A New Consideration

I registered Carson for the fourth grade at Bonner Elementary School across the street from our new house on the Friday after school let out for the 2010-11 school year. I gave completed all of the forms required, provided proof of address, and even wrote a formal request that Carson be evaluated for the Pofoundly Gifted Program allowed for under federal law, but seemingly, Clark County School District's secret red-headed step-child. If Carson qualifies for this program, he will, for the rest of his life in the public education system, for special accomodations regarding his curriculum (much like those accomodations required for a special needs child). Cason will be observed in the classroom and on the playground, he'll undergo academic testing including I.Q. testing, and will be evaluated by a CCSD psychologist who will ultimately have the decision as to whether or not my son, the one you all know to be extremely intelligent and advanced, will "qualify" for this federal program. Sounds great, right?

Not so much to me. I know that CCSD is BROKE. They have no money for funding of standard curriculum, let alone that for things considered extra-curricular. Last spring when I visited different schools in the Summerlin area, trying to decide which one would be the best for Carson, so that we could move into their zone, I inquired about this program. Most of the people I spoke with in the front offices immediately began talking to me about the GATE program, a pull-out style, supplementary program offered to qualified CCSD students beginning in grade 3. Carson was in GATE at Kitty Ward last year and did very well, but it is NOT the same as the Profoundly Gifted Program that noone seems willing to even acknowledge. Pulling my child out of his regular class for a collaborative class of supplementary learning (he has to make up all work missed in his regular class on his own time) is NOT the same as differentiating his curriculum so that he can study the same topics but with greater depth, accounting for his ability to comprehend and apply much quicker than his average peer. When Carson was tested for GATE at the beginning of 3rd grade, he scored in the 99th percentile! That means he is 99th out of 100 of those tested- and they only test those kids that could qualify!

So.... with all this weighing on my mind, I enrolled him in Bonner, hoping for the best, and after a brief consideration of returning to homeschooling. I want him to have all the social experiences of attending a school. But how badly do I want them?

My decision has been weighing on me a lot lately, and so when his classroom assignment for his new school failed to come in the mail this past month, and I kept getting phone calls from the automated dialer at his old school, I began to suspect that his records were not transferred to his new school, and therefore, he is not yet registered there. I'm wondering, is the Lord trying to tell my thick-headed self something here? Then, my friend text messages me, inviting me to the homeschool group open house last Tuesday evening. I can't believe she is inviting me even though she already knows I registered Carson for public school. She later tells me that it was something she did because God had impressed it upon her heart to do. Hmmm...

I plan on not attending and just blowing her off- in fact, I don't even have our car to get there if I want to. At the last minute I call another friend (whose schedule is usually SOOO busy you can't imagine) and ask her if I can ride along with her, oh, and I need her husband to watch Carson while I go because Craig is at work. Like a perfectly orchestrated piece of music, she is already near my house and comes to pick us up within 5 minutes. We go back to her house where dinner and dessert are already plated for the two of us, as we have 30 min to eat dinner and get to the meeting. I am amazed.

At the meeting I hear a lot of good stuff. I get to know the My Father's World, Christian curriculum this group uses for their core, get all my questions answered, and even learn that someone has a curriculum set I can borrow to help keep costs down. All I need to purchase are the consumables, which are then circled for me in a curriculum catalog. I even talk with another on-the-fence working mom, this one single, about how we will be able to manage doing this while working. She discusses helping me find a higher paying job so that I don't have to work as many hours. I am wowed.

Over the past few days I have given Carson a couple of subject-specific placement tests (that I tell him aren't tests; "Just answer each question the best that you can," I tell him.) He has assesed to the mid-fourth grade in math and the sixth month of fifth grade in spelling. He and I have a frank discussion about what these scores mean. He is convinced, like me, that we should be homeschooling.... if we only consider the academic angles. However, there are social angles to attending school also. Which leads me, circumvent, to the question I asked in the beginning. To what degree of importance do I hold the social aspect of learning in school compared to that of the more obvious academic aspect?

The back-and-forth within me continues as I consider our options, and as the timeclock to final committment counts down. Please pray for me, that I will make the right decision for my son, that he be put on the path in life the Lord intends for him.

