Wordless Wednesday

Our white Christmas

Thankful Tuesday

What a quote. I think that where and what you spend your time on shows where your priorities are. This year we celebrated with the girls on Christmas eve. The girls weren't expecting Santa to arrive Friday night, so it was really special on Saturday. They spent Christmas day with their dad. We spent Christmas morning at church, celebrating the reason for the season. Felt really special to be able to praise God for the gift of his Son on that day.

Anyway, on to five things I am thankful for this week:

1. I am thankful for the community support so that no child has to go without on Christmas.

2. I am thankful for the support of the community for the organizations who help all year round.

3. I am thankful for my sister. She sent me some amazing shirts for Christmas. So grateful for her help all year round, but its fun to celebrate with her. She and dad are visiting in two weeks!

4. I am thankful for my extra time off for the holidays. I am more thankful that my boss allowed me to come in on the day we were closed to help us keep caught up. Makes for an easier day to not start off behind.

5. I am thankful that in the poor weather we have been able to keep safe and warm.

Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree!

Thankful Tuesday

1. I am grateful that Natalie's IEP review went well. I have been a bit worried, but she hit all her goals from last year and has new ones to strive for this year. More details on that later.

2. I am thankful that I was able to find gifts for the girls and didn't blow my budget. Also so grateful for the charities out there that help those who can't give their children Christmas. If you are blessed, consider giving to a charity that helps families this holiday season.

3. I am grateful for the positive atmosphere we have had at work. It's been short-handed, almost skeleton crew like, but we have really worked well together so it isn't miserable. Bonus is that we are so busy the time is just flying by!

4. I am thankful for my church family. We were sick a few Sundays, between Stephen and I, and there were multiple people checking in to make sure we were doing okay.

5. I am EXTREMELY grateful for the working relationship I have with the girls' dad and their bonus mom. There have been a few other people I have talked to and they are just super impressed at the way we can work together to raise these girls.We can all be present together for the girls, and their happiness is the most important thing.

Sermon Notes

Time to break the the radio silence around here. It may be the holiday season, but I can still exercise my writing muscles and write. 

The last two weeks haven't been big sermons for me write notes on, but they were meaningful for me, which is why I am going to take the time right now to share a few details. 

Sunday, December 11 we read in Luke 1:39-56 about Mary's journey to visit Elizabeth (you can click on the verse to see it online). Did you know for Mary to get to where Elizabeth's home it was about a nine day WALK?? I cannot imagine walking that far for anything but Mary loved Elizabeth so much that she wanted to share her great joy (and probably her fear) with her. Mary walked for nine days, probably with strangers to protect her, just to share that news with her friend. My pastor brought up a special person to her who was like the Elizabeth in her life. Someone she could talk to about anything, someone who was praying for her and nurturing her in her walk with God. I encourage you to look at your own life. Do you have someone who is an Elizabeth for you? Or do you have someone in your life who you can be an Elizabeth for? I found it really meaningful to reflect on my life that way. 

Yesterday, December 18 we read in Luke 2 about the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem. To them, this was an unwanted journey. I'm sure that traveling "while great with child" was not in Mary's birth plan, but they had to. So, travel they did. When I was pregnant, I can't imagine traveling on a donkey or walking as far as they did. I can imagine the joy Mary must have felt when she saw the lights of Bethlehem. Knowing that her journey was nearly over. My reflecting after the message yesterday was focused on the difficult or unwanted journeys that I have had to make in my life. There have been quite a few but in looking back the bad things seem to fade in light of the amazing things that have happened since. Not only since, but sometimes because of. I know I've shared this here before but if it had not been for the death of my mom (a horrible, terrible journey I NEVER wanted to take) I wouldn't' have the relationship with my sister that I do now. That journey was as necessary for me as the journey to Bethlehem was for Mary and Joseph. Had they not made that journey, we wouldn't have the story of Christ as we do. Would it have been as meaningful for those involved had she not had to go to Bethlehem? I am just going to say that no matter how difficult the journey, I am grateful that in the end, he will show us the reason for it. 

Updates

Good afternoon readers. I thought it would be a good idea for me to hop on here and write out what's been going on in my life. There has been some "radio silence" on the blog lately and for that I'm sorry. Life gets busy though and lately I haven't been in the mood to write.

