Well, for Amelia, the school year is over! It's bittersweet. If I were to be brutally honest, I'm relieved.
There was an incident yesterday. She came home with a handwritten note telling me that she can't attend P.E. anymore because of what happened. I tried to get the details from her, but I felt like there was something that she wasn't owning up to. She said she was forced to write the note that way but that wasn't exactly what happened. I signed her handwritten note and returned it, as requested, this morning.
On the way to school this morning, I had her re-tell me the story. Here's a shocker.....I believe her! Her story seems plausible to me, and makes sense. The version that she wrote in the note, didn't. I decided to call the resource teacher to have her tell me what happened. She told me what the P.E. teacher told her...and then I shared with her what Amelia had told me. She wasn't buying it. She reminded me that Amelia is not a reliable source of information because she lies all the time. I get that...but this time, Amelia's story is more believable....it really is.
I've struggled all day with the thought that maybe I just want to believe her so bad, that I've convinced myself that her story was true. I'd like to think I'm a little more level headed than that, though. Still, I WANT her to be telling the truth!
As it turns out, it didn't really matter. The resource teacher told me that they (I guess the teachers and principal) had a meeting yesterday and since they are basically done with the academic portion of the year, there really is no reason to bring her next week. Apparently, the resource teacher has some other responsibilities next week and can therefore not "babysit" her so we may as well keep her home.
In light of this newest situation, Dan and I have decided that we are taking Amelia out of ACS. He emailed the principal to let her know, so it is now official. I feel as though a huge weight has been lifted.
I'm not blaming the school or the teachers for this horrific year, but I think they could have handled things a lot better. Amelia did NOT have an advocate there and that was obvious on more than one occasion. In my opinion, the Catholic school system has become too much of a business. The priority has become all about the tuition and having "state of the art" this or that. One of her teachers told me a few times that she didn't want Amelia to slip through the cracks. In fact, that's exactly what happened. It would have been nice had someone taken her under their wing and walked along side her as she stuggled. Instead, she was juggled around with no one really wanting to deal with her. Hopefully, this experience will have made all of us stronger in the end.
Nathan and Olivia are doing fine and will stay at ACS, at least for now. In the meantime, we are scheduled to meet with the neuro-psychologist on June 5th to discuss her evaluation. Hopefully, we can gain some insight into what's going on and figure out a way to work through it this summer.
We're moving forward people! This is a good thing!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Prayer Request
Over the years, my sister has experienced a plethora of medical problems. She has had numerous hospitalizations and surgeries. Right now, she appears to be in liver failure and they also found that she has pneumonia.
I would like ask you to pray for Sheri....that God would allow her to heal and recover quickly, that she will get the love and support she needs to overcome this situation, for all the doctors and nurses that are caring for her...and for her husband and daughter (who is 16),
I know she is in good hands but I'm really worried about her. She lives in Indiana and so I can't be there with her right now.
I appreciate your prayers.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
I love you, Daddy!
Today, Flag Day, is the anniversary of the day my dad died.....30 years ago. I was 17. It's hard to believe that he's been gone 30 years. I can still remember his voice, and I can still smell his cologne.
My dad was my rock! Shortly after my parents divorced, my sister and I moved in with my dad. My mom had custody, but it was getting harder and harder to stay with her. This is where I believe my panic attacks began.
My dad was a hardworking union man...a Teamster, in fact. He worked a lot and it meant not seeing him for days on end. He would stand out in the rain and/or heat on those picket lines right along with the members that he represented. He started out as a Business Agent for Local 315 in Martinez, California. He moved up the ranks quickly. He was elected as Secretary/Treasurer with highest amount of votes ever recorded in that local. I share that with you only to show you that my dad was well liked....by everyone! He ended up the Secretary/Treasurer for Local 78 in Oakland (they have since merged with local 853), as well as the President of Joint Council 7.
I guess I don't have to tell you that my dad was a die-hard Italian. The Teamsters and our Italian heritage pretty much ran our lives. This was just how we grew up, my sister and I...we didn't know any different. We grew up with framed pictures of Jimmy Hoffa in our home....right along with all the other family photos. As well as framed letters from the likes of Rudy Tham. I guess, back then (60's & 70's) it wasn't just a job, it was way of life.
