Monday, September 30, 2013
Fabulous Fall
We had a wonderful weekend back "home"! I had a free hotel stay from reward points, so we took two days to visit special friends and have some fall fun! We went to a gourd festival, hung out at the hotel, and picked apples at the place I went to when I was there age. Such a GREAT weekend!!!
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
World of Updates
School has been going along for a bit now... and with the horrible heat days we've had and all of the fire drills and evacuation drills and assemblies and... well, you get the picture, I don't know that we've had a full, "normal" week yet!
All in all things are going well this school year thus far.
Braeden seems to be doing very well at his school. (You can read about where he is HERE and HERE.) Over the summer his doctor and I made what may have been the turning point and put him on an anti-anxiety med. This summer he had SO MANY positives! He tried many new things, rode a plane by himself to Florida to visit Grandma, and then went for a week to a friend's home day care with many little ones due to his school starting a week after ours. He was an ANGEL boy there! He's had a couple of "off" times at school but nothing unusual for even "regular" ed kids, and he is even at a point of saying a few times that he likes school. Friends, let me tell you, this is HUGE for him! Braeden. Doesn't. Like. School. And he is saying he does! He has also started helping Liam some with his schoolwork, and getting on Liam if he hears that Liam had a rough day. Cracks me up.
Liam is now in First Grade (he repeated kindergarten.) This year's been interesting and we'll see what happens. Currently they are getting him evaluated since we've not yet done that, to try to get a better "read" on him. There is a one on one helping with him in the classroom setting but it's looking like that may not be the best placement for him. I'm still on the fence, but he does have some significant learning and developmental delays and I'm realistic about that fact. My biggest concern, and I know we'll cross that bridge if and when it comes, is that the classroom I'm thinking he may need to go into, in his building which is PreK-2, is the same class I teach in my building of 3-5. So what would happen in another year and a half when he is transitioning to third grade??? He has grown and matured so very much, and I see progress in him daily in so many ways and areas, but he is definitely behind and may be behind for a very long time.
Olivia is loving school as always. She is still working on study habits but is overall doing very well for the beginning of a new school year. She is thinking about trying out for volleyball this year and wants to again run track in the spring. The day of her Open House she found out that she was one of only FOUR sixth graders last year who received a score of 4 (in a 1-4 scale) on her ISAT essay from last year! She was so excited and many teachers congratulated her during Open House. So proud!
In adoption news, it has not been verified yet but I have been told my my agency worker that our dossier (paperwork) has entered IBESR (Haitian Social Services) for the next step of our process. Because Haiti is in the process of changing over the adoption processes as well as just recently passing their new adoption law that has been in the works for YEARS, things are still up in the air as far as what exactly happens when and how long (though that has always been the case it seems unfortunately in some areas.) Right now it LOOKS like we are awaiting an Official Government match between us and Macy. Once that happens (we're talking next month or months from now, really NO IDEA) I will travel to Haiti for two weeks to meet her, have supervised visitation, and file some official court documents. I have been so blessed to have paid completely for this adoption so far and have been debt free (with the exception of our home) the entire time. Thanks to many who have purchased things from us, bought coffee (link on the sidebar if you want some GREAT coffee!) and a few other fundraisers as well! I have a special fundraising page that I am working on which will show a video of our family and our process, look for it soon!
All in all things are going well this school year thus far.
Braeden seems to be doing very well at his school. (You can read about where he is HERE and HERE.) Over the summer his doctor and I made what may have been the turning point and put him on an anti-anxiety med. This summer he had SO MANY positives! He tried many new things, rode a plane by himself to Florida to visit Grandma, and then went for a week to a friend's home day care with many little ones due to his school starting a week after ours. He was an ANGEL boy there! He's had a couple of "off" times at school but nothing unusual for even "regular" ed kids, and he is even at a point of saying a few times that he likes school. Friends, let me tell you, this is HUGE for him! Braeden. Doesn't. Like. School. And he is saying he does! He has also started helping Liam some with his schoolwork, and getting on Liam if he hears that Liam had a rough day. Cracks me up.
Liam is now in First Grade (he repeated kindergarten.) This year's been interesting and we'll see what happens. Currently they are getting him evaluated since we've not yet done that, to try to get a better "read" on him. There is a one on one helping with him in the classroom setting but it's looking like that may not be the best placement for him. I'm still on the fence, but he does have some significant learning and developmental delays and I'm realistic about that fact. My biggest concern, and I know we'll cross that bridge if and when it comes, is that the classroom I'm thinking he may need to go into, in his building which is PreK-2, is the same class I teach in my building of 3-5. So what would happen in another year and a half when he is transitioning to third grade??? He has grown and matured so very much, and I see progress in him daily in so many ways and areas, but he is definitely behind and may be behind for a very long time.
