Small update

Started therapy with a mental health counselor last week. Feels good being about to unload and it not being on my poor friends, lol...I know they must be sick of it all, lol.
Anyhow, since then, I have started having weird dreams. Worst was last night/this morning...I dreamed that my sister was pregnant (she can't get prego anymore) and whatever was inside her was trying to get out, I could see the face and hands trying to push through her stomach...she was in a lot of pain. When I realized it wasn't a baby, but something evil looking, I spoke to it, told it to leave her in Jesus' name...it turned to me (from inside her stomach), I could see it's face pressing through her stomach and it gave the evilest smile I think I have ever seen...it was demonic in nature. My mom was there, on the other side of me, for some reason we were lying on a big bed, me in the middle, my mom and sister on each side of me.

I was terrified, trying to crawl over my mother to get away from it....then I woke up. It was very disturbing.

I have been speculating over it's meaning, and I don't like the possible meanings...and I do believe God can give us dreams to tell us things...or it could just be a dream that my current stressed out mind gave me over the current situation going on in her life and it just manifested in my dreams. I dunno, but I don't like disturbing dreams.

December 2008 Blog: Elijah

I am so stressed lately, and really worried about Elijah. I know he has anxiety issues and now he has started hitting himself a lot.

The smallest things seem to set him off, his trigger from what I have seen at home seems to be his brother a lot of the time, sometimes, it is when he can't have what he asks us for, then he will hit himself in the head or legs. I just don't know.

A few weeks ago, while we were waiting for his peer counseling to start, we were sitting in the waiting room. Well, he gets up from sitting next to his brother to ask me something.

While I am talking to him, a woman comes in and sits where he was sitting, and he turns around, sees her in his spot, and he breaks out in tears. She offered the seat back, but he wouldn't take it. After his counseling session, his doctor came out and told me that Elijah was hitting himself and calling himself stupid the whole time.

Fast forward about a week, I am picking him up at school, his teacher tells me he is hitting his head on the table, and was having major anxiety. She has never seem him this way before.

I am so worried, I don't know how to discipline him when he gets this way. I try and stay calm, and talk to him in a calm voice, but it is hard because I am also worried about his mental/emotional state.

Today when I picked him up from school, he seemed fine. Until he feel asleep in the car on the way home, and when we got home Christian yelled at him to wake up, Christian tends to be pushy and loud with Elijah. So when we come in the house, Elijah is upset, crying, angry, hitting himself and trying to hit Christian.

I told him to go to his room, and Elijah walked over to the coffee table, picked up a crayon and broke it into several pieces. He also rips up paper and tries to break toys. And sometimes with take whatever he is holding and hit himself over the head with it.

When he finally went to his room, he slammed his door, and started screaming. Actual pissed off sounding screaming, and it sounded like he was throwing stuff. He is usually such a good kid....I fear he may be bipolar. I mentioned that to his counselor and she said that she can see red flags with him that may indicate that. I don't know....I just don't know.

His dad leaves in a few weeks for a 5 month deployment....and he knows that. I believe he has gotten worse since we told him. Or either it is a coincidence. Last time Huck was gone, Elijah had panic attacks and thought he was going to die. I don't know how he is going to fair this time around. I worry greatly about it.


I do know this....It is going to be a long, hard and emotionally upsetting 5 months for Elijah and I both. I hope I can keep my sanity. I am tearing up just thinking about it. I know I can handle my husband deploying, no biggie, being a military wife, I expect it. But the way Elijah handles it....is what I cannot take.....and having to handle that alone. Someone may have to stop me from hitting myself soon! At least I am now medicated! LOL

Please pray for Elijah, and for God to give me the guidance to know how to deal with Elijah's emotional and mental needs.

News

Ok, big news! I start Dental Assistant classes on Monday! In 8 months or so I will start my externship at a Dental office for 300 hours...then graduation! I am so stoked! Anyhow, that is my little bit of news.

Onto the situation at school with Elijah. I went in that next day and spoke with the teacher and principle and they assured me that this kid wasn't violent, and that he didn't know how to express himself, had to get to the bathroom, and Elijah and another kid were in the way, so they both got shoved hard. So, I let it go with their assurance that he wasn't going to harm anyone

Fast forward to just about 5 minutes ago...Elijah told me that this boy....we will call him Jason....sat on another kid, then got up and kicked him. Now to me that sounds violent....I am going to talk to the school again, I think he needs to be removed. Elijah told me he is scared of him. That just isn't right.

I will update more as I get more info on that.

Birthday News....Elijah's 8th Birthday Party is this coming Sunday, Oct 19 at 2:30pm. Yay! We will be having a Pirate Party! ARRRGGG!

Reminder....we have a Halloween COSTUME party October 31st....we are going to do some trick or treating before, then party afterwards. Email me if you didn't get an invite and want to go.

Also, for my scrapbooking friends that haven't already signed up for the Fall Scrapbook Retreats R Us Crop, Please sign up now at Scrapbookretreats.us There are still openings! It is a great group of ladies, and it will be a weekend full of fun!

Also, I will be selling some of my scrapbooking stuff, email me if you are interested.

Anyhow, ta ta for now!

Elijah's School

   

    OK, I know I tend to over react and fly off the handle....but I am pretty dang upset.  Here is why...
Ever since Elijah started at this new school, he has been saying he loves it...."except for the boy that hurts him."   Well, He says this is a 'crazy boy' that doesn't talk.  His teachers told me this kid is autistic.   Well, this kid hits, pushes and kicks Elijah and the other kids in the classroom.

I thought that the school had taken care of it, they said they separated the boy from Elijah.  Well, apparently not.  During Math class, this boy flips out for no apparent reason and shoves Elijah into a metal cabinet, scraping up his arm pretty bad and really upsetting Elijah.  I am sure Elijah wailed...because that is just Elijah.

Well, I didn't find out about it until I was in line at the school in my car to pick up Elijah when the principle walks up to the car to talk to me.  He proceeds to tell me about what this kid did…I asked him…was it something Elijah did….NO, it wasn't…he just flipped out and they are trying to figure out what causes it and why he is doing it.

In the meantime, my son is at risk.  Christian is even worried, he said to me…."What if this boy flips out  again while holding scissors or something sharp?"    Wow, even my 12 yr old is worried for his brother and the other kids.

My first impulse is to want to press charges on this kid for bodily harm/assault.  But again, he is a kid.  Is the school liable?  The parents?    I want to be assured my son is safe at school from being assaulted by this kid. 

Tomorrow I have a dental appointment in the morning, then I am going to go back into the school and ask the principle what he plans to do about the situation, cause I am so not comfortable with it.