Today though, I am forcing myself to write. I have zero excuses. There is a quiet room, my computer and a cold soda. What else could I ask for? So, here are updates on each of our family members.

Stephen - since his hospitalization we have found a different psychiatrist. She is tweaking his medications a bit to try and maximize the benefits of a few of them and maybe discontinue some of the others. Apparently he was on lower doses of lots of medications that can do the same things. So far she seems to be a good fit for him and I think they will get things straightened out for him. The other bit of news on the health front is that he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Hopefully soon he will be seeing a sleep medicine specialist and they will determine what needs to be done to help him get the right sleep. This could mean he uses a cpap, but we really aren't sure. I am just praying for it to be soon because sleep can really aggravate all the other problems he has. One last thing to update you on for Stephen. When he went in the hospital, he was dropped from his program at school. Since the school will be closing, there was no way for him to make it up and get back in. Thankfully, he was able (all on his own!) to find another school that took most of the credits and he is now enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in computer sciences. He hopes to get a job as a network architect, building and maintaining networks for businesses.

McKayla has got an attitude to rival a teenager already. Her feelings get hurt quite easy (like her momma) and she is quick to tears. But as fast as they come on, they are gone. McKayla seems to have lots of friends at school. There is always a story or two about one kid or another. You can read more about how she is doing at school here, in my post about the parent teacher conferences. In her free time, M's favorite thing is her tablet. They watch a lot of "funny youtube" videos and play roadblox. Keeps them busy and warm inside when the weather is cruddy.

Natalie is slowly warming up to reading. She still doesn't love it, but if it is the right book, she will read. This morning, Alivia was reading to her, see:

So stinking cute! Plus, it helps them both. Being read to and reading both help with those skills. Mr Odin couldn't help but listen! Natalie loves writing stories. Give her a pen and paper or a blank word document and she will fill the page. I loved helping her with her Thanksgiving break homework. She got to write about what she did each day. For most of the days I was able to help with the spelling and make sure it made sense, but the last day we missed it. Here is what she wrote for the week, just for memory's sake:

Day 1. I ate my favorite dinner chicken alfredo. I love chicken alfredo. I read a book. 

Day 2. We had to get wywy (her brother) from school. After we get wywy, we got in the car. We had to go to Utah. It is five hours got there. When we got there we had to go to bed I slept with Clara and Tiffany. 

Day 3. On thanksgiving we ate turkey with Auntie Amanda. I love her turkey. I love her jello, it has whip-cream. Then we got pie after we watched finding dory. 

Day 4. We had to go home. When we were going home I got sick. We got to my mom`s work and I got to color. I got to draw a cat. I love it. I sat on the couch all day. We invited Kaya and her sister Cali and we watched two movies. 

Day 5. We got to go to kaya`s house we ate pizza. We ate cake and ice-cream. 

Day 6. (The day I didn't help with, "edits" are in (parenthesis)) I had a dinner i did not like. it is btaetoses coockt carits and coockt selrey (potatoes, cooked carrots and cooked celery). I had suthing i like stack (???). Kaya and Cali came ofer (over) we played a game.

 Alivia is a child after my own heart right now. She is reading so much and I love it! So glad to have at least one kid to share my love of reading with. Alivia also loves to play her tablet and draw all kinds of pictures. She has lots of friends at school and we get to hear all about them as well. I have been told that even at church she is like a mother hen, making sure all the kids are staying safe and following the rules.

That's about all the updates I have for today. Hopefully I can get my writing mojo back and this blog will be normal again.

Wordless Wednesday

November 15, 2016

November 15, 2016

Stephen's Story

As many of you know, my husband recently admitted himself into a hospital for a mental health treatment. He was no longer able to manage his mental illnesses on an outpatient basis. You can read more about it here. In fact, his hospitalization was the basis for many of my October posts. If you are interested, you can read my other posts on mental health here. 

Well, what I haven't talked about much is what has happened since the hospitalization. Due to circumstances beyond our control, Stephen was un-enrolled from his program. Since then, he found another program to enroll in. He will be in a 30 month program and will end it with a bachelors degree in computer sciences and networking. Finding the program was a blessing in itself.