Olivia is loving school as always. She is still working on study habits but is overall doing very well for the beginning of a new school year. She is thinking about trying out for volleyball this year and wants to again run track in the spring. The day of her Open House she found out that she was one of only FOUR sixth graders last year who received a score of 4 (in a 1-4 scale) on her ISAT essay from last year! She was so excited and many teachers congratulated her during Open House. So proud!
In adoption news, it has not been verified yet but I have been told my my agency worker that our dossier (paperwork) has entered IBESR (Haitian Social Services) for the next step of our process. Because Haiti is in the process of changing over the adoption processes as well as just recently passing their new adoption law that has been in the works for YEARS, things are still up in the air as far as what exactly happens when and how long (though that has always been the case it seems unfortunately in some areas.) Right now it LOOKS like we are awaiting an Official Government match between us and Macy. Once that happens (we're talking next month or months from now, really NO IDEA) I will travel to Haiti for two weeks to meet her, have supervised visitation, and file some official court documents. I have been so blessed to have paid completely for this adoption so far and have been debt free (with the exception of our home) the entire time. Thanks to many who have purchased things from us, bought coffee (link on the sidebar if you want some GREAT coffee!) and a few other fundraisers as well! I have a special fundraising page that I am working on which will show a video of our family and our process, look for it soon!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Cold Blooded Creatures
Every two years my school does a cold blooded creatures assembly with an amazing presenter who was good friends with Steve Irw*in and acts very much like him. :)
I was extremely bummed to realize that THIS was the year he would be coming, and that Braeden was no longer at my school but is still at his specialty school (and doing VERY well there I might add! But that's another post!). This is right up Braeden's alley and SO his thing! Since he's in Fourth grade this year, and since my school is only 3rd-5th, this was his one and only shot to see the assembly.
BUT... as luck would have it... or maybe God has His hand in it!!!... the school district also brought the assembly to our PTA meeting the same night. And since I have two other kids in the district, and am a teacher, we were able to go!
This is Liam's "I'm a bit nervous" look. In front of us in the gym was a very large bag and five rubbermaid type tubs.
First up was Tank the tortoise...
The kids waiting for a turn to pet Tank...
And then was Lucky the alligator. (Still quite young!) Lucky was rescued from sewer pipes ten years ago. He was a former pet that someone had flushed down the toilet. Happens more often than you think! Most of his animals were former pets that outgrew their owners.
Another was this GIANT albino boa...
Finally came the large bag on the floor...
His feature guy Bubba the alligator. Bubba moves his head when told, stands up, sits down, walks, all when told. Crazy amazing! He was going to allow a couple littles to have rides and Liam wanted to ride SO BADLY!
BUT another little girl and boy were chosen... and he was heartbroken...
All in all a GREAT time though! We LOVED it!
I was extremely bummed to realize that THIS was the year he would be coming, and that Braeden was no longer at my school but is still at his specialty school (and doing VERY well there I might add! But that's another post!). This is right up Braeden's alley and SO his thing! Since he's in Fourth grade this year, and since my school is only 3rd-5th, this was his one and only shot to see the assembly.
BUT... as luck would have it... or maybe God has His hand in it!!!... the school district also brought the assembly to our PTA meeting the same night. And since I have two other kids in the district, and am a teacher, we were able to go!
This is Liam's "I'm a bit nervous" look. In front of us in the gym was a very large bag and five rubbermaid type tubs.
First up was Tank the tortoise...
(a friend's daughter)
The kids waiting for a turn to pet Tank...
And then was Lucky the alligator. (Still quite young!) Lucky was rescued from sewer pipes ten years ago. He was a former pet that someone had flushed down the toilet. Happens more often than you think! Most of his animals were former pets that outgrew their owners.
Another was this GIANT albino boa...
Finally came the large bag on the floor...
His feature guy Bubba the alligator. Bubba moves his head when told, stands up, sits down, walks, all when told. Crazy amazing! He was going to allow a couple littles to have rides and Liam wanted to ride SO BADLY!
BUT another little girl and boy were chosen... and he was heartbroken...
All in all a GREAT time though! We LOVED it!
Sunday, September 01, 2013
First Days... Recap
I am behind in getting out our first day of school pictures!
Olivia and Liam started school Wednesday, August 21...
And Braeden started Monday, August 26...
All had great first days and school has gone well since then. At Olivia's, Liam's, and my district we had early release every day this past week and then no school on Friday due to extreme heat. With no air in our buildings and the temps getting so high each day, the classrooms just could not cool down enough through the night. Hoping that this coming week is MUCH cooler!
Olivia and Liam started school Wednesday, August 21...
SEVENTH GRADE
FIRST GRADE
And Braeden started Monday, August 26...
FOURTH GRADE
All had great first days and school has gone well since then. At Olivia's, Liam's, and my district we had early release every day this past week and then no school on Friday due to extreme heat. With no air in our buildings and the temps getting so high each day, the classrooms just could not cool down enough through the night. Hoping that this coming week is MUCH cooler!
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Olivia - 14
Braeden - 11
Liam - 9
Macy - 5
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