New Sheriff In Town

December 2016 will not go down as a banner month for our family.

On the 25th, we had to euthanize our cat.

Now, this was not unexpected.

She was 18 years old.

Of course, it did not make it easier.

On the 26th, my father died.

Again, not a surprise.

Sad, none the less.

He was tired.

He was ready.

He is in a better place.

I will always miss him.

He listened.

Even, when he didn't agree.

He listened.

He loved me.

He loved my children.

He also thought my husband was a pretty good guy.

He was smart!

He was the best!

So, I am determined January 2017 will begin a happier time in our lives.

First, we have a new kitty.

We adopted her from a local rescue.

She was a bit sick at first, as many rescues can be.

She also had to have her tail amputated prior to us getting her.

She is about 6 months old.

She is getting her 'sea legs' under her.

I have no doubt she will have this house whipped into shape soon enough.

Her main opposition will be the 2 year old dog,

whom I am positive will come around eventually.

What? you say.

Why she looks suspiciously like your previous cat!

Coincidence?

She chose us.

Maybe she knew.

Maybe there are a LOT of tabbies in this world.

We are trying on names.

Adele is her current name.

But if you know cats, you know she does not come based on the name we give her.

She comes at a time of her choosing.  

It's been this way since the beginning.

Who are we to try to change it?

What's next?

Who knows....

 

RIP Dad

You will be missed.  

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.

It's Been A While

We Have Had Birthdays

Doesn't Everyone Have Lumbar Puncture on their Bday?

(Try to make the Birthday  Boy smile)

We Had Graduation!

We Had Halloween

We Had Thanksgiving

We Had Friends Over

We Had A Concert

We've Been Quite the Busy Bees.

Having a great time. 

Sawyer Update

Pre-Cancer, Sawyer was beginning to read, write and 'cypher'.

During cancer, many of these skills digressed, if not totally disappeared.

He struggled with 'chemo brain' and continues to have some 'fog'.

BUT

I am seeing some shades of the "pre-cancer Sawyer" return.

Some days are better than others.

Today was one of his better days.

We are using the book, How to Read in 100 Easy Lessons.

 

The video would not load, so this is just a picture.

Bummer.

Sawyer's had some physical changes over the last 26 months, also.

One being one leg is longer than the other.  That combined with low(and declining) muscle tone has been hard situation to control.

We have begun using kinesiology tape and a lift.

It truly helps him.

 

He continues with physical therapy.

Sawyer also takes Speech Therapy.

Even though we home school, he is allowed speech through the school system.

Very thankful for that.

We took a mini-vacation to the mountains recently.

Sawyer (as well as the rest of us) had a great time.

As we step out on the other side of treatment, we are trying to get back some skills that Sawyer lost.  

We are so thankful to be on this side.

We hope to stay on this side. 

We have a year of lumbar punctures to be sure the abnormal cell (found in a previous LP) does not lead to relapse.

Then more years of blood work to make sure he stays in remission.

We are anxious to get on with life. 

We are always thankful for each and every day.

Labor Day!

Summer went out with a bang at our house.

Judson celebrated his birthday.

The scouts went for their BIG weekend.

There was a ropes course, white water rafting, horse back riding,

and lots of water play.

While they were 'camping',

we had fun at the science museum.

(and Steak and Shake)

The pup continues to grow 

(and have Pup Play Dates)

Summer was great (and busy).

Now it's back to the old grind stone.

We've already started school.

In fact, we've had 4 weeks of school already.

(can't believe it)

 So far so good with school!

What Have We Been Doing?

Is it me or has this summer been crazy busy?

 This is the 2nd summer for dealing with CANCER.

That's all we will say about that.

We've had so much fun stuff going on.
And we just push the cancer to the back burner.

There's been scout camp.
(Judson on left, Ansley is in there as is Randy)

Braces
 

Swimming

(When I can arrange for Sawyer to be taken care of.  He cannot go swimming or be out in the sun)

Volunteering at a cat rescue

Volunteer at a community garden

This is just one section of a pretty large garden with proceeds going to a local food bank

Physical Therapy

(with a little puppy playdate thrown in)

Then of course, NEW PUPPY

More summer camps to come
Along with Tubing
And whatever else we can squeeze in....

We plan on getting as much in as we can before school starts!