Anyway, long story short, he is back in school. For one of his first classes, he had to write a paper about something he overcame. Bravely, he chose to talk about his stay at the hospital. He also agreed to let me share that story here. If it can help even one person realize they aren't alone, it is worth sharing.

Let’s get real for a moment. Have you ever had an anxiety attack? It goes something like this: You struggle to breathe, your blood starts to burn and it feels like someone is sitting on your chest. You can’t think straight and you think you are going to die. This is just one of my diagnoses that I live with daily. I struggle with anxiety and depression along with being bi-polar. Life has always been rough for me and in October 2016, things took a turn for the worse. 

On the morning of October 4th, I woke up to very dark thoughts and emotions. I had this want and desire to get into my car, drive down the freeway at a high speed and crash my car into a barrier or wall. I wanted to die, I did not care how I did it but I did not want to live anymore. I scared myself with these thoughts, I have never had planned anything out before. I knew I needed help but I didn’t know how or what to do.

I found myself in a horrible situation, it was like one of my nightmares coming to life. The first thing I thought to do was to call my doctor. Since they didn't answer I called my wife. She told to go to urgent care. There, the doctors told me that it was in my best interest to seek further professional help by admitting myself into an inpatient mental health hospital. At rock bottom, I had no choice, my wife took me to the hospital.

In-patient care was difficult for me to adjust to. There were people from all walks of life. To be frank, I was worried for my safety at times. On my first day, I saw four doctors and was forced to participate in group activities. This was the place I wanted to be to get better but at the time it felt like Hell on earth. I just wanted to be at home with my wife and dog. I knew that I had to give myself to my treatment to better myself so I can leave.

To overcome my anxiety and depression my doctors started to adjust my medications. They increased some, lowered some and removed others. Within two days I was on the mend. Group sessions were helping and the doctors finally gave me the approval needed to go home. It was because of my work with my doctors that I was able to make this improvement. I would not be here today if it was not for my desire for a change. I am especially thankful for the support of my wife, my church family and faith that helped me get through this time. I have been given a second chance and I plan on making the best of it.

This has been the biggest and hardest change in my life by far. I knew my depression was bad but I had no idea that it would lead to this situation, this traumatizing event that I had to overcome. In my stay at the hospital, I learned that I had to give more of myself if I was going to manage my conditions. 

Before my hospitalization, I was just using medications to help manage my mood. After my stay, I knew it was time to go all in. I sought counseling, found a new psychologist and asked my wife to help me manage my medications at home. Only because of  my conscious decision and the changes I put in place, can I sit before you today and share my story.  

I feel that in the last month I have become a new person. Don’t get me wrong I still carry the weight of my scars but overall I have a better understanding of what it means to be bi-polar, have depression, suffer from anxiety and have been suicidal.  

If I share my story, maybe I can help someone who is struggling. If you are that person, know that you are not alone. No one is alone even though it might feel that way sometimes. Remember, we are stronger than we think and there is nothing that we can’t overcome.

I don't think I can end with any better words then that other then giving you just a bit of information. If you or someone you know is dealing with thoughts of suicide, please seek help. I found this information with a quick google search:

National Suicide Hotline

Text our trained crisis counselors about anything that is on your mind. 

Text "Go" to 741741. 

It is free, available 24/7 and confidential. 

FMF: Surrender

It is Friday, even though it doesn't feel like it. The holidays always throw me off! Before I get started on my five minutes, I want to take a moment to talk about my hunny. Today is our second wedding anniversary. Never would have imagined where these two years have brought us, but here we are, mostly unscathed. I love you more today then ever. Happy anniversary baby! Praying God will continue to be with us in our marriage and bless us in our marriage.

