Sunday Grains of Gratitude......

It's Sunday - we were all well enough to go to church today - and I'm actually posting my gratitudes - on Sunday - whoooo hoooooo - something to be grateful for ;) It's been a crazy week - but - a good one too :) Lots of things to think about, pray about, worry about - but hey - that's nothing new :)

This week I'm grateful.....

Big K got a 1/2 tuition scholarship to her University of choice and has committed to attend there. Housing opens up this coming weekend and she will be putting her name in with her friends to live on campus. She is so excited :) We're hoping that another scholarship that we applied for will come through and that possibly all her tuition will be covered and we'll just be figuring out how to help her with living expenses :) I'm grateful both that she was accepted to this university and that she got a partial scholarship - both were the result of a lot of hardwork on her part, and maybe some prayers on mine LOL

that the administration is stepping in to step up Brady's program at school. I have been very disappointed and frustrated at the lack of attempt on Brady's regular education teacher to include him in anything remotely academic, heck, she hasn't even been taking him to recess or keeping to the schedule she herself made up for him. He has been spending the majority of his day in the small group class and that is not okay with me. Both the assis. principal and I have been documenting his time in regular education, and I think we are both upset and frustrated at the way things are going. But, tomorrow morning, both kindergarten teachers, the administration, and someone from district special education will be sitting down to work out a new and improved schedule that will include center time etc... for Brady - actual academic portions of his day in reg. ed. It's really been a nightmare lately, and I've been so depressed about it all. It's a major reason I haven't been blogging or checking blogs as much lately, I'm just emotionally worn out and I feel like I've failed Brady by not being a better advocate and not knowing how to change things for the better for him. I know that part of the fault lies with the regular education and the special education teachers, neither of whom I have any great love for, at this point in time. Both have no expectations of Brady, in their own ways, and neither of them really see or know Brady, as Brady - which is so sad, after 6 months of school. I gave up on worrying about them working on his IEP goals a long time ago, and have just started doing it myself. And, what's more depressing is that the hubs and I were at school on Friday for an event of H's, and stopped in to watch (unnoticed by either Brady or the OT para) Brady doing OT. We watched for at least 5 minutes and the OT para did not interact with Brady once during that time. He was doodling on a magnadoodle for a little while, then she handed him a pop tube, and all the while giving him no instruction, not talking to him once. The only words she said to him the whole time we were observing were "Oh look Brady it's time to go back to class" after looking at her watch. She did paper work and her own thing the entire time. What a waste - I'm going to tell the district that we're done with her as a para, and with Gary-the-jerk-OT - it's not even worth the time of him being out of class. The one thing I am grateful for is our assistant principal - she has been wonderful and amazing and so very sensitive. She "gets" it, and I think she is as frustrated as I am at this point. She told me that the principal is planning on having Brady there, fully included with some resource pull-out, for first grade, and that he is committed to making it successful. I almost feel bad for putting his name into the charterschool lottery, but I don't really. I have to look out for Brady's best interests, and in spite of the changes, and the schedule and really trying on our part - things teacher/academic wise were not good this year. The kids have been great, although I see them looking at him a little more differently now, and I know it's because he isn't in their class or interacting with them on social levels nearly as much as he was at the beginning of the year - thanks Mrs. W. for helping so much with that - ughhhhhh! I am grateful that he's had his neighborhood friends and that the kids have been really accepting and kind, and for the support of our friends throughout this whole frustrating year. I couldn't have done it without them! Thanks guys!

that the hubs and I could get away for a couple nights. It was an interesting sort of get-away - just at a hotel that he had two free nights (which expired at the end of Feb.) at, that is about 20 minutes from our house, but it was so nice to be together :) The first night Brady joined us, as he had some appointments up at the children's hospital. But the second night, well - after about 7:30 p.m., it was just the hubs and I ;) It was nice to spend some time together just the two of us, not running around crazy (well - after we ran around crazy). It's always refreshing to just be together, away from it all. I'm grateful Brady's appointments went alright - that we only had to do the sweat test once - it made running up the stairs to the 4th floor and taking the elevator down about 10 times in 30 minutes almost worth it ;) The blood labs required two sticks - so sad for my sweet boy, but I'm praying the results give us some answers and that it will have been worth it. I can't quite figure out how people taking blood in a children's hospital can't get it right the first time, but every time we go up there, he ends up with way more pokes and bruises than at our local hospital - so frustrating :( I'm grateful we got the appointments out of the way though and have a plan of action for his sinuses. He'll be having a CT scan here in a few weeks and I think that will tell us even more. I'm grateful for a doctor that is willing to listen to our concerns and take action to improve something that has been a problem for a long time and that really affects Brady's ability to learn, develop and progress.

that Big K's science fair project is no longer littering my counters! I know their group is hoping to go to state, so I hope they get their wish. Last year a similar project went to nationals, and I think they'd like to do that too - although last year nationals were in Georgia, which is a tad bit more exciting than this year, where I think they're in Reno, Nevada LOL C also finished her project, but luckily all her apgar and bacteria samples were housed at the school, and not growing in my kitchen. I'll be glad when this science fair is over and we can put it all behind us ;) I'm just not dwelling on the fact that I have 4 more kids to do projects for the next 10 years ;) One day at a time, one day at a time LOL

that C's soccer team got in division one. Hopefully we'll get some good competition there, rather than some of the teams we played last year which would have been better served to be playing district competition instead of state competition. She is excited to start her club season :)

that J got his big ol' research project for AP geography done and turned in on time. I was thinking that maybe he should have been grounded for life when he told me last Sunday that he needed 3 book sources for this project due on Tuesday. Like the libraries are even open on Sunday :) Luckily the internet is a resourceful place and even have full text books available - I am soooooo grateful for that. So - it all got done, and hopefully he'll get a good grade. Procrationation is a terrible thing, and apparently it's genetic, because we have it, all our kids have it, and I'm worried for future generations ;)

that the week is over and done with and I'm looking forward to a clean slate, a new day, a new week. Hopefully everyone will remain healthy and we can move forward :) Only 2 months left in school and then we can really partay!!!!

What are YOU grateful for today???