While he was liked by most, there were those that didn't like him. I can remember times when we would be ready for school in the morning and he would ask my sister and I to stay in the house until he started the car. Once the car started, and there was no explosion, we got in the car and went on to school without an hesitation.
He was very involved with my sister and I. He always made teacher conferences and was a member of the Men's Club at our Church. I remember him always being in charge of the cooking at all of our Parish celebrations.
About the time I was in high school, he began to get sick. He was a big man (overweight) and lived life to the fullest. He ate what he wanted, and did what he wanted. He hunted duck, pheasant and deer. He smoked cigars and pipes...sometimes cigarettes too. He wasn't a drinker. As a matter of fact, I never remember him ever having a drink in front of my sister or I...except in the rare case of a glass of wine. His drink of choice was Perrier with a slice of lime.
He used to stay up late at night and watch TV in the living room. I would wait until my mom went to bed and then, I sneak into his lap! Our routine was that he would go to the kitchen and grab a can of something....usually fruit cocktail or corn. He would open the can and he would take turns giving me bites. He would always save the grapes and cherries from the fruit cocktail for me! Those are precious, precious memories to me.
When he was very small, he had an illness called Scarlett Fever. From what I can gather, this scarred his heart, specifically, his aortic valve. He knew that at some point in his life, this would become an issue and he would have to deal with it. I think his hard living (weight, smoking, rich food and a very high stressed job) finally came to a head in 1979. He had his first heart surgery in Palo Alto, California at Stanford Medical Center. The surgery was performed by Dr. Shumway, a pioneer in open heart surgery at the time.
My dad did well and recovered quickly from the surgery. Unfortunately, the were a myriad of other problems that began at that time also. In the end, he had his aortic valve replaced a total of 3 times. One mechanical and 2 porcine. He was on many experimental medications and suffered with depression towards the end.
Finally, on Monday, June 14 1982, he told my step mother that he couldn't breathe. With the help of some neighbors, we were able to get him out of bed, down the stairs and into our car. My step mother and I drove him to the ER at Herrick Hospital in Berkeley. What we didn't know then was that all of his organs were beginning to shut down. He had a cardiac arrest in the ER. They tried for quite some time to revive him. They couldn't. The nurses put the two of us in this little room. It looked like some one's office. I knew he was gone. His personal physician and the ER doctor came into the room with their heads facing the floor. Dr. Kawachi (his physician and friend) was crying. My step mother became hysterical. The only thing I kept thinking was "how am I going to get us home"? I was 17 and did not have a driver's license yet. As we were leaving, Dr. Kawachi asked us if we wanted to see him. I blurted out, "NO!" This is probably the biggest regret of my life. I should have taken a few minutes and touched him, kissed him, felt his warm body one more time. I didn't, I was scared.
My panic disorder started in earnest that year. He died during finals week of my junior year of high school. It was rough.
Over these past 30 years, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him. The pain is just as bad as it was then. It never goes away. I miss him so much. He is buried in California and since I now live in Florida....I have no where to go. Deep down, I know that I don't need a place to go in order to talk to him. But, to me, I knew his physical body. Only God knew his soul. I miss his physical body. I miss the hugs, the back scratches, the laughter, the look in his eyes. I miss the way he smelled and his deep protective voice. I miss how safe I felt with him. He was my daddy. He could take care of anything! He was my rock.
People always tell me that I look like him, and to tell you the truth, I do...I really do. We have the same mannerisms, we have the same body shape, the same skin. He loved the Church, even though he was away for a long time. He was proud of me, and I knew it, because he told me...often. I was "Daddy's Little Girl".
For those of you reading this that still have your dad....get down on your knees and thank God! Spend as much time as humanly possible with him. Ask questions about his childhood and early life. Write it all down so you'll never forget. Ask him his favorite color, his favorite movie and why. Make sure you know the story of how your parents met, how they courted and how their early married life was. Show him how much he matters to you. Tell him that you love him...and show him. Make sure your children are close with him too.
And then, one day, when he is no longer with you...you can look back on the time you shared and KNOW that you KNOW, that you KNOW that it was a precious GIFT from God!
