Update

So Jack had his checkup.

He was thrilled to not have to get any shots.

I was thrilled that his doctor does not think he needs to be on AD/HD meds

but rather offered some really helpful suggestions for dealing with his frustrations.

Great appointment!

Sophie ended up picking a Lego's set for her prize.  She spent the afternoon putting it together.

We got to go to Mrs. Jan's house for the Odyssey cookout.

It was fun for all the kids to be together again.

We spent a lot of the week getting ready for Audrey's birthday party.

We picked an Easter theme.....because it is after all so close to Easter.

I had so much fun making the decorations.  I made huge paper carnations.  I haven't made these in  years!  It was fun and festive!  I love to make stuff!

I had lots of helpers.

In fact at times.....a little too much help!

We wrapped the silverware up like carrots!  CUTE!  Thank you Pinterist!

 

We had some regular days filled with school, Lincoln, dancing....

And we had one other BIG event...

Andrew's surgery.

Bless his heart.  He has been through the wringer.  Today was a turning point.  He showered!!!

He has also not had any pain medication yet today!!!!

He is on the mend!

He's still not 100 percent.  He is still having to be bandaged.  He is still sleeping a lot.  He still isn't eating much.  However.....today is MUCH better.  He has been a sweet patient.  He actually keeps thanking me!

Which I must say is nice.  He is thanking me for normal things.  He keeps saying: Thanks for taking such good care of me.  You are really nice.  WOW?  All I'm doing is regular stuff like getting him drinks, changing his bandages, bringing him food, getting him his computer, books, remotes....It's really sweet. 

Love that boy!

He also got several sweet cards and visits.  What an encouragement to him.  Thank you!  His guitar teacher, Eddie Stephen (best guitar teacher ever!!!) stopped in yesterday to check on him and even brought him a pack of pics.....how sweet is that?

Friends are a blessing!

A Moment

So I'm loving the women's Bible Study I am doing right now and Sunday we were watching the video segment and one of the things Beth Moore said really resonated with me.  She was talking about being aware of the opportunities to show mercy as you go.  She was saying that we don't have to go seek out ways but to just be aware throughout the day.  I was very intrigued by this idea....because my days are full and my heart is easily moved so I'm often overwhelmed and don't know what to do.  I have a heart to serve.....yet I often feel I have not got much to offer beyond the confines of my home.  It was cool to start thinking about how it doesn't have to be some big huge thing or some weekly commitment.  It could be a moment.  I just needed to be aware.

So I prayed about it and asked the Lord to show me what he had planned for me and to make me aware.  So it crossed my mind several times throughout the day....which in and of itself is fairly miraculous!  Anyway.....then I realized I better pray that I would know when the mercy moment came....because I am apt to forget, rush, be unobservant....etc.

So yesterday was trucking along....school, Lincoln, changing out closets for spring, an unexpected yet welcomed visit from our cousin TL, clogging.....and then I was rushing to deposit kids.....TL to her house and Lincoln to his mom's work.  It was late......the van was loaded down with my younguns.  I needed to make dinner, do baths, get Andrew to guitar...and it happened.  The Lord provided a moment.  I love how he knows my life.  He knows I have 100 kids...and yet he doesn't say.....oh I don't need you or your plate is too full.  He provides what I can do....right there with my brood.....and not only did I get to be a little part of sharing his love.....my kids did too.  Thank you Lord!

It was inconvenient.  Yet it was no big deal.  It took about 45 minutes.  It involved a 75 year old stranger.  I don't even want to go into the details because to share almost seems to cheapen the sacredness of it at this point....but let me just say....BLESSING.

I was struck.....I asked God to provide this and in less then 24 hours....he did!  I WOULD have missed this moment if I hadn't been involved in this study....because I would have not been aware.  I would have smiled and felt bad....but been on my way.  How many moments have I missed?  I shudder to think.  I am so grateful that the Lord uses his word and faithful teachers to speak into my life.  I just love that I can live my life just doing what needs to be done and the Lord orchestrates the moments to minister without me even having to find them.  He is amazing!

Anxious to see what or who comes across my path today!  Just praying the Lord shows me his plan for my day and keeps me aware enough to not miss it :)

Love,
Kim

YIPPEE!!!!

