I'm Eeking Back....

Well, I am tired of opening my browser to have that previous ugly post staring back at me. It was a difficult year, and I'm hoping that I can put an end to it.

At the time, I had decided that some things had to go to ease the stress in my life. So, I took a break from blogging. I should have posted about my decision...for both of you who read my blog(wink). I decided to spend my free energy fostering local and online relationships, translating to less pressure and more rewards for me. Writing on the blog has always been too much of an ideal for me to live up to.

If you know me well, you know I don't do anything I'm not going to be good at. I read some wonderful, amazing, inspiring blogs. I have always worried about my consistency. Plus, I wanted to make sure I was sharing a variety of uplifting news. So, when we don't reach these benchmarks we sometimes set for ourselves, it can make us feel more failure. I didn't need that at the time, or now. So, I'm trying a fresh start with a new outlook in a new place--figuratively and literally.

We recently moved from one side of the US, actually from the furthest West in Hawaii, to the east coast, in South Carolina. It's been a BIG move, a huge ordeal, and the toughest move of all for our our family. We're finally in a home, still no belongings yet, but I need to get on task. Each week is getting a little better. In a few weeks when our home is in order, and I have a better routine, this will hopefully all be a distant memory.

But, today, I need to live the quote I have at the top, "Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life." All the good. All the bad. All the moments. And there are some really good ones in there. I should have chronicled them this past year, instead of rushing past them. This year will be different...better. It's up to me, right? Just be patient for me. And I'll try to be gentle on myself.

So, a little recap from my November 2011 post to now:
The holidays went off without too much of a hitch. Carols were sung, presents were gifted, merry was made. I did spend most of Christmas day with a migraine, but we got to skype with my whole family and speak to Dennis's on the phone.

The rest of the school year was a struggle for one and a breeze for another. That online K12 program certainly is easier on some personalities than others. For my oldest, Sabrina, she missed making friends and worked hard every day to stay caught up, cutting into any social life she may have wanted. For Hayden, he was in his element. He loved finishing his work mid-morning so he could have computer free time. He would minecraft with his friends in the afternoon and spend some days with his best friend doing school work, then playing. McKenna's school year went off well. She had a great relationship with her teacher, enjoyed school, and had some great friends.

We were able to take a trip to the Big Island of Hawaii during spring break, amazed at how much more untouched it was than Oahu. We had a fabulous week and saw another amazing part of this world. Maybe I'll do another recap post of that some time. My mom was able to come out a couple of weeks later, during the worst storm weekend we had our entire time on Oahu. It was such a disappointment to not be able to show her more of the beauty of Hawaii, but we were able to spend time together, and that's what really matters anyway.

My middle brother and his family came out at the end of May and spent 2 weeks in our home. They allowed us to be tourists and do all of the fun things Hawaii has to offer for one last time. The kids really enjoyed hanging out with their cousins since they don't get to often.

About April, we had started preparing to move off the island, knowing an assignment would come in May. The options of location weren't great, and we did get an initial assignment to Cannon AFB, NM. This base is so remote that after a process involving a medical board, the assignment was cancelled due to lack of facilities to support Sabrina's diabetic needs. Then began the waiting game...9 weeks to be exact, before we would get the new assignment.

The second week in August, we receive an assignment to Shaw AFB, SC, followed by a mad rush to get out of Hawaii before the end of the month. We started packing up on the 10th and cleared our house on the 20th. We flew out of Hawaii on the 21st and, 3 flights later, into South Carolina on the 22nd. The south definitely has a learning curve. But, we're adjusting. The kids all started school last week, and so far are holding their own. Now to see where this new adventure takes us!

New Post for the New Year! Albeit...a little late.

I just realized I "lost" this post in my draft folder. It was supposed to be a January update, but seems I never went back and finished it. My bad...

So, January had spirit week at the kids' school. My little material girl dressed up for "80's day". Isn't she, like, totally awesome?

Hayden decided to join in the fun for "Nerd Day." Look at our sweet little nerds. Don't you want to just have them fix your computer or something?

Then, our friends, the Scotts got here. They followed us from Germany, 'cause we're tight like that. They hotel-hopped for a few weeks, so we took them out to some sights and enjoyed some meals with their family til they could get settled.

Then, later in the month, Hayden lost a tooth in a bloody display of testosterone. He yanked and he pulled. That's just like Hayden to take matters in his own hands. Literally.

That's about all of the happenings for January. Other than our regular comings and goings...Dennis left for the Senior NCO Academy on the mainland. I guess the rest of the time just kept me busy as a temporary single mom. It passed without too much incident. Happy and healthy. Definitely blessed!

