, so we will be down 1 man. I continue to spend my days in treatment teams, leading group therapy, checking in with the guys and trying to pour water on any embers I see that could turn into fires, and trying to restore competency so many of them can move on with their lives. Originally, I was trained to go into school counseling but when I arrived home from India mid-year I took this job instead. Now that a new school year is beginning and there were some opportunities to switch careers back to what I was really planning in the first place, I opted out. I enjoy the work I'm doing and working with adults seems like a better fit for me. Also, as time goes by I question whether working in a school is really something I would enjoy.
That's the current update. More later.