Learning patience

If you need to work on your patience, buy a cat, dog, or a horse is the best way. One could also work at a juvenile center, but your patience needs to be really refined before attempting that route.

I have a lot of patience, but I still got to work on that thread today, luckily I was calm. I decided to take my horse out on this cold icky day. Since it was windy, I decided to walk her first until her nerves calmed down. I walked Baron (my Mare) up a trail that went under a log, and the saddle horn hit the log lightly when she went under it, so she didn't want to go under the next one. I used all kinds of trainer techniques I had learned to no avail. Backwards, forwards, backwards forwards, backwards, forwards *sighs*. Next I tried giving pressure and releasing when she walked forwards, but she got very close and then back a million miles an hour when I became impatient and applied more firm pressure. Finally, I let the reins loose and sat on a log on the other side of the tree hanging over the trail.... Eventually she decided that sitting there was no fun and she went under it. I got to work on my patience. Every time I got frustrated and wanted to force her, I took a break and went back to sitting on the log. It was a cold icky day for it all, but it worked out okay.

A day of waiting....

My horse is coming to Wisconsin this evening!!! I hope she doesn't become a packers fan! Now, how do I consume time while waiting? Well, I woke up today early (I need to wait until 1700 hours for my horses arrival). I showered and started to clean my bathroom, only to hear noises outside my bathroom on the second floor. I peak out my bathroom blinds to see cute guys working on my roof. I would have been excited, but I really didn't appreciate the unknown interruption. Plus, I didn't want the cute guys to know that I actually cleaned because I want my future husband to do that by stating I don't know how. SO, these guys were working on my roof, thanks for letting me know Mr. Land Lord. Hmmmm... good thing it isn't the Iron Range, unknown visitors outside a girls roof could lead to 12 gauge protection. Good thing you can't shot rifles in town. So I finished cleaning the bathroom, and opened my door to the kitchen (the blinds were open there) to some very surprised young men who gave me a sheepish grin. Luckily they left the roof, and I finished cleaning my humble abode. Next, I proceeded to Wisconsin, carefully avoiding the dreaded packers fans, and I located the boarding place (so I didn't lead my Mom astray later). Next, I stopped at the horse trainers house, figuring I could occupy my time with another guys horses. The guy wasn't home, so I left. Mac (the horse trainer) said I could come anytime, and he insists I need not call, but I am an Iron Ranger and still have a horrible time with not following proper protocol, so I will try calling him later. Now I am at the library, and boy do blogs take up time, yeah!!!! I could look at houses as they did not accept my offer (they got seven offers total), but I no longer like looking at houses. More money to play with!!! Errrrr... Save actually (for a down payment, one never has "spare" money). I would have been excited either way, I focused on the positives of getting and not getting the house. At first I was frustrated and stressed beyond my normal level about getting the house, so perhaps God was looking out for me. I have also been praying about my finances because tithes can be stressful sometimes. Happy happy joy joy. The glass is half full. Actually, I wanna know who stole half my water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life in Red WIng

This is somewhat of an informational post for everyone that I haven't spoken to in over a year. Here goes with my life in Red Wing. I have lived in this foreign town now for a year, and can I really call it home? I am not so sure because I am still discontent with the church and miss Hibbing terribly, but God will make a way. Without a doubt God placed me here, and we are to live one day at a time. Yesterday, I made an offer on a house with four bedrooms, two kitchens, 1 and 3/4th bathrooms, and two living rooms. In other words the upstairs makes a nice two bedroom living quarters, and the down stairs with a walk out patio and door to the garage makes a two bedroom living quarters. The house needs a lot of work, smells like a damp dog, and a wall needs replacing in the upstairs bathrooms. It needs new carpet, or I need to get area rugs to place on the hardwood floors after tearing out the carpet. It could also use a new furnace, new paint, new down stairs windows, and better insulation, but these things are not necessary, and the house is fine as is. 84,900 for a house that would go for WAY less in Hibbing. Right now, I live in a duplex with my two cats that cause more grief then anything. I have two friends in Red Wing, and one is leaving (the other is Rob). A year...... and little fellowship. I am content with how things are going however, and I have been helping a guy break horses nearby, and I am moving my horse down here soon, which is currently at a trainers in St. Cloud. I have been spending my time reading Christian books, watching the news from time to time, hiking, and working. The job is great, I work with both the mental health residents and the transition residents. The transition guys are my primary responsibility, and these are the youth who have almost completed the program and are transitioning out in the community. The mental health residents are the worst ones to deal with (scitzophrenics, bi-polar, and behavioral problems). These residents are also the most dangerous. I have only had two mad enough to try and assault me..... One a desk separated me and him, and eventually pounded down to his room where I had patrol come pick him up to be transported to the security unit. This resident got out of our facility and is currently incarcerated in St. Cloud Pen. The next thinks I am the best officer ever after I got him mad enough and he flooded his room, barracaded it and attacked a couple staff that came to get him out and move him to a more secure room (when he got mad at me he was locked in his room, I had written him up for threatening another staff). Now I have seen him out on grounds (in his regular treatment cottage) and he states that I am his favorite staff. I am also a primary to the worst kid on campus (in my opinion).... He is a big Bloods/Crips gang member, his Dad is in prison for murdering someone, and he was brought up this way. Every day he lies and tries to manipulate staff and acts up. I have all the patience in the world, so I am the perfect primary, though he doesn't like me very much because I always catch him on his lies and such and send him to the security unit. He is currently not talking to me, although I try my best to help him out. Most of the Mental Health residents will end up getting civilly committed... They are too dangerous to little kids (mainly sex offenders). I have other vary gruesome stories that are not appropriate for a blog, and you would probably think I have lost my mind, but I thoroughly enjoy trying to help out these kids, even the ones no one thinks will change. I will not give up because God is greater then any problems they face. I like the challenge, and talking with the "good kids" (some will end up in prison or run when out on furlough in the community). The "good kids" (transition residents) talk about their addictions and beating them, some talk of God, and they always have interesting struggles to face as they head out in the community, often times to a new place with no family or friends that are positive enough to live with. So there is my update. Comments welcome.

Ways to control your stress when dealing with youth.

So, I work at a juvenile prison, and I thought I would share some therapy techniques.

#1 the therupetic fly swatter. When the juveniles come near a quick swat teachers them to mind your personal space.

#2 If they ask you something or start talking say Huh?, and they eventually roll their eyes a leave you alone.

#3 For the persistent arguer, intervene with a story or question that doesn't make sense. I.e. If you are driving down mainstreet in a mini red canoe and a tire falls off, how many waffles does it take to shingle a dog house? Let them ponder in a confused state of mind, and then answer, it doesn't matter because ice cream doesn't have bones. Next revert to tip #2

#4 For the worst of the worst, use the therupetic baseball bat.