Our own March Madness...

Following my last post, some crazy stuff came up...my computer locked up and would only open up in safe mode, so I had to back it all up and Dennis wiped it back to start. It took a few days to get back up and running and even longer to make it feel like my trusty old computer again.

Then, we had Spring break...yes, we already had spring break. Never mind that spring just started...ha ha. I guess when it's warm year round they can schedule breaks whenever... I took the kids to the beach a couple of times, although this day at Bellows Beach was so windy and chilly that I had to buy this cute swim shirt at the shoppette. Sabrina was at Girls' Camp at the beach. She had a great time and bonded with some of the younger girls. Yes, that's my goofy girl in the background with the crooked hat.

We have also been spending a lot of time at Tripler with the patient educator getting the training we didn't receive in Germany. In a couple of weeks we are expecting Dr. Chase from the Barbara Davis Center in Denver for a conference. We get a one-on-one with him to assess where's Sabrina's at and make improvements. I'm really happy we are getting so much care here, but it's time consuming and exhausting.

Also before Spring Break we were called into a meeting at the school for Sabrina's English teacher. It didn't start out too positively, but ended up agreeing to re-assess her with a different test. She didn't finish all the questions, but what she did finish she did really well, so now they are looking at the time it takes her to process things. They have agreed to make adjustments to how they grade her, breaking things down and giving her more time for things. All of a sudden, this english teacher is Sabrina's best friend. Odd how judgements will affect the effort they (teachers) put in...I'm hopeful, though that it really helps pick up her grades this final quarter and eases the workload, because as much work and frustration as it is for her, added worry makes it is moreso for us...

Hayden earned his Arrow of Light, the highest cub scout badge, this week at the Blue & Gold Banquet. He will move up to boy scouts when he turns 11 next month. We're so happy with the work he's done to get here.

Today, I spent the morning at the beach with 2 girlfriends playing "hooky" from being a SAHM while the kids were in school. It was relaxing to sit there and "talk story" as they say here in Hawaii. Plus, no lugging boogie boards and sand toys...bonus!

I'm going to sign McKenna up for soccer next month. She has been asking for 6 months now, and they have the base soccer starts in June. The AYSO doesn't start until August, and I'll put Hayden and Sabrina in that one...it is really well run, and with them being older, I think they need that. Plus, having them all 3 have games on a Saturday could pose a problem with only 2 parents...conceivably 3 locations. McKenna will be finishing around the time they are starting, so it works out well.

So, now the kids are back in school, back to routine, and I'm trying out new things...I'm trying a hiking group next week and plan to work in some kayaking sometime in April. What fun Hawaii can be!

What's up?

The past few weeks have been focused on the upcoming spring break, when Sabrina will have YW camp at Bellows beach, and the end of the school quarter. We plan to take in a movie, hit the beach a couple of times, and maybe visit the Discovery Center for hands-on fun.

Hayden finished his 5 week Starbase field trip to Pearl Harbor complete with successful rocket launch! Dennis and I each spent a day chaperoning. He had a "blast" and got a ton of flight and space education, including CAD engineering design.

We have started weekly appointments to get the training we should have received when Sabrina got her pump in Germany. We have a FAB.U.LOUS. patient educator here at Tripler Hospital that has really taken a caring interest in getting Sabrina's pump therapy running smoothly. We have lots of fun "homework" like going out for a burger, french fries and milkshake, and using a square-wave bolus. Next time we get to try pizza with a dual-wave bolus. Sabrina's thrilled!

McKenna ate an entire appetizer platter of shrimp last week. She has a strange pallet for a 5 year old.

Sabrina had an etiquette night at church, complete with a fake date and a fancy dinner. Hopefully she took it all in. Have you seen her eat? I told her no date would take out an animal like that a second time!

We also finally replaced Sabrina's glasses with a new style she's excited about. Maybe they'll help her be more studious?

We had our dental checkups this month...found a dream of a dental office. Everyone passed with flying colors...but poor little McKenna, those dang baby teeth are no good!

Sabrina and school-- She. is. not. organized. Period. I, however, THRIVE on being organized. So, each quarter it boils down to me working to get her caught up with semi-decent grades. This quarter has been no exception. Her teachers just have not been helping. Dennis and I met with her English teacher (who, by the way, teaches from behind her desk...always) and got a rundown of how she thought Sabrina may have a 1st grade reading level. Really? Last year she was in the average range for 7th grade in the Terra Nova. She backtracked 5 grades?

