Bwahaha!

I like this one of Prince Harry and his horse.

aww!

I know - giving his pony a hug. And the horse is adorable.

Amyth and I have a head start on this.

We totally do.

Vortex, I second having your iron checked. You might be able to get an order for bloodwork from your doctor prior to your appointment and have a copy of the results sent to your home so you will have an idea if it is that ahead of time. And, of course, if you continue to feel like you are having trouble breathing, definitely go to the ER because it could be asthma.

The PT kicked my ass today, so I bought a frozen chicken pot pie from a local restaurant for dinner. I hope it's good.

Tea: I also meant to say great pics of smonster's new place!

Just skipped 400 posts because i'm freaking out a little. 15 yo sister is cutting herself. there's more going on, of course there is, but that's all the initial voicemail msg from her mom was flipping out about wanting me to help. i have no idea where to start. poor kid is imbalanced as all get out, an emotional drama queen of a preciously over intellectualized future drop out. Brilliant but won't turn in school work. How the hell am i suppose to help her from across the country? I can't even talk down suicidals on the phone at work :(

Yikes, erin, is she in therapy?

How frustrating, erin. Is it a comfort at all to know that my niece was a cutter and she's a totally well adjusted mama these days?

well, got a little more info...after the misery of her as a HS freshman dating a senior against the 'dating contract' her parents drew up when she started HS... she started sexting a college freshman. sent him topless photos of herself. She's 15. He's 19. Her phone has been confiscated and she's been cut off from the internet UFN. His parents have taken his phone and he's no longer allowed on the computer without an adult around (dunno how they hope to enforce that while he's at college but they are definitely PISSED OFF at him.) There are evidently some legal issues. Apparently his father, as the person paying for the phone his son was using, could go to jail for a considerable amount of time if authorities started investigating the pics as child pornography. His parents and her mom are aware, my dad is NOT at this point, largely due to his history of getting all ragey and trying to destroy the future of boys who mess with his youngest. And according to the ex stepmom this particular guy is actually ok, not the sleazebag she was shenangianing with before. Immature and geeky but smart and decent (aside from the sexting, which seems to be a Done Thing among kids these days? ye gods how dumb they are) and the mom was actually willing to deal with an internet friendship and romance until the topless photos started transpiring. AFAIK they have not made it to the internet and likely will not now that phones are in parental custody.

She was so upset by losing all avenues of contact that she started cutting herself (again, it has happened before) and saying things along the lines of "i'm going to cut myself until god brings him back to me, and i'll cut myself to the bone if that's what it takes." This from a kid who previously described herself as an atheist. An overly dramatic atheist, but there it is. She's been vehemently denying counseling and therapy, refusing to get in the car and kicking and screaming. I believe after a long chat with the mom that she will be forcibly dragged to the therapist if that's what it takes, because IMHO she desperately needs an outside voice to help her regain some semblance of control over her life.

Once again, SO DAMNED GLAD i have no kids. And vibing like hell at VA that the poor kid can survive her adolescence.