Your thoughts?

Fasting

My heart is sad, hopeful, faithful, and breaking all in one today. I have been fasting for my friend Anita's sister-in-law, something I've never done for anyone before, but in knowing her story, felt compelled to do in service for her to Him. She is battling for her life against Aplastic Anemia, which ironically, was an immune system reaction in response to her being pregnant with her first child. This is not the kind of anemia that can be made better by taking an iron supplement, and since it didn't go away after the birth of her son, Kellan, on March 22nd of this year, the treatment is dire, and the prognosis 50-50 for survival factoring in her age. For the past nine days Andrya has undergone chemotherapy in preparation for a bone marrow transplant which took place today.

Andrya does not know Jesus as her savior, and neither does her husband, Ryan, who is currently enlisted in the United States Navy and stationed in Hawaii. Andrya is in need of 24-hour care, and Kellan's need for care is obvious for anyone of us who has had a four-month old infant. Because of Ryan's commitment to serve our country he is unable to provide this care himself, and subsequently, Andrya and Kellan have recently had to move in with Ryan's and Anita's parents in Kansas City, Missouri. They, along with my beautiful friend, will be providing this care.

The next 100 days of Andrea's life are critical. They will determine whether or not the transplant is successful and Andrya will get to be the one to raise Kellan, or if Ryan will become a widower. Because of the suppression of her immune system, and that required to allow the transplant to take, Andrya must live in a sterile environment, and is unable to even hold Kellan. My motherly heart is breaking for her inability to hold and soothe her baby, as doing so would risk infection that could kill her.

Thousands of miles from the love of her life, her husband, Ryan, Andrya is living with her in-laws, fully-reliant on their care for both herself and for her infant son, whom she cannot have physical contact with, enduring horrifically-painful procedures which bring blinding headaches and mouth sores, but are her only chance at survival.

I am moved to tears as I tell her story, and pray with all that I have in me that the Lord will show His mercy on her, allowing her to see her son grow as I get to see mine, something I feel today like I am taking for granted. I pray that Andrya will open the door to her heart as the Lord continues to knock- patiently, lovingly. I pray for His grace upon Anita and her parents as they painfully watch Andrya fight for her life, only being able to help her by lovingly praying and caring for she and Kellan.

I am putting together a ladies night where I will host a card-making session in Andrya's honor. We will snack, enjoy our friendships, pray for Andrya, Ryan and the entire DeGhelder family, and make homemade cards which I will send to Andrya throughout what I hope is her successful recovery. My goal in doing this is to bombard Andrya with Christ's love in hopes that she will come to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The most compelling reason for my involvement in this is to bring someone who is mortally ill to Christ, that if His plan is for her to leave her husband and baby son behind, she will not suffer eternally, but live instead in the God's kingdom.

Please check back with me here or on Facebook for the date and time for this event, and if you are out-of-town and want to help, please contact me for options other than taking a road-trip to Vegas (although you know I'd love that too)!

If you are a prayerful person, saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, please inculde these people in your prayers. If you are prayerful and not saved (as I have lived out the majority of my life) pray for yourself along with this family. If you are neither saved nor prayerful, consider your own mortality and pray for salvation. I love each of you more than I've probably ever told you, and the thought of death coming for you before you are in His grace brings panic to body's core like watching a car nearly run down my son in a crosswalk after school a couple of months ago did. Thank you all so much for taking the time to follow our blog and keep up with what's going on in our lives. Your friendship and love is everything to us.

Halfway to Manhood

Carson- 6 weeks

Bittersweet. That is how I am feeling about Carson turning 9 yesterday. I am blessed to be his mom, to watch him grow, to see the awesome man he will be developing. I am sad because it is half over. My job is 50% complete, and before I know it, he will be off on his own, making his own life's adventures. I LOVE my time with him, and cherish even the seemingly insignificant moments we have together. I thoroughly enjoy our long conversations in the car about everything from super heroes to global politics; my son is intelligent an well-rounded. I cannot for the life of me recall what I used to do with all of my time before he came into my life, and I surely have never felt such instant and unconditional love for someone as I did when I held him in my arms for the first time 9 years ago yesterday. For my sweet, half-grown son I pray: Lord, bless my son with wisdom to seek council in You, faith in the path that You put before him, strength to follow it, courage to stand against anyone who would try to dissuade him from it, and love for him to give others for Your glory. Amen. Happy 9th birthday, Carson! Mommy and Daddy love you!