Today's prompt word is surrender. This is something I have always had a hard time with. Giving something over to God and letting Him keep it is hard for me. I tend to be the person who "gives it to God" but then takes it back as soon as I feel like things are settling. That isn't supposed to be how it works. I am supposed to give Him my worries, my troubles, the things that weigh me down and let Him keep them. I can't help thinking about that child with a toy story. I'm sure you have heard it somewhere. The child gives the toy to his father, asks him to fix it but keeps taking it back. No way for things to get fixed if I don't let go completely or keep taking it back. He wants to take care of me, help me carry my burdens, but that can't happen without complete surrender. What is in my life right now that I need to let go of? I think the biggest thing would be the problems with Stephen's mental health. I want to be able to just fix things, but it doesn't work like that. This is something that is completely out of my hands. All I need to do is let go.

This post inspired by: 

WW: Rust

Linking up with Mama Kat for writers workshop. If you want to learn more about it, click the link at the bottom of this post.

The prompt I chose this week is: Write a blog post inspired by the word: rust. Thought this would be a good opportunity to try my hand at some poetry.

Not useless, not trash

the rusted watering can

waits on the sun porch.

Not useless, not trash

the rusty bicycle sits 

awaiting the fun. 

Not useless, not trash

a man on the corner

waiting for some help

Not useless, not trash

a child struggling through 

just wanting to learn. 

Always remember 

rusty, dirty, trashy

doesn't mean useless. 

This post inspired by:

Wordless Wednesday

Thankful Tuesday

In light of yesterday's sermon, I am going to list some things I am thankful for but not things I thought were good at the time. Practicing my radical gratitude.

1. I am thankful for the loss of my mom because without having been through that I wouldn't have the much closer relationship I now have with my sister and my daddy. 
2. I am thankful for my time as a single mom because it makes me appreciate the help that I have even more. Not only do my children have me, but they have their dad, still very present in their lives, a bonus mom and a bonus dad. It also gives me more appreciation for the single moms who do that for years. 
3. I am thankful for the experience of Stephen being in the hospital. I never would have thought I would be thankful for this so soon, but I can see the change in him that time made. He needed that inpatient stay to manage things. 
4. I am thankful for the miscarriage I suffered before having children because it really made me appreciate the pregnancies and babies that I had. I also know that little baby is in heaven with Jesus and my mommy and someday I will meet him or her and hold them in my arms. 
5. I am thankful for my move here to Boise. Having never lived farther then a few miles from my parents, this was difficult for me. Having to go through the things I did without my family right here was hard, but the family I have gained here, through my church and my work are amazing. When bad things happen, I know I have family, even if they are the kind I chose! 

What about you? What is something that you give thanks for now that was difficult at the time it was happening? 

Radical Gratitude

Forgive me for not having all my bible references handy. I am writing this blog post from work because yesterday seemed to get away from me. However, the message from church stuck with me because it is something we all need to practice.

God calls us to be thankful in all circumstances:

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

Please note that says that we are to be thankful in all circumstances, not for them. This is something that couldn't be more clear to me. When my mom died, I was (still am a little) mad. It isn't fair for God to take her when I still needed her. Now, looking back, I know there are reasons for what he did, things to be thankful for in the midst of that horrible situation. Because of my mom's death, I have a closer relationship with both my dad and my sister. I'm not positive that would have happened with mom still alive. So, in spite of the horrible loss I faced, I can look at it with gratitude because not only is she celebrating with Jesus right now, but I am closer to the family I have left.

Radical gratitude requires us to change the way that we look at things. Each day we need to make the conscious decision to be thankful for things, not complain about them.

Let me share the example my pastor shared. This is an excerpt from her book The Hiding Place. Taken from this website.

When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?

It was Betsie who discovered God's answer:

"'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!'

"I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…"

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.'

"'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.'

"And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."

Now that is radical gratitude! 

What fleas are there in my life that I can be thankful for? 

FMF: Common

This week has been anything but common. No matter who the president is, God is the king and that is where I find my comfort.

As a christian, I am not called to live a common life. I am called to live outside of my comfort zone, be different then the people around me.

This past weekend at my retreat, we talked about how we aren't to fit in. Like a city on a hill, our lights should be visible to all around us. With my roots dug deep into him, I can get through anything. No matter how strong the storm raging around me, I can be firmly planted in Him, able to stand up strong. Like Peter, who walked on water, I have to keep my eyes trained on Him or else I will sink into the waters. He is the ONLY hope we have. Our president isn't going to change this country, the people are. Teach your kids to be the uncommon in this world. Help them learn that showing love is so much better.