My dad was my rock! Shortly after my parents divorced, my sister and I moved in with my dad. My mom had custody, but it was getting harder and harder to stay with her. This is where I believe my panic attacks began.
My dad was a hardworking union man...a Teamster, in fact. He worked a lot and it meant not seeing him for days on end. He would stand out in the rain and/or heat on those picket lines right along with the members that he represented. He started out as a Business Agent for Local 315 in Martinez, California. He moved up the ranks quickly. He was elected as Secretary/Treasurer with highest amount of votes ever recorded in that local. I share that with you only to show you that my dad was well liked....by everyone! He ended up the Secretary/Treasurer for Local 78 in Oakland (they have since merged with local 853), as well as the President of Joint Council 7.
I guess I don't have to tell you that my dad was a die-hard Italian. The Teamsters and our Italian heritage pretty much ran our lives. This was just how we grew up, my sister and I...we didn't know any different. We grew up with framed pictures of Jimmy Hoffa in our home....right along with all the other family photos. As well as framed letters from the likes of Rudy Tham. I guess, back then (60's & 70's) it wasn't just a job, it was way of life.
While he was liked by most, there were those that didn't like him. I can remember times when we would be ready for school in the morning and he would ask my sister and I to stay in the house until he started the car. Once the car started, and there was no explosion, we got in the car and went on to school without an hesitation.
He was very involved with my sister and I. He always made teacher conferences and was a member of the Men's Club at our Church. I remember him always being in charge of the cooking at all of our Parish celebrations.
About the time I was in high school, he began to get sick. He was a big man (overweight) and lived life to the fullest. He ate what he wanted, and did what he wanted. He hunted duck, pheasant and deer. He smoked cigars and pipes...sometimes cigarettes too. He wasn't a drinker. As a matter of fact, I never remember him ever having a drink in front of my sister or I...except in the rare case of a glass of wine. His drink of choice was Perrier with a slice of lime.
He used to stay up late at night and watch TV in the living room. I would wait until my mom went to bed and then, I sneak into his lap! Our routine was that he would go to the kitchen and grab a can of something....usually fruit cocktail or corn. He would open the can and he would take turns giving me bites. He would always save the grapes and cherries from the fruit cocktail for me! Those are precious, precious memories to me.
When he was very small, he had an illness called Scarlett Fever. From what I can gather, this scarred his heart, specifically, his aortic valve. He knew that at some point in his life, this would become an issue and he would have to deal with it. I think his hard living (weight, smoking, rich food and a very high stressed job) finally came to a head in 1979. He had his first heart surgery in Palo Alto, California at Stanford Medical Center. The surgery was performed by Dr. Shumway, a pioneer in open heart surgery at the time.
My dad did well and recovered quickly from the surgery. Unfortunately, the were a myriad of other problems that began at that time also. In the end, he had his aortic valve replaced a total of 3 times. One mechanical and 2 porcine. He was on many experimental medications and suffered with depression towards the end.
Finally, on Monday, June 14 1982, he told my step mother that he couldn't breathe. With the help of some neighbors, we were able to get him out of bed, down the stairs and into our car. My step mother and I drove him to the ER at Herrick Hospital in Berkeley. What we didn't know then was that all of his organs were beginning to shut down. He had a cardiac arrest in the ER. They tried for quite some time to revive him. They couldn't. The nurses put the two of us in this little room. It looked like some one's office. I knew he was gone. His personal physician and the ER doctor came into the room with their heads facing the floor. Dr. Kawachi (his physician and friend) was crying. My step mother became hysterical. The only thing I kept thinking was "how am I going to get us home"? I was 17 and did not have a driver's license yet. As we were leaving, Dr. Kawachi asked us if we wanted to see him. I blurted out, "NO!" This is probably the biggest regret of my life. I should have taken a few minutes and touched him, kissed him, felt his warm body one more time. I didn't, I was scared.
My panic disorder started in earnest that year. He died during finals week of my junior year of high school. It was rough.
