It's A Small World After All

19 years since we've seen each other.
My red dress---power color right?---and his baby blue tie. Texas Lawyer drove us to
the meeting with Executive Director  Lady.

We pull in and park and I say, " I want to puke." And  he said, "Please don't. I'm a sympathy puker."
So we nixed that idea and went inside.

Texas Lawyer sees her & recognizes her right away. He says hi, she says please give me a few minutes you're early and so we sign in. I have no idea what she would look like--but she is older  than I pictured and wearing a yellow knit scarf, skinny jeans classy leopard print  glasses & a ponytail. 

Right away I love her. So sassy. I adore sassy--it runs in my family.

Texas Lawyer starts--I interrupt. I want to assure her I agree with her feelings of disgust on what Oklahoma has done to those children at her facility, stranding them. I think she warms a little.

Texas Lawyer starts to talk again, telling her how we met in college--she interrupts--we aren't more than five minutes in--"Harding?" she says.

Texas Lawyer and I exchange a brief look---Bison get this a lot.  The pat, rote answer--"Small Christian University in Searcy a small town in the middle of Arkansas."

And Executive Director Lady says, "Oh I know where it is, I went there and so did my father."

That's when I knew. All this lead up. All these doors opened by God to get us just to this small, tiny, meeting. Texas Lawyer talking to his law partner, his law partner knowing a board member (or two)
and that wonderful guy getting us the introduction to Executive Director Lady. That's all God, cause it sure ain't me!

 You don't have to agree with me. You don't have to see it the same way. Shoot, you don't even have to believe in God---but take it from me as a lifelong believer--I can tell you-- THAT IS NOT LUCK!

Do you KNOW how many people were praying today? I have no clue---but I can promise you it was well over a hundred according to Facebook & texts. And the Word of God says--whenever two or more are gathered in my name, there am I.

And there He was.

Texas Lawyer and I felt it. (He had to---I sort of Elaine from Seinfeld, punched his arm all the way out to the car afterwards yelling "Get out!" "That's crazy she went to Harding too!" "No way!")

And I know Executive Director Lady felt it all the way down to her cute little ballet flats.

She warmed to us.

We had straight talk.She knew of the program in Plano that our preacher (from Texas) has recommended  for Son#1. Wow.
 I can't even tell you what all we discussed. It's too much. This lady is AMAZING. She is on boards in New York for advancing the futures of adults with autism, and a committee for a national list of providers. (she wanted to know what places in New York that DHS was looking into for Carson)
I totally want to be her when I grow up.  I told Texas Lawyer if nothing goes any further, the networking resource I've made with  her is totally worth it.

I let Texas Lawyer ask all his fancy money and contractual talk stuff. And every so often I just let her know as a mother, I wasn't giving up. I assured her I knew the fight didn't stop, SHOULD he get into her facility. I will have to fight his entire life. And I was quick to admit I knew not everything would be perfect if  we get to Texas.  I was frank about knowing how much all this will take to make every tumbler fall into place for this situation to be unlocked. But again, that's not me---that's a G thang.

And she was just as frank in her talk of a contract between the two states and what that would have to entail. Texas Lawyer & Executive Director Lady were very into the negotiations for both sides and I was very squirmy. He was SO optimistic is his wording with her--"So when he's here..."
"And so when he gets in here..."

They finally boiled it down. She told us flat out, the hurdles will be:

1. Meeting the admissions committee--and passing.

2. Do they have a spot? (Texas Lawyer asked and she said she did not currently have one right now)

3.  Funding and hammering out a contract that allows Texas not to be left holding the bag or get any kind of shaft in this deal.

Now---all that sounds like serious, massive, crazy hurdles. I will admit to a a small resigned feeling  started creeping in.
But THEN, Executive Director Lady says, "If he passes the admissions committee--I'd send a team to meet him and evaluate him. He's obviously very different on paper. And I'd send Dr. G with that team. And should I see that he is wonderful, and we need this kid, then I would want to probably create a spot for him."
Ummm YES PLEASE!!!!
Again---serious--massive--crazy--hurdles.
But so far my God has shown me he's a pretty good track star.