In my opinion…this kid should be removed from the class and worked with one on one or go to another school specializing in kids with those certain needs or kids that need to be separated from the main school population.

 

Advice anyone?  Below are the pictures of Elijah's arm…taken a few hours after school.

A second grader shouldn't have to deal with this kind of abuse!!!  I can only imagine Elijah's stress considering he has Generalized Anxiety Disorder!!!

Marriage and Friendship

I was thinking about Marriage and Friendship today, and realized my dear and darling husband is my BESTEST FRIEND in the whole wide world. Not just a friendship built over the 14 years we have spent together, but a friendship from the very beginning.

Of course I have my girlfriends...but those friendships are built different. I think friendship is one of the links that holds a good marriage together.

If you start to lose the friendship in your marriage, then eventually the trust and communication go as well....then what is left? Nothing but a piece of paper saying you are married and maybe the fact that you happen to be the parents of the same children.

If you stop being a friend to someone you have called a friend...what happens? You grow apart...you don't call....you stop talking....the friendship ends because you neglected the friendship you had. You can blame the other person, but when it comes down to it...did you do all you could do to stay this persons friend? Did you honor them, trust them and listen to them, and value them? Regardless of whether they did what they could as a friend....did you do your part?

So, I say to you...if you think that your marriage may not being working for you because you married your "friend"...that is not the answer...the truth be told....you stopped being friends and that is where things started to go wrong.

Marriage and Friendship go hand in hand...you can't have a great marriage without friendship with your spouse....if you were married to a person you couldn't call your friend...you are left either married to a stranger or an enemy. Am I making sense?

Are you being a great friend to your spouse? Are you being a great friend to your friends? Something to think about.

Thanks for reading my thoughts on friendship and marriage.

Update Ear/Jaw pain

    After I dropped the kids off for school on monday I went straight to the dentists office.  They were able to fit me in!  It was a total blessing.
Well, the dentist looked in my mouth, couldn't see anything wrong.  I told him where the pain was, he proceeded to tap each tooth...nothing...till he hit the second tooth from the back on the bottom left side of my mouth...OWWWEEEE!
Well, it was a tooth he had put a porcelain filling in over a year ago.  So, he took some xrays...the xrays showed darkening in the roots.
So, he told me I needed a root canal.  After being told which arm and leg it was going to cost me, I agreed and signed my name in blood.  LOL.  Thank God for 12 months no interest payments!
While drilling, once he got near the nerve, I felt sharp pain...and guess where?!  MY EAR!  So, for the past couple of months, me thinking it was ear pain....it was tooth/nerve pain!!!!
So, after 45 minutes of drilling and filling, I was sent home with antibiotics and pain pills.  I go back in next week to get the tooth capped...again, thank God for payments!

Anyhow, if I have been rude to you, or irritable...or just wierder than normal...this is probably why, and I am sorry...lol, no seriously...I am sorry.  ;-)

Ear Pain

OMG THE PAIN....(repost from my email)

Ok, mid day yesterday I started having bad jaw pain, same side as my hurting ear...so I assumed they must be related in some way. The pain would come and go and eventually by evening was so bad I wanted to slam my head against something to make that pain stop! I searched through my kitchen cabinets and found my Ultram (pain meds) and I am so thankful I still have some available.

After I drop the kids off at school, I am going to go and plead with my dentist to see me...I pray he can fit me in. I woke up barely being able to bite down. I am telling ya, I had a crappy week last week, and this one isn't starting off too well either. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers this morning.

Hugs to all my friends.

14 yrs

September 26, 2008 we celebrated our 14th Wedding Anniversary!  I love you honey!

August 2008

After last weeks week long tropical storm and an emotional roller coaster of a weekend was over, the kids finally started at their new school on monday due to the delay from 'Fay'.

I am so glad I made the decision to take them out of public school and place them in a private school, I guess my lack of good parenting skills prompted that, ha! This year they are attending the Broach School in Orange Park.

They are on their 3rd day, and Elijah loves it! Never has he loved school. Yesterday and today when I dropped them off, Elijah was happy and smiling...I never got that reaction from him at Argyle Elementary. I sure hope it lasts, because I don't remember him EVER being happy at his old school.

I think the small class room, and his new teacher are gonna make the difference. It is so cute watching him dress for school now, putting on his khaki pants and button collared polo shirts and dress belt, almost like he takes pride in dressing for school now.

Even Christian is taking pride in dressing for school...tucked in shirts, belts. Christian is cleaning his teeth and face without being prompted and putting on deodorant! I think there must be a girl there that he likes, lol.

Christian is now on the YMCA swim team, his practices start today, and they will practice 3 times a week! and have meets on saturdays. Christian is excited about it...hopefully we can find something that interests Elijah as well. I want to take Elijah roller skating on Wednesdays with Maria and her son, but I have to work it out to see if Huck can take Christian on Wens. to swim and I take Elijah skating...we will see. I know tonight huck won't be home til almost midnight, so it won't work for this week...fingers crossed for next week.

Now onto me...I have a painful inner ear infection right now, finally got to the doctor yesterday late morning time. The doc put me on 10 days of antibiotics...and advil for the pain. I am praying for a quick recovery.

As for my emotional roller coaster weekend...I will share that maybe at a later time.

ta ta for now

July 08

Ok, I need some prayer for my sister please, unspoken prayer request, God knows the problems, just please pray.

Second, please pray for my 12 yr old son, he is having issues as well. Yet another unspoken prayer request.

Also for Elijah, he deals with anxiety and anger issues please pray for him.

The boys will be starting a new school in August. It is called The Broach School. It offers more individualized teaching for children. They will be tested and then placed according to their educational needs.

For example...Christian will be starting his 6th grade year, but, if he tests at 8th grade level in reading....and 6 or 7th in math, he will be taught those grade levels. So, he may be better at one subject and doing a higher grade level, or he may be lower in another. Hope I am making sense.

Anyhow, about a possible job. I am wanting to return to work once the boys start school. It just so happens that their new school may need a teachers assistant or an office manager. I would happily take either....preferably whichever pays more, lol. Anyhow, please say a prayer for that as well.

Here is the schools website and info: http://orangepark.broachschool.com/about

The Broach School was founded in 1973 by Dr. Tommie Broach to meet the ever-increasing need for quality individual instruction. To avoid students getting lost in overcrowded classrooms, The Broach School ensures every student receives complete, personal attention from the teacher. Individual attention helps students overcome learning difficulties, build confidence, and reach new heights in learning. In 1999, Dr. Broach was named Distinguished Educator of the Year for her work with Florida's children.

We're committed to helping our students develop their given strengths and potential. We don't teach religion, but understand young people need moral direction and character development. Our entire program is devoted to the whole student. We want students to become not only educated citizens, but also people with moral character.