Right now I am praying for the divide that is so huge in our country right now. There are many people angry and hurting right now, I pray that somehow we are able to find a way to get along. When I see all the hate and all the non-peaceful protests, my heart gets heavy. This isn't how I imagined our country reacting to an election. I am praying that He helps there be peace, somehow. There is one thing in common in this country, we are all American. We have to find a way to remember that, find a way to come back together.

This post inspired by: 

I Voted

I was going to link up with Mama Kat for writer's workshop, but I feel compelled to write about something that is weighing heavily on my heart.

Tuesday, the country elected a new president. Like it or not, our next president will be Donald Trump. The country voted him into office, as is our right as citizens.

Wednesday morning I saw a lot of hateful talk on my facebook feed. So much hate that I deleted the app from my phone completely. My heart is hurting seeing all the hate toward one another.

Yesterday, the radio station I listen to, KTSY, did a day of prayer. It was just an amazing thing to have all these people together, praying for our country. What this country needs is God. Period. I am praying not only for the president elect, Donald Trump, but also for our country as a whole. I pray that somehow we are able to come back together and be a country united again.

If I am being completely honest, I almost didn't vote. Neither of the candidates were "ideal" and both have problems that I didn't want in our presidential office. Unfortunately, these are the candidates we ended up with. Personally, I ended up voting Trump.

I'm not going to defend that decision. If you have questions for me, you are welcome to email me. I will tell you that I am not uneducated nor am I a raciest or a bigot. When people clump "Trump voters" as such, you are showing that you are the one who is uneducated. People have the right to vote however they decide. You belittling them for that decision makes you small minded. The way I see it, each person had their chance to make their voice heard on Tuesday night.

A friend I had on facebook deleted me. She told me I was oppressing her. Something that I had shared with her didn't come across as the joke I intended it to. Hardest thing to swallow is that this person is family. I'm not sure where to draw the line between sharing my opinions and oppressing someone.

For those who don't know me in real life, I hate having someone be mad at me and the thought that I hurt someone in my family so bad that they didn't want to be part of my facebook life anymore (I don't even know about real life. 

Wordless Wednesday

I think this video says more about it then I ever could. So, let Dwayne speak to you. 

At 23 he was cut from his football team and sent packing. Dwayne found himself living in his parents' small apartment, battling depression..

Grounded

This weekend, I had the amazing opportunity to go to The Salvation Army Cascade Division's young adult retreat with my husband. We literally drove into the middle of nowhere and unplugged. Not only was there zero cell signal but there was no wifi. It took awhile to get used to not just being able to google something or text someone to meet you somewhere. The forced interaction with others and also the silence of the area was just amazing. I have so many pictures!

Today I wanted to share just a little bit of what I learned. This will be similar to the sermon notes with just a few pictures. to keep your attention.

Session one: Assessment
Scripture focus: Ephesians 3:14-21

We need to be grounded in God with deep roots. Assessing the soil of our heart requires that we go deep. In the scripture, Paul had three parts to his prayer for the Ephesians (and for us!). He prayed we be rooted in the strength and power of the holy spirit, for the strength to overcome resistance. He prayed that we be rooted in the love of God. His unconditional love for us has NO limits. He also prayed that we be rooted in the fullness of God. We need to be satisfied with what we have. The condition of our hearts determines the strength of your roots. The roots of a tree keep it thriving through the difficult times. In the same way, deep roots in God will give us sustenance when we are in the dry times in our lives.

Session two: Preparation 
Scripture focus: Luke 8:4-12

In this session, we looked at the parable of the sower. This is a parable I have head countless times. Honestly, I had only thought of that parable as pertaining to new Christians, how receptive their heart is. Really, this applies to anyone in a relationship with Christ. How is the environment we are currently living in, how is the soil we allow God to work with?

In this parable Luke mentions four soil types.

1. The first is the pathway. It is hard and compact, daily walked on. Seeds accidentally tossed onto the path were quickly gobbled up by birds or trampled on by people. 
2. The second kind of soil was the shallow, rocky soil. The roots of those plants that quickly sprouted didn't go deep enough to sustain it in the sun. 
3. The third kind of soil was full of weeds and thorns that literally choked out any plants that grew in the soil. 
4. The final soil was the good one. The one that is nourished by the farmer, the sun and the water. As a result, this plant produced up to ten times more. 