This one has been a long time coming.....We FINALLY finished Book 3 of Sophie's reading curriculum!  Whew....this one was a doozy!  She finished book 2 on May 2 of last year....so we've been doing book 3 for 10 LOOOOONNNG months!  We didn't stop in the summer.  So we are going to take the week off and do reading games, while I study up on level 4.....and we are going to start level 4 the first week of April. 

Her reading has come so far!  It's not easy to post a grade level on her reading because she is learning in a different way then most kids learn so it doesn't really correlate with grades.  So just because she finished level 3 doesn't mean she is on a third grade reading level....she is not.  She is much lower.....but it is coming along.  PRAISE THE LORD!  Her writing is coming along too.  Her improvement and growth and CONFIDENCE is amazing!

I can tell you this: She can now read and spell closed syllable words and unit syllable words with up to 6 sounds in them.  She has learned the Kiss the Cat, Milk Truck, Catch Lunch, and Contraction spelling rules, and knows 15 units:
ang
ong
ung
ing
ank
onk
unk
ink
all
oll
old
olt
ost
ild
ind

So.....because of all our hard work we unanimously decided we had earned ourselves a treat: So I got a pedicure last night!!!!!! (I was out with a friend....and I knew we were going to finish today).  I really enjoyed it!  I hadn't had a pedicure.....in a VERY long time!

And she is going to the toy store today.....and gets to pick out one toy.....she's thinking either a Barbie, a Lego set, or a Mosaic craft kit.  We shall see!

After our week off.....we will tackle Level 4 in which she will learn to read and spell words with 3 or more syllables composed of Open, Closed, Unit, and Vowel Team syllables.  She will learn the 12 spelling rules that impact multi-syllable words, as well as the Schwa.  I have so much hope for her. I will make her keep going through the summer.  The quicker we can catch her reading/writing/spelling up the better.  So a part of me feels guilty....because I do want her to have a break.....but my love for her and my knowledge of how consistency is one of the most important keys will not let me give her the summer off.....but it does make me sad.  However it's only about half an hour or so a day....the rest of the day we will be busy taking a break :)

 The Lord has been faithful.  He has used his word and his people in this journey to encourage me to keep going when I am frustrated and the road seems too long. When I look too far ahead I get overwhelmed and when I look back I can get overwhelmed by how much time and work and effort and sacrifice it took to get to where we are today.  However.....HE is faithful to provide manna for today.  Strength for today.  Encouragement for today. Hope for today.  Joy for today.  He alone sustains me.  PRAISE HIM from whom ALL blessings flow!

God is using dyslexia to develop character in me that would not have been developed without this thorn in the flesh.  He is teaching me to be faithful in the daily.  He is teaching me to trust him.  He is teaching me to pray.  He is teaching me acceptance for people that are different.  He is teaching me compassion.  He is teaching me to spell better too :)  through her lessons.  He's teaching me that you can't read a book by their cover.  Sometimes there is more to a person then meets the eye.  He is teaching me that he is in control.  He is teaching me that it is HIS plan and HIS will....not mine.  To him be the glory!

Looking forward to an easy week of reading games and gearing up for the next leg of the journey and enjoying my pretty toes :) and Sophie....is thrilled to have a week off (she loves the reading games) and can't wait to pick out her prize, and has begged me to let her take the curriculum to our friends (who have a son using it as we finish up) Believe me she is so ready to PASS IT ON!

Happy Day!

Finally.....a post!

It seems like a while since I've blogged.  So I thought I'd do a bit of an update....

Jack is doing well.  He's as sweet and as rowdy as ever. 

His speech teacher Miss Vanessa is just beside herself with his progress....

I honestly don't hear a lot of difference but....I guess that may be because I am around him all the time....but she is thrilled.

She is also amazed by his focus......

Hmmmm...He's going for a checkup this week and I was going to talk to the doctor about ADD.....she's amazed and I'm concerned!

So pray for wisdom for me!

LOVE my BOY!

Lydia is excelling in her school and dance....and her tattle telling!

UGH!

She is so well behaved and such a rule follower....and thinks everyone else should get in line and behave too!

I know sweet girl....I feel your pain!

ANYWAY

The Twinkies and Sophie have all been trying out clogging with the Little River Clogger's and they are liking it....a LOT!

It is really cute and so fun because a lot of our homeschool friends participate so I get to see my friends on Monday's and Thursday's now!