The Broach School is a member of the Coalition of McKay Scholarship Schools and a CITA candidate school. All transcripts and grades are widely accepted by area public and private schools, and by colleges for transfer and graduation.

Elijah's Phsycological test results....

Hey friends and family....

It took almost an hour and 1/2 to go over the results with the phsycologist about Elijah. Towards the end, I started crying, because I realize my son feels on the inside they way I do...and it hurts me to know that.



Anyhow....I will write more on that later....but here are the results....





Generalized Anxiety Disorder (severe high anxiety - neurological)





Selective Mutism





and drumroll please............





Severe ADHD inattentive Type.







His results indicated a borderline probability for aspergers, but she thinks probably no. She can revisit his testing a year from now

Her recommendations, ADHD medications and and antidepressant like Zoloft. She also thinks that he should go to a broach school as well, and have weekly boys group counseling.





I will write more later, my head is pounding.

wEeKeNd uPdAtE

Ok, I have had a great, but tiring weekend, lol.  Friday night my sister, Pat and I went to see Beth Moore at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum.  It was awesome, got home late, and had to get up early to go see her speak some more Saturday Morning, the event concluded at noon. And after we finished by all having lunch together at Cracker Barrel.

 

Something I got from Beth Moore’s Living Proof live event was a strong desire to be closer with God again, And towards the end of the event...I finally realized that I have been angry and kinda bitter towards God for not healing my mother.  Now I just need to accept that He, Who is AWESOME IN POWER AND GLORY, chose not to heal her of her cancer, but he had a reason and that my mother wouldn’t want to come back in the first place. 

 

For the past 2 1/2 years, I have always admitted that I had questions for God, like "why didn’t he heal her?"  Because God knows that I fully know and believe he can heal people.   But now, I have come to the point where I realize and accept that I have been angry for a long time.  Like a child angry at a parent for not getting what they want. I just need to get to the point where I can fall on my face in prayer and tears to him and get my relationship back where it should be. 

 

Even my BFF Tiffany could tell that I didn’t have that fire in my heart for the Lord like I had in the past, I told her I wanted it back, but I didn’t know what was holding me back.  Now I feel like I know, but how do I get over the anger and hurt of losing my dear mother and me having the knowledge and faith of knowing my God can heal and has healed people, but didn’t heal her.  I guess it comes down to me accepting His will for my life and my mothers...but it is hard when it comes to losing someone you love so dearly.

 

I used to ask myself, "Did he take her from me, was it because I needed her too much?"  It may have nothing to do with me, but it doesn’t change the fact that it hurt me badly.

 

I purchased one of Beth Moore’s bible studies on the Psalms, I hope that this is a step in the right direction to getting my heart healed of the bitterness and removing the hard layers that have formed around my heart and spirit.  Because I sure have avoided God’s word since losing my mother.

 

I actually learned alot this weekend, it gave me a fresh new look at Philippians 3:12-14.  

 

(12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.)

God apprehended me and he has a prize set before me and the race isn’t finished until I have left this earth and this earthly body...and I was reminded that when I die, when I leave this earthy shell of a body, that God has Resurrection power, I will have a new body!

 

Beth Moore broke down some scriptures, and it was amazing.  Jesus came and took on the form of our corruptible bodies, so that one day, we may take on his holy glorious form, in a new uncorruptible body.  I never looked at it that way before....No more fat, no more zits, now wrinkles....LOL.  I can imagine my mom looks so beautiful right now and is so happy :-)  She always said she never wanted to get old...and God took her at the young age of 50.

 

Anyhow...after lunch Saturday with my sister and Pat.  I went home and napped for 30 minutes, then got up, packed up my scrapbooking stuff and met Tina and Maria at the Crop Shoppe in Mandarin.  We stayed and scrapbooked til almost 10pm....whew, I was tired.  It was a blast, even one of our new Crop - Paper - Scissors members showed up to meet us, but she didn’t stay.  

 

A couple of local ladies have emailed me and asked when I will be scrapbooking again, ladies if you are reading this, you should really join Crop Paper Scissors, cause we always post when and where will will be scrapbooking on there :-)  It is hard for me to remember to invite those that aren’t on our email group, cause I have so many great scrapbooking ladies on my myspace friends list, but not all have joined our local scrapbooking yahoo group.  It is just easier to email everyone at once on yahoo.

 

My dh will be home this week, I am so excited.  Once this is posted, I will be off here to get some painting and cleaning done.

 

Thanks for reading this far friends, please pray for me in regards to my spiritual walk with the Lord.  Also, please pray for my sister and her son Kyle, God knows their need.  Also for my friend Marie Crow and her father, her 72 yr old father is in the hospital with Pneumonia, a kidney infection and ecoli...she is afraid he might not make it.  Please pray for his health and for his salvation, because she isn’t 100% sure he is saved.

 

I luff you all.

Happy Scrapping

Updates and UGH...Sick....

OK, been offline for a few days, so this is a general email and blog to my friends and hubby.

One of my BFF’s (best friends forever!) from Jr High/High School arrived Thursday. Things went bad from the get go, lol. While leaving the airport, I got a speeding ticket...:-( I was doing 61 in a 35...I didn’t realize the part of the interstate I was on was that slow, ugh. But, on a happier note, he only fined me as doing 54 in a 35.

Later that day, TIff and I picked up the boys from school...Christian came home with his nose pouring buckets of snot, oh boy. By friday Elijah, Tiff and I were both feeling sick, tickle in our throat, tightness in our chests. By Saturday evening, it had us all totally crippled. Poor Elijah had a temp of 104, luckily, I got it down, the next day he was fine, but still coughing, as he is today as well. Christian is still coughing too. It seems like it must have been very contagious as fast as it hit Tiff, Elijah and I.

I was with some friends Saturday night before I got really, really sick, I pray I didn’t get them sick. Dad isn’t sick, so that is good. Tiff’s son David seems to be fine as well.

As for Tiff and I, we looked and felt like we were dying...I am still feeling it. Not sure about Tiff, she is still in bed. And once I get off this computer...I am laying back down as well.

I was running fever this morning as well, 103, then 101. Haven’t checked it lately. And along with all this crap, I have a cyst on my ovaries that is killing me as well. It has eased up today, but earlier this morning and yesterday everytime I coughed I felt like it was gonna rupture.

Anyhow, please pray for us, we are all feeling miserable.

Updates and Stuff...

Here are some requests, and updates...

I had a great time scrapbooking with my gals saturday, can't wait to do it again, and I will upload the pics soon. We missed ya Candy, ((Big HUGS))

Please, please pray for my friend Candy and her Daughter Miasha. Miasha is very sick and in the hospital...she needs big prayers right now for recovery and healing from her illness.

