mapp class today

Our second MAPP class was today, and I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I don't know if "enjoy" is the right word, just because you're dealing with really hard stuff, but I learned a lot and had no temptation to fall asleep, even on only five hours from last night (and believe me when I say, I'm an eight hour girl). We did a really powerful "close your eyes imagine" activity where the instructor told us to imagine someone came and took us away from our family to go live with a new family. And the new family was so excited that we were coming and had waited so long for us. But we had to leave our old family. Then after 12 months, we were taken back to our old family. A year having passed. 12 months of memories without them and their memories without me. Anyway, I'm doing it no justice, but it was really powerful in conveying the array of emotions a foster child could possibly feel coming into your home. Today's class was about losses and attachments, and it just really made me think. The second half of class was about ways to help children manage their behaviors. I know I'm up to the challenge, but this is going to be a hard one for me, and I was really thankful for all the practical, good stuff they gave us today. All of that to say that I'm really thankful, even though it means hours away from Jonah and having to pull him out of bed at 6:45 to do bandage changes, that we have to do this. I'm glad to get some training but even more than that, I so desperately want to have compassion for our children and try to figure out where they're coming from. I know these classes will help me so much in having a better grasp on that.


And in unrelated news, I present to you Jonah. Our little stockbroker. 

(Sorry for the blur. When I'm trying to catch a quick shot, I don't have time to get my settings right, and HE WILL NOT HOLD STILL for anything. But he is a stockbroker, after all. He doesn't have time for my shenanigans.)