Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Christmas comes but once a year
This one will fill our hearts and linger there. What a wonderful Christmas! On Christmas eve we went out to visit a new friend for a while and when we returned Santa had come. We quickly snuck our children off to bed so they would not notice until the morning and then we marveled at the beauty of it all.
There were dozens of beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. The most beautiful rocking horse ever, and my freezer had been filled with gluten free delights to last for months to come.
Walking in to a scene like that can't help but take your breath away. We set out the few things that we had to add, and went to bed. Or at least Steve did. It was so beautiful that I couldn't sleep. I tip toed out to the living room for some time to think and pray (an cuddle with that amazing rocking horse.)
The kids were very grateful for all they had been blessed with. My only sadness of the whole day? I'm too big for the rocking horse of my dreams.
There were dozens of beautifully wrapped presents under the tree. The most beautiful rocking horse ever, and my freezer had been filled with gluten free delights to last for months to come.
Walking in to a scene like that can't help but take your breath away. We set out the few things that we had to add, and went to bed. Or at least Steve did. It was so beautiful that I couldn't sleep. I tip toed out to the living room for some time to think and pray (an cuddle with that amazing rocking horse.)
The kids were very grateful for all they had been blessed with. My only sadness of the whole day? I'm too big for the rocking horse of my dreams.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Sunday, December 2, 2007
November Newsletter
Here we are writing another Family news letter, as I try to think of what to say I am amazed at how fast the last two months have gone. In the month of October we got the chance to farm our kids out to various family and ward members and go on a stake temple trip. It was nice to go without the kids and nice to be able to go to the temple together, as this does not happen very often. Living as far away from the temple as we do we still seem to be able to get the chance to go every few months.
We have also pulled Brokton out of School. Chantelle has been working with him to make sure that he has the tools he needs to learn in the best environment possible; she has also started Evelyn on a schooling program as well. Both of our kids are doing very well with learning at home and in a real every day environment. Brokton has been excelling in reading, he is learning about five new words a day. Lately, if he finds a new word and does not really know what it means, he will go to the dictionary and look it up. Then he will ask someone to read it to him and tell him what it means. Evelyn has been working on her Number and letter recognition, as well as understanding how they sound. Evelyn has been doing very well with her math work sheets, she loves to do math; she is definitely a numbers kind of person. At the end of October we took Evelyn in for an Evaluation at the Department of Children with special health care needs. We took Evelyn in to have her tested for her IQ as well as to see if she may have any problems with attention (she could not pay attention to save her life.) She also is unable to look you in the eyes when you are talking to her; we have to hold her chin in order for her to look at you and even then it's difficult. We went in a few days ago for the results of the testing, we were told that she has an IQ of 143 and is a very smart little girl who just has "Disruptive behavioral disorder not otherwise specified". This is basically a wastebasket diagnosis they give people so they don't have to look hard enough to find the problem. So basically they really did not help us in any way and just wasted our time. We have an appointment on the 12th of December to have a real psychologists who already works with Brokton do an evaluation.
Jenai is still growing in her imagination. Lately she has been pretending to be her cousins. She gets a cute little look on her face and curls up her lip. Then if you call her by the wrong name she will correct you. This has been fun for us to watch.
At the end of September Steven got a speeding ticket on the freeway, he was going 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. In November he had to go to court for this Ticket, the ticket will cost us $1232.00 he was only Fined $110.00 for the speeding portion of the ticket, $72.00 for Court Costs and $1050.00 for what Virginia is calling a "Civil remedial fee". This new remedial fee is a new law that passed in July and is still being thrown around in the courts, but in till a higher judge rules against it then law it is.
Our Thanksgiving this year was pretty quiet, we went over to Chantelle's Brother's house, we made our traditional rice meat dish and also all of the usual thanksgiving dishes.
We would attach pictures but can't seem to find our camera. So any prayers to find our camera would help as Christmas is fast approaching. That's about it for us here hope all is well there.