Also, please pray for my sisters family, and my nephew Kyle...it is an unspoken prayer request...just pray for them in general, God knows their need.

My sister and I have finally made up...Yay! Thanks for everyones prayer and support on this matter...ya know how family/sisters can get into it. ;-) I am sure will will fight again in the future...hopefully not though, lol.

I decided to keep my dog, for now....when it came time to give her to someone, all of us couldn't do it, dad got teary eyed, and I couldn't do it!

Dad quit smoking over a month 1/2 ago (or around that long). I am so very proud of him. Now please continue to pray for his health, his heart, his blood pressure and diabetes...and for him to be able to get his health in order enough to go back to work. The doctors are concerned about his heart, but he has no insurance to go to a Cardiologist, please pray that God will provide for this need.

Also, be praying for me to find a job I can be happy at, I really need to return to work full time to pick up the slack and help get some bills paid off. I haven't had a full time job in years, so I feel really insecure about it right now. Vet tech school may be on hold a bit, at least til I have this all figured out. I mean, if I can do the vet tech course and work, that would be great. God only knows what I am suppose to do, so please pray.

Another thing I am thinking about doing is becoming a stampin Up Demonstrator/Consultant. My only fear...having no customers. But to any of my scrapping friends reading this, if I hold classes will you come to them? And possibly buy products? If I have your support...I might do it. :-) I am already a Home Interiors Consultant....need home decor....I will give you a catalog! :-)

One of my BFF's (Tiffany) from Jr High and High School is coming this week to visit her family and she will be staying with me, so hopefully we can have some fun hanging out. :-) I haven't seen her since my moms funeral and I miss her. :-(

Anyhow, it is late and I have to get up early tomorrow. My sister is coming over to help me paint/clean...I want the house nice and clean and purdy when my dear hubby comes home next month. Please continue to pray for his safety as well.

Hugs and I love you all.

Elijah’s Appointment..

Well, the doctor says he has sensory deprivation issues, and may have aspergers and/or ADD.

She has referred us to a Psychologist to find out for sure. Ugh...darn it, I want my answers and I want them now! LOL

Hubby Called

Hubby was in port yesterday and today, so he gave me a call.  He said he should be home sometime within the first couple weeks of April.  I am counting down the days!  It is a blessing he gets to come home early.

Had scrap club today at Joey's house, she rocks.  We did a cute easter layout.  I am trying to decide whether or not to become a consultant/demonstrator or not...question is...will my scrapper friends support me and order from me once in awhile?  hmmmm....good question.

Tomorrow is Elijah's doctors appointment to see if he has some sort of neurological or ADD problem.  Pray for  us that it goes well.

My back is hurting again, I know it is cause of my fat gut and big arse....LOL.  I try to be lighthearted about it, cause God knows my butt aint light, lol.

Gonna call my  doctor tomorrow to see if my liver and gallbladder function test results are back yet, haven't heard anything yet.

Anyhow, I will blog more tomorrow.

 

 

 

short blog...

First let me start this blog by asking for some prayer for my sisters family, they are going through some trying times (to say the least). Please be in prayer for the Larsons and Rosepilers.

On a happier note, I had a great time last night scrapbooking with Candy, Bobbi and Kim. But we sure missed Tina and Tammy, and all the other girls from our "Crop Paper Scissors" group.

I will write more later,

hugs

More Rants about....

I didn't sent the letter to his teacher. Instead, I have made an appointment with is doctor to have him evaluated for any neurological disorders or ADD. I really don't want him medicated, because I don't believe he needs it, after all, I can sit with him and get him to work, I don't want to medicate him just to apease his teacher, know what I mean?
Socially he is great with his cousins, and his brother is his best friend, they are inseparable, even though is brother is 5 yrs older than he is. But, he doesn't seem to click with his classmates...he didn't last year, and didn't this year either. I remember being reclusive myself when I was in Elementary, middle and high school...I have to force myself to be sociable as an adult. I remember my mother used to force me into social groups and situations, I would get sick to my stomach before going to the skating rink, I was nervous, and I still get nervous being around people sometimes. But, as an adult in my early 30's, I think I am learning to get around my insecurities most of the time. Marie can clue ya in on my reclusiveness, she has dragged me out to lunch many times, and I wouldn't be a scrapbooker now if she didn't invite me to a scrapbooking thingy, I was a major recluse before meeting her. ((BIG HUGS))

My husband observed my sons class one day in October 2007, and he said it is very chaotic in there and he came home with a long list of things he saw was wrong that went on and worked against Elijah in regards to keeping him on task. She is an experienced teacher, she has grown kids I believe, and she actually told me in one of our meetings that she has never seen a kid as bad as Elijah as far as not being attentive in class...Well Really then! ...she has never had to deal with my older son when he was Elijahs age, lol. She said Elijah was well behaved, but he sat there and daydreamed all day long, or drew on his papers. Now she says he is hiding his work so he doesn't have to do it. I questioned him about it, and he says he is only hiding his reading books, but still, he shouldn't be doing that. His major complaint about school...he says it is boring. She even suggested to me that he is bored with school because he watches to much TV. Bologna! That boy colors and draws more than he watches tv. LOL.

As far as communication with the teacher goes...it is crap. He has a daily folder that comes home, and it either has a smilie face like this :-) or like this :-l She doesn't usually comment on what he does wrong, except for this month, I noticed she started writing...not doing work when he has the non smilie face. My complaint about the communication in the past....I usually didn't know anything was wrong until she scheduled a meeting. The first time I found out something was wrong was at Open house...and we were floored because he was getting smilie faces everyday! Tell me that doesn't send mixed messages.

We have gone through the whole sticker thing, she didn't stick to it, I bought the stickers, she gave them for a little while then stopped. It is really hard to find something that keeps him motivated, we tried retriction, didn't work. Tried no tv, didn't work. Because he sits and draws alot of the time. You should see the HUGE stack of papers he saves with his artwork on it, all done on my computer paper, lol.

Anyhow, thanks for listening, I Just needed to get all this out. I have an appt for him next wens with his doc, then I am gonna try to get an appt with his teacher the same day. I really do appreciate all the advice and encouragement...sometimes I feel all alone in this, but knowing I can post here and have my friends give me advice really helps alot.

Luff ya all




UPDATED: Should I send this to Elijah’s teacher???


