In keeping with tradition, I posted on Facebook everyday during the month of November (ok, well a lot of days) one reason I was thankful. I kept track of all of these posts and thought I would chronicle them here.
-Today I am thankful in advance for the patience and understanding the universe is hopefully going to bestow upon me so that I will actually survive the teenage years.
-Today I am thankful for my patience and easy going nature. Both have come in quite handy.
-Today I am thankful that my teenage daughter actually likes me for a minute. Those of you with teens know how precious a moment in time like this truly is.
-Today I am thankful for my ability to read. It may seem silly, but reading brings me so much pleasure and knowledge, I can't imagine my life without it.
-Today I am thankful because Ryun has been back to work for two weeks. I know how lucky we are that he is back and only missed seven months.
-Tonight I am thankful for the enthusiastic group of PTA volunteers who came up with some great ideas for the PTA and community.
-Today I am thankful for all who have, all who are and all who will serve this country. Thank you hardly seems like enough.
-Today I am thankful for caffeine.
-Today I am thankful for whatever this random motivation that has found its way to me over the past couple of days. Crossing things of of the to do list feels good.
-Today I am thankful for and so very proud of Julia.
-Music can be such a powerful thing. There have been many times in my life where music has inspired me, soothed me and gotten me through a rough day. For this reason, I am thankful for music and my ability to hear.
-Today I am thankful for the gift of sight. I have seen many beautiful things in my life and for that I am very grateful.
-Today I am thankful for my parents and my sisters. Put simply: my family rocks!
-Today I am thankful for my children. They have taught me more about life, love and patience than I could have ever thought possible.
-Today I am thankful for Katherine. Eleven years ago today (Thanksgiving Day 1999) I was blessed with one of the most amazing and beautiful reasons to be thankful...my daughter Katherine Elizabeth. Happy 11th Birthday Katherine...thank you for bringing so much joy and laughter to my life!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Julia's Parent Teacher Conference...
...confirmed for me once again that the decision to have her repeat Kindergarten was the best decision that could have been made for her.
She has started this year off being ahead of the game, passing all of the beginning of the year assessments with flying colors. Socially she appears to overcome all of the inhibitions she had. She no longer has trouble making decisions during free time. She is making good choices about who she interacts with in the class (steers clear of the "troublemakers"). She uses language appropriately in social situations and is interacting freely and with ease. She is confident, well spoken and completely comfortable in her routine. It was the parent teacher conference for a "typical" kindergarten student.
I left her conference feeling like I could literally burst with pride. It was like a dream or goal that has always been just slightly out of reach for her had finally come to be. It was years of hard work, many interventions, tons of doctors and specialists (her pediatrician, developmental pediatrician, Early Intervention staff, neurologist, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists) and more tests than I could even begin to name, showing, in a big way, that it was all worth it. Every appointment, every phone call, every trip to the Early Intervention office, every drive to Boston, every IEP written, every joy, every doubt, every tear (and yes there were some on her part and mine), every milestone she hit along the way was all leading up to this moment in time...a moment in time that even during the most difficult periods, I always knew would come.
I left the conference feeling very reflective. Julia's journey has been remarkable. Nothing (from walking, to talking, to interacting, to yes, even eating) has come easy for her. So today, I found myself reading Julia's story...from the first moment I felt something was a little "different" about her (about nine months old) until this entry here. I read about the first time she walked at twenty months old and what a truly exciting and emotional time that was. I read about how she used to hate the Nuk brush and about how I had to give her salsa before breakfast to "wake her mouth up" so that she would try and eat different textures. I read about her abnormal EEG. I read about the time that I was excited about her jumping on the couch and how funny it was to be excited about that. I read it all. Then I copied and pasted in to a word document, which is 45 pages long, Julia's story. I will share it with her someday when she is old enough to understand and appreciate it. And I will read it again from time to time whenever I need or want to remember what a true inspiration she is.
She has started this year off being ahead of the game, passing all of the beginning of the year assessments with flying colors. Socially she appears to overcome all of the inhibitions she had. She no longer has trouble making decisions during free time. She is making good choices about who she interacts with in the class (steers clear of the "troublemakers"). She uses language appropriately in social situations and is interacting freely and with ease. She is confident, well spoken and completely comfortable in her routine. It was the parent teacher conference for a "typical" kindergarten student.
I left her conference feeling like I could literally burst with pride. It was like a dream or goal that has always been just slightly out of reach for her had finally come to be. It was years of hard work, many interventions, tons of doctors and specialists (her pediatrician, developmental pediatrician, Early Intervention staff, neurologist, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists) and more tests than I could even begin to name, showing, in a big way, that it was all worth it. Every appointment, every phone call, every trip to the Early Intervention office, every drive to Boston, every IEP written, every joy, every doubt, every tear (and yes there were some on her part and mine), every milestone she hit along the way was all leading up to this moment in time...a moment in time that even during the most difficult periods, I always knew would come.