Over these past 30 years, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about him. The pain is just as bad as it was then. It never goes away. I miss him so much. He is buried in California and since I now live in Florida....I have no where to go. Deep down, I know that I don't need a place to go in order to talk to him. But, to me, I knew his physical body. Only God knew his soul. I miss his physical body. I miss the hugs, the back scratches, the laughter, the look in his eyes. I miss the way he smelled and his deep protective voice. I miss how safe I felt with him. He was my daddy. He could take care of anything! He was my rock.
People always tell me that I look like him, and to tell you the truth, I do...I really do. We have the same mannerisms, we have the same body shape, the same skin. He loved the Church, even though he was away for a long time. He was proud of me, and I knew it, because he told me...often. I was "Daddy's Little Girl".
For those of you reading this that still have your dad....get down on your knees and thank God! Spend as much time as humanly possible with him. Ask questions about his childhood and early life. Write it all down so you'll never forget. Ask him his favorite color, his favorite movie and why. Make sure you know the story of how your parents met, how they courted and how their early married life was. Show him how much he matters to you. Tell him that you love him...and show him. Make sure your children are close with him too.
And then, one day, when he is no longer with you...you can look back on the time you shared and KNOW that you KNOW, that you KNOW that it was a precious GIFT from God!
Daddy, I love you so much. I miss you more today than ever. I'm so sorry that my children will never know you. I'm so sorry that my husband will never know you. I'm sorry sorry that Olivia doesn't like pasta! I know it would have killed you if you knew that! Thank you for being with me the day that Dan and I got married. I felt you. I felt your presence. I KNOW you were there. I'm so sorry you couldn't walk me down the aisle. I'm sorry that I couldn't dance with you. I know that someday, I'll get to see you again. Mom too. Thank you for being the best father in the whole world! Thank you for loving me, for taking care of me. You will NEVER, EVER be forgotten. You will ALWAYS be in my heart.
Love, Nancy.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Birthday trip, Part One-The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!
This year, Santa Claus brought the entire family annual passes to Universal Orlando! This was a real surprise as we would not have been able to afford this on our own! If you live in Florida, visiting the theme parks in Orlando is just one of the things you do. The admission prices are ridiculously expensive even with the Florida Resident discount. The annual passes are a much better deal, especially if you live within driving distance. I have noticed though, that the older I get, the less impressed I am with this sort of thing! On the other hand, this is not the case with my kids! Nathan has been begging us for several years but we wanted to wait until the kids were old enough to be able to enjoy it. They are definitely at that age NOW!
We got up really early Thursday morning and drove down to Orlando (about a 2.5 hour drive). We stopped along the way for breakfast. I anticipated it being much warmer once we got down there, but it was freezing! I believe it was in the low 40's for most of the day! We layered our clothing pretty well and bundled up!
Let me start off by talking about the parking situation. It's $15 for regular parking and $20 for preferred. We opted for the regular because we thought we could find something else better to do with that extra $5....I mean, how bad could it be, right? Well, what they don't tell you in any of the commercials, brochures or newspaper ads is that it's about a mile from where you park your car to the entrance to either of the two parks (Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios)! All I can say is THANK GOD for moving sidewalks!
Warning: If you decide to use the moving sidewalks...STAY TO THE RIGHT! Otherwise, you will get mowed over by people who are in a HURRY to get to wherever it is they are going!
Once you are beyond the "getting out of the parking" area, you come upon something called City Walk! This is where you find lots of restaurants (including famous ones like Bubba Gumps, The Hard Rock and Emeril's), bars, nightclubs, stores and a movie theater. Visually, it's very over stimulating. Since it was early in the morning...nothing was opened and we moved right through this pretty quickly.
At this point, you come to a "Y"....to the left is Islands of Adventure and to the right is Universal Studios. Incidentally, I had no idea that these two parks are in NO WAY associated with Disney! Truthfully, I thought the entire city of Orlando was owned by Disney...but I was wrong! Apparently, they are competitors in the movie making business as well as the theme park business. MGM Studios is the equivalent for Disney. But I digress.
On Thursday, we opted for the Island of Adventure side as this is where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lives. Since we got there early, we were thinking that it would be best if we went to see the HP stuff first so we could beat the crowds. Guess what? Thousands of other people had the same idea! I must say though, they did an awesome job with the construction of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Here are a few photos....
