life update.

i am just swirling around in a big tidal pool.

that's kinda how i feel somedays.

if i can keep these kids and their schedules straight, it will be a small miracle. :)

last week i was putting laundry away at 8:30 p.m. when it occurred to me that we completely forgot Kaycee's hip hop dance class that night.
just. completely. forgot. it.

i know. it's only going to get worse.

go ahead. and laugh.

this must be part of what my mom "meant" when she "said",

"you are going to have all those kids for the rest of your life"

when i was in the midst of having babies in close succession.

i am sure i will discover all of the "rest" of what she "meant" as time goes on. :)))

i can tell that the school year is officially winding down.

i find it hysterical, that in the midst of the hard winter that we had,

all the "chatter" about the kids not learning, and retaining, and we are missing so many days,

and now, we still have 3 weeks left of school, and the chaos has started.

field trips. parties. fun days. track and field days. last spelling tests of the year.

projects. permission slips. concerts. baseball games continue. dance recitals. piano lessons, etc.

it's crazy.

we still have learning time left, people.

keep teaching them.

please.

kaden's little league season is soon coming to a close.
he still loves baseball.
he loves to play catcher. but has also played a lot of 1st base, 3rd base and did some pitching this year as well. he never found his groove with hitting this year. he hit. but not well.
he thinks it's the bat. he wants a "good" one. :))
it has been fun to see him and his teammates progress over the years.
it still makes me nervous every time he gets up to bat, or pitches, or makes a play.
i guess this is the life of a mother?

we also found out last week that kaden has a learning disability.
sigh.
i cried for about 2 days.
tears of relief. excitement. sadness. fear. all wrapped into one.
tears for all those kids who don't have a mom who battles.
for all those kids who squeeze thru the cracks. whose moms have given up the battle,
because well. it's easiest. the public school system did not make it easy for me to fight for my kid.
unfortunately.

it's been a long road that has taken a year and a half of battling it out with teachers and administrators.
he was very hard to diagnose. because "they" kept telling me...
"he's a great kid." "i know." I would say. "but he has tremendous amounts of trouble writing. and spelling." "he reverses words and letters...still" and the psychologist's answer to me was, "i have high school kids who still reverse letters sometimes." hmmmmmm. i thought.
well. if my kid can have a fighting chance at NOT being a child who reverses letters in high school,
well. then i want to give him that opportunity.

they always had an answer.
i heard for years that "he is a boy. it just takes boys longer. be patient. he is such a hard worker. his test scores just aren't supporting
your thoughts and feelings." which, i admit they weren't. he was testing "fine"...but i just had this
sinking feeling that there was something we were missing.
they did keep saying, "you are the mom. if you feel something is not right, we want to know about it." but
at the same time, i felt like they kept telling me that I was the one who was nuts.
it was so frustrating.

i had become one of "those" moms.
i battled for my kid.
i am thankful for my sister's encouragement. she is a teacher and reading specialist and had seen my
concerns. without her support, i would have given up the fight long ago.

but.i.didn't.
and finally. FINALLY. they tested him.
for over a week.
long.rigorous. testing.

ugh.

a 40 page report later.
we know there is something going on.
that brings relief. excitement. oh man. a whole set of emotions.

and it's dumb.
he is alive. he is a brilliant. hard working, determined, compassionate young man.
i know. i know.
i have so much to be thankful for.

but no mom wants to see her kid struggle.
that's all.
i know all of his struggles, initially with reading. then with spelling. and now with writing.
they have all made him a fighter. i know it.

anyway. all that to say.
we are waiting to have a meeting where we will determine the next steps.
he goes to 5th grade next year. a transition year.
a locker. whew. and. hopefully. just hopefully a year marked with change. for the better. not struggle.

oh.my.word.
i devoured this book in a little over 48 hours.
i love to read. but don't take the time to do it nearly enough.
i cried. a lot. wow. it is fabulous.
a beautiful story of redemption. but how heart wrenching the road to get there.
READ it. ;)))

and just because.
;))

working on end of year projects.
kaden's has to do with chickens. that's all i will say.

kaycee did her's on gabby douglas.
gymnastics gold medalist at 2012 olympics.
has a great life story. and actually her movie is in redbox right now.
great movie.
for the whole family.
watch it. :)

so. there is a little catch up of my life.
spring brings about the busy whir of matt's life and businesses as well.
karolina has been a rockstar at using the potty.
my easiest kid by far. maybe i lowered my expectations a bit.
guess that was helpful. :)

calli is gearing up for kindergarten in the fall.
4 in school. i don't know how i will manage.
the mounds of paperwork on my desk from 3 in school is absolute craziness.
and i count myself an organized person.
eeeeekkkk. matt would probably disagree.
(however, i tell him often that growing up in a household with just ONE brother, is way
way different to manage, then a household with 5 children. just no comparison...i don't know if he buys it or not? but he should. ) :))

life is busy.
we strive to keep our kids activities to a minimum.
we strive to keep our activities to a minimum.
electronics. we don't have many. and i will strive to keep it that way as long as i can.
i am trying to be so intentional in protecting my kids.
without homeschooling.
;)) i have the utmost respect for those who do.

i think that's enough from me.
have a great day lovees.

;))

(Kaden's on 2nd here...not quite his "build" on first. )   ;))