Hello! Its so hard to write after not writing.  There is always some great excuse not to.  Like how much I have to do, or somebody needs the computer for doing homework or whatever.  But I need to write.  Also, I have a problem with the email account I established this blog with...I no longer have access to that account and somehow I miraculously remembered the password on here and got back in, but I have no idea how to connect this blog to my gmail account now.  Any ideas?  Well...

MEXICO is going crazy.  Its that time again but times a zillion.  I'm talking about political campaigns.  We are headed toward a presidential election but this time we are electing, at least in Puebla, governor, mayor and a ton of local and national leadership as well.  You can hardly listen to the radio at all without hearing five or six political spots every few minutes.  Its exhausting, honestly.  I have many many opinions and thoughts about what should happen and who people should vote for but I won't be able to express them at the polls since I still am not legal to vote here. 

I am only a legal resident because I have issues with becoming a Mexican.  Due to the fact that my husband is highly involved with a political party and was almost a local candidate, he had asked me to start the paperwork so I could support him and also vote.  But after a visit to the SRE (foreign relations secretary), I realized that I'm missing a lot of the documents that are required to start the process.  I wanted to go back and ask questions but my visit coincided with the worst earthquake I have ever experienced and well, after that, things got crazy and I never did go back.  I am sort of in limbo now because I tell people what I think but have no true say in what the outcome of these elections will be.  July 1st is voting day and we still have another exhausting month and a half to endure.

We also switched our kids (FINALLY) to a new school.  Honestly I don't know the reason we waited so long because it was obviously time for a change a long time before we made the final decision.  I can't remember if I ever wrote about how the old school treated Alex.  I guess proximity and familiarity kept us at the school but let me say that those are really bad reasons to stay in a bad situation.  As soon as he finished elementary we switched and I so wish it had been after third grade when everything was really awful.  It just got worse and worse.  So, we decided for sure middle school would be better and moved both kids to a wonderful, very large Jesuit Catholic school.  It has made a world of difference in these past two years.  Santi is now graduating elementary school with lots of friends he made in fifth and sixth grade and Alex is finishing up year two of middle school.

Last week was the day the kids bring home their financial packets for the next school year.  We pay eight months tuition during the school year and two months of re-enrollment during May and June. Santi brought his paperwork for middle school and I asked Alex where his was.  He told me that the following day they were handing his out but it turns out that he didn't receive re-enrollment due to his conduct grade.   So, of course I started freaking out because I want Alex in this school.  It was difficult for him to get in, but it's been soooo much better for him.  I spoke to his adviser and he let me know that Alex is missing two decimal points to have a passing conduct grade of 8.0.  I spent a weekend praying, worrying and researching.  I was so focused on Alex keeping his academic grades up and above the cut off that I had no idea he was doing so poorly in conduct.

Alex had been diagnosed adhd a few years back.  After that horrible third grade year, with a teacher who lacked compassion, patience and kindness.  But we never medicated him and never went further than a bit of therapy for attention and behavior modification.  Basically it was a slapped together diagnosis (after two short sessions) from someone who meant well but was not a neuropsychologist.
Now after the shock of not being asked back to school, I am revisiting the issue and I know that I should have helped my son sooner.  I feel so guilty for thinking maybe he had outgrown it or was better able to cope.  But now he is in testing for adhd or any other problems and I really hope I can help him not only stay in the school he loves, but also be more focused to succeed in school.

Believe me there is so much guilt and sadness.  That is what I feel after not addressing this issue for years.  I feel I have failed my son in so many ways and that he has had such a hard time.  I wanted to avoid labeling him and instead I avoided helping him.  So, after next week and 6-7 hours of testing, we will be meeting with a pediatric neurologist and even though we won't have the diagnosis for a time, they will be helping us with an action plan to help Alex succeed at school.  And they will advocate for Alex to stay at his school as well!

Saludos from Puebla.  Hope to keep up the writing!