We were called to look at our own lives and the soil that we allow God's word to grow in us. Are we the hard ground of the path, His words quickly gobbled up by birds or crushed into the path by others? Is my walk with him in the rocky path, where it isn't free to grow deep roots? Or is my soil so full of thorns and weeds that He is being choked out of my life? Or is my soil ready for growth, fertile and loose?

What we need to be doing to prepare our hearts for the message is "dig, dig, dig."

• Dig into your faith deeper. Be a disciple of Christ, not just a fan. Fans follow and cheer for the team, disciples give their life to the team. 
• Dig deep into who Jesus is. Love what he loves. Hate what he hates. Do what he would do. In order to do this, we need to know who he is. In order to know who He is, we need to be in his word, reading about Him. 
• Dig into service and ministry. In working for him, doing His work, you will grow in Him. 

Session three: Cultivation

Scripture focus: John 15:1-5

Abide in Him. Jesus is the vine, God is the gardener. In verses two and six, the branches that bear fruit are mentioned. In other words, the genuine believers. Verses two and eight talk about the branches that bear no fruit. This describes people who claim to be christian but have no outward signs of their relationship with God.

Cultivation is when we allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through people.

Psalms 1:1-3 In verses one and two the Psalmist is assessing and preparing his heart soil and in verses two and three he is cultivating it. 

A tree planted by water has a constant supply of it. Verse three of this passage teaches us how to cultivate our faith. The water is the tool we use to develop our faith. 

We need to be in God, in His word, in Him all the time. The more time we spend with him, the closer we will get and the deeper our roots will grow. We need soul care which involves: 

• cultivating your soil 
• being grounded
• being rooted in Him
• protecting God's space in your life, like a scarecrow in a field protects it from the birds. 
• practicing your spiritual disciplines 
• never ever compromising 

The second part of cultivation is body care. I'm not talking about the care that we give to our personal bodies, but the care we give as a body of Christ. There are three ways that we can give body care to the body of Christ (our church family). 

1. Be a soul lifter - encourage one another.
   Verses to back this up: 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and Hebrews 3:13
   Ways you can do this are:
   - thank you notes
   - email encouragement
   - cry with them (when necessary)
   - speak truth to them, in love
2. Be a soul partner - be someone who can be counted on to be there.
   Verses to back it up: Philippians 2:4 and 1 John 3:16
   Ways you can practice this:
   - Hold each other up
   - Help you to care for your soul.
   - Someone who won't allow you to go through trouble alone.
   One great example of someone being a soul partner is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In their story in Daniel 3, they are all faced with a situation and they work through it together. No one is left to deal with it on their own. They stand together and God not only saves them, but he shows everyone that He protects those who love and serve Him. 
3. Be a soul partner.
   The best way to describe someone being a soul partner is like someone who is a spotter for weight lifting. To keep the weight lifter safe, they have a spotter, someone who can step in if they try and lift more then they are able. They can call on the spotter to take the weight, help it off them.
   Ways to practice this:
   - Someone willing to be your spotter.
   - Look at each other through God's eyes.
   - Someone who will pull you back on to the path.
   - Someone who will speak the truth to you, in love, even if it isn't what you want to hear.
   - Someone to hold them accountable.
   - Someone to see them grow in the Lord. 

The two parts of soul care create a cross, which is a great reminder for me. 

Parent Teacher Conferences!

Yesterday I had the joy of attending all three of my girls' parent/teacher conferences. I thought I would share some of the things we are dealing with right now.

McKayla is now in fifth grade. Things are starting to get tougher for her. Her fall Curriculum Based Measurement for reading shows that she is reading about 101 words per minute. This puts her right near grade level. This is about where she has been hovering most of her schooling. She is only 13 words from the benchmark, so not bad at all. The rest of her reading were all "M" which means she is meeting expectations.