Here is my reply to the comments:



Thanks for the advice everyone. We have been having 'meetings' all year long. I am constantly telling them how he acts at home, she is constantly telling me how he doesn't do his work. She actually said to me that she could let him sit there and not notice him all day he was that quite, and he wasn't disruptive. He sits and draws or daydreams she says. They gave him all sorts of tests, still no conclusion. This school is in it's 3rd year, this year it failed to meet the no child left behind criteria, and to me it is overcrowded. I just really feel like the school has dropped the ball. I mean I have had several meetings, signed papers to do testing. I feel like he is slipping through the cracks all because she has 22 kids to just her as a teacher. I offered to come help, they didn't take me up on it.
They always seem to focus on him being 'anti social' and stuff that I just don't see in him. When he is with other kids at home, ie cousins or other kids that may occasionally be around, he is fine. I did observe him last year on a field trip, and he did look at a couple of the kids funny like he didn't like them, but with his brother and cousins, he is fine.
It just seems like our meetings always end up being about his social behavior and him not talking to other kids and keeping to his self too much. Sheesh. I just don't know what to do. I have worked with his teacher in the past, and I really don't think she cares for him and is just washing her hands of him. I think I am going to talk to the principle or counselor.





Ok, I sat down to write a letter to her, should I send this to her?

Here goes:

February 27, 2008

Mrs. Kidwell,



Sorry for the delay in getting back with you. I have had health issues and been in a lot of pain lately.

But, about Elijah… I worked with him this weekend (as I have in the past as well), and Monday and Tuesday night and he works for me no problem. He zips through his first grade workbook (one I bought) and gets it done fast without complaining, and he does great at his math, he seems to like it. We have even heard him counting in his sleep as well. I wholeheartedly do not believe he needs to be held back. If anyone is at fault here, it is you and I, and the school. I include you, because you are in control of your class and should be able to get him to do his work. You are the one that allows him to sit there all day and do nothing but draw. And myself, because I haven't worked with him as much as I could have, but when I do, he does work for me.

I volunteered for room mom at the beginning of the year, not once have you asked me to come in and help…and I would have with bells on. I think maybe my presence in the room might have helped him. Why do you not have an aid to help you with the kids? I believe Elijah needs more direct attention to make sure he is doing what he needs to be doing.

He even gets to school early two days a week (for his brothers tutoring), times he could be sitting and getting extra help from you, his teacher. My older son gets the tutoring help he needs after and before school…why has anyone not offered to help in this matter? It seems to me like you are so quick and willing to throw him under the bus in this matter and just fail him because it is easier for you to do than getting him to do things your way…instead of figuring out how to teach him best for the way he needs to learn.

When I was talking to Elijah the other night, I was surprised when he told me that if he did good, that YOU would not be proud of him for it. Because I told him that if he did his work in class for you, that you would be proud of him…he flat out told me that you wouldn't be. And in the past told me he felt like you didn't like him. My husband and I personally feel this way as well. I have seen you roll your eyes while in a meeting with me about Elijah…I am sure Elijah probably picks up on your personal feelings as well, thus the reason he told me that you didn't like him. I sure hope he and I are wrong about this.

Instead of being so quick to judge him and fail him, why do you not give him the extra help I think he needs, the extra push and encouragement in class? If he isn't working why don't you sit him next to you to do his work? Don't let him draw on his work. I personally told him last night, he is not to do it anymore, and that he better not do it unless he is supposed to?

You need to be more sympathetic to his needs in the classroom. He is going through a tough time right now. His father is deployed, we almost never hear from him because of the ship he is on. I think they have only been in port to call three times…so, Elijah inwardly is stressed out I am sure, as well as myself.

I understand he can be hardheaded sometimes, and needs some encouragement to get him going. His problem I believe is that you don't have enough time to make sure he is doing what he needs to be doing. If you had, from the beginning of the school year, he might not be trying to hide his work. He has learned to do what you have let him away with in your class. I am not saying be cruel or mean to him, just make sure he has and understanding of what he is supposed to be doing, and watch to make sure he is doing it.

I am sorry if this comes across as harsh, I just don't know how to say it any other way at this point. I don't know what to do or say. I am almost tempted to home school him, and if he is failed, that is likely to be what I do, or to have him put in a private school if we can somehow afford it. But I would rather public school be a good experience for him.

It isn't that I just don't want him held back; I really don't think he needs to be. Now last year, I held back my older son, because I felt he needed it (his teacher would have passed him if I had wanted it). Elijah knows his work, he has lack of interest sometimes, but making him sit through another year of the same thing will make no difference, unless he has a teacher more attentive to his learning needs. But I would rather him not repeat…he doesn't need it.

I hope there is a way we can get this figured out and taken care of in the interest of what is best for Elijah. If you want him moved from your class, at this point, I am up for it. But something needs to be done. Either that, or more help for him in the classroom from you or an aide.


Hope we can get this taken care of,


Mrs. Collins

((end of letter))



Friends, please let me know what you think

My Liver and Gall Bladder Function Test Today.....

Just a small update,  I had my test...the whole experience was ok, not as bad as I feared it would be.  I waited for two hours, then when I got back there and got my iv (after two failed attempts to find a vein, and blood getting all over the place...the nurse had to wipe the floor and chair clean from my blood that spurted and dripped all over the place, ugh), I laid down for nearly two hours under the picture taker thingy. 

The test was two parts, the first part they injected meds to test the liver function, I dont' think I felt anything for that part, except for my normal back pain.  The pain started on the last part of the test, when they added the gallbladder meds to the iv, now I definately know that it is my gallbladder hurting when I am in pain, cause the test caused the same pain I have when I have what I have been thinking are gallbladder attacks.  So, now I am sure it is my gallbladder. 

The guy that explained the test to me told me that the gallbladder meds in the last part of the test will make my gallbladder contract, which is what it does when it pushes out bile to break down fatty foods.  This part of the test didn't hurt nearly as bad as my usual 'gallbladder attacks'.

Now I just need to wait til the doctor reads my results and calls me.  I hope they take out my gallbladder...cause I hate the pain it causes me.  But if they have to remove it, it will delay my lap band surgery a bit.

Here is a medical description of the scan I had:

 

About HIDA (Hepatobiliary) scans

A very useful tool for evaluating the liver, gallbladder, and biliary system is called the Hepatobiliary (HIDA) scan. This scan demonstrates not only liver function, but also the function of the gallbladder. It is commonly used to diagnose abnormal function of the gallbladder. It also examines the gallbladder and the ducts leading into and out of the gallbladder. Many people have gallstones without ever having symptoms. However, these stones can cause acute abdominal pain by obstructing the gallbladder and the flow of bile. This is a very simple test to determine if gallbladder is obstructed. In this test the patient receives an intravenous injection of a radioactive material called hydroxy iminodiacetic acid (HIDA). This material is taken up by the liver and excreted into the biliary tract. In a healthy person, this material will pass through the bile ducts and into the cystic duct to enter the gallbladder. It will also pass into the common bile duct and enter the small intestine, from which it eventually passes out of the body in the stool. 

