being human is complicated.

this week ended on a strong note, and it feels like my team (and manager) relationships have improved. i've also mailed off the documents that the lawyer needs to initiate the paternity suit, so that's done. we're praying that the proposed regulations change lets us get on a plane soon, but at this point we're really not expecting anything.

mr smear and i went to the temple in person yesterday evening, which was really nice!

unfortunately, we've had a couple of mr smear incidents, although upon review thursday's bullying incident seems to have been at least partially instigated by the other kid (who's not only a liar, but apparently is particularly good at finding other kids' metaphorical pressure points and squeezing on them). we're still embarrassed that our boy is finding his way with his fists rather than his mind, but we'll just have to see how things proceed.

he's also been fighting with us a lot, and in completely irrational ways that don't serve him at all. today was the first time i properly spanked his bum until he stopped trying to physically fight me - as in, he was physically trying to impose his will on me in spite of me warning him that "this really isn't going to go well for you".

poor kid... at least he came around a short while later and we had some positive discussions.

...

in other news.we've had a couple of days being bitten and "feeling things", and it looks like we're in for another round of pest control even though we haven't found a shred of evidence. and my mother's been taking strain, in general - it sounds like our trials and tribulations are exhausting her - but also because we've been openly trying to fix broken things and she's been taking our complaints personally.