I passed!

I did indeed pass the EPPP!  Thanks be to God! 

It was a huge relief to get the news, and I was able to celebrate with lunch out with my favorite date.  (Ramy and I actually work just about half a mile from each other - literally, right down the street.  We have had the opportunity to have lunch together only about three or four times since I started working at Casa Colina.  I usually eat lunch at my desk!).

I got the word from the California Board of Psychology that all of my hours have been accepted, so now I'm just waiting to get the code to take the CPSE.  What's the holdup?  Well, after they received my check to take said CPSE, apparently the check has to travel around the state by carrier pigeon and receive blessings from seventeen left-handed Trappist monks before it posts to my account.  Not really, but it apparently takes a couple of weeks for the state of California to put the money in the right place and link it to my name.  This also explains a lot about why California is in the shape that it is.  I have learned from this lesson, however, that I will not make this mistake again.  After I pass the CPSE, I then have to send them some more money to get my initial license.  However, I am going to go ahead and send them my check now so that while I'm in the process of waiting for the CPSE and taking it, they can process my payment.  So now I need to study a bit for the CPSE.  It's not nearly as "big" a test as the EPPP, but it is a little less predictable because they change it every 6 months.  The stakes are also higher, because if you fail it, you can't take it again for 6 months.  With any luck, I'll be able to take the exam the first week of October. 

Ten on Tuesday

1. Apparently Tuesdays have been kind of rough for the last month or so. Sorry.

2. I took the EPPP last Sunday. I am cautiously optimistic, but it's a hard test and there are a lot of experimental questions on it, so I have been anxiously awaiting my results. They batch the results on the 15th and last days of the month and send to the states. California allows online retrieval of scores, so I had hoped to get my scores before the long weekend. Unfortunately, they haven't yet been posted. I thought it should surely be today but alas, no, so maybe tomorrow!

3. After I pass the EPPP, then the California Board of Psychology has to certify that I've had my requisite number of postodoctoral hours and that they were gained in a legitimate fashion. I've already sent in all that paperwork, so hopefully that part won't take too long. Then they qualify me to sit for the CPSE - California Psychology Supplemental Examination. It doesn't have much overlap with the EPPP, so it's back to studying. Luckily, it's only on the areas of California laws pertaining to psychological practice, HIPAA, ethical issues, treatment planning, and psychological interventions.

4. It sure was a nice long weekend. It sure was hard to go back to work this morning.  But there were clients happy to see me, and Kelli and I had a lot to talk about so we were back in the groove within minutes.  I really do love my work.  I have a story to tell about a client who really affected me, but not in a ToT post.

5. We have gophers in the backyard, and they are making holes in our nice, freshly sodded yard. Any ways you know of to get rid of them that don't involve poisons which could also harm our dogs who like to make holes in our nice, freshly sodded yard?

6. Today, Rebecca came home with the Apple of the Dy award for her class, which she earned for "great behavior." She was so proud of herself! We were also very proud of her. She also came home with the class pet, which is a stuffed elephant. That's my kind of class pet!

7. Rebecca was overjoyed to announce that in school today, they learned about Johnny Appleseed. Rebecca LOVES the story of Johnny Appleseed. She sang the song for them on the playground, of course inserting her "fuji apples" phrase instead of the traditional "golden apples."

8. It was such a good long weekend. I enjoy being with my family so much! On Friday, Rebecca had an appointment and then she and I went out for breakfast and then did some crafting. When Ramy came home from work, we had a family water balloon fight. We spent Saturday doing some errands and hanging out at home after we checked out a local place for breakfast (which had amazing banana macadamia nut pancakes and apple streusel pancakes). On Saturday night, we hired Jessica to kid-sit for us while we went out to dinner in Claremont and then went to the movies to see Crazy, Stupid Love. Claremont has a great old town with all kinds of shops and restaurants. It also happens to be just down the street from Casa Colina (which is in Pomona). As it turns out, one of my clients who had been having a really rough week was there! We went to mass at 7:30 on Sunday morning and then headed into Hollywood to go to a cool new place for brunch. Then we went home with the intention of doing cleaning and organization projects for the rest of the day. As luck would have it, however, we got invited to dinner at Paul and Maddy's house so we couldn't pass that up! On Monday, we had someone come to give us an estimate for closet organization systems, and then we just did some other household projects.

