Today

We had an okay day today.  Hannah had an orthodontist appointment and Tucker had an appointment, both an hour away.  Poor Hannah's took two hours.  They were placing a new appliance in her mouth and it was very difficult.  Her mouth is so tiny that is was very difficult.  Both girls have little mouths and have had to wear an expander.  Anyway, she hung in there and finished the appointment.  She was very quiet the rest of the day and asked her multiple times if she was okay and she said she was fine.  I hope she really is okay. 

It was a loooong day.  We left before 8 am and we got home at about 3:30 and we raced in to see if we good be back in the car in ten minutes for swim team and dance.  They made it!!  It was fun trying.  Everyone worked together and succeeded!! 

We are trying Hannah on a very low dosage of meds.  We aren't really seeing any difference yet.  We really didn't expect to until we increase them later in the week.  We are trying to help eliminate some of her focus issues due to being so hyper vigilant with what others are doing and not paying attention to what she is doing.  Her school work suffers and she gets really frustrated and shuts down.  It is a downhill spiral from there.  It may or may not help.

A mix of things...

School is back in session now.  Everyone is doing well so far this year.  We started about two weeks ago and had the first crying episode today.  I have to make the twins take a break or we have problems.  Hannah didn't take a long enough break today and she ended up in tears before she finished.  Bless her heart...she gets to where she can't think at all.  She wants to be finished so bad, she just slaps whatever on the paper and gets to do it over and over until she thinks and completes the work correctly. However, the girls both had math and grammar tests today and made A's.  Yea!!

Tucker started his school year with a trip to Alaska for Survival Camp.  He had a wonderful experience.  It was a test for me also.  He flew with another young man in our homeschool group.  Thankfully, on the way back an adult friend and his daughter were on the plane with them.  He did great!!  He made new friends and survived!!  Listening to his stories makes me so happy and proud.  They had some intense training and trials.  I am so happy for him and hope that we will be able to send Alex in a few years. 

Haylee is adjusting on her medicine well.  She had a check-up for weight and height.  She has grown one inch and gained two pounds since April.  Yes, that is good news, but she was off of her medicine from early May until the middle of July.  She ate VERY well off the medicine.  We are going to try to not give her the medicine on the weekends.  I am not sure this is a good idea, but we may try.  Any suggestions for ways to keep the height and weight in check while on ADD medicine?

Standardized Testing

We are having standardized testing this week. The first day went pretty well. Hannah finished quickly. Haylee was one of the last kids to finish her test sections. I spoke with the teacher before about how slow she is, but I didn't rush her because she usually does pretty well. They were fine with her speed because two others worked at about her pace. We have two more days. The math sections our tomorrow. I pray they can recall what they have learned.

We will be finished with regular school this week. However, they will all continue some school into the summer. This kids aren't thrilled about this, but I have no doubt regression will occur if we don't continue into the summer, especially math with the twins.

I am ready for things to slow down. I am ready for more play time with the kids.

Our not so good cycle ended in this weekend. Things are going better. We have implemented a new fine system for talking back to me or my husband. They pay us 25 cents. If they don't have any money, they pay with extra chores or candy. (Candy is a prized possession around here because it is so limited.) Also, if a child does something to harm another child, they get their chores for a certain amount of time. For example, one twin has all of her chores this week as well as her sisters. Needless to say, she has a lot of kitchen chores this week. She did well tonight completing them. I thought the tears were going to start, but she kept it together and did a great job. I was sure to tell her she did a good job.

Focus

During praise and worship at church yesterday, God showed me what my problem was last week. I was trying to handle everything on my own. Well, duh...of course I can't survive this way. Last week was a really bad week. I had so many things to accomplish last week that I lost total focus. I was totally striving on my own. Everything is so much better when I rely on Him and not my own strength. I repented and got my heart right yesterday in church. No person around here is my enemy, eventhough I believed those lies last week. We are a family and we are in this together.

We began the process of adoption in response to the call of God. God has blessed us so much!!! He deserves the glory for everything in my life!! He is a great and wonderful God!! He is the healer, the comforter, the restorer, my everything!!

Thank goodness for the forgiveness and mercy of our heavenly father!

I hope everyone is blessed today!!

Hard time...

I am sorry I haven't posted in a while. I have been struggling lately. I have not blogged about it because I hate to be a whiner. I am just having a hard time getting everything done I need to get done. I only have five kids. So many people have so many more. I feel like I can't do anything well because I am just trying to survive. I am trying to find my "happy heart," but I am struggling. I am trying not to lose it with anyone around here because this is my problem. I keep telling myself to get it together. God has blessed me with SOOO much. Why am I struggling so? With school, doctor appointments, dance, swim team, coop classes, boy scouts, etc it is just nuts around here. I have been trying to get our taxes done and I finally have them ready to mail tomorrow. Good news!! Yeah!! Since we have to paper file because of the adoption, who knows how long it will take to get our refund. It is going in the mail tomorrow, so I can check that off my list.

Anyway, I am headed to bed...