I would say that probably 80% of the visitors in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter were wearing H.P. scarves. They were selling scarves from Gryfindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each were $34.95! Can you believe that? People PAID that much for a scarf! Nathan really wanted a wand from Ollivander's, but they wanted $29.95 for them and I told him OVER MY DEAD BODY! Besides, the line to get into Ollivander's was over 2 hours long!
We tried a Butterbeer and visited Zonko's and Honeydukes! We attempted to get into some of the other stores in Hogsmeade but the stores are very small and they were just too many people inside! The butterbeer wasn't that great. It reminded me of root beer only much, much sweeter....kind of butterscotchy!
As far as the rides go....the girls weren't tall enough to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and although he won't admit it, Nathan was too scared. As always the line was fairly long and we had to decide if we wanted to wait or not, we opted to "come back later" and then never did. But, the good news is that we have the annual passes and will come down again soon for the day. There was no pressure for us to see and do everything to get our money's worth.
All in all, I was very happy with our Harry Potter experience! I look forward to our next visit when we can explore more of Hogsmeade.
Stay tuned for Birthday Trip-Part Two!
We got up really early Thursday morning and drove down to Orlando (about a 2.5 hour drive). We stopped along the way for breakfast. I anticipated it being much warmer once we got down there, but it was freezing! I believe it was in the low 40's for most of the day! We layered our clothing pretty well and bundled up!
Let me start off by talking about the parking situation. It's $15 for regular parking and $20 for preferred. We opted for the regular because we thought we could find something else better to do with that extra $5....I mean, how bad could it be, right? Well, what they don't tell you in any of the commercials, brochures or newspaper ads is that it's about a mile from where you park your car to the entrance to either of the two parks (Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios)! All I can say is THANK GOD for moving sidewalks!
Warning: If you decide to use the moving sidewalks...STAY TO THE RIGHT! Otherwise, you will get mowed over by people who are in a HURRY to get to wherever it is they are going!
Once you are beyond the "getting out of the parking" area, you come upon something called City Walk! This is where you find lots of restaurants (including famous ones like Bubba Gumps, The Hard Rock and Emeril's), bars, nightclubs, stores and a movie theater. Visually, it's very over stimulating. Since it was early in the morning...nothing was opened and we moved right through this pretty quickly.
At this point, you come to a "Y"....to the left is Islands of Adventure and to the right is Universal Studios. Incidentally, I had no idea that these two parks are in NO WAY associated with Disney! Truthfully, I thought the entire city of Orlando was owned by Disney...but I was wrong! Apparently, they are competitors in the movie making business as well as the theme park business. MGM Studios is the equivalent for Disney. But I digress.
On Thursday, we opted for the Island of Adventure side as this is where the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lives. Since we got there early, we were thinking that it would be best if we went to see the HP stuff first so we could beat the crowds. Guess what? Thousands of other people had the same idea! I must say though, they did an awesome job with the construction of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Here are a few photos....
 |
| This is the view when you first enter Islands of Adventure! Quite impressive! |
 |
| Entering Hogsmeade Village |
 |
| It was actually a good thing that the weather was cold! |
 |
| Hogwarts Express |
 |
| Nathan |
 |
| Dan in front of the Three Broomsticks Restaurant |
 |
| Inside Hogwarts where the pictures come alive! |
I would say that probably 80% of the visitors in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter were wearing H.P. scarves. They were selling scarves from Gryfindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Each were $34.95! Can you believe that? People PAID that much for a scarf! Nathan really wanted a wand from Ollivander's, but they wanted $29.95 for them and I told him OVER MY DEAD BODY! Besides, the line to get into Ollivander's was over 2 hours long!
We tried a Butterbeer and visited Zonko's and Honeydukes! We attempted to get into some of the other stores in Hogsmeade but the stores are very small and they were just too many people inside! The butterbeer wasn't that great. It reminded me of root beer only much, much sweeter....kind of butterscotchy!
As far as the rides go....the girls weren't tall enough to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and although he won't admit it, Nathan was too scared. As always the line was fairly long and we had to decide if we wanted to wait or not, we opted to "come back later" and then never did. But, the good news is that we have the annual passes and will come down again soon for the day. There was no pressure for us to see and do everything to get our money's worth.