You will receive an injection in your arm of a radioactive compound that will be filtered by your liver, collected in your gallbladder, and excreted into the bowel. The radioactive material is of a very low level and is considered by physicians to be safe. Patients usually have no side effects from the injection. For this test, you will lie on an imaging table under a nuclear scanner, which takes pictures of the patient's biliary tract over the course of about two hours.  Multiple images are obtained of your abdominal area. The images are then examined by a radiologist, who interprets the results. It is generally a very safe test and is well-tolerated by most patients.

This procedure usually takes 1-2 hours (sometimes longer) because it is a functional procedure and it is not possible to predict how quickly your liver will uptake the material or when your gallbladder will become visible to the nuclear scanner. Once the gallbladder is seen, either a second injection of the material, or injection of a different substance, is sometimes given to spur the gallbladder to begin excreting the bile. This second procedure will take an additional 20 minutes and may cause symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain.

Different findings on the test can mean different things. If the gallbladder is not seen by the scanner, often blockage of the cystic (gallbladder) duct is present.  This can accompany acute or chronic gallbladder infection (cholecystitis) and is often a reason to surgically remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy).  In cholecystitis the radioactive HIDA substance will appear in the bile ducts, but it will not enter the cystic duct or the gallbladder,  a finding that indicates obstruction. If the substance enters the bile ducts but does not enter the small intestine, then an obstruction of the bile duct (usually due to stones or cancer) is suspected.

Sometimes the test is also used to determine the contractile function of the gallbladder; that is, how well does the gallbladder squeeze out the bile.  In this fractional excretion variant of the HIDA scan, not unlike a "gallbladder stress test," people who have chronic gallbladder malfunction and symptoms without the presence of gallstones are identified. Many of these people will get symptom relief from gallbladder removal. Your doctor or other healthcare provider is the best person to help sort out the right time to consider a HIDA scan.

 

 

Elijah

Ok, I just had to get this off my mind, it is driving me crazy.  Elijah has been doing terrible in school.  He hated kindergarten last year, but likes school this year, but his teacher says he won't do his work for her.   She put on his progress report that he might be held back.

Well, I have been working with him this weekend on his writing skills and in his first grade workbook.  He works for me no problem, no complaint, does it smiling and with bells on!   He zipped through addition and subtraction pages.   It is so cute to see him counting on his fingers for subtraction, I used to do that when I was little too...wait...I still do that, lol.

Anyhow, I am just frustrated.  Why does the florida school system have to suck so badly.  I mean, i think 22 kids (last time I heard of and can remember) is too many for 1 teacher  she doesn't even have an aide!  My dear husband spent a day in his class and said it was total chaos in Elijah's class. 

All I can say is...please pray this gets resolved, that he can do well in school, whether it be his teacher or him...something needs to happen and happen soon.

On another note, Christian is doing much better in school, his grades are up and he takes it way more seriously.

L8tr

Had a fabulous time

Just wanted to let everyone know what fabulous friends I have and what I great time I had last night (saturday) with my gal pals and scrapbooking.

Thanks Tina, Tammy and Candy.  The scrapbooking, chinese takout and chatting is just what I needed.  Can't believe I only got three pages done, lol.

Tina...can't wait til you can take Braylon to your friends house in OP instead of having to pay out all that mulah for babysitting.  Whew!

Tammy...I was thinking, you should put up a camcorder in baby D's room to catch what is going on with his eye...if you need to borrow mine, let me know.

Candy, so glad you know who got home and we got to hang with ya.  I luff ya.

Here's to next time.  Mwah!

Appt with weight loss surgeon

I had my appointment today....man my hand is hurting from filling out all those forms!!! LOL

Everything was routine, paperwork, weight, height.  I found out that I am 5'5' 1/2.  Where did I find that half inch in height?  Must be all that fat padding the bottoms of my feet, heehee.

I told the doctor about my gallbladder/liver pain, and he is sending me in on tuesday to the hospital for a gallbladder/liver function test.  He said that if something is wrong with my gallbladder, then they will need to remove that before I have the lap band surgery.

I also have to see a nutritionist and a crazy person doctor, lol.   I am sure they will find plently of emotional issues in my head.  :-(   I hold alot in, and I am sure that is why food has become one of my biggest comforters.   But, on the other hand, blogging has become an emotional outlet/release for me as well.  Wish I had started blogging years ago.  Sometimes it is good to get it all out in the open, and to get peoples opinions and love and support.  A little of all I suppose.

Ok, I am rambling now.  L8tr

Ok, that isnt' completely true....but funny nontheless

Living Proof Live with Beth Moore

Beth Moore is going to be in Jacksonville Florida on March 28-29.  I purchased a ticket for myself and another person...well, the other person didn't pay me and now I have an extra ticket I paid $55 for, so now I am trying to sell it.

Does anyone want to attend this weekend event with me?  Here is her website if you don't know much about her:  http://www.lproof.org/about_beth_moore.asp

Here are the event details:  http://www.lifeway.com/ev/events_detail_mainpage/0%2C2232%2CE%25253D39%252526M%25253D200979%2C00.html

I assure you after this weekend you will have a refreshed and new outlook on life, I always leave these conferences with renewed hope.  I know I need this weekend more than ever.

Giddy!

I am so happy that words cannot express right now. It has been almost a month since we adopted Ralphie, and I hadn't held her for about 3 weeks until last night.

My dad made me a T - Shaped step up perch to try and get Ralphie to step up on without me being in danger of getting bit. Well, last night, tried to get her on it, she locked onto it with her beak, was squawking and wouldn't let go. So, I dragged her out, all the while she is not letting go of the stick, once her feet leave her perch she pulls herself up onto the T stand that I am holding. Once she is on it and out of her cage, she started lifting her claw and reaching out for my arm, so I put the perch near my arm and she hopped right on.

I was able to hold her awhile and bond more with her, all the while she and I are both nervous, lol. Then shortly after, i walked back over to her cage and put her back on it.

This morning I decided I was going to get her out using the T stand as well, well, she wasn't gonna have it, she decided she would fly smack into me. So, she was perched on my boobs for awhile and I talked to her, rubbed her head (she protested a bit), and rubbed under her wings. Then I could tell she wanted to go back to her cage, and I put her back on the door.

Once she was back on her cage, she let me pet her under her wings again. I am so thrilled to report we have made huge leaps and bounds in the past 24 hours. :-)

My Bird Blog

Burned Bridges and Broken Hearts

I finally sat down to write a letter to someone I haven't spoken to in over a month 1/2, because I still felt I could not speak to them yet.  I am just not ready...baby steps.

