Therapuetic Post

There has been much on my mind of late. That seems to be the way of it, the last few years. Blogging is quite therapeutic in a way that I never really thought possible, so here goes.
Mikayla, our oldest graduates in three weeks. We can hardly believe we are at this point. She will graduate at 16, the youngest in her class at Dublin Christian Academy( although, not the only 16 year old to ever graduate from there). She won't turn 17 until July 12. Sometimes, I  can't help but see her like this....

 When in reality, she is like this...

 She amazes us everyday with her goals and her accomplishments, and we are so proud of her. We have mixed emotions about her graduating. Mostly, we are happy to be closing this chapter that we have called 'Boarding School', but we are a little anxious about the future with college looming, and sad/happy that she is so grown up. We have made the decision to have her stay home this year( barring a miracle, which HAS been known to happen around here) to work and save for college. She will be working on taking some CLEP exams and maybe a course of two. (Still working all that out) It will save us a bundle once she actually gets to