All in all, I was very happy with our Harry Potter experience! I look forward to our next visit when we can explore more of Hogsmeade.
Stay tuned for Birthday Trip-Part Two!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
What I've learned about homeschooling!
I need a vacation! You know the kind...the CALGON TAKE ME AWAY kind! I am very rarely away from my family, because frankly, I don't like it! On the few occasions when I've been somewhere without them, I usually spend a good bit of time thinking of, worrying about, and wishing I was with them. Still, there are times when I need SOME SPACE! Do you ever feel like that with your family?
Our first few months of homeschooling have been, well, challenging to say the least. All of the areas that I worried about have turned out to be non issues. The one thing that I worried about the least, has turned out to be the "bite-me-in-the-butt" issue that gives me nightmares!
Even with only four and a half months of homeschooling under my belt, I've managed to learn a few things...painful as they've been:
1. The grass is rarely greener! Part of me honestly thought that homeschooling was going to instantly transform my kids into treating their siblings with love and compassion....into the quiet, spiritually introverted children that I just knew God had created them to be....and into the most angelic, halo wearing, obedient children I had ever seen! Where did I get that notion in the first place??? Honestly, I expected this miraculous transformation to happen over night! I think I have a screw loose someplace! I have sincebeen whipped into submission learned understood come to humbly realize that this doesn't happen right away. As a matter of fact, it takes years! Even longer for those of us who have experienced traditional schools. My kids have to learn how to be with each other 24/7 just like I have to learn how to be with them. They are who they are...wonderfully inquisitive, incessantly energetic, compassionate, loving, eager to learn sponges! Why would I want them any other way??
2. Be flexible! I anticipated this one to a certain degree. However, I was not prepared for just how OFTEN I would need to be flexible! Try...EVERYDAY! I knew I would need to be willing to change up the schedule some. If you know me, you know that my life is full of wrenches ready and waiting to be thrown at my day! I'm pretty good at adapting to that, I swear! I just wasn't ready for the MOOD CHANGES (including my own) that would require manipulating the schedule! Why did none of my homeschooling friends tell me about this one? I wasn't aware that even the slightest mention of starting a math lesson could cause Mt. Vesuvius to erupt and therefore causing the rest of the house.....to cry! Sigh!
3. Do not, I repeat, do NOT compare yourself to other homeschoolers! Too late! Been there done that! Here's a question for you.....If I was going to compare myself to other homeschoolers.....WHY OH WHY did I choose homeschooling families that have been at this soooo much longer that I have?? These other families had to learn all the same lessons that I'm learning, it's just that they learned them eons ago and can now look at me and say..."Oh yes, I remember when....."! The good news is that THEY SURVIVED and I will too. I think. I hope. I pray.
4. I'm so glad my kids are home! Even with all the hard knocks I've come to realize over the last few months, I wouldn't change it (yet)! Although I'm pretty much removed from all the goings on at our parish school, every now and then I get tidbit of information about things going on (bullying issues, teacher issues, cliques and such) that I am so thankful I don't have to deal with anymore! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our parish school, I really do! I think they do a wonderful job of instilling Catholic values and academics into the students! I just don't like all the peripheral crap that goes on! It seems so burdensome and unnecessary. It can get to a point where you spend too much time dealing with all of that and less time on actual learning.
5. God's grace is endless! The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: (2221) "....The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable." (2223) "Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children." (2224) ".....Parents should teach children to avoid the compromising and degrading influences which threaten human societies." (2225) "....Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first heralds" for their children." (2226) "Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child's earliest years. This already happens when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel. Family catechisms precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God." Clearly, the education of my kids is extremely important to God. But how can I do this? What if I fail? What if I blow it so bad that someday my kids do the unthinkable....leave the Church? What if one of my kids ends up taking a gun to a U.S. congresswoman's outdoor meeting at the parking lot of a grocery store and starts shooting? What if...what if....what if? The thing is, God doesn't ask me to attempt any of this alone. These are HIS children, not mine. He's entrusted HIS children to me while they are here on this earth...but they BELONG to Him! He would never ask me to do something that He has not first equipped me to do. He will give me what I need WHEN I NEED IT! Not one second sooner! His grace, love and compassion are infinite.