So, we stood up for her, discussed her medical conditions, looked for possible reasons she wasn't producing grade-level work and testing well. She gave her a different kind of assessment, and lo and behold...she scored mid-senior and post high school on her vocabulary and comprehension. All of a sudden this teacher, that thought Sabrina was a slacking loser, is her best friend...in her corner...helping to prepare an education plan that takes into account her medical needs and focuses on the main rubriks to help her succeed. I'm so hopeful that it will turn around for her...and us. It has been an exhausting year! This next quarter will be the real test to see if it works.

Hayden earned his Webelos badge last week, and he is set to earn the Arrow of Light at the upcoming Blue and Gold banquet this month. We are so proud of all of his hard work...he is doing his 3rd hike this Saturday...just for fun, he doesn't need to fill a requirement. He'll be moving to the 11 year old scouts on his birthday in April.

Dennis has been acting superintendent this past month--a job he'll gladly relinquish when someone else comes in soon. He can't get ahead of the volume of email.

Me? I just can't wait to sleep in on Friday...and every day next week! That's the best part of the school breaks for me...Yay!

He knows me...

A couple of months ago, the kids and I went to visit a dear friend while we were home for my grandmother's funeral. I had a long, sweet conversation about our similar current situations, recent moves prompting changes, etc.

I told her how rough it's been for me to find my groove in our new life. With McKenna in school, I had been having a rough time figuring out what that meant for me, a stay-at-home mom for the past 6 years. I was trying to enjoy the free time in the morning. I was working out 3-4 times a week, but not seeing any wanted results. I was catching up on TV, and feeling pretty blah. I was blog hopping, overwhelmed at the amount of fun stuff out there. I wanted to go to lunch, but had no one to go with. Everything is so expensive here, and I wasn't bringing in any money. I had been thinking about getting a part-time job, but having a hard time working it in without it being hard on my family.

So, this dear friend told me to sit down and really ask for my Heavenly Father to help me to find my way. She told me that if I wanted to find the perfect job, Heavenly Father loved me and would help me.

So, I took her advice...after I returned, I really focused on asking Him to give me what he felt I needed...that I would find a position that would help the family financially, and have the least impact on my family. I applied for a couple of things, struggling to find something during their short school day, and considering all the extra days off for Furlough Fridays.

I then received an email that a position was opening at Sabrina's school in the lunchroom. I thought, "perfect!" It was during the school days, furloughs and holidays off...summer off. I went down the next morning, filled out applications, interviewed, and received a positive sendoff to await a call for fingerprinting as a final step.

Later that week, I hadn't heard anything, so I called and was told they were still collecting applications and would be doing formal interviews the next week...strange...but I was still hopeful. At this point, though, I was starting to really think about the position. It wasn't a lot of money, and it would mean an end to ALL of my free time. The only time I'd be home would be with the kids.

Also, I was realizing what my calling at church is going to require. That week, a friend of mine was in the hospital with complications prior to her delivery. I visited her twice, and watched a couple of her kids overnight when her child was born. I had presidency meetings, and a girl's-only trip to the movies. I had lunch with a new lady in the ward that I was really clicking with. I chaperoned a field trip for Hayden. I had lunch with Dennis. I was busy. I was fulfilled. And, I was enjoying myself. I started to understand that I would lose all of that for a minimal amount of money.

I was raised to honor commitments, so I struggled with turning down the position. I had interviewed a second time, but was now losing interest. I began to pray to Heavenly Father over the decision to accept the position, even if my heart wasn't in it. By Friday, I had all but decided to tell them I would be unable to do it. Then, Saturday, the letter came that they had selected another applicant. I rejoiced!

Thank you! Thank you for knowing me. For loving me. For helping me see, in a few short days a clearer path. I am now more excited than ever to plan and carry out activities to bring the sisters of our ward together. To be available to visit and help those in need. To be there should my children require me to run their instrument to school, chaperone a field trip, schedule a dental appt. Within a month's time our finances have gotten smoother, and I feel really good about where we are right now.

I believe He will answer our prayers. He loves us. He knows us and our needs...even when we don't. He. Knows. Me.