QCR Results

So I wasn't able to blog after I found out the results because of a crazy week at work. In our exit interview with the reviewers we are suppose to find out if we "pass" or "fail." Well, at my exit interview on Thursday, the reviewers stated that they had just finished talking with the therapist and had not had time yet to figure out the scoring. So they talked to me about the case and asked me more questions. They complimented me of what great casework I have been doing. I kept thinking, "Quit buttering me up because I know you're going to fail the case." There was even a time that I was biting my inner cheek trying not to let any tears escape. I was absolutely sure that they were going to "fail" the case because of factors that are outside of my control. The mother basically wants her 18 year old daughter in a bubble or locked up in some type of residential program and kept away from everything in the world. Well...I'm sorry that I can't keep her daughter from her 30 year old boyfriend because if I do, then she will just go find another older man.

Anyway, it wasn't until Friday at the final meeting where we find out how we did as a region as a whole that I heard from one of the reviewers and my supervisor's boss that my case actually passed. For some fluke of a miracle the case passed!!! I honestly think that Heavenly Father knew that I could not emotionally handle it if the results had been what I thought they would be. So...YEA!!! QCR week is over!!! Of course the mother gave me the lowest score possible, but I was kind of expecting it since I can't keep her daughter in a "bubble." And I know that I will continue to struggle with this mother and case...but such is the life of a caseworker.

The Dreaded QCR

Let's just say that I want this week to be over! This weeks is "QCR Week" at work and can be stressful for some. For most of you I'm sure that you're confused by what QCR is, well, let me clarify. QCR stands for Qualitative Case Review and it is something that DCFS does on a regular basis. Years and years ago (LONG before I worked for the state...like for the last 14 years!) multiple states in the U.S. were under a lawsuit because of the practice and care of the children in state custody. In June 2007, Utah "successfully exited Federal Court supervision" with an exit agreement in place. We will still have to be reviewed on a regular basis to show to the court that we can maintain our positive progress without the people from Alambama coming to review our cases. So our cases are reviewed by other caseworkers from other regions in Utah, community people, and other various people. So we will still be under the exit agreement until the end of December 2008. But of course DCFS will always have some form of review of how things are working in the system.

Anyway, a long explanation for my reason for blogging today. I have been working for DCFS for over 3 years and have never had a case be pulled until this time. And of course they seem to pull the worst case ever!!! I was interviewed today by the reviewers. I was told by my supervisor that the interview would only be like 20 minutes. Well, an hour after starting the interview, it ended. I know that my case will "fail" the QCR because of things that are outside of my control. My problem will be is that I am afraid that I will personalize the "failure" into thinking that I am a bad caseworker and can't do my job. Well, I will find out the official results tomorrow and I'm sure that I will blog about that tomorrow or the next day.

Our new prophet

So our sixteenth prophet and presidency was announced yesterday. With Thomas S. Monson as President, Henry B. Eyring as First Counselor, and Dieter F. Uchtdorf as Second Counselor they create a strong leadership in the church as all the past presidencies have. I am so excited that President Monson is our new prophet! He has been one of my favorite speakers since I was a little girl. I always looked (and still do look) forward to hearing him speak in General Conference. Of course I loved President Hinckley and all the wonderful work he did, especially building temples, and he will be greatly missed! It will be interesting to see what President Monson's "speciality" will be (like President Hinckley's was temples).

Basement Update

As my husband says, we really don't have a weekend because we work all week and then we work all weekend. The progress so far in our family room downstairs is that on Saturday we were able to sheetrock one entire wall and got the gas line put in and waiting for the gas fireplace. We were also able to frame in about half of the blanket closet as well. It is actually starting to look like a room. Of course I don't have pictures to post because I still have not figured out our computer problem with it not acknowleding our camera when it is plugged in. Next week is pulling more electrical wiring for outlets and sheetrocking some more. It feels like a never ending project that is an expensive one! I'm still hoping that it will get done before the weather becomes nice. The weather has been cooperating with us on that part (in my opinion) because of all the snow we keep getting. It is like every other day we get a pretty good snow storm. My poor husband is getting tired of shoveling snow! I don't blame him, but I'm the one who does it when he is at school three nights a week. Even though he doesn't like the snow, I say "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Where's the Good Samaritans???

