The meeting did not go as I hoped. There was a conflict on whether I would be allowed in the room which resolved with the caveat that I not speak. I kept silent for 40 minutes while I watched the drama play out: we were not getting our beloved aide back. The district refused to budge.

There was an alternative suggested with a new aide. We reluctantly are willing to try. I am emotionally drained, in sore need of a punching bag, and really would prefer to put on my jammies now and curl up with either some really soft yarn and work on a project, or curl up in a quilt and find a good movie on TV.

But there are chores to do, mouths to feed, Valentine cards to address (three classes worth), Valentine sugar cookies to make (one class worth), and a Court of Honor to go to.

Dear Son #1, sensing my mood and hearing the story of events today, came up to me and put a small 1" red metal button with white chinese characters on my shirt. When I asked him what it said he pointed to the characters and read them. "It says 'Somebody Loves Me'." He then gave me a hug before heading upstairs to put his school stuff away.

I made it through the day without getting teary until now.