I can do this homeschooling thing! I CAN! God is with me every step of the way! It is His desire that Dan and I be their educators. He will help us do this. It might be hard...it might be tiring....it might even give me a twitch on some days, but I know that I know that I know, it's what we've been called to do!
Incidentally, Santa Claus brought us a family Christmas present this year (Santa sent it via my Uncle in CA!)....annual passes to Universal Orlando/Islands of Adventure! Thursday morning, my 46th birthday, we will be heading down to Orlando for our first visit to the likes of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and, The Cat in the Hat! I'm hoping for no crowds since this is technically the "off season"! This is a benefit of homeschooling....getting to take off on a family outing during the week!
So much for my Calgon vacation!
Our first few months of homeschooling have been, well, challenging to say the least. All of the areas that I worried about have turned out to be non issues. The one thing that I worried about the least, has turned out to be the "bite-me-in-the-butt" issue that gives me nightmares!
Even with only four and a half months of homeschooling under my belt, I've managed to learn a few things...painful as they've been:
1. The grass is rarely greener! Part of me honestly thought that homeschooling was going to instantly transform my kids into treating their siblings with love and compassion....into the quiet, spiritually introverted children that I just knew God had created them to be....and into the most angelic, halo wearing, obedient children I had ever seen! Where did I get that notion in the first place??? Honestly, I expected this miraculous transformation to happen over night! I think I have a screw loose someplace! I have since
2. Be flexible! I anticipated this one to a certain degree. However, I was not prepared for just how OFTEN I would need to be flexible! Try...EVERYDAY! I knew I would need to be willing to change up the schedule some. If you know me, you know that my life is full of wrenches ready and waiting to be thrown at my day! I'm pretty good at adapting to that, I swear! I just wasn't ready for the MOOD CHANGES (including my own) that would require manipulating the schedule! Why did none of my homeschooling friends tell me about this one? I wasn't aware that even the slightest mention of starting a math lesson could cause Mt. Vesuvius to erupt and therefore causing the rest of the house.....to cry! Sigh!
3. Do not, I repeat, do NOT compare yourself to other homeschoolers! Too late! Been there done that! Here's a question for you.....If I was going to compare myself to other homeschoolers.....WHY OH WHY did I choose homeschooling families that have been at this soooo much longer that I have?? These other families had to learn all the same lessons that I'm learning, it's just that they learned them eons ago and can now look at me and say..."Oh yes, I remember when....."! The good news is that THEY SURVIVED and I will too. I think. I hope. I pray.
4. I'm so glad my kids are home! Even with all the hard knocks I've come to realize over the last few months, I wouldn't change it (yet)! Although I'm pretty much removed from all the goings on at our parish school, every now and then I get tidbit of information about things going on (bullying issues, teacher issues, cliques and such) that I am so thankful I don't have to deal with anymore! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE our parish school, I really do! I think they do a wonderful job of instilling Catholic values and academics into the students! I just don't like all the peripheral crap that goes on! It seems so burdensome and unnecessary. It can get to a point where you spend too much time dealing with all of that and less time on actual learning.
5. God's grace is endless! The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it this way: (2221) "....The role of parents in education is of such importance that it is almost impossible to provide an adequate substitute. The right and the duty of parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable." (2223) "Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children." (2224) ".....Parents should teach children to avoid the compromising and degrading influences which threaten human societies." (2225) "....Parents should initiate their children at an early age into the mysteries of the faith of which they are the "first heralds" for their children." (2226) "Education in the faith by the parents should begin in the child's earliest years. This already happens when family members help one another to grow in faith by the witness of a Christian life in keeping with the Gospel. Family catechisms precedes, accompanies, and enriches other forms of instruction in the faith. Parents have the mission of teaching their children to pray and to discover their vocation as children of God." Clearly, the education of my kids is extremely important to God. But how can I do this? What if I fail? What if I blow it so bad that someday my kids do the unthinkable....leave the Church? What if one of my kids ends up taking a gun to a U.S. congresswoman's outdoor meeting at the parking lot of a grocery store and starts shooting? What if...what if....what if? The thing is, God doesn't ask me to attempt any of this alone. These are HIS children, not mine. He's entrusted HIS children to me while they are here on this earth...but they BELONG to Him! He would never ask me to do something that He has not first equipped me to do. He will give me what I need WHEN I NEED IT! Not one second sooner! His grace, love and compassion are infinite.
