The New School Year

On Monday we began our 10th year of homeschooling! I know 10 years right? You would think I have it all figured out but those darn kids keep changing and needing different things. Marcus will be in 9th grade this year. I've never taught 9th grade before but I've been in 9th grade before and I've now gone through first grade four times, second, third, fourth and fifth grade three times and well, you get the point. People always ask me, how will you teach Chemistry? Well, I'll have gone through school with all the kids so I'll be ready for Chemistry. Plus, I'm a grown up now, right? (Don't answer that) I can pick up a text book, with the teacher answer key of course, and learn Chemistry right along with the best of them. Plus, people don't understand that there is so much support out there. I can go online, there are classes, there are people who have serious experience with Chemistry just waiting for someone to ask them for help. I'm not worried and you shouldn't be either. Justin has never really been excited about school but this year he technically starts Middle School! Ooooooooh! I'm so glad he won't have to experience true middle school. No one ever says, "Ahh, Junior High, now those were the best days of my life!" Nope, never heard it and probably not gonna. He's a good kid and I know we're going to have a great year. Breanna starts 1st grade this year and she would rather paint, create and play than do worksheets and who can blame her. She loves to be read to and she's beginning to read. She has very neat handwriting and she's picked up math pretty quickly. I did use a book the other day that I had used with the boys about 5 years ago and it brought back so many memories of my early days of homeschooling. I can remember sitting in the garage since that was our schoolroom back then, with piles of dirty laundry all around me, the washer and dryer both going and reading history to the boys while they colored pictures of historical figures. Oh, and I was nursing Breanna while doing it. Here's to 10 more years of homeschooling, minus the nursing of course.

My Dad

My dad with my niece, Lizzie and my mother-in-law, Kathleen

Since I wrote about my mom I figured you should get the flip side of my coin. My dad is a Vietnam Veteran and is dealing with after effects of a horrible war that happened over 30 years ago. I'm reminded daily of the sacrifices men and women make on our behalf so we can continue to live in a free country and so other countries can experience that freedom as well. I'm proud of my dad's service to our country and I'm glad my kid's have that kind of exposure to patriotism. I didn't grow up with my dad since my parents divorced when I was 2. I would see my dad during the summer, send him cards throughout the year and he would send me gifts that would make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I loved spending summers with my dad and he always made me feel like a princess and then I would have to return to my real life back home. Finally at the age of 12 my dad moved back to California and I was able to live with him. We started going to a church and I became a Christian. I am so thankful that my dad realized the importance of a father both physically and spiritually to a teenager. Now as an adult I am so thankful to have him in my life and especially my children's lives. He is an amazing grandpa. He makes sure to spend time with each one individually, he spoils them absolutely rotten, he guides them, teaches them, instructs them, builds them up, and respects our decisions as parents. I'm still the luckiest girl in the world.

Boy Scouts

My boys have been in scouting for about 6 years now. They both started as cub scouts and worked their way through the ranks becoming a Webelos and then joining Troop 941 in Pleasanton. We searched and searched for the right troop and finally decided on this one and to be quite honest, I chose it because the Scoutmaster was a woman. Women change things and civilize things. She has done a great job and we're very happy with our troop. We had a rough beginning but after figuring some things out we're doing good. Marcus is about to earn his Star rank, then he'll go on to earn his Life and then the big one-Eagle. He even wants to earn the next two or three ranks after that, Gold, Silver and Bronze Palm. They're pretty much just more service in the troop and more merit badges after you earn your Eagle. Marcus is a good scout and Justin is coming right up behind him. It's easier with Justin because we've had the experience with Marcus and we know Marcus is watching out for him, well, hopefully he is. Justin has already earned the first rank of Scout and is working on the next rank of Tenderfoot. He's younger than Marcus was when he joined so we're not in a rush with him. With Marcus we had to get him caught up to the other boys his age in the troop since he was almost 13 when he joined and most of the other boys were almost 11 when they joined. Two years makes a big difference. I didn't realize it at the time but Scout Camp is where they earn most of their badges and can even earn a rank if they plan it right. Marcus is Patrol Leader for his patrol, the Vikings and he likes having the extra responsibility and I think he likes being in charge like his mom. He's realizing that it's a lot of responsibility and if things go wrong they look to you. It's a good lesson for us all.

My Mom

My mom with my uncle Terry


So that last post was a bit random and strange but I was not in a good place at the time. I have always had a strained relationship with my mom and in the last few years she has been very ill. She has Pulmonary Hypertension, Congestive Heart Failure, Chirossis of the liver, blood clots and a genetic disorder that doesn't allow the blood to clot properly called Protein C Deficiency. I've recently been tested for this and I'm waiting for the results. She's also an alcoholic which complicates things in so many ways. I honestly don't believe we would be in this mess if she wasn't. I've been helping her with her doctor appointments, medications and hospital stays in the past few years and it's been very difficult. It's like taking care of a stranger but worse, you do know this person and you are related to them and they are your parent. In the beginning I honestly wanted to have a relationship with her and help her get better. I still want that but after three years of doing this and after each episode I have to take several weeks to recover from it myself, I've decided that I really need to remove myself from the situation. I've said it several times that I'm done but then I go back into the situation when they call and say she's going to the hospital. I've always said that the end of the day I have to know that I did the right thing. It takes so much from my family when I'm involved and it's just not fair to them though. Is it fair to neglect your children, husband, house, responsibilities to take care of a sick parent? She is my mother, I love her, and so I will continue to honor her but there will be boundaries that will be maintained. She's home from the hospital after a 17 day stay at Antioch Kaiser where she busted out of. They kept telling her they wanted to keep her one more day and finally she had had enough, pulled out all her IV's and walked out of the hospital with security running after her. They finally let her go after she signed the waivers saying she wouldn't sue them. I see where I get my determination from.