On another note Lydia lost her second tooth this week.  Although you can't tell because her permanent tooth was already halfway in.....so at least she only has one tooth taking up that spot now!

 Andrew is doing really well.  He's doing great in school.  I ended up getting a girl who graduated from our co-op some years back and has gone on to graduate from NC State with a degree in Math to tutor Andrew....so I don't have to teach his Math....it's getting too hard for me!

He wasn't struggling....but his teacher was having to devote too much effort to understanding it!

What a great decision.  He is doing well and when he doesn't understand something she does such a great job explaining.  It has worked out great because he has a study period at Co-op on Thursday's and she meets with him and goes over his lessons and new material for the week and then he does a lesson each day at home and I check them and then she looks over them.

He's been busy with school, friends, and EATING.  I think he may eat us out of house and home!

The BOY is ALWAYS HUNGRY!!!!

He is looking forward to our Youth Group Metamorphosis weekend this coming weekend.

He is not looking forward to his surgery the following week.  You can pray for him.  He is having his adenoids removed, his deviated septum repaired (he had a really bad fall flat on his face when he was one) and he is having his airway opened more.  The doctors think this will bring him great relief.  However it will be a full week of recovery and quite a bit of pain :(

Miss Priss is doing well.

I'll have a big update on her soon!!!!

Sweet as Ever and Sassy as can be!!!  AGH!

And the Baby.....is beside herself.....It is almost her birthday and she is sooooo excited!

I can NOT believe she is going to be FIVE!

I must say.....I love having kids that can dress themselves, buckle themselves, wipe themselves, clean up their dishes themselves, pick up their rooms themselves...WHEW!

BUT

With this independence and age....has come a LOT of NOISE.

OUR HOUSE IS SO LOUD!

AND

Oh my word......do they fuss!  They didn't use to fuss much but lately.....they have been FUSSING!

Now that everyone is tucked in for the night and Randy is working on school the quiet almost hurts my ears!

And our sweet buddy Lincoln!

Oh how we enjoy him!

Such a fun and sweet addition to our day....and now that he is on the move....he is keeping us on our toes!

It is really nice to see how the kids love on him and are always anxious for him to come!

I even had to come up with a rotation for who gets to sit beside him in the car!

My kids don't agree on much....but one thing they do agree on is that they LOVE Lincoln!

In other news....we've been hard at work in the yard...prettying up the front porch for spring.

Putting out new mulch in the flower beds, cutting grass, pulling weeds, spraying the driveway that started to grow its own crop of weeds....The Twinks and Linc helped plant the flowers!

Daddy comes home for lunch most days and the kids LOVE it!

This is how my boys do school.

Notice the difference in the twins approach to their studies!

These are candid non scripted shots...

It is hilarious now....at the time a bit annoying....

but now so funny....they are sooooooo different.

One was born for school....

Loves reading, writing, math, worksheets, grading papers for me....

The other literally HATES school.  Crawls all over the table....Wants to play, tackle, build, run, create, talk, go outside, work (LOVES to take out the trash!)

YES they are twins....exactly opposite in EVERY single way....

and yet for the life of me I couldn't tell you my favorite.

I love them both so much!

Their strengths, their weaknesses, their personalities.....

They do have a few things in common....they love each other, they love stuffed animals, they love to snuggle, and they love to dance....and I think that is just about it!

We've been busy living life...nothing too exciting....yet it is always an adventure!

Surprise....I Forgot!

What a Morning!

Whew......

We woke up, started off as usual....were outside enjoying the beautiful weather and having story time....when Amy came by to drop off Knox and Stella!

I had totally forgotten I told her I would watch them this morning while she went to a funeral for her sisters dear friend.

I was totally looking forward to it....I was totally committed to do it.....I am totally glad I was home.....but I must admit....it had totally slipped my mind!

So I wasn't as organized and prepared for it as I normally would have been.

BUT....look at these two:

How could they not make your day?

Obviously my kids were thrilled to have company!

So.....school time quickly became play time!

Jack and Sophie played basketball

The weather was so nice!

I am so glad we got to enjoy it!

No telling what these two are plotting..

Best Friend Sisters!

<3

<3

After lunch, a walk, lots of outside play, some inside fun.....everyone is worn out!

Including me!

8 kids is a lot of kids!

They were all very well behaved and Andrew and Sophie were a huge help while getting lunch ready and feeding the babies and getting shoes and strollers to go outside.

