Today was one of those non-stop days. I started by attending the KC METRO Child Traumatic Stress meeting. This is a networking coalition that is an off-shoot of a group that I attended when I lived in the KC area in the 90’s. At that time it was called the Coalition for Positive Family Relationships and anyone in the community—any nonprofit or agency or whatever—that dealt with kids, families, elderly people, or anything family related, could come to these meetings and share what they were doing and why they were doing it. There were representatives from the major school districts, child welfare agencies, battered women’s shelters, homes for unwed mothers, eldercare organizations, etc. When the grant for this coalition died, so did the coalition. But some folks clamored to keep it going, so two subgroups formed. One is the Child Traumatic Stress group and one is more of a general community group.


At today’s meeting, there were about 15 people present. They included two bikers who were members of Bikers Against Child Abuse. They had road names of Opie and Roadkill! Roadkill was tattooed up one side and down the other, and he was also a CASA worker! Bet he opens some eyes when he walks in a courtroom ... They were really nice guys! "Roadkill" is going to try and arrange for me to speak to his CASA group. Also at the meeting were two KCMO cops (KCK = Kansas City, Kansas and KCMO = Kansas City, Missouri.) They were from the juvenile division and in charge of investigations. There was a big wig from DFS in Missouri, a couple of gals who ran different battered women’s shelters, a gal from Crittendon Children’s Services which is a mental health facility and also has a cadre of foster parents, and another four or five folks, plus the facilitator. One of the gals talked about her daughter being emancipated and bouncing checks and not “getting with the program” and after the meeting happened to mention to me she was adopted. During the meeting she was scoping out the ATN newsletter I had passed out (actually Beth passed out my literature, as she was with me) … and the lady commented how interesting the information was to her … I’m guessing she had not seen much information about attachment issues although she had lived with a troubled daughter. I am very excited about the networking opportunities this coalition offers.


After the meeting Beth and I headed east to central Missouri where there are towns with 220 people living there, and no cell phone towers for miles and miles. We looked at a horse, and bought him! He’s too cool, incredibly well trained, unbelievably mellow, and very smooth. He has been shown extensively and quite successfully. I showed horses as a kid, and loved it. Maybe Beth and I will both show him some next year. We are selling her (unpredictable) pony and this big guy we bought today will be great for lots of other people to ride, and not just Beth. He is a Quarter horse, so I am stepping out of my usual box and didn’t buy an Arabian. My husband pointed out that we have 4 (+ or –) breeds of dogs, so why not more than one breed of horse? We pick up “Moe” on Friday!


On the way home I spoke to a friend of mine who is a foster parent. He and his wife recently took placement of a little boy who was a neglect case. This little guy is 2 years old and the first foster child they have had who was that old who didn’t know how to drink out of a cup. He does, however, know how to lap up water from a dish and they have to watch him around puddles outside or he will squat down and drink that water, too. Can you imagine what else has been wrongly programmed in this child?


After Beth and I scarfed some TCBY frozen yogurt for dinner, we picked up her friend, also an adoptee, and then I took them to swimming practice. They are upstairs now, talking no doubt. This friend is really a cool kid and appears incredibly well adjusted after arriving from Eastern Europe at age 5. She’s got a neat mom, too, and a brother. Her brother is a bio child and he is the special needs child in the family, facing many of the same issues "our" kids do.


So there’s my day. How was yours?

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