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2:51 p.m. - May 08, 2004 Anyway, this is the first weekend in a really long time when I haven't had to study or cram, and it feels sort of...odd. I'm not used to this. I imagine I'll meander through these next few weeks, trying to find things to keep me busy--not that I'll have a hard time doing that. Anyway, here is the best thing that happened to me this week: I saw a little 2 year old in clinic all semester long, a little blond, curly-haired, blue eyed sweetie pie, and her mom and dad are also fantastic people, willing to do what it takes to make sure little R. has the best opportunities. Anyway, this week being our last week together, my co-clinicians and I brought all kinds of goodies for little R. to take home--books, toys, bracelet, etc. Her mom started crying a little bit, saying how much she appreciated us, and Jenn and I started getting teary-eyed. Little R. couldnt' figure out why her mom was crying, and her older brother (who is 5) stuck his arm out for his mom to dry her eyes on his sleeve. Little R. and her mom gave us envelopes, which her mom told us not to open till they left, because our supervisor opened hers and made her cry. Anyway, walking out of the clinic was hard because you could see how much her Little R's mom appreciated us, and she was crying and R. kept saying "bye" to us. Time for us to move on...but that's hard because over the semester I fell in love with R's family--all the kids and the parents. Anyway, Jenn and I opened our cards, and it was the sweetest thing--a picture of me and R. together, with R's handprint above it, and a note saying, "You have made a difference in my life!" with an enclosed note from her parents saying how much they appreciate us, and our work. And a gift certificate to Target. And you know, it's not even the gift certificate that was the best thing--it was the sum of it all: the picture, and the note, and R's mom's teary statements. This is what makes it all worth it. This is why I'm doing all this work, still stuck in school. Remind me of that when I start doubting myself again. I'm going to frame the card. I swear, of all the kids I've worked with, one-on-one in clinic, this is the one that really makes me feel like I'm doing something positive and meaningful.
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