I wish I had taken more pictures.....there were some really sweet moments....but they kept me hopping!

Knox and Stella headed home.

Roomime is almost over.

So although its ringing a bit late......School is back in session!

Love how flexible we can be with school.....but it still has to get done!

What's Cooking?

Let me tell you what's up......I have been a crazy cooking maniac the last few days......I cook a lot anyway just keeping this crew fed....but we had lots to cook for this weekend.

Now don't get me wrong....I totally brought this on myself....and I did enjoy it....but whew!  I also enjoyed NOT cooking last night and going out with my Mama for dinner and movie while Randy did dinner with the kids!  We went to California Pizza (BBQ Chicken Salad=totally yummy) and saw THE VOW best movie I've seen since THE HELP.....well actually only movie I've seen since THE HELP....but still you get the point....really good.  Loved getting a chance to hang out and talk to mama in peace!  Such a treat!

ANYWAY

I thought I'd share a few recipes from my cooking frenzy:

Saturday I made my favorite baked beans, for the teenage boys that invaded....they are simple....and they are GOOD!  I got this recipe from my Granny's church cookbook years ago.

1 1/2 Tablespoon vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 lb. Ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 T. Salt
2 cans (16 oz) pork n' beans.

Brown beef, onion, and green pepper.  Mix beans, ketchup and everything else...Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. 

Saturday night I made Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers....what an experience....I almost went into encephalitic shock!  I got all teary, and my throat started tightening, my skin and hair started itching.....whew!  So I ended up not being a fan.....but Randy really liked them!

This was a new recipe I got off Food.com
25 jalapeno peppers
16 oz. cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 16 oz. packages of bacon.

Cut stems of peppers and then cut them in half longways.  Remove seeds from peppers.  Fill with cream cheese and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Wrap each in 1/2 slice bacon and secure with toothpick.  Place on a baking sheet.  Cook in a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  (Mine took about 30 minutes.....to cook the bacon.)  Cool.  Serve.  Enjoy. 

I also made chocolate chip cookie bars using the recipe on the back of the Nestle Chocolate Chips....and I was out of sugar so I used Splenda....and I must say.....YUCK!  It changed the whole texture....so I wouldn't recommend making that substitution!  It's the first time I tried it....and the last time :)

Sunday we had a baby shower for my friend Kelly.  I made Ham and Cheese Poppy Seed Sandwiches.  They are so good.  Classic!  Thought you might like to add the recipe to your collection.  My mom always made these for parties....I'm not sure where she got the recipe originally....I would guess Southern Living.

2 packages 7 1/2 oz each) small party rolls

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 tablespoons finely chopped onion (optional)

2 tablespoons poppy seed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces ham (I use lunch meat)

6 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Melt butter; add mustard, poppy seed, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over low heat until onions are transparent.

Without separating rolls, slice party rolls horizontally. Spread both sides evenly with butter mixture. Fill evenly with ham and cheese. Wrap each package in tightly in foil and refrigerate until ready to bake. Bake at 375 ° for about 15 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted.
Serves 8 to 10.


I also found out Saturday afternoon that I was supposed to bring snack for Andrew's Sunday School Class....AGH!  I didn't have anything planned....so they got leftover cupcakes (box mix) and cookie cake (from Cookie Time) from Andrew's party....Sorry guys!  I'll try better next time.

Then we had our co-op meeting Sunday afternoon and I had signed up to bring chips and dip so I brought Phyllis Deans YUMMY dip.  It was sooooo good.  Randy and I polished off the leftovers Sunday Night!

I don't want to give her recipe out without asking her.....but if you want it you should ask her cause it is really good!

Tonight we are having Rigatoni.  My kids all love it which is a miracle in and of itself and it is simple!
1 pkg. rigatoni noodles
1 lb. ground beef browned.
1/2 pkg. peperoni's
1 container of favorite prepared spaghetti sauce
Mix it all together.
Put it in a 9 x 13 dish
Sprinkle with Mozzarella Cheese
Bake until warm and cheese is melted.
Serve!  YEAH!  Dinner is done!  And if you add a simple salad and fix a box mix of brownies and warm up frozen bread sticks your husband will think you are gourmet :)

So hope you enjoy the recipes!

Happy Cooking!
Kim

Highlights from the week!

Lydia reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear to Lincoln after lunch!

Superheros all around!