I can do this homeschooling thing! I CAN! God is with me every step of the way! It is His desire that Dan and I be their educators. He will help us do this. It might be hard...it might be tiring....it might even give me a twitch on some days, but I know that I know that I know, it's what we've been called to do!
Incidentally, Santa Claus brought us a family Christmas present this year (Santa sent it via my Uncle in CA!)....annual passes to Universal Orlando/Islands of Adventure! Thursday morning, my 46th birthday, we will be heading down to Orlando for our first visit to the likes of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and, The Cat in the Hat! I'm hoping for no crowds since this is technically the "off season"! This is a benefit of homeschooling....getting to take off on a family outing during the week!
So much for my Calgon vacation!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
A week in pictures!
I finally got the whole picture storage issue with blogger all figured out thanks to a few commenter's (thanks ladies!) on my last post. As it turns out, you are only given a certain amount of free storage space when you sign up with them. I purchased a good amount of extra space for a very small fee. This should last me for several more years and give me more time to figure out what I'm going to do with this blog. In any event, I was able to upload more pictures...YAY!!!
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| A great winter dish....homemade sweet potato gnocchi |
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| Sweet potato gnocchi sauteed in sage butter....YUM!! |
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| "Clive" our Elf on the Shelf ended up in the refrigerator one night!!! |
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| The girls made Christmas cards by tracing a wooden Christmas tree. |
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| Sarah the cat decided the pantry was a great place to sleep! |
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| Christmas Eve with my SIL and her crazy husband! |
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| Amelia with her cousins. |
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| Aunt Franny and Olivia! |
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| A Jacksonville tradition....visiting the Kuhn's Flower Shop Christmas window display! |
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| FYI....it was really cold Christmas Eve! |
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| It's a tradition for many Jacksonvillians. |
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| Olivia checking out Santa's elves! |
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| Olivia & Amelia |
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| The Holy Family |
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| Not only did Santa eat his cookies and drink his chocolate milk....he started a fire for us! |
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| Nathan reading Santa's Christmas letter to the family. |
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| Santa brought a family gift this year....a Wii! |
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| The girls and their iCarly stuff! |
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| Amelia opening her presents....LOVE the new slippers! |
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| Little Livy |
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| Nathan got some new shower wash! |
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| This time Sarah decided my legs were the best place to sleep! |
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| SNOW FLURRIES IN JACKSONVILLE ON THE 26th!!!!!!!!!! |
Monday, December 20, 2010
Everybody wants a turn!
Dan drove all over Jacksonville last weekend trying to find hay for our outdoor Nativity. He finally found a couple of bales at a local feed store. I think he did a great job of setting it all up and making a very special place for the Baby Jesus on Christmas morning. However, there are a some members of this family that would like the prominent place all to themselves!
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Out of the mouths of babes!
The kids and I were sitting in our living room the other night, admiring the Christmas tree. I was (once again) verbalizing how much easier an artificial tree is compared to a fresh one. Everyone agreed that this was the right thing to do this year! Olivia delivered the best line of the night......
"Mom, a fake tree is good 'cause then we don't have to worry about it burning our house down because it is fire retarded"!
"Mom, a fake tree is good 'cause then we don't have to worry about it burning our house down because it is fire retarded"!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The flowers are still blooming!!
It looks like spring here in Jacksonville! We had a wonderful trip to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens with some very special friends. The weather was perfect (about 78-80 degrees). Apparently, I took more pictures of flowers than I did of the animals...or my kids! You can visit my other blog "Widener's Wilderness" if you want to see the animal/kid photos. I have no idea what most of these are called, I just know that they are yet more evidence of God's handiwork!!
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| I think these are called Lantana |
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| Can you spot the catepillar?? |
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| I'm pretty sure these are Pineapple Ginger |
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| Whatever this is, the butterflies love it! |
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