prison, drugs, cartwheels, and more

52 minutues before another day is done, and trying to write a few noteworthy things before then.....

went to church and taught sunday school by myself, only four students. No princess or little sister helping. soothing

Little sister wanted to go swimming, but princess did not. So after picking up big brother from boy scout camping, went to the Y. I used to do this with princess, but the memories fade fast....now it seems confirmed how much little sister wants to spend time with me, but Princess does not....

Drove home, swapped girls (poor big brother), took Princess to the local jail where her biomom is being held. Met her (adoptive) dad, a defense lawyer; we chatted a bit during the mandatory wait time.

Two scary stories of children of his friends/coworkers. One with a straight-a daughter who got into heroin. Personality change, much more defiant, lip piercing, blowup at mom when she investigated Facebook activity. Another one with a daughter who got busted for cocaine (or her boyfriend did), went through a 9 month rough patch, before sucessfully landing at UC Berkeley.

Then some sweet moments with Princess. She went outside. I went out to watch her. She was trying cartwheels and handstands on the grass. Try a running cartwheel I suggest. She smiles, tries. She is wearing denim shorts, black boots, a blue button sweater I just got from a church friend whose girls had outgrown their clothes. She is wearing a band of some sort around her head. She looks like a girl from the 1960s. She does some cartwheels, lands on her behind, laughs....

The three of us trade off conversations with her mom on the other side of the prison window. She is doing well; has work detail for her unit (cleaning things up). I tell her princess keeps her room in a state of chaos, probably on purpose; she says she was "like a whirlwind" in keeping her room messy from age 3-13, then around that age, something clicked, and she kept her room neater.

(of course, around that age a whole different set of problems was facing her too)

Afterwards princess asks for my phone to call Little Sister's mother  (she has the same biodad, different mother).  I am surprised to find the number in my phone, but she calls. "I love you." she says.

At home she brushes her little sister's hair after a bath, and proffers a verbal offer of pajamas that are too small for her.  Both positive developments....

But then, when my back is turned, she does something to little sister that makes her cry. I, frustrated at several things (including having to make her rice and beans for a late supper) yell at her to go to bed. She throws a hairbrush at me.

And so it goes.