I have had not been able to update this site as much as I had wished, and I have so many pictures and videos of David and the things we’ve done together Although I didn’t think I would be able to see David until I was done with law school—despite our every other week ordered time (even if only 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.)—but we have been able to spend some time together. He still hasn’t been able to come home, but there may be hope.
Starting in the second semester of 2L (second year of law school), January 2023, I only had classes Monday through Wednesday, and shifting Sundays, I could see David every other week from Thursday through Sunday, and sometimes the full week during breaks. That schedule has continued through 3L, and now I’m in my last semester of law school, graduating in May 2024. After that I don’t know; it will be easier to get a job, especially a legal job (which is not so friendly to remote work) if David can come home; taking care of him, which includes bringing him home to Indiana, has priority.
Over Christmas 2023 we finally got our first overnights (six, three sets of two, going into January). All were fine; David was very excited—we both were—but slept well after brushing his teeth, taking his medicine, getting pajamas on, reading, and prayers. He has a night light and sound machine that Honey sent with him. He likes a parent to go to sleep with him, and stay there—he checks around in his sleep, and can be quite indignant if I’ve left the room, but will go back to sleep on a quick return. He moves around a lot, and likes to climb on me. And when he gets up, usually a little before 7:30 a.m., he’ll ask what time it is until it’s time to get up (or, since I got him a clock for Christmas, he’ll announce to me each minute that passes). We then had three more overnights on the next Thursday to Sunday trip last week because the snow made driving treacherous: just about 72 consecutive hours (we Skyped with Honey at one point when she asked), from getting him at his bus stop Thursday, through school being canceled Friday, to the end of our (chilly) hike Sunday.
I graduate with my JD in May 2024. I have asked that David be allowed to come to my graduation—a trip home, even if only a visit at first, is the next reasonable step in what has been a progressive reunification. Because, sadly for all, he was not allowed to come home, and to Canada to see relatives, for Christmas, I’ve also requested he be able to come home for part of his spring break in April (and later for most of the summer). As he’s spent extensive time with me with no problems—it’s unfortunate that mere handwaving of potential for problems causes reunification to proceed at a crawl—there ought not to be any difficulty, as the only new thing would be the drive, which is no problem, and we can stop as-needed if any arise.
The Introduction post was written a long time ago—David was 3—and so has also been updated.