I left the conference feeling very reflective. Julia's journey has been remarkable. Nothing (from walking, to talking, to interacting, to yes, even eating) has come easy for her. So today, I found myself reading Julia's story...from the first moment I felt something was a little "different" about her (about nine months old) until this entry here. I read about the first time she walked at twenty months old and what a truly exciting and emotional time that was. I read about how she used to hate the Nuk brush and about how I had to give her salsa before breakfast to "wake her mouth up" so that she would try and eat different textures. I read about her abnormal EEG. I read about the time that I was excited about her jumping on the couch and how funny it was to be excited about that. I read it all. Then I copied and pasted in to a word document, which is 45 pages long, Julia's story. I will share it with her someday when she is old enough to understand and appreciate it. And I will read it again from time to time whenever I need or want to remember what a true inspiration she is.
Friday, November 12, 2010
I have a feeling...
...that the "busy, I barely have but a minute of free time, oh my gosh am I ever going to finish all I have or want to" season has officially begun.
Take this weekend. Tonight the girls and I are heading to my sisters house so we can be there tomorrow morning for my nephews last soccer game of the season. After that, we are having professional pictures of the kids taken. We will drive back tomorrow late afternoon so I can be home in time to attend the First Carver High School Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony that night. Sunday I have another wake to attend (at the exact same funeral home no less as the one I was at earlier in the week for a family friend, this one is for my great aunt).
Next weekend we have the parade in Plymouth and Ryun's company holiday party (kudos to them for planning it early) on Saturday. I am pretty sure the plan for Sunday will be decorating the house for the Christmas (which we usually do Thanksgiving weekend but we have other thing going on).
On Thanksgiving, we will be heading to my sisters house for dinner and combining that with celebrating Katherine's 11th birthday (which is on Thanksgiving this year just like it was on the day she was born). Friday I am going to join the masses and shop and Saturday we will be at the Middleboro Christmas parade.
This doesn't even consider the myriad of meeting and kids events that will be going on in between. It's all good though. Busy is what actually keeps me sane...seriously.
Take this weekend. Tonight the girls and I are heading to my sisters house so we can be there tomorrow morning for my nephews last soccer game of the season. After that, we are having professional pictures of the kids taken. We will drive back tomorrow late afternoon so I can be home in time to attend the First Carver High School Hall Of Fame Awards Ceremony that night. Sunday I have another wake to attend (at the exact same funeral home no less as the one I was at earlier in the week for a family friend, this one is for my great aunt).
Next weekend we have the parade in Plymouth and Ryun's company holiday party (kudos to them for planning it early) on Saturday. I am pretty sure the plan for Sunday will be decorating the house for the Christmas (which we usually do Thanksgiving weekend but we have other thing going on).
On Thanksgiving, we will be heading to my sisters house for dinner and combining that with celebrating Katherine's 11th birthday (which is on Thanksgiving this year just like it was on the day she was born). Friday I am going to join the masses and shop and Saturday we will be at the Middleboro Christmas parade.
This doesn't even consider the myriad of meeting and kids events that will be going on in between. It's all good though. Busy is what actually keeps me sane...seriously.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sometimes...
...I really miss having a kid at home with me. I know...crazy right?
Little things remind me of this. Today it was running in to the store and seeing a young girl and and her mom laughing together. She couldn't have been more than three or so. It didn't help that she could have been Julia's sister with the beautiful blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. I thought to myself, "That moment was Julia and I not so long ago."
Yesterday, I turned the tv on and the last channel watched must have been Disney. There on the screen was, "The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse", one of Julia's favorite shows as a toddler. I'll be darned if I didn't catch myself saying out loud, "Aww, I miss watching this with Julia." It wasn't the show I missed obviously...it was Julia.
So yes, she is back for year two of full day kindergarten and this is just hitting me now. I don't know why the delay. All I know is that there are some days that I wish time travel was possible because if it was...I would go back.
Little things remind me of this. Today it was running in to the store and seeing a young girl and and her mom laughing together. She couldn't have been more than three or so. It didn't help that she could have been Julia's sister with the beautiful blond hair and brilliant blue eyes. I thought to myself, "That moment was Julia and I not so long ago."
Yesterday, I turned the tv on and the last channel watched must have been Disney. There on the screen was, "The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse", one of Julia's favorite shows as a toddler. I'll be darned if I didn't catch myself saying out loud, "Aww, I miss watching this with Julia." It wasn't the show I missed obviously...it was Julia.
So yes, she is back for year two of full day kindergarten and this is just hitting me now. I don't know why the delay. All I know is that there are some days that I wish time travel was possible because if it was...I would go back.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Family Photo
This was taken by my sister at my nephew's 5th birthday party over the weekend.
As you can tell by looking at the kids, there was a Halloween theme!
As you can tell by looking at the kids, there was a Halloween theme!
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