This is the commute to my office.I walk out my front door, down the walk, down the driveway and into my cute little dollhouse of an office. If it's raining or snowing, I dart out of the garage door saving a few steps in the precipitation. The little white building at the end of the driveway was a falling apart carriage house when I bought this house but then, the men in my life put it to rights and made me the coziest little law office ever.
But today was not an office day--I had an emancipation hearing at 8:30 a.m. so I jumped into the lawmobile--my Ford Escape (license plate MTNCLBR). Let's see
- coffee
- hairclip
- files
- drycleaning slip
- sunglasses
From there it was one place after another--probably more than 100 miles on the lawmobile by the time I parked back in the driveway.
There was a meeting to help decide whether or not a father who was doing everything that he needed to in order to reunify with his son should have more visits (yes); there was a visit to two little babies who had been diagnosed as failure to thrive but had gained a pound each after fi
ve days in foster care; there was a visit to a mother who had fallen back into substance abuse; there was a visit with four children who would probably be adopted by their grandparents; there was a visit with another little boy who stole my heart and whose story broke it.And somewhere along the way there was donkey in the shadow of Mt. Abrham. It almost sounds biblical.
15 comments:
Yeah, it does :) Thanks for the eye opening day in the life... If you haven't yet noticed, I linked to you on a meme (my first one...)
Anyway, what I said there about what I've read on your blog, and what that says about your family relationships -- is made even clearer as it is compared to your work stories of other families.
Hope you'll choose to take part if you have the chance.
Reading your article made me relaxed after a day of hard Work. Keep it up! Well done!
This made me smile. I know you could be making oodles more money in a city, but seriously, and trade seeing the mule? :c)
Sharon, I did see your meme and thank you very much. I'll see what I can come up with--your blog is great fun for me to visit.
San Antonio Lawyer, thanks but the truth is that I am way too ADHD to spend my day in an office dealing with the same sorts of cases one after another.
Jayne, you nailed it--the donkey in the field is worth at least 6 figures to me!
donkey or mule--I think you are right, Jayne, mule.
The Lady Paladin of Southern Maine. Have Law Will Travel. Be safe on your travels.
Beth, I love your office and the mobile one too. Your 'day' sounds like one filled with joys and despairs. I am in awe that you seem to handle it so well. It must be very hard for you not to bring it all home. But at least you can see you make a real difference where you are. I like that you have traded skyscrapers for mountains. :0
Ford should send you some advertising money. I sure hope the people of Maine appreciate what you do. You are a special person. I'm proud to be kin. Pappy
What an enviable work set-up. An enviable commute; no rush hour; all the lovely scenery you describe; and a job that sounds fulfilling.
Yes indeed it *does* almost sound biblical. Four kids adopted by the grandparents? Oh boy....I don't even want to imagine the story there, other than I hope the grandparents are the haven that it sounds like these boys need, and I hope they have the stamina for four growing boys!
P.s. your office is so cute!
"another little boy who stole my heart and whose story broke it." That line stood out like a beautiful piece of poetry all by itself.
My mother says to tell you she also enjoyed this insight into your daily life, both the pleasant and the more difficult elements.
One visit to your blog and I am hooked. I just sat here and read, finished my coffee, and still read more. If the laundry wasn't yelling my name I could read all day.
I'm searching for blogs for my Google Reader, an assignment in class for continuing to develop my own blog, Over Coffee...
Yours, Beth, will remain one to visit VERY OFTEN, for your stories, and for the places you send me to visit. I have spent a lovely hour this morning... over coffee, of course. :)
Love the law office at the end of the driveway... to me, get-aways-on-the-homestead carry a romance all their own. Whether for writing or painting or practicing law. Thank you for sharing yours...
Thanks for sharing your life here. You lead a full life, Beth. I think dealing with diverse personalities is both invigorating and tiring. You certainly make a difference.
Thanks for what you do.
Mary
Beth, thanks for this peek into your life. In some ways it is similar to my son who works for child protective services. I don't know how either of you deals with all the pain and sorrow you see but I thank God you are both able to do it, for the children need people like you. BTW, If I had a little "office" like yours, it would be my art studio!
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