Jackson lost his first tooth!!!!

Co-op!

Kids are getting really good at their American History Timeline!

Finished up studying the American Revolution and moving onto the Declaration of Independence after spring break!

Mindy comes home....and she's looking pretty in pink!

Girls Night Out

Loved going with our friends to see the Jazz Show!

Nina's Dancers were outstanding!

Hannah and Sophie loved seeing Skyler

And Audrey said, "Skyler always makes the cutest little smiles!"

While the Girls were out on the town

Randy, Andrew, Jackson, and 2 of Andrew's best buddies had a MAN dinner: steak, baked potatoes, corn, bread, root beer, and cake!

and.....watched Basketball!

Airsoft War!

Oh my Word....what a crew!

All Andrew's Homeschool Buddies came over for a battle

and of course....

More Basketball....

I really do love Andrew's Friends

Then tonight.....

Pa came over to watch the rascals....

(Mama is getting over being sick)

and we gathered a bunch of food

A stack of games....

And I honestly have no idea when I have laughed so hard.....

we were seriously all in tears.

So much fun!

Love hanging out with these folks!

What a wonderful week!

Lookin forward to tomorrow!

Time keeps right on truckin!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

This is one of my most favoritist times of the year......

Life slows down....just a bit.....at the Stewart abode.

Basketball has ended.....which means I can have a life again and may even be able to sleep in on a Saturday!!!!!!

Odyssey is over.  Which means I can stay home on Monday's and Friday's and Saturdays.....and I may even have the chance to clean my house.....it is OVERdue!

We are almost to the midway point of the birthday season.

School is entering its final semester.

I am absolutely LOVING my women's Bible Study Group!  I didn't realize until last week how long it had been since I had been in an all women's Bible Study.  Oh my word!  I had forgotten how much I loved it!  I've filled my time with kids, and Sunday School, and University of Life classes, and personal Bible time.....BUT I have missed the fellowship of sisters sharing the word together!  What a precious blessing!  LOVE IT!

Ahh.....Breathe!

It is also almost time for the Homeschool Conference....which even though I have just completed my 9th year homeschooling....I've never attended.  Well....I think this is going to be my year!  I am planning to go with a couple of my girlfriends after we drop our older kids off for homeschool week at Mountain Top!  Woop-Woop!

Yep.....Let the planning begin!  I am anxious to sip coffee and discuss curriculum and seek insight from these dear friends.  I am eager to browse through row, upon row, upon row of books!!!!  I'm such a nerd!  I am hungry for the encouragement from all the wonderful guest and speakers.  I am sooooo looking forward to this season!

I am enjoying the change of weather.  Enjoying the world waking up from winter.  Yes it was a mild winter....thank you Lord!  With our personal hardships this winter....I think a harsh winter may have sent me over the edge...I get a bit depressed every winter....not sure why......but the milder weather (and more notably the Lord.....stayed that off this winter!)........but still I just relish the change from winter to spring.

It was a hard winter.  Job changes.  Losses.  In relationships......in loved ones......in dreams.....in hopes.  But now it is spring!   New opportunities.  New adventures.  New relationships.  New hopes.  New dreams.......New dresses....New life........Yep.......I love this time of year!

OUCH! A Really Hard Good Day!

Yesterday was the Big Odyssey of the Mind Regional Tournament....

Our team was slated to compete at 8:45....so we had to be there to unload at 7:45.....

So it was an EARLY morning.

Everyone was there and dressed, except our beloved Sam.

His grandfather died last week and so they were in Virginia with family.

He was greatly missed!

But we all certainly understood and are so sorry for his family's loss.

The kids knocked the long term out of the ball park.

We knew from the moment they finished that they had done well....VERY well!

Then the waiting began!

We spent a lot of time hanging out with the team and their families. What a wonderful group of friends.  The kids were elated when our coach returned with our raw scores.  Mystica has had 2 of its four teams go onto states....and we knew from the kids score that states was a real possibility.  Their raw score was the highest of any of our teams ever.  So we were pumped.

All that was left was Spontaneous.

Well....Spontaneous you just never know how it will go.

When our kids went in they seemed pumped.

When they came out....they said it went okay....but they looked whipped.

We wouldn't find out until much later what had happened.

So.......

Sophie, Randy, Andrew and I left and went out for a BIG birthday lunch for Andrew.

It was FUN!

