Travel~ma and family~ma and work-stay-off-your-damn-back~ma to ita !, and so many good thoughts going out to your mom.

I'm pretty sure only kids get to keep their shoes on in Security.

I've flown with Matilda twice, and both times she had to take her shoes off. Between the impossibility of explaining security theater to a 3-year-old and the fact that she was already developing a huge fondness for footwear and really disliked having her shoesses, her precious, off her feet and out of her control for even a moment, it was... undelightful.

Though less undelightful than it was for the poor old woman sitting next to us on the security theater stage at SFO, who was in a wheelchair with one foot bound up and her son grimly but silently unwrapping the bandage (which she was bleeding through) because apparently security thought she might be the craftiest terrorist ever. I really, really wanted to punch someone on her (and her son's) behalf. But I suppose it wouldn't have ended well for any of us.

I once had to take the little leather Robees shoes off one of my children, whom I was carrying because said child was an infant.

My biggest hate is when they make me take off my cardigan sweater, claiming it is a jacket. A crewneck is okay, but buttons up the front a la Mr. Rogers makes me a terrorist?

Flea, I hear ya....the other day the TSA patted me down because I had POCKETS.

...no really. I went through the machine, and they were like "is there anything in your pockets" and I said no (not saying "OMG I only heard you tell us to take it all out like, six times")...and then they patted me down and said "Hmm. Must've been the pockets". Apparently just HAVING them is too much now.

The TSA people are confused by me. I take off my shoes, rings, hat, and jacket, saunter through the metal detector in my stripy tights and petticoats, and only sometimes do I get the pat-down. And I usually get told "Nice hat".

~ma to Allyson and another helping to ita ! and family. And house-selling~ma to the flea household! Sounds like a good start in a new town, except for the ATM thing.

I want to hug everyone.

I am looking for a new job. They have to cut my hours back because things are tight for the business. I can't deal with the yo-young long term, so the search is back on.

Travel ~ma for ita, and health ~ma for your mom.

Job ~ma for msbelle.

~ma for anyone else who needs it.

msbelle, probably for the best to find something new. Sucks to jump on that train again.

Oy, msbelle, sorry you are still looking. I think I might start looking too but for what? I don't know. In my ideal world, I'd rep and do PD for a textbook company. But the kids are too little for that still.

The new school for Grace, I think, is right. The current school doesn't have a daily nurse. Also, they don't have an onsite AP for special ed nor did the teacher want Grace's communications board. In fact, she said, "We know what she wants. She communicates fine." Which makes me want to bitch slap her. No. She needs to learn to sign and she needs to learn to use the app we have.

Anyhow, the new school's program is shorter AND is also only 4 days a week. Maybe, then she could do a ton of ABA therapy on Friday?

Also, ita, safe travels to you and health ~ma to your mom. It deserves its own post.