Okay, so I thought that I would wait a few days after this incident to cool down to be able to blog about it. Last week on Thursday (Jan. 17th) I had two home visits scheduled in the evening. One of them was in Spanish Fork at 4 o'clock for a new case I got. I then had a home visit in Birdseye (up Spanish Fork canyon) at 6 o'clock. The visits went well and then the drama began. So I left Birdseye around 7 o'clock that night. As I was driving along Highway 89 towards Highway 6 I was following a car through the winding canyon. I all of the sudden heard something hit the car underneath. I didn't see anything in front of me as I was driving and didn't see the car in front of me hit anything either. I turned off the music and listened as I drove for a few minutes. Everything seemed fine. Then a few turns down the road later I felt that I didn't have much control of the car and that something didn't seem right. I pulled onto the shoulder of the road and got out and looked at the tires on the drivers side (since that was the area that the noise seemed to come from when I hit something). Everything looked good, but then I had the feeling to check the other side. Low and behold there was a flat tire on the back passenger side. I sat there debating on limping the car up the hill to the junction of the two highways where I knew that there would be a streetlight. Then I thought about how you are not suppose to drive on the rims of the tires because it ruins them.

So I got the spare and jack out from the trunk and then the cursing began. There was no flashlight or anything of the sort in the state car. Oh, there was a car seat in the trunk...but what good would that do me?! It was dark, there was no cell reception, and I was on a road that isn't traveled too much. As I fumbled in the dark feeling along the bottom of the car to figure out where the jack was, I was glad that I was no longer in my skirt from the court that I had that morning, but I was frustrated because the flashlight that I usually have in my purse was in my drawer in my desk because it sets off the metal detectors at court. I eventually got the car up high enough to take off the tire and flung it into the trunk not caring. During this entire event there were a couple of cars that passed without slowing. There were some that slowed, but then kept on going. I thought to myself, "Where are all the Good Samaritans?" I was in the process of tightening the lug nuts on the spare when someone finally stopped and asked if I needed help. I told them I was almost done, but they pulled behind me and provided light (which would have much much more helpful in the beginning). Then the guy got out and helped me by finishing tightening and then lowering the car back down. By the time I got back into the car I was freezing, my knees were wet from kneeling in the snow/gravel, and my hands were filthy. I figured that it took me about a half an hour to change the tire only because I was doing it all by touch without any light.

I then drove to my parents house (a few miles outside of the canyon) to use the restroom, clean up, and get something to eat. I didn't get back to Salt Lake until 9:30 that night (only an hour and a half later than I had planned). When I got back to the office I sent an email to the appropriate people explaining my evening and stating that a flashlight and emergency car kit would be helpful for the state cars. They replied back saying that I should have called the roadside assistance for help. Um...hello...I would have done that if I had any sort of cell reception...duh!!! So, hopefully for future trips the state cars will be better equip. But I am now a firm believer in stopping to help or even ask if someone needs help who is alongside the road. Be a Good Samaritan!

Road Trip

Last week (on Jan. 9th) I did a road trip to and from St. George in one day with a coworker. I was transferring two of my kids from my caseload to her and had to take her to meet the lovely boys. The reason I was transferring them was because of taking on two other cases that needed to stay on our team (and she is on a different team). Anyway, so I was told by my husband and supervisor not to go if it was snowy. Well...it sure snowed! Me being the stubborn person that I am at times chose to forge the storm in hopes that it would clear up the further south we got. Through Utah county we were going about 20 - 30 mph and then the roads started getting better around Payson. Then when we got to Nephi it was snowy and the roads basically were not plowed at all. I have to admit that it was when I was driving south of Nephi there were a few times that I didn't feel that I was in control of the car. So I went slow and let the semis pass me. Needless to say, it did finally clear up and the roads were good and then it was blue skies and dry roads from Fillmore on.

Coming back the roads were clear and it wasn't snowing at all. But on our way back we passed a semi that had us laughing. I wished that I had my camera at the time. But then we stopped and got gas and had a little potty break. Once we got back on the road we came up again to the same semi. So we got out our camera phones and took pictures. I hope you can tell what it is. Basically this 18-wheeler had an empty bed except for a little pink plastic trike strapped down near the end of the bed. We thought that it was hilarious and that it was probably his "ride" when he got to his destination.

Here's the view of the entire bed with the bike at the back.

Here is a close up of the bike as we were passing.

Technical Difficulties

Here is a picture of the gingerbread house that we made for Christmas.












Here is the product so far of the motivation from the Christmas gifts that we got. I'm just hoping it will get done before spring. (Notice the little spots in the pictures...they made tons of dust and the flash kept picking it up.)



















When it comes to computers I'm not as smart as some of my other family members. A few months ago we had to change from Windows ME to Windows XP on our computer to be able to connect our IPod to the computer. Well, in doing so we've been having to change all the programs over. I've been trying for the last week to get our camera program up and working so I could add the pictures that I've said that I would put up. Also, after Christmas we gave our computer to my brother-in-law to install our new DVD burner that "Santa" gave us. So I was without our computer for about a week. So, with all that explanation of some of the technical difficulties, here are some pictures of what we have been doing lately.