Well, getting my feelings/pain out on paper has showed me just how hurt I still am.  I wonder how long it will take me to get over all the hurt feelings.  I mean, this person laid it all out about how they felt about me and how they see me...and it hurt.  Although now they say they didn't mean it...it still hurts, and I still feel like they meant it.  I mean, after all, you don't say stuff like that unless you really feel that way.

Anyhow, please pray for me to get over this hurt...my heart tells me it is going to be a long time trying to rebuild this burnt bridge and mend my broken heart.

 

 

Updates on The Past Couple of Weeks

On The first Tuesday of this month, I joined a Stampin Up Hostess Club in Eagle harbor.  I loved it, the ladies are great, the demonstrator is so sweet...and of course the products can't be beat!  It is the first Tuesday morning of every month...I am very looking forward to the next one.

 

 

 

Somewhere around the time shortly after hostess club I pulled out my back, but didn't realize I had.  First I thought it was my fibroids hurting and went to the doctor, he gave me some pain meds and an order for a pelvic sonogram.  But, the pills didn't seem to help...So, I was worried it was my kidneys.  After tons of cranberry juice and a cranberry supplement and being still in pain, I went to the doctor again.  They told me it was not my kidney's, but I had pulled out my back.  Ugh.  so, now I am a nice selection of pain pills and muscle relaxers...whew!  (I still haven't scheduled my pelvic yet)

 

 

During the time that my back was hurting, I chaperoned a field trip to to the Kennedy space center, we had a great time. 

 

 

 

Dad took Elijah in the SUV and followed behind us in the buses.   It took a couple hours to get there, during that time, I learned something neat about Christians Nintendo DS...it has a chat feature on it called picto chat.  He and all the other kids that had DS's on the bus where chatting and playing games against each other.  Very cool. 

 

We didn't get to see everything, because we were on a tight schedule, but Christian loved it, not so sure Elijah did, he kept saying he was bored...dad was very bored as well.  Me?  Well, I enjoyed it, but at the time I was in pain.  (I will upload the pictures soon)

 

I found out a couple days ago that my dear husband might be home around April 1, give or take a week.  I am so excited.  Once my back eases up a bit more, I am gonna get started painting, and getting stuff done and ready for him to come home.  There is so much I want to do before he comes home.

 

I got the results from Ralphies DNA sexing test, he is a she!  Yep, my poor baby's previous owners have been calling her a 'he' for 5 yrs.   I am still trying to decide whether or not to change her name to a girlie type name.  So far, everyone is saying that Ralphie is good for a girl.  Her blood test for some disease came back negative too.  Good news all around.

 

 

 

I was kinda depressed this morning about Valentines day, but I got a delivery today from FTD flowers.  Huck sent me some pretty roses.  :-)  That cheered me up, but I would rather have him home wrapped in a big bow :-)

 

Anyhow, that is enough for now.  ((BIG HUGS))

 

 

ECSTATIC!!!

Ok, this may not be 100% for sure, but my dh is 99.9% sure that he will be home near April 1!    So that will be about two months early!  Which sadly, means he will likely be sent out again in October for the full 7 month deployment, we will see...please pray that this will not be the case.

I will update as soon as I know more.  Luv and Hugs to all my supportive friends and family.  I luv ya all!

Kennedy Space Center

This is Cody, Christian, Elijah and Me. Nathan and Vincent didnt' want to take their picture. I will upload more pictures later.

Ralphie's Vet Visit

I took Ralphie into the vet at 10:30 this morning, his appointment was for 10...but I couldn't get him out of his cage and into the travel cage, and boy was he a bugger to get in his travel cage. 

It was so funny, if you can picture this:   I am trying to reason with this massively big bird to that could easily take out my eyes, ears, fingers...if he wanted to, to get into his cage.   He keeps lunging at me, he is determined not to get into that small carrier.   So, after 30 minutes, and at this point I am late for my appointment for him, I finally called the vet.   She told me to grab him by his feet and put my hand over his head.  I was like...."uh....I just got this bird, he is gonna eat me up!"  LOL  So at that point she tells me to throw a towel over him, grab him quickly and wrap him like a burrito (her words exactly...like a burrito, lol) and toss him, towel and all into the carrier.  So, I try to throw a towel on him while he is on top of his cage, he flies over my head, and smack dab into the wall.   If this were Cordy, I would just swoop her up with my hands and not worry about it.  Heck, Cordy doesn't get caged for trips in the car...she is quite different than this bird that is more than twice her size.

Anyhow, back to Ralphie, on the floor now, because he flew into the wall.  I chased him down two connecting hallways in my house, I yelled to dad..."meet me with the cage in the front room".  Ralphie is on the floor, running from me, I am in chase with a towel in  hand...Ralphie gets to the front room, where his travel cage is on the floor and runs right into the cage.  Apparently at that point...me and the towel were scarier than the travel cage.  It was quite the fiasco.  Definitely an America's funniest home videos moment.

Finally at the vet office, I check in, give them his info, tell him his old owners name, the lady had committed suicide.  And the guy I purchased her from told me that this was his vet's office...which was good because it is also Cordy's same vet.  So, I tell them the info...and Ralphie has never been seen there...they even have all the deceased woman's info there and her birds info.  Apparently the only two macaws she took in had problems...one was a feather plucker, and would never get its feathers back, they other was old/ancient as the vet said.  And Ralphie is a young bird.  They even called the Exotic Bird Clinic for me, because they knew that the deceased person also took her birds there as well...no records there either.

So, we are in the waiting room, the Vet tech comes in, and trys to get Ralphie out, he flies onto the tv.  She grabs a towel, puts it on her arm and gets him down...I tell ya, this gal showed no fear, lol.   She put him on the weighing perch and weighed him.  He sat there a good while before the vet came in, all the while I am talking sweet to him, only he and I in the room at this point.  So, I put my arm near him and say "step up".   He gets onto my arm...only the second time since we brought him home last night.  I am thinking...wow, this is way cool!  Then he proceeds to head up to my shoulder...oh no I am saying to myself, I try to keep my forearm down, he reaches up, and pulls himself onto my shoulder via my shirt.  Now on the inside, I am totally freaking out... but, I am telling myself, be calm...they smell fear.  LOL

I don't look him directly in the face, because I don't want him to break my glasses, and I could see out of the corner of my eye that he was eye  balling them.  I nervously open the exam room door, and call dad over to see what I have gotten myself into.  So, I sat with him on my shoulder for about 10 minutes, maybe a little longer til the vet came in.  She removed him for me, whew, my ears are intact! 

