24 HOURS

Not since Addie's birth day, have 24 hours been so important.

Let's see...to kick off the 24 hours, I took Walker to middle school open house.  No words.
Where has the time gone?  He walked in with the girl I want him to marry.  She was all eyes and composed.  He was bored.  Typical boy.  He was only worried about the lunch table where you can put money on your lunch account.

In fact, when the principal said she was "passing the microphone", he whispered, "you should turn the mic off."

He waved to his friend, Miss Mary, with her "wrapped head" in the stands.  She looked awesome. She was looking around as well and I was watching her knowing that she was thinking the same thing.

 I looked around at other moms and kids that I had known since they were little and wondered how we got here.  Seriously, where had the time gone?  Wasn't I just standing here with the button?  Wasn't Walker just a little guy?

And we left, off to the elementary school to pick up the "button" who was spreading mulch in the courtyard for me, in exchange for a pizza.  Fair deal.

We all got home simultaneously and it began.  Car needed washed, about fifteen loads of laundry needed washed and folded, suitcases needed packed, papers and documents need loaded, it was a sprint not a marathon. 

Tomorrow, the "button" leaves for college.  Never, did I ever think this day would come.  Most days, I didn't even think it would be possible.

Since his return in June, there have been highs and lows.  Some very positive highs and some dreadful lows.  There has been the even day, "I am not going to school, I am going out on my own."  There have been moments when the "old" me returns and I lose it.  There have been moments when the demons have returned.

Relapse is always part of recovery.  This time, he stayed and worked through the recovery.
And handcuffs were not involved.

Old behaviors did resurface but they did not take over.  And he muddled through.  Franklin and I sat on the back porch a lot and shook our heads.  And then when we were just about to give up...an old man in a truck got through.

While I wasn't there, the story goes something like this, the "button" tells the old man that he worked with, "I am not going to school, and I cannot live with my parents anymore."

The old man in the truck abruptly pulls his truck over and the button thinks they have a flat tire.  Instead, the old man slams on the breaks and smacks the button in the head and says,
"you are a dumb ass.  you live for ten months in summer camp and you cannot make it six weeks with your folks?  Are you just a dumb ass?  Listen here kid, if you apply for a job and the only thing they ask you is, "can you show up on time everyday?...you are not going to get rich."

All the time, all the conversations, all the therapy, all the advice...nothing.  But an old man in a pick up truck smacks my kid and calls him a "dumb ass, and we get clarity.  Ok, I will take it.

My mom says that kids take your money, your furniture, your food, your time and your energy but they never take your free advice.  And you are so busy raising these kids, you don't know where the time goes. 

How true.

And so, after about 10 weeks, there is a future in sight for the button.

Tomorrow, we attend the last open house at the elementary school as Addie will be a fifth grader.  And as soon as we see the teacher and the classroom, we are going to bolt. Bolt, just like the last five years. 

New York or bust baby.  We are on a mission. 

WE have been on a mission.  I cannot wait for these next 24 hours.