9. I give Crazy, Stupid Love a thumbs up. Not a two thumbs up, run out and see this movie and it will change your life. But it was cute and there was some really good eye candy (Ryan Gosling).

10. In celebration of it being September, I made banana bread last night. So yummy! It makes me think that fall is just around the corner! However, in Southern California, we realistically have another month to two months of hot weather. I'm ready for cool weather! I can't wait to have a fire in the fireplace downstairs while we're watching tv or eating dinner!

A Message for Aunt Margaret

Dear Aunt Margaret,
Thank you for the card you sent me.  Someone else in the house got the mail and gave it to me to open, and my mommy didn't realize it had come.  So I am very late in sending you a thank you message.  I thought that you might like to see me instead of just hearing my voice, so I recorded you a video message. 

I love you!
Rebecca

A new school year

Rebecca's transition from the 4-year old class to Pre-K seems to have gone smoothly.  We went to the Transition Party at her old class and to meet her teachers on the Friday before she started in her new classroom.  The kids enjoyed pizza and all kinds of other snacks. 

Rebecca followed her friend Nicholas around, batted her eyes at him, and said in a sweet and coy voice, "Hiiiiiiiiii, Nicholas.....!"  Lord, give us strength. 

 

 

Rebecca was very sad to say goodbye to her teachers, Mrs. E and Mrs. Flores.  Mrs. Flores said about Rebecca, "I'm so going to miss talking to her every morning!  It's like having a conversation with an adult!"

The next week, Rebecca marched into Room 9 like she owned the place.  We checked out her cubby and looked at the names of the other friends in her class (alas, there is a Nicholas in her class but not the one who lets her pretend he is her puppy).  She had time for Mama to snap a couple of quick pictures, but that was it.  She was ready to make friends! 

 So far, it looks like we are off to a good start.  Occasionally, Rebecca seems to worry that she isn't smart enough.  She does't like to try things that are hard unless she knows she can show that she can do them.  For example, she refused to draw an "S" until she had mastered it.  Now, this is hard to accomplish, since practice really does make perfect! 

Recently, there has been a commercial on that she has seen about teaching kids math.  Rebecca points out that those kids aren't yet in kindergarten and they know math.  This prompted her to be concerned that she didn't know math.  Since then, we have had to point out all the things that she does with numbers that are, indeed, math! 

Rebecca has also become very aware of the fact that she is much smaller than most of the children in her class.  She remarks about being "small" and tends to frown if people incorrectly assume that she is three.  We have to talk a lot about how God makes people in different sizes and that it doesn't have anything to do with how good they are or how smart they are.

Then there are other days when we have to put her ego in check.  For example, she announced the other evening, "Well, I'm the smartest one in my class!" 

It's a fine line to walk!

Celebrating Daddy

Ramy's birthday was a couple of weeks ago - the day after we got back from Vegas.  He's not one for much hoopla (I guess opposites do attract, huh?), and he wanted to keep it on the down low, so we celebrated with dinner out and cake and ice cream at home.  Rebecca was determined to bake a cake for him, so she and Grammy did one that Rebecca could do as much of herself as possible.  She did, however, tell Grammy to "scramble" the eggs (scramble = beat) because she doesn't like to do that part.  As you can tell, Rebecca's theory of cake decoration is that there is nothing that can't stand a few more sprinkles! 

Back to School

Tomorrow, Rebecca starts a new year in preschool.  She is going into Pre-K this year, her last year of preschool.  She is still going to be at Chino Hills Christian, just a few doors down from her old classroom. 

She's been a bit nervous about this change.  Bless her heart, she isn't one for change.  (I don't know where she gets that from!).  She loved, loved, loved her teachers Mrs. E. and Mrs. Flores in her former class, so she was sad to be leaving them.  However, when she met one of her new teachers, Miss Navarro, on Friday, Miss Navarro already knew who Rebecca was.  This made a very good impression on Rebecca, so now she is looking forward to being with Miss Navarro.  Hopefully Mrs. Morales will make an equally good first impression tomorrow and vice versa! 

