One Year Home

Where did the time go?! My kiddos have been home 1 year. They are doing so well and I really couldn't ask for it to be any better. Lest I sugar coat it, we have had some struggles but nothing that really took us by surprise. Peyton is doing so well with her English and will now speak up if she doesn't understand a word that was spoken to her. Who knew English could be so hard when you have several meanings and spellings to one word; to, too, two and by, buy, bye. You know what I mean. School is a struggle since she is so far behind but she seems to be up for the challenge. Some days it takes all that I have to try and teach her that to take a test you have to study and when the teacher says homework you bring that work home to do and the textbook as well. Reading anything to her takes a lot of time because it all has to be explained over and over and over. Reading or labeling a map is new to her as well and man oh man is that a struggle! So many basics that she just never learned or was taught. It is so hard to build on something that is not there. But it is so awesome to see her face when she finally gets it. I am just thankful that she picked up speaking English so quickly. Socially, she is still a little immature and that is why we have her in the 6th grade which is where she should be for her age. The school has done pretty well working with her and her teachers are really so patient and they keep in touch with me. She enjoys being outside, playing with her brothers, jumping rope, riding her bike and playing with kitty. She also likes to color, build Leggos and watch movies. And I guess I am going to need to learn how to braid hair. Her hair has grown so much and she wants me to braid it. I have tried but I am really lousy at it!

Caleb, where do I begin. ;) He is speaking a little more English since starting school so that is encouraging. They have him in the regular class room because he is not that far behind. After all it is Kindergarten and that is where it begins. They get such a kick out of him at school because he just has not had the stimulation from birth like the other kids have therefore everything is so new and interesting to him and he needs to touch it, explore it etc. He is doing so well with learning his letters and the sounds. He knows his colors and can count to 20 without missing any numbers. (Seeing how well he is doing in school makes me feel bad for Peyton, that she did not have this same opportunity from the beginning and catching up is just hard!) Socially he seems to be doing pretty good, just a little behind. He has his things he does at home that still need correction, some just being a kid and some because he was never disciplined. The lying is happening a lot less but there is still an attitude he has if he doesn't get to do or have what he thinks he should. The result, he wets the bed on purpose. We always know when it is going to happen and it is really a struggle to figure out how to stop it. We are a work in progress on that, time in/out, time in his room, yeah, not really working. Aside from that, Caleb is a sweet boy and loves being with his siblings. I think he would ride his bike alllll day if he could. He loves to be outside and he is a little daredevil. He has the scrapes and bruises to prove it. :)

All I can say is, WOW God, what a journey you have given us. I am so thankful you chose us to be their parents!

~ Tina