We had our meeting with the social worker, Gracie and her family, on Thursday.  I felt like Gracie's  sister thought Gracie was doing amazing and all of the good things about Jack were a direct result of Gracie's parenting.  Her sister also said that Gracie is not drinking, based on their daily phone calls.  The mom, Lori, was largely silent.  She still looks beat down by the death of her husband.  

I was quite proud of myself because I told Gracie that I was still angry with her for hurting my grandson, for causing him to go into care in Victoria and for him having to be cared for by strangers for a week.  I said I haven't forgiven you but I'm working on it.  The social worker thanked me for sharing how I felt.  Her family seems to have glossed over the fact that she's probably at least one of the reasons Gracie's father killed himself.  I can't forget that either.

Gracie goes into rehab on Wednesday and it was decided that Jack would spend four days with Gracie, surpervised by her family, at her mom's home.  I don't like this but there is little I can do until we have guardianship.  I had a meltdown at work on Friday morning, couldn't stop crying and then I realized how worried I was about Jack staying with his mom for four days.  I cried hard and then got it together and finished off my day.  I apologized to the patient that I had to pass onto another nurse and the patient was so lovely about it.  Our patients all understand how devastating life can be at times.

I also talked to Lori and shared some of my concerns.  I'm worried about her too because she's been through hell and Gracie has no empathy for her.  Gracie only cares about Gracie.  She said she would be okay with Gracie and Jack for four days and there would be other people there as well.  Gracie is verbally abusive to her mother at times.  Gracie's just a gem really.

So little Jack went off with his grandma and a good friend of her's yesterday.  We told him he would come home in three sleeps and he seemed okay with it.  Before he left we built towers.  He loves building towers with his lego.  

After the meeting on Thursday the big guy and I talked with the social worker by ourselves.  We still have a lot of concerns about Gracie and we shared those with social worker who also has concerns about Gracie.  She is not a young, naive woman.  We told her some of the things that have happened over the past two and a half years.  She told us that once we have guardianship and parenting, things will be much easier and she will go before the judge and advocate for us as well which made me feel better.  I'm trying not to think about December 14th too much, the court date, but it's there somewhere inside my head.  

When Lori picked up Jack she asked us what we were going to do with a weekend off.  Neither of us had a clue.  She suggested a date night and so we did.  We went out for supper to one of your favorite restuarants that we haven't been to in years and sat and relaxed and chatted about Jack and Gracie:)  It was nice.  Between covid and Jack and Gracie, these last two and a half years have been hard.  

I'm still worried about Jack but I know his grandma will keep a close eye on him and after Wednesday we won't have to see Gracie for forty-two days.  I don't know if she'll make it through treatment but either way, she still has to come back into the real world and get it together before she gets Jack back.  

It's a grey day in the neighborhood but it's warm out, above 0C so the dogs will get a long walk later.