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!