Soooo excited!!!

Ok, so this comes a day late because I didn't have time to blog last night.

Well, I had a big meeting scheduled at work at 10 am yesterday morning. The meeting was with the supervisor of the Domestic Violence (DV) Unit, one of the Deputy State's Attorneys (2nd in charge) in our office, and another one of the Assistant State's Attorneys (or ASA...that's what I am) who is currently assigned to the DV Unit. They really didn't tell me what the meeting was about, only to be there for the meeting.

Well, I got there, and they gave me the BEST NEWS! I am being moved into the Domestic Violence Unit! This will be effective March 1. I have been wanting to get into that unit for a long time. Our FJC (Family Justice Center) is really where my heart is. I think prosecuting domestic violence and crimes against children which are the crimes that are handled at the FJC is probably some of the most important work our office does. I will be handling domestic violence cases, not so much the crimes against children, with the exception of some cases which include assaults against children. I am so, so excited. The other ASA that they met with (they ended up doing the meetings separately to break the news to her first) will be moving out of the unit and back to regular District Court as well as doing juvenile sex offense cases.

The reason for the move is this. Our office got a federal grant last year in light of our county's budget crisis under the Recovery Act of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) which goes to fund the position I will be filling. We made a proposal to get this grant. The grant proposed that the position that I will be in (and the other ASA is currently filling) requires that 85% of the ASA in that position's time will be spent doing District Court Domestic Violence cases. The problem was this...the ASA currently in that role is not interested in being in District Court. She makes no secret of the fact that she thinks District Court is beneath her and consistently takes on more and more cases in Circuit Court, including DV cases and other types of cases. We have gone 2 quarters under this grant and not even begun the changes we proposed to make, mainly because she didn't want to do the job for the position she was in. The icing on the cake was when she took on voluntarily the juvenile sex offense cases, thus taking more time away from the DV cases. As it currently stands, there is a monthly DV docket in District Court which it is technically her job to handle. I don't believe she has handled one in months. She has recently admitted that she wasn't in District Court AT ALL the whole month of February. The reason I say all this is that since the meeting yesterday, I believe she has been complaining about the fact that she is being moved. The thing is she doesn't care that she is being moved out of DV. She is mad because she is not going to Circuit Court (mostly felonies), but rather back to District Court plus doing the juvenile sex offenses. In light of the economy, no one is leaving their jobs, and there is really no opening in Circuit Court, so I really don't know what she expected, but I am annoyed and frustrated by her attitude, especially since she does not care about DV, and it's sooo important, and to her, it is only a way to NOT be in District Court, even though the job she currently hold is "District Court DV prosecutor! Ridiculous!

Anyway, on to more important topics, our FJC and DV Unit is one of the best around and really held out in a lot of places to be an example. We do things sooo well and have a great team, and with the adjustments we are about to make, we are going to make even more leaps forward. The plan is this - our office, District Court, and the commissioner's office have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in which there will be not a monthly DV docket, but a WEEKLY DV docket, and all of the DV cases that come in will be placed on those dockets. I will handle ALL of these dockets. Now here's the cool thing about that...that means that with the exception of felonies, I will have my hands on ALL of the DV cases that come into the office. The majority of DV cases are misdemeanors, so it's really an awesome task that I've been given, and one that could make a major impact on domestic violence in the county I work in and grew up in.

This will definitely be super rewarding, but challenging at the same time. DV cases are obviously emotional and very challenging because many times out of fear, love, financial reasons, and other reasons, the victims will change their story, minimize the incident, and do everything possible to protect their abusers. However, when you get a good result, it is so, so rewarding and feels sooo good!!

So, suffice to say, I am so looking forward to the challenges and rewards that are ahead and am so thankful they are giving me this opportunity to make such a big difference in people's lives.

What a week....

Well, it has been fun around here this week. Everyone in our house has been sick.

Tessa was very, very snotty all week and had fevers on and off Monday through Wednesday. Since Wednesday, she has still had the runny nose and stuff, but is not nearly as lethargic and grumpy as she was for the first few days of the week...she's back to her old awnry self now! She just can't get a break when it comes to sickness - she's had so many things...upper respiratory infections, bladder infections, colds! Let's hope she'll turn it around from here. Her tests for the bladder infection to make sure everything internally is doing what it's supposed to are scheduled for January 26. I am praying they go smoothly and that the results are good.

Dylan just has a little cough, and Jimmy just had a cold. I, on the other hand, am another story. I have had a hacking cough all week, and my coworkers told me that they wanted to quarantine me because I sound so awful. I have felt bad on and off...some days I felt like crap, other days my chest just hurt from all the coughing. I will be sooooo happy when this gunk goes away!!!

Well, for some good news, Tessa has gotten 2 new teeth and is working on another one. She now has the 2 middle teeth on the bottom, and her right top front tooth. The left front tooth is right there and will be breaking through any time now! I can't believe how big she is getting...she now has almost 4 teeth, cruises around this house like a pro, and will be 10 months old tomorrow. 10 months old...where in the world has the time gone?? I feel like I was just screaming in the hospital lobby about to have her and now here she is - this beautiful daughter of mine who is developing a personality and is not really even a baby anymore, and let me tell you, she is a feisty one. She'll give you the business if she disapproves of anything. She has learned to wave and blow kisses....and says her version of "hiiii" even when she waves. She is just an adorable little princess. I love watching her and Dylan play together. It gets better and better the bigger she gets, and Dylan...man he is such a good big brother. He takes things from her if he knows that she shouldn't have them. He's very protective of her. He constantly wants to be involved in all of her new accomplishments or decisions about her. When we drop her off in the morning before I take him to school, he won't leave without kissing her goodbye. It has just been a true joy to watch them...I can say that I think the last 10 months have been the best 10 months of my life.

I know that it will only get better. I can't wait for the things to come, Tessa's first steps, Dylan starting Kindergarten next year and full day school, etc.

We went to the Blast game last night and are going again tonight. Pat (my brohter) had an assist. That's 3 games in a row that he has gotten an assist. I am so proud of him for how well he is doing in his career. It is so fun too to watch the kids at the game enjoying something I loved to do as a kid. Dylan just loves going to the games, and Tessa is starting to really like it too.

Well for now, I want these colds to go away and have a healthy house for a little while. That would be a nice change. LOL. I hope to do better with keeping up with my blog more often.