A Gravy Boat Kind of Love

My favorite sister came over yesterday after she got off work before going home to her family late last night just to help me put some things together in our house. We got some things in Carson's room and in the common bathroom hung up, and managed to put more things away in my kitchen, making it almost fit for company. She has such a great eye for placement and accessorizing, decorating and organizing! In addition to all the great ideas she gave me, I got some advice and encouragement on how to stay focused on my tasks and to not allow myself to become distracted by other things that need doing- something I struggle with when there is an overwhelming number of things to get done!

When my grandmother passed away over 10 years ago now, I was given a few of her things for my home, one of which was a beautiful white gravy boat. I love it's classicly elegant design, and was able to enjoy it's use on special occaisions for a few years before my keen-eyed hubby noticed a loooong hairline crack in it on Thanksgiving almost four years ago. He informed me that we couldn't continue using it, or the temperature of it's contents would make the cracking worse. I was sad that I couldn't include her gravy boat in the entourage of platters and serveware I put out for the meal, and thinking it ruined, I cried.

Craig comforted and hugged me, promising that we would get it fixed. (God I love that man!) After wiping my tears we found another dish for the gravy, ate our Thanksgiving dinner, and carefully put the gravy boat somewhere it would be safe from disturbance, by itself on the top shelf of a cabinet, until we would take it somewhere for repair.

There the gravy boat stayed undisturbed for nearly four years until my mom came over to help me pack for our latest move. We were packing my plates, platters, and serveware when my mom suggested I put the gravy boat in a box with some other things. I explained to her that it was cracked and shouldn't be packed with anything else- I wanted it double bubble-wrapped and packed securely into it's own small box. My mom placated me, wrapping it twice lovingly and gently placing it into a samll box, even packing more bubble wrap around it in the crevices of the box. She labeled the box "G.G.B. FRAGILE" on all sides with our fat moving marker so that everyone in the family would know to be extra careful with that box because it contained "Grandma's Gravy Boat". The box rode in the car with me for the drive to the new house. Ridiculous? Yes, but sometimes that's me- over the top. I didn't want anything more to happen to it!

Last night my sister asked what was in that box and when I told her, she informed me that there is no way to fix it and that I need to just throw it out. I got teary-eyed again, and she told me,"I know how you feel. I broke one of her dishes too, and I even cried about it after I did it, but it's not your grandma, it's a gravy boat," and while I agreed with her and put it next to the trash can to be taken out, this morning I am feeling gravy boat remorse. I'm starting to consider how I will feel if I throw it away and then learn that it could have been repaired. Afterall, I remember the day she broke her dish, and I remember Michael and my mom comforting her, with the same words, like Craig had comforted me. BUT.... her dish was actually broken in two, and mine has just a hairline crack. (Listen to me justify my inability to let it go). Maybe mine CAN be repaired! Does anyone know? I need to ask around and do a little research before I decide to throw it away.

Scrapbook Room to my Rescue!

I unpacked those two straggler kitchen boxes only to discover two more! I swear that the Sadistic Fairy is repacking our crap while I'm asleep! I found a place for all my serveware, which turned out to be harder task than I last expressed. I opted out of using the tops of the cabinetry for now due to the layer of grease on top of them. The weirdos must have fried everything they ever ate in this house! It's nasty up there, and I will soon get up there with some industrial-strength degreaser and my purple super-mommywife gloves and clean it all up... just not this day. I found solace from the kitchen's greasy goop that threatened to ruin my day by unpacking some of my scrapbook stuff and designing a schematic for the room. I also made a list of things I need to purchase to bring this schematic to life- but of course I'll have to do that a little at a time. I am thinking that tonight I will finish the front room, furniture moving and all- a tall order considering I haven't started dinner yet, and I'm not even sure what's inside the boxes in there!