On a quick side note, I was a bit shocked to find out that leveling starts in Pre-K!  Rebecca was put in the classroom she is going into because it is for "the smartest kids."  Aside from the fact that I'm (ashamed to be) quite pleased that she IS one of "the smartest kids," it seems awfully early to put this kind of label on them, doesn't it?  I mean, IQ isn't even stable for a few years yet! The psychologist in me is a bit horrified and knows that this really isn't good for any of them probably, though the mommy in me is glad that she doesn't have to be in class with the one lone "bad kid" who was in her class this past year.  Of course, the kids don't know that they're levelled this way, but what about that whole self-fulfilling prophecy?  Anway, I digress.

It tugs at my heart though to see that Rebecca has fears about her new school year.  How well I remember those kinds of worries that adults see as being trivial but that I know are major worries for a four year old who is the smallest in her class and has such a strong pull toward perfectionism (and how guilty I feel that I've probably passed my own perfectionistic freakishness on to my child).  She's worried about if she would know anyone in her class.  As it turns out, we already know that at least two girls she is friends with will be in her class, although we don't know if either of the little girls she plays with most are in her class. 

One of her concerns is related to the fact that she is going to be in Room 9.  This is a problem, only because her 4-year old class happened to be in Room 4.  Now, not only is she still four years old, she is going to ROOM NINE.  I am pretty sure that in her mind, this means that she is going to be with much older kids, though I have tried explaining to her that the room number has nothing to do with the age of the kids.  It doesn't help that now she is in "Pre K," which isn't so face valid about how old the kids are! She's also worried that the work will be hard, and she won't be smart enough.  (I wonder how many times I had those same seeds of doubt along my academic career.  Oh Lord, please let her not be plagued with self-doubt!).

Quite possible the most salient for Rebecca is that there's a little boy who was in her class who Rebecca played with every day.  At the transition party, I got to see this little boy about whom Rebecca talks frequently.  Apparently, he's a "nice boy, not a mean boy."  And by nice, I think Rebecca means that he is willing to do what anyone tells him to do, because Rebecca plays "puppy" with him every day.  She explained that this means they pretend he is her puppy, and she walks him on a leash.  I'm a little bit worried about the self-esteem of this kid who is quite willing to be a puppy on a leash every day.  Rebecca is worried that he might not be in her class, and she thinks (quite astutely, I believe) that probably no other kids will want to play puppy.

I'm sure that it will go well.  Rebecca has a positive attitude about school and enjoys learning.  So I'm sure she'll do fine.  But please say an extra prayer for her tomorrow.  And my niece who next week starts a public, charter high school on a college campus after having been in a private, Christian school so far in her education.  And for my friend Jackie, whose son just left for college.  And for all the other kids embarking on a new school year.  And thank God I'm no longer one of them!

Scenes from Vegas trip

At the M&M Factory

Rebecca said, "I LOVE Vegas!  It's so shiny!" 

Walking on the strip: 

  Jelly Belly Statue of Liberty!

Out to dinner at Trevi at Caesar's Palace:

The girls out on the town

We stayed at the Mirage, because of the good dining options Rebecca would enjoy and the aquarium and other animals.  She particularly enjoyed seeing the new baby dolphin there.  Alas, she and Grammy didn't have the camera so they didn't get to capture that experience.  Rebecca loved all the "sparkle-nee" lights and frequently requested walks or drives on the strip to see all the beautiful buildings.

Inside the lobby at the Mirage.

This was one worn-out girl after all the Vegas excitement!

Ten on Tuesday

1.  I'm still here and alive!  Promise!

2. Last week, the girls' trip to Las Vegas commenced.  Grammy, Rebecca, and I drove to Las Vegas on Wednesday afternoon/evening.  I had my EPPP workshop for the next four days from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. each day.  This gave Grammy and Rebecca time to hang out in the hotel and have some fun, and then we had more fun when I got home in the evenings.  I have to admit that I was mentally zonked each day, because it was nonstop cramming for the test.  I think it was worthwhile...at least I hope so!  We got back on Sunday evening.

3.  The drive to Las Vegas took 3 hours, 45 minutes.  The drive home from Las Vegas took 6 hours, 30 minutes.  So. Not. Cool.