Then it was back to Chapel Hill High

Fun times with the team.

Games

Laughter!

Anticipation!

This is the team minus-Alex and Sam.

Alex was there for competition but left early because he was becoming a Boy Scout that same afternoon.

So this picture shows just part of the team.

This is one side of the gym

This is the other....

To give you an idea of the size of this competition.....this is 1 awards site....there were 4 award sites for this one competition.

The awards started right away. 

They listed the fifth, fourth, third, second....and we didn't hear our name.

The kids were so hopeful...

They wanted first....They wanted to go on to states....They were so hopeful....

The moment arrived.

AND.....

They didn't call our name.

What?

How could this be?

They not only didn't win....they didn't even place.

OUCH!

We were absolutely stunned.

Our kids were good.  No actually they were GREAT!

Something must have happened at spontaneous.  We just had no idea what.  The kids are told not to share about the problem because they use the same problem for all the teams so that it will be fair.  Coaches are not allowed in the room.  So we didn't know.

So on the way home.....I found out.

The Spontaneous Problem involved telling a story, which is not unusual....but it also involved reading a word off a card to include in the story. 

Yes reading in public.

While being timed.

A dyslexic child's nightmare.

NOOOOO!!!!!!

In all our years with Odyssey....we have NEVER had a problem that involved reading!

We hadn't even thought of or prepared Sophie for this possibility.

She said that she could read the words but that sometimes she would get stuck for a little while.

Getting stuck for a little while in Odyssey can be disastrous for a team score.

I was MAD.

I was SAD.

I don't understand why!

Our coach found out from another team member that Sophie's account of events was accurate, but that another child on the team also made some negative comments which affected the score.  I don't know if the comments were directed at Sophie, at the teams performance, or something else.  Sportsmanship is a major component of scoring.  The team member also said that the team as a whole had trouble keeping the story line.  So it wasn't all because of the reading....but still I can't help but wonder.

Anyway....

I kept myself together.  I tucked the kids in bed.  Then I locked myself in my room and I called my Mama and I cried like a baby.

It was an ugly cry.

I soul cleansing cry.

It hurt.  I wanted her to win.  I wanted her to be recognized. 

I had written this blog differently in my mind.

It was going to have her with a medal around her neck and a big smile on her sweet face....

Why can't she ever win?

Ever?

We did find out when we received their scoring that they had the highest score in the long term problem of all the teams in their category.  That was over 30 teams.  I think 32 but I don't have the program in front of me.  They also scored very high on Style.

They were however on the low end for their Spontaneous.....not the lowest....but definitely low.

So even though the Long Term was worth 200 points and they got all 200 and their style was worth 50 points and they got 42.....the Spontaneous was worth 100 and they only got 30-something....so they didn't win....anything.....

and the year is over.

I almost believed this....but it's not true. 

She did win. 

She started the year out not saying a word and not making eye contact with her coach.  She ended speaking LOUD and CLEAR to an auditorium full of people.  I sat on the back row and heard every. word. she. said.

She used a sewing machine and made a mermaid costume by herself. 

She spoke up and made peaceful suggestions to fighting team members.

She became so good at Spontaneous solutions that the coaches put her on all three of the Spontaneous teams.....she is the only new Odyssey member that got put on all three teams.

She made new friends.  She made memories.  She learned about Richart Structures.

She won!

Maybe not a medal....but oh so much more.

It also taught me an important lesson.

I need to teach her to speak up for herself when I am not there.

Odyssey is not testing their reading.

They would have made provisions for her....if they had known she had a disability.

So I am going to work with her on speaking up and telling people when she needs help.

I will not always be able to be her voice.

If we didn't have this experience.....I wouldn't have thought about it.  I wouldn't have known to prepare her.

I am reminded again of a quote from my Bible Study (Beth Moore "James, Mercy Triumphs"), "Sometimes we can know something is right, wonderful, and as it should be yet still be pierced by it.  We still feel the tearing away."

This experience is one of those times for me.

So it was a hard day....it was good....it was sad....it wasn't the script I wrote....

BUT

It is the script HE wrote.  So we will walk it.  Trust it.  Live it. 

He has a plan...and it is for Sophie's good.  His plan is for her good.  It is for her good.

That is the TRUTH!

Charein!

(Joy to You!)

(Also from my Beth Moore Study....it is gonna be a good one)

Kim