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!
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Olivia - 14
Braeden - 11
Liam - 9
Macy - 5
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4 years ago
1 comments:
So wonderful to get your updates Lisa. I am so glad that everyone is having a good school year. We are in the midst of making some changes here, I'll have them on the blog soon, but need to wait until they are final.
I pray that things will continue along with Macy and that she will be with her forever family in God's time. (Which i will also pray will be sooner rather than later.)
Happy Fall!