In language arts, she got an I (is developing) in using correct word and sentence form and correct punctuation and capitalization. She got an N (needs improvement) on her handwriting legibility. To me this makes sense because until third grade she was still using both hands to write. I figure now that she is firmly a lefty, she will continue to improve.

Most of the rest of her report card she was meeting expectations. She did get one E (exceeds expectations) and that is being cooperative and respectful. Makes me feel like we are doing something right!

Here are the comments from her teacher: During the first nine weeks of school, McKayla has worked diligently and set a wonderful example for her peers. McKayla gets right to work every day and is polite and respectful to those around her. In fact, she has earned the character trait award for October, which is respect and responsibility. McKayla displays both of these traits daily. I encourage McKayla to take her time with her penmanship and ask for help when she needs it. Overall, McKayla is doing a wonderful job in 5th grade. Thank you for being so awesome, McKayla! You are amazing.

Natalie is in third grade. She continues to get special education for her reading. She is making adequate progress on her IEP goals. There will be a meeting sometime before winter break to see in more detail how things are going. Due to her reading problems, some of the other areas she is graded on were a bit lower. She is developing her word identification skills and new vocabulary skills. She needs improvement reading orally (which we knew!).

In Language Arts she is developing her skills in expressing her ideas well in writing, using correct word and sentence form and legibly writing. The part of her report card I loved seeing was the "work habits and conduct" section. There are a bunch of exceeds in there. The areas she got exceeds on are: is cooperative and respectful, follows directions, uses time wisely, participates in group activities and follow school and classroom rules.

Here are the comments from her teacher: Third grade is off to a great start! I appreciate the way Natalie has been working to help develop a strong classroom community during this first quarter. I am very impressed with her ability to persevere through her assignments even though they may be challenging to her. Natalie would benefit from basic math fact practice at home to help reinforce number sense. Natalie receives reading support in the resource room where the curriculum has been modified to meet her instructional needs. She is a great student who is well liked by all. Keep up the great work Natalie! 

Alivia is now in a second grade but is in a second and third grade combo class. She is totally rocking the reading (takes after her mommy!) She is reading at 70 words per minute (benchmark is 54+). Alivia is getting nearly all M's on her report card. She doesn't have any areas that need improvement. There is one area where she is developing and that is in her math, being able to calculate correctly. Her teacher thinks part of this is that she rushes through things a bit, sometimes without completely reading directions. Alivia also got a couple E's. Her areas where she exceeded expectations were: being cooperative and respectful and participating in group activities. Overall the teacher was super impressed with Alivia. The only concern we got from her is that Liv can be a bit of a "mother hen" and actually stopped a boy in the hallway bu grabbing his sweater when he was running. Both kids got a talking to, both were in tears. This is something we see at home too, so we will be more aware of when to correct her with this. Mrs. D just doesn't' want this attitude to affect her friendships.

Here are the comments from her teacher on this report card: It has been a pleasure getting to know Alivia this quarter. She arrives at school each day with a positive attitude. Alivia is an independent, self-motivated worker who enthusiastically participates in class discussion. Her positive, energetic and respectful nature makes her a role model for her classmates. Alivia seems to have a solid understanding of the math concepts taught so far this quarter. I would like her to practice basic addition and subtraction facts for more automatic recall. Keep up the great work Alivia! 

I am quite happy with this quarter's reports. Thanks for letting me share them with you!

WW: Ten Lines of Gratitude

Linking up with Mama Kat again this week for writers workshop. If you want to learn more about it, click the link at the bottom of this post. The prompt I chose this week is: Write a post in just 10 lines.

During my write 31 challenge I haven't been doing my thankful posts.
I thought I would use this opportunity to write a few things I am thankful for
that happened in October.
I am thankful for my husband's improving mental health.
I am thankful for the good health of my children thus far.
I am thankful for my amazingly supportive church family.
I am thankful for a great Halloween with the girls.
I am endlessly thankful for the amazing family I have.
I am thankful for my coworkers who make me laugh and love my work.
Lastly I am thankful for this blog, my outlet for writing.

This post inspired by:

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween!

I was a spider witch!

The girls! McKayla is Joy from Inside Out, Alivia is Strawberry Kiss (a shopkins character) and Natalie is Princess Anna from Frozen