Back to school and back on track...

It seems strange to be writing this now, since the kids' first quarter of school is done and they are starting fall break tomorrow. But, it works to post their First Day of School pictures and update how their first quarter has gone.

Hayden and McKenna started school on August 2nd this year. We re-used backpacks and mostly have the same clothes as all summer...check that...all year long. This is Hayden's last year in elementary school, 6th grade. And, McKenna started 1st grade.

We transferred Sabrina to a hybrid format charter school. It is an online K12 program, but she has face-to-face classes for each of her core classes once a week. She has her own teachers, which makes my role a "learning coach" to keep her on track. My friend also has her daughter in a different, but similar format school, so we spent our first day going out for pastry.

I have the most precious scrapbook page of Sabrina's before and after pictures on the first day of school in first grade. She walked out the door in school-girl perfection and came back with hair a mess, shirt untucked, and even a huge gaping hole in her tights. McKenna is a lot like her big sister. Plus she came home tired. So, this is the best picture I got...the others were of her backside as she cried on the stairs... But, Hayden came home and set right to work...setting up to work on his homework right away, even with his friend. Not like when I was a kid...when I did more talking with the friends than work. He's started a good pattern that has kept him excelling all quarter. He's a responsible, smart kid, top of his class. Thank goodness for that!

I say that, because this quarter has not gone as planned in other areas. Last year, I worked out several times a week...had lots of peace and quiet, stuff done around the house, and fun with friends. I tried to get back into that pattern for a couple of weeks, letting Sabrina work at her pace, keeping track that she was getting lessons done. I thought she'd get done with her schoolwork early, and we could do things together.

But, a couple of weeks in, I realized she wasn't doing too well on tests. So, I started watching her work. I found that although she worked slow, she was doing well on quizzes. It took me a bit of study and investigation to realize she doesn't know how to study. She also hasn't learned how to take notes.

So, for the next 2 weeks, I sat next to her while she was doing her lessons, helping her study for her tests, proof-reading her work before submitting, and double-checking her work. I even went lesson by lesson through some of her classes. We have been staying up to 10pm, midnight on weekends, doing work. Her grades had all come up 1-2 letter grades, but I was exhausted.

I couldn't keep it up, so this past week I backed off. Pushing her through the lessons, but not re-creating the wheel when it came to studying. One of the biggest challenges has been having to familiarize myself with the material again after 25 years. I was directed to sample questions in the mentor guides to help her study. This worked much better, and I think we're in a place now where we're not playing so much catch up. We plan to use this school break this week to get ahead a few lessons.

Other than that, although she was sad that she wouldn't be going to a regular high school, she's making friends and enjoying where she's at. She's in the Glee club, attending early, early morning seminary (5:50am!) and loving it, and her blood sugars have been so much better at home.

Next quarter we'll have the holiday programs and parties to look forward to. I know this year will fly by, and my babies will be a year older and one year closer to pushing me out of a job. I'm trying to re-focus, not get too stressed out, and enjoy it before it's gone.

The ABC's of Kindergarten...

Ok, so McKenna, out of all my kids was the MOST ready to go to school. She recited her alphabet, could count, and loved to sit down with the older kids and do her "homework." But, now, I'm not so sure.

She did just turn 5 in October. If we were still in DODDS or most other states, she wouldn't have even started this year. And, she's loved going. She does her homework, and had a fine parent/teacher conference report. Yet, yesterday I received the phone call...she's not retaining her alphabet. WHAT???

I had been getting a little frustrated with her myself...I'd ask her what a letter was, and she'd be right about 1/2 the time. The really frustrating thing is she'll change which ones she knows...how does that happen? I've considered every possible explanation, including "stagefright" during assessments...maybe she's too shy...too coy...too masochistic. Her sweet teacher said it was just a heads up, but she's on a list of possibles to repeat kindergarten next year.

Of course, I'm taking it personally. I did everything with her that I did with the other kids...she didn't do a formal preschool...but I really thought she was ready...she seems ready. I know she's young, but don't know if that's the problem.

Here in Hawaii, they allow kids to start school who are turning 5 up until December 31st. They call it Jr. Kindergarten, but it is essentially the same as regular, in the same class. It just means they have a greater chance of moving up to "Kindergarten" the next year, while the older Kindergarteners go to 1st grade. McKenna falls in this category, but in name only, as she is fully still doing Kindergarten right now. And, it's not even required in this state.