We have also pulled Brokton out of School. Chantelle has been working with him to make sure that he has the tools he needs to learn in the best environment possible; she has also started Evelyn on a schooling program as well. Both of our kids are doing very well with learning at home and in a real every day environment. Brokton has been excelling in reading, he is learning about five new words a day. Lately, if he finds a new word and does not really know what it means, he will go to the dictionary and look it up. Then he will ask someone to read it to him and tell him what it means. Evelyn has been working on her Number and letter recognition, as well as understanding how they sound. Evelyn has been doing very well with her math work sheets, she loves to do math; she is definitely a numbers kind of person. At the end of October we took Evelyn in for an Evaluation at the Department of Children with special health care needs. We took Evelyn in to have her tested for her IQ as well as to see if she may have any problems with attention (she could not pay attention to save her life.) She also is unable to look you in the eyes when you are talking to her; we have to hold her chin in order for her to look at you and even then it's difficult. We went in a few days ago for the results of the testing, we were told that she has an IQ of 143 and is a very smart little girl who just has "Disruptive behavioral disorder not otherwise specified". This is basically a wastebasket diagnosis they give people so they don't have to look hard enough to find the problem. So basically they really did not help us in any way and just wasted our time. We have an appointment on the 12th of December to have a real psychologists who already works with Brokton do an evaluation.
Jenai is still growing in her imagination. Lately she has been pretending to be her cousins. She gets a cute little look on her face and curls up her lip. Then if you call her by the wrong name she will correct you. This has been fun for us to watch.
At the end of September Steven got a speeding ticket on the freeway, he was going 72 mph in a 50 mph zone. In November he had to go to court for this Ticket, the ticket will cost us $1232.00 he was only Fined $110.00 for the speeding portion of the ticket, $72.00 for Court Costs and $1050.00 for what Virginia is calling a "Civil remedial fee". This new remedial fee is a new law that passed in July and is still being thrown around in the courts, but in till a higher judge rules against it then law it is.
Our Thanksgiving this year was pretty quiet, we went over to Chantelle's Brother's house, we made our traditional rice meat dish and also all of the usual thanksgiving dishes.
We would attach pictures but can't seem to find our camera. So any prayers to find our camera would help as Christmas is fast approaching. That's about it for us here hope all is well there.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Home schooling freedom
Ahhhhh I smell the freedom of being able to teach my children the way God wants me to. Imagine being able to call morning devotional "school". Imagine having a time each day when you can ground your family in the lord. For me I no longer have to imagine it.
We have had such a wonderful turn around in our home since we began home schooling. Before homeschool we would have at least one meltdown from Brokton in the morning before the bus. Then after school at 2:30 we'd have 4 to 5 meltdowns until we finally put him to bed at 6:30 or 7. That was a good day. On the bad days, meltdowns were counted by the minutes.
Now we have 2 to 3 meltdowns in the whole day from morning to night. Brokton actually came to me a week into homeschooling and said "Mama I want to read to you." He was able to read me a book "The Birthday Car." His reading has picked up a lot. He is doing well with our family and loving life again.
I have to say that I can see how God really works on your heart to do the right thing. Last spring I started looking at homeschooling materials for Evelyn who is still a year away from "official" kindergarten. I kept wishing that I could do something more for Brokton for school but felt incapable. When things started to go awry with the school I really started to pray to know the right thing for my family. I began to feel prompted that if God wanted me to home school Brokton that he would make me able to do it. Just days before we pulled Brokton out we had made a tentative plan for Brokton to be home schooled starting next year. Then the day I pulled him out I just felt I should go to the school to check on him and a series of event unfolded and I pulled him out. I am grateful that I did because later I found out some more information about the teacher from Brokton. I am so glad that I listened to the Lord and went to the school and got my son before more damage was done.
We have had such a wonderful turn around in our home since we began home schooling. Before homeschool we would have at least one meltdown from Brokton in the morning before the bus. Then after school at 2:30 we'd have 4 to 5 meltdowns until we finally put him to bed at 6:30 or 7. That was a good day. On the bad days, meltdowns were counted by the minutes.
Now we have 2 to 3 meltdowns in the whole day from morning to night. Brokton actually came to me a week into homeschooling and said "Mama I want to read to you." He was able to read me a book "The Birthday Car." His reading has picked up a lot. He is doing well with our family and loving life again.
I have to say that I can see how God really works on your heart to do the right thing. Last spring I started looking at homeschooling materials for Evelyn who is still a year away from "official" kindergarten. I kept wishing that I could do something more for Brokton for school but felt incapable. When things started to go awry with the school I really started to pray to know the right thing for my family. I began to feel prompted that if God wanted me to home school Brokton that he would make me able to do it. Just days before we pulled Brokton out we had made a tentative plan for Brokton to be home schooled starting next year. Then the day I pulled him out I just felt I should go to the school to check on him and a series of event unfolded and I pulled him out. I am grateful that I did because later I found out some more information about the teacher from Brokton. I am so glad that I listened to the Lord and went to the school and got my son before more damage was done.
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