I'm done!

Yesterday was my final day of internship.  It was an amazing feeling to walk out and know that I've officially completed everything for my doctoral degree.  Even though commencement was a couple of weeks ago, I still had to complete my internship to be finished with all the degree requirements.  Although I'm thrilled to be finished with internship, leaving CONREP was sad.  In January and February and March, when all the hullaballoo was going on and every day was another crisis, I was just praying that I'd survive to get to this day.  Even though it's still crazy, I really did love it there.  I loved (almost) all of my fellow clinical staff, and I loved the clients.  Of all the clients I've worked with, these are the ones that I'll carry around in my heart.  I realize it is a little odd to say that about a group of severely and persistently mentally ill violent felons, but it really is true. 

On Tuesday, one of the guys in one of my groups came up to me after group and said nervously, "You made a real difference in my life because you always encouraged me with my gardening and just treated me...normal."  Then he said, "I'll really miss you, Christine."  It was simultaneously touching and hilarious!  We had gone on a field trip to a baseball game a week or two ago (and it was scorching hot in the midday sun).  One of my clients caught a foul ball and had all the clients sign it and gave it to me.  How cool is that?

So now I'm done.  I have (at least) three months off to enjoy being with Rebecca, study for the EPPP, and getting some stuff done around the house, in preparation for a hopeful move sometime later this summer or in early fall.  I got that started today by sleeping in until 9:00 a.m., going out to breakfast with Rebecca, and then going to the mall.

I have utterly neglected my blog for the last month, but that's going to change now!  I have so many pictures I want to put up, so get ready!