Catching Up

I am really going to try to do this more often, but no promises! You all know life gets in the way sometimes. I just realized it has been nearly a year since I posted about Ken's 40th birthday. He'll be 41 in 3 days. Tomorrow is opening day of bow season for deer hutning so he will be somewhere in a treestand. But first we are taking the boys to Farmer's Day in Richlands.

So since last year a lot has gone on. I worked on National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification from October, 2009 to March 2010. I was so relieved to get that package mailed! It's a lot of work, but if I pass it will also be a really nice raise! Since the state hasn't given us our step raise for years of experience in 2 years, it would be really nice. You have to complete 4 entries in a portfolio. Just packaging it all togther took 3 hours! Then there is a test with 6 essay/analysis questions. I took the test in May 2010. I am waiting patiently for mid to late November for the results. Everyone finds out on the same day. Not at all nerve racking.

Ken is still working on his business degree. Maybe he'll be finished before too long, but it's a slow process when working full time and only taking 2-3 classes at a time. He is also still on night shift. You would think that after 6 years (in November) I would be used to it, but I sure would love for him to be home to help with bed times, lunches for tomorrow, and school work now that Tyler is in K-4.

Speaking of Tyler, he was 4 in Janurary. He is going to Jacksonville Christian Academy this year for K-4. So far he is loving it. His teacher says he is doing great which makes me very happy. THe only bad thing is I spend nearly an hour in the car every morning. I take Joshua to Mema's, then Tyler to JCA, and then I head to Dixon High for work. That means I get up way too early but it's worth it. We think Tyler will truly benefit from going there.

Joshua is 15 months now. He is still my great sleeper. Sleeps 10-12 hours each night. He is all over the place and loves to climb. He is also starting to really get a personality. It's cute at times and a sign of things to come at others.

Nathan (13) came for 4 weeks this past summer. He was able to go to Centrifuge at Ridgecrest with our church youth group. He says he had a great time. He'll be back at Thanksgiving. Nathan is in 8th grade. I can't believe it. When Ken and I started dating he was only 5. Why can't they all stay little? He is also on the trap team at his middle school. Tryouts were last weekend and he shot 9 out of 10. Not bad. He did it last year as well and really likes it.

Brendan (20) lived with us for a few months from May - August. He is now on his own again.

Tyler asks tons of questions about Dylan. He also has a strange fascination with Heaven and death. He has asked me if he was dead. He told me he wanted to be dead so he could go to Heaven and play with Dylan. I know he doesn't understand the whole concept yet (obviously) but I don't know what "normal" is. Most parents don't have this issue to deal with. In case you haven't read my other posts, Dylan is my son that passed away in Sept 2004 when he was 13 weeks old. He was a blessing for the time we did get with him and still is. I pray that the Lord gives me the right words when Tyler is asking all his questions so that I can show Tyler what a wonderful God we serve.

Ken and I took the little boys to Tweetsie Railroad over the Labor Day weekend. Tyler loved it and Joshua just sat back in his stroller and took it all in. Tyler came home with a hat, badge, two guns and a bow and arrow set. Poor Joshua only got a badge with his name on it. He's too little for the other stuff and by the time he gets big enough, Tyler will have lost interest and Joshua can have his stuff.

The school year started back in August as usual. So far so good. I took the Technology Education Praxis in June so that I could teach Scientific and Technical Visualization I and Game Design at Dixon this year. Thankfully I passed! I got my scores on Monday before I was to leave on Sunday for a week long workshop on how to teach Sci/Vis! Cutting it close, but we didn't get word that Dixon was approved to pilot Game Design I until May. Sci/Vis is the prerequisite for it. I have a class of 25 boys for the whole year. So far so good though. I have a lot to learn still, but I am really looking forward to it!

That's what's going on with us in a very small nutshell. I'll post some pictures soon.