August 25th.

That’s the official date Tim will go to ODTC for residential treatment and school. It’s so close, but the anticipation, hoping that date sticks, is killing me. It’s been such a long road to get him an ICG grant and get him into residential that it almost doesn’t seem real.

Plus, the guilties kick in. I know this is what’s best – for him and for the rest of us – but it’s hard sending your child away. I know, intellectually, that it’s not my failing as a parent, but that doesn’t make me feel less like a failure emotionally.

Tom’s doing well. Since his “incident” (and we’ll leave it at that) on the 7th, he hasn’t had a single drink. I’m proud of him. It was his choice, but my dissapointment and stress over it had some impact, I’m sure.

Today’s another date, mine and Tom’s 19th wedding anniversary. Even without all the stress of our daily lives, we’ve beaten the odds. Married before 25, first kid in our first year of marriage, two special needs kids, and a stay-at-home dad – all are markers for divorce. But here we are! And, save the incident from last week and all the issues with Tim, we are happier than most other couples we know.

No matter what we go through, we’re still a team.