Her teacher did say it was ultimately up to the parents at the end of the year to follow the teacher's recommendations or not. Like I would not hold her back if she were REALLY struggling? My Kindy teacher friend, Pam, says at her school they rarely hold a child back, but move them on, focusing on the struggling areas in the next grade. Therein lies the rub, folks...we're not at her school....or state.

Education, education...you can't pick up a Hawaiian paper and not have some article, Letter to the Editor, or critique of the educational system here. And, to make matters worse, they have run out money, so instead of laying off teachers, they added 17 furlough days into the current school year...in a state where the kids already get less instructional days than most other states. It's a hot topic of debate right now. The bottom line is there aren't any extras. There aren't any programs for reading help, like Reading 101 programs. There isn't ANY special ed type help, except in cases of extreme dysfunction. So, were she in Pam's school, she'd get more help as she progressed-- here she won't. Many do private school here, but most could cost a college tuition, and ALL are out of our price range.

So, the question I came to, is whether it's worth it for her to continue at all this year...? The selfish part of me would love to have her home with me for another year. We could go to the beach...have playdates...go for walks. I could reprise my "mom" role I've been missing every morning in this quiet house. I could work on what she's missing...that ABC sight recognition...she'd be ready next July when they start the 2010 school year.

But, for now, the practical part of me is going to take the sage advice of my mom and teaching experience of Pam: sit in on her class, hit the flashcards, play some memorization games. Pam says she should be picking it up in a couple of weeks. We'll see. If not, I'll assess it at the end of this term, take her out during winter break. I call it my Plan Beach....

Getting settle update...

Here we are, moved in to the new house on Wednesday, and we had a call on Thursday that our household goods are here! What luck! Also, they couldn't get us an appt to install phone/internet/cable until Aug. 13th, but called us on Thursday and will be able to fit us in this week. Yay! I'm severely in withdrawals from my lack of internet...it's killing me not to be able to get on when I need to. No email. No blog. No digital scrapbooking downloads....UGH! Right now I'm grabbing some free internet, just to get this done.

We did finally get the kids registered for school. There were issues with the TB tests...not showing on their records, so we had to do it again. Hayden was supposed to start on Friday, but both him and Sabrina were throwing up during the night before, so he missed his first day. McKenna starts on Wed, then goes again the following Monday, then full-time on the 11th.

Sabrina starts on Monday. I have to take her in to take all of her diabetic supplies, but after that she'll be riding a bus....at 6:45am! It's a crazy system...they pick up the kids on base, drop them off at school, then go out for another run at another base. So, she'll be at school almost an hour early every day. Did I mention we have to PAY for that service?

They have a short day here, 7:55am to 2:05pm. On Wednesdays it's even shorter, getting out at 1:15pm. I guess Wednesday will be my stay-at-home, get-everything-done day. No point running out to rush back.

The house is really nice...only opened up in November. The family that lived here before us was a forced move, lived in old housing but PCS'ing soon, so they only lived here 5 months. The kitchen is really large with, get this....22 cupboards and 9 drawers! (To all my friends in Germany: I'm loving returning to the land of cupboards!) I'm really at a loss with all the space! Lots of counterspace and a bar the length of one wall into the dining room. It's really a good layout. The utility room with the laundry is large enough to put my sewing table in. So, it will really work out well. I can't wait to get our things and play around with putting everything away!

I was also able to connect with another family that moved here a few weeks before us from Ramstein. She ran into Dennis in the housing office. They haven't been as lucky to get the new houses and their stuff isn't here yet. So, I'm feeling really grateful. We still need a few things...a TV, mattresses, etc. But, we're getting there.

We have been spending lots of family time...running around together. Lots of opportunities for funny things out of my kids' mouths. Last night, Sabrina picked up a rather large cutting board that had markings for rolling out pie dough and measurements etched on the right side. She said, "Hey, I can used this to measure my liquids!" I think she was referring to the conversions all listed on the side, but it was super funny....being a flat cutting board, and all.

Then last night, McKenna asked for a cheeseburger and cinnamon melts from McDonalds for dinner. She has never finished an entire cheeseburger, so I was skeptical that she would eat both, but I thought maybe the treat would be a good incentive to eat the entire burger. I was right and with a little prodding she finished the cheeseburger. Of course, I had to pack the melts in my purse because she was full. When we got to the car, I handed them to her, she put them between her legs. I then turned around about 5 minutes later, and they were half eaten. I asked her, "McKenna, wow! I don't believe it, where are you putting it all?" She said," In my lap." Isn't it funny when they take you so literally?