Life Goes On

I need to thank the acquaintance who showed me a story about college students too upset to take a test after this election. 

It got me thinking. It got me writing. When I don't know what to say, I write. 

I can empathize with these girls.  What they thought was so obvious, was not. 

They thought it's obvious that you don't grab a girl's pussy. Doesn't matter if you are a rich white man. A girl's pussy is just that, HERS. 

No, people don't feel that way. The new president doesn't feel that way. 

People say, just toughen up. That's just the way it is. 

Now these girls wonder "why bother reporting that campus rape"   People don't care.  People won't believe them 

I grieve with them. I have a daughter.  I want to think she would be safe on a college campus. But now I wonder. 

They thought it was obvious you treat all people with dignity.  That you don't make fun of a person's disability. You don't hate someone because they look different than you, they worship differently, they speak a different language, they live differently. They were wrong.  People say, America, love it or leave it. Everyone needs to be the same. If you point out a place where it could change, you must not love it. You might be a bad hombre. I grieve with them. My family is diverse.  I want them to be accepted.  I want my black son to be accepted even when he is 20+. I dont want him subject to stop and frisk, just because he fits a demographic. I don't want my disabled son ridiculed.  But now we know a huge demographic believes it is okay to stop and frisk my son and to make fun of my other son. 

The only child that benefits from this election is my oldest.  He benefits from white privilege.  That makes me sad too. But I know my son, he will use his privilege to fight the bigotry and hate. THAT makes me happy. 

So I grieve 

But I know something these girls haven't figured out. Yet!

Life goes on. 

And if they look closely, they will see the majority of the people in this country reject hate.  Reject bigotry. They can see this in the popular vote. They can also see that most of the people in their demographic believe the same way they do. 

When they figure it out, they will work harder for the next election. 

And they will be thankful to DJT. 

They will thank him for removing the masks. For exposing those whom they believed to be on their side, for the people they truly are. It will make life so much easier.  

So while I grieve, I move forward. I am stronger and more resolved than ever. And I have hope in the youth of this country. 

Summer Is Over

WOW!

Where did it go?

I dunno.

All I know is we started back to school this week.

We had a busy summer.

Judson went to Boy Scout Merit Badge camp and Leadership camp.

He helped with another camp.

Turner went to Cub Scout Camp and Singing Camp.

Ansley went to Anime camp and to Visit Nana and Pop.

We took a mini-vacation, too.

And we visited with family.

In other words, we had a great time!

School looks something like this:

Judson is taking English, Pre-calc, and Physics via the home school co-op.

(We had a conflict with Spanish)

We are also doing a little 'current events'.

Additionally, he has his usual: Piano, Drama, Humanities and we might let him continue guitar. 

Just waiting to see his work load.

Did I mention Judson ran the P'tree?

Sawyer is getting OT and PT (insurance dependent) and Speech (via the school system)

Then we will be home schooling the rest of the time.

His reading and math are coming along

He still suffers from neuropathy in his hands and feet.

That is causing his writing to suffer. 

But we are working on it.

Ansley is taking English Science and History via the home school co-op.

And doing the humanities there too.

She will be doing Math here.  

We are trying Math Mammoth Pre-Algebra.

Anyone else tried that?

We will supplement with Khan.

Not sure about extra curricular for her yet.

Turner is doing all his academics at home.

Math, English, History, Science.

His taking humanities, chorale and drama at our co-op.

Life will continue to be busy.

Here is to a year full of laughter and learning and good health!

I'm Here!

I've not fallen off the face of the earth. 

It is turning out to be a busy summer. 

We have summer camps going on 

Scouts.

Art.

Music.

Some of us are doing some remedial school work. 

Fractions.

Writing 

Reading. 

Whatever it takes!

As a family, we usually take vacations in the fall. 

It works great because crowds are down as are the temperatures.

It is one of the perks of home schooling. 

We are still loving home schooling and plan on doing it again next school year.  

We belong to a home schooling co-op which is helpful. 

Plus, in our state  kids can start college courses as early as 9th grade. 

(And the state pays for it. Score!) 

So Judson will be doing that when he enters 9th grade. 

Until then he is allowed to take high school classes in the co-op. 

This upcoming year he is taking pre-calculus, physics, and Spanish. 

(Not an option in public school)

He will also be doing piano and drama. 

Ansley will be taking some academic classes too

Turner will be doing Drama and Chorale. 

Sawyer will be staying at home with me. 

We are trying to get him caught up from all that he missed during his chemo. 

We have taken grief from some who do not understand home schooling.  

But it works for us. 

So we keep doing it. 

When it ceases to work for us, we will choose a different route. 

God bless this country and our right to make such decisions. 

Enjoy your summer.
(Seems like I wrote this same blog post last summer.
At least I'm consistent.) 

#LOVEWINS

I don't do Twitter

Or Facebook

Or any other social media

If I did, I'd post this in response to those hate-mongers

who bashed Old Navy for their recent ad

i LOVE my interracial family.

i LOVE seeing families like mine

thank you old navy for choosing to post a picture of family much like mine.

It's a shame how frightened people are of 'differences'.

It's sad, how many people are afraid of people who do not look like themselves.

It's disheartening how many fear-mongers there are in this world.

i will not live in fear.

i will celebrate the differences.

and

i might just have to make an order from Old Navy

just to show my support.

So go back under your rock hate mongers.

#LOVEWINS

End of Year Concert

You may need to be on a pc. 

The video won't load on an iPad.  

My sweet boy loves being on stage. 

Their group did 3 songs, intermingled with the middle schoolers and high schoolers.  

However, I only recorded the first.

Happy World Down syndrome Day!

You know, 3/21

As in trisomy 21

Do something nice for someone today 

A random act of kindness

If anyone asks,

Tell them you are doing it in honor of Sawyer

Congratulations!

To Judson:

1. For stepping outside your comfort zone
And participating in Drama Club

2. For Participating in a Piano "Competition"

3.  For taking the SAT at the ripe old age of 13

 

And to Pascal

Happy Birthday, Big Guy

You are 1 year old today

 

New Year

We had a wonderful holiday season.

This was the first year that the whole family was able to visit grandparents for Thanksgiving.

This is the first Christmas in many years we were able to travel to grandparents.

We had a wonderful time.

I hope everyone had a great end of 2015.

And I hope 2016 is the best year yet.  

I'm excited to see where it takes us. 

I predict many great and wonderful things.