Bothersome Unpacking Plateau

This has, by far, been the most inefficient of our moves!

Week one was spent waiting around for repairmen to show up to fix things that should have been repaired when the house was turned. I.e. the garage door, dishwasher, garbage disposal, front porch light, a/c intake, leaky faucet, leakier bathtub, and the service door to the garage! *** note that as of this week we have added automatic sprinklers to this distinguished list.

Week two equalled more of that same waiting along with enjoying the company of Big Mike as he selflessly spent hours away from his family to design and install shelving in my walk-in pantry. By the way, who takes the shelves out of the pantry when they move out?? Weirdos. This task proved to be a struggle, and not just because the pantry is pentagonal-shaped with no two walls or angles being equal, but because none of the walls in this house are straight. We resorted to making templates for each piece of each shelf out of all the cardboard I have laying around (Lord knows there are a lot of boxes here!) as not to waste any of our materials ($112 @ Lowes, not including finishing product like calking, paint, and painting supplies).

I have thusfar managed to unpack the majority of the boxes. I am struggling with where to put things away, because as you know, I like everything to have a place! I'm thinking the last two remaining boxes of kitchen stuff need to be emptied tonight! Perhaps the tops of the cabinetry would make a lovely new home for all the large serveware pieces I have that I can't get rid of because we use them a few times a year? Yes, serveware up there... and maybe some greenery to soften the look. Organizing the pot lids and tupperware would be the next great necessity in that room along with that hodgepodge kitchen box that's still sitting in the front room- which is where I happened upon the salt shaker the other day- :) !

There should be a professional service or coach for this unpacking plateau I've reached!

I need to finish Carson's room too. Mostly just hanging decor on the walls, and dressing his top bunk.

Mine and Craig's room has a couple of straggling boxes that need unpacking too.

My scrapbook room? Don't ask; I've resorted to just closing the door on it this week!

A Happy 4th

The 4th of July is one of our family's favorite holidays. We are so proud to be Americans, and love the principles America was founded upon! This year the approaching holiday was semi-anti-climatic because of last years amazingly adventurous Boston trip! It turned out pretty good though.
We began our day rising very early to stake our claim along the Summerlin Parade route. Luckily for us our good friend Lisa scoped some real estate for us very late the night before, because apparently arriving on scene at 7:30 am for a 9am parade is not early enough! (Thanks, Lisa, for your foresight!)
I grew up watching 4th of July parades in the small towns throughout central Utah. There, salt-water taffy was thrown from the tractor-pulled, glittering floats carrying beauty queens, town dignitaries and High School football teams. The fire department, police, and local Dairy Freeze owner marched too, and everyone in the county came out to watch. Although it lacked that comforting, small-town feel, this parade had some pretty cool floats in it, along with a whole slew of Star Wars characters, giant character balloons, and the obligatory marching band and dance groups. My favorite was the families of fallen soldiers marching and carrying life-size bust portraits of their loved ones wearing t-shirts that said, "Freedom Isn't Free". That is one of my favorite sayings and seeing their faces, as the crowd giving them a standing ovation as they marched past, brought tears to my eyes. THAT is the kind of stuff I love about my country!
After making our way home from the parade, Craig and I began the time-consuming task of preparing the Greatest Potato Salad in the World, which we had committed to bringing along with us to Amy and Mike's house later that night. Next Craig went to work to push payroll, while Carson and I watched a nature special about sharks! When Craig got home we all took a long afternoon nap before waking up and heading out to Amy and Mike's for the bbq.
At Amy and Mike's house we bbq'd steaks, ate dessert, and watched the firework show put on by Alliante Casino. It was a phenomenal view of a really good firework show; Amy and Mike's backyard backs up to the field right across the street from Alliante, which is where the pyrotechnicians staged the explosive boxes! We had to lay back and look up to see the show, and it was as if the fireworks were raining down over us! We got to chat with some good friends for a while afterward before calling it a night around 11pm.
It was a perfect, low-key, family 4th- hope yours was equally enjoyable!