From that point, it was a routine well bird exam.  Blood tests, fecal tests, and vaccinations.  Since I have no proof of prior medical care, I had it all taken care of...and since I have no DNA test to prove that he is a boy, I had that done as well.  The vet told me she has a feeling ralphie is a girl because he/she is so big.  I guess males are smaller.  We will see :-)

He got back into the carrier with no problems, at that point, he wants to just leave the vet's office.  I can understand,he was poked and prodded!  But it was all necessary.  Once back at home, I was able to put my arm in his cage and get him out without any aggressiveness from him at all.  He was glad to come to me.  I held him and talked to him a bit, then put him in his cage. 

I can tell this big boy...or girl...will bring us years of joy!

 

 

I am so ecstatic! I have been blessed with a new baby boy! I have a huge playtop cage for him as well. I have to work with him, but he has so much personality. Ralphie is 5 yrs old, and when he was 2, his owner committed suicide...then he went on to a nice young man, that had him for three years. Unfortunatly, his owner couldn't keep him. Thus, I am blessed with a new feather baby! He is beautiful...I fell in love at first sight. As soon as he stepped on my arm, I was taken in by his big beautiful eyes!

Tomorrow I am going to try and get him a well bird appointment and have his wings, nails and beak done. I can tell his razor sharp nails haven't been clipped in ages, my arm has the prick marks and scabs to prove it! LOL Actually, I need to clip Cordy's nails as well, but I can do her myself. Ralphie on the other hand is huge, and we aren't that aquainted yet...so I don't want to lose a finger so to speak, lol.

He has so much personality...he dances and plays around. He was on his cage, and was standing there with is claw up as to say 'hi'. So, dad started opening and closing his own hand up in the air, and Ralphie copied him over and over. He is a smart bird. I can't wait to work with him more.

Here is Ralphie in his travel cage (took picture with my cell phone). When my camera comes back from the Casio repair people, I will post better pics. I luff my new feather baby!

wEeKeNd uPdAtE

I had a really great weekend.  Friday night I went scrapbooking with some gals from high school, I had a great time.  Only downfall of scrapbooking away from home...dragging all my scrapbooking crap out to the car and back, lol.

Saturday I had a nice laid back day, then my friend Candy came over and we scrapbooked together for awhile, had a couple drinks and chatted.  It was nice.

Sunday I woke up with a cold and slept most of the day, I still havent' gone back to bed, so I am really tired right now.  My nose isnt' really all that runny anymore, but my ear hurts for some reason, Elijah's ear was hurting too, so we both took some tylenol, seems to do the trick.

So, I had a pretty fun, casual, laid back weekend...just what the doctor ordered, lol.

 

 

funny stuff

sIcK kIdS & cRoP cRaZy!

On the way to pick up the boys from school yesterday I got a call on my cell phone, Elijah had just puked in his classroom while getting ready to leave for the parent pick up circle. Ugh. When I picked him up, he was fine, not sure if he ate something bad or not. But I do know he had been complaining of a sore throat...which he is no longer complaining of.

So, today I kept both boys home, just to be on the safe side. They both are playing hard and seem perfectly fine. We did have chicken the night before he vomited, so it leaves me wondering if that is what made him sick, cause he said there was chicken in his vomit. EWWWW!



Dad and I both woke up yesterday with our stomachs hurting as well, but neither of us got sick, and today we feel fine. So, I must assume now that it might have been the chicken.

I am so excited, I get to go scrapbook tonight with some gals I went to high school with, we were on the dance team together....feels like ages ago, lol.





It will be nice to see them again, and get out of the house to scrapbook for a change. But, I will also be scrapbooking at my house tomorrow sometime with my friend candy...so, I will have a scrap filled weekend...what more can a scrapper ask for.

Get off my fat butt!

Well, well, well...it is Wednesday...and I haven't gotten much of anything done. I have felt so fatigued and worn out (maybe I am fighting off an illness?). And I have the munchies like crazy, I think it is getting close to that time for my PMS Symptoms to kick in...moodiness, chocolate cravings, lol.

Elijah has been complaining of a sore throat since yesterday, I will be monitoring that to make sure it is nothing more serious than a cold. You can never be to careful with a child with a history of Asthma.

I got the boys report cards yesterday, needless to say, I am a bit distressed/disappointed. I want them to do much better than they are doing. Ugh.

Monday the school sent home letters saying that the Clay county school system failed to meet the requirements of the "No Child Left Behind Act." Which is no surprise to me, because the kids haven't been doing well since they entered the Florida public school system in Florida.

So, today I need to research some private schools, I would love them to both go to private/Christian schools. I want them to have smaller classrooms and higher standards of learning. Anyhow, enough of that.

I will post more later. Just had to get some of my thoughts and issues down on this blog.

Oh, wanted to add, I did finally get another appointment scheduled with a weight loss doctor...I go in on the 28th, they say they accept tricare, so hopefully I can get the ball rolling on that.

Pretty Great day!

I had a pretty darn good day today. This morning I got up early, 7:30ish. Got dressed and went out with my friend Candy. We ended up at Scrap n Stuff early, so we sat and had a coffee/drink at the coffee shop next door and we got to speak to a friend of mine (maria) that was there as well.

Once the scrapbook store opened, I got to shop and talk to some ladies. Maria introduced me to a stampin up consultant that does hostess clubs...I am now joined up, been looking for one for almost 2 years. Woo hoo! More fun and scrapbooking/stamping.

Anyhow, after Scrap n Stuff, we headed over to pictures in time, then over to JoAnn's. Got some great stuff on sale.

After swinging by the scrap stores, we headed over to Candy's house for coffee and a chat. It was a nice break from the kids and hum drum everyday life.

I left Candy's near 2pm, then came home to relax for awhile. 5ish, Mary came over to Scrapbook with me, stayed for two hours...she can't sit very long, because of hip/back pain. Then shortly after Mary left, Candy came over to scrapbook with me, have some coffee and some Irish cream. We both got tired and then she left around 1am. I enjoyed my day very much.

I am thankful for this relaxing and fun day...best Saturday I have had in a long time. I luff my friends berry mooch!

Vet Tech?

Ok, I have been searching for info on Penn Foster Schools (Online School). I want to sign up for their Associates Degree Course for Veterinary Technician. The cost is minimal in my opinion for a Vet Tech. Under $1000 for classes and tests and such.

I talked to my husband and he would prefer me to get my Associates Degree and become a vet tech, even though vet tech's essentially make the same amount of money as pharmacy tech's...which was the other option I was thinking about.

So, I am needing input, do i find a college and attend it to become a vet tech, or do I go the cheap route and sign up with Penn Foster Schools for under $1000?

I just have so many questions, like how do you get the experience nessesary to become a vet tech by doing online classes? I just don't understand completely how it will all work.

Any advice would be appreciated.

**I also wanted to add that I wanted to specialize in Avian care.