4.  Going to work on Monday morning was cruel and unusual punishment.

5.  I now have eleven days and eleven hours before I take the EPPP.  Even though I feel better about it since the workshop, I am so not ready.  I will be spending every spare moment stuffing my brain full of as many ethics rules, stages of acculturation, and theories of industrial-orgnizational consultation.

6.  Right now, we are down-census at work.  One would think that this would make for less work and stress, but it doesn't exactly work that way.  I've been doing a lot of co-treatment with our occupational therapy, which has been pretty intense!

7.  Last night, I caught the edge of my wedge sandal in the crack in our sidewalk, twisted my ankle, and fell on my knee.  Today I have a really nasty bruise and a lot of swelling.  It's not pretty.

8.  I watched the series finale of Sex and the City.  I think it was the best series finale ever.  I didn't really watch the show devotedly, but I loved the way they ended the series.  Lots of closure.  Have I ever mentioned that I don't like movies or television shows that don't give you closure at the end of them?

9.  Rebecca has no problem with self-image. She informed Grammy yesterday that she was "a master cooker" and that she knew how to bake a cake because Mommy had told her how to do so.

10.  Sydney girl is doing much better!  The doggie Celebrex really seems to have helped her. She is grinning and even ran out the front door the other day.  It was good to see her acting like her old self! 

Ten on Tuesday

1.  At the end of this month, Rebecca will start Pre-K.  Gulp.  It's like the warm-up to kindergarten.  In truth, it's really just like moving to a different classroom in the same preschool she is already attending. 

2.  In honor of the new school year, Rebecca needs a new backpack.  This has resulted in a significant amount of searching on the internet.  Rebecca would really like a backpack that has dogs on it, BUT it cannot be a poodle and it must look girly.  It must also be large enough to hold her pillow, blanket, and sheet for naptime. A backpack meeting all of these criteria does not actually exist.  So I am trying to get her to branch out and consider a backpack with owls on it.  Or a ballerina hippopotomus.  Or butterflies or ladybugs.

3.  Last night, I was faced with a very difficult decision.  I had to choose between watching the second half of the Real Housewives of New York reunion or the finale of The Bachelorette.  These are hard choices to make.

4.  I ended up watching the first hour of the Bachelorette exclusively, because I knew I could see a thousand more episodes of the RHONY reunion in the next few days and I didn't want to see the spoilers of the Bachelorette finale.  Then I flipped back and forth during the After the Rose show. Good decision-making thought process, no?  I still wasn't all that into the Bachelorette this season, but I just can't resist the sappiness of the final rose.

5. For the record, I thought Ashley chose the better guy.  Always go for the sweetheart!  Speaking of which...Someone who reads my blog emailed me yesterday and asked why I didn't mention Ramy in the update I did on Saturday.  I didn't meant to leave him out!  He is doing just fine and enjoying his new supervisory position.  He still goes to court everyday.  Just what you'd expect from a trial attorney who comes home from being in court and watches Judge Judy. 

6.  Because of the fact that I will be taking the EPPP in 26 days, I should and am trying to be doing nothing except studying.  My gem of a husband is totally supportive and went to the grocery store for me last night so that I could study.  He also took Rebecca with him.  How awesome is he?  I'm so lucky he married me.
7.  I got my hair cut yesterday.  It's amazing how much better a girl can feel just by getting a haircut.  Especially when my hairstylist laughed when I told her I was starting to go gray.  She said she couldn't see a single gray hair.  Of course, she is the same age as me so she may just be losing her eyesight.

8.  Anyone have suggestions for preschooler-friendly activities in Las Vegas?  I'll have evenings free while we're there, and Grammy and Rebecca can do some things during the day.  I don't think the topless swimming pools or strip clubs are what we're looking for here.

9.  Rebecca announced to me last night, "You know what's cool?  When you use the bathroom before you take a bath, you don't have to wash your hands because you're going to wash them in the bathtub!"  All about efficiency, our girl.

10. How amazing was it to see Gabrielle Giffords on the floor of the House to cast her ballot?!?  She looked great, I thought, but very consistent with the movement and look of someone 6 months out from a left hemi gunshot wound.  From a neuropsych perspective, I thought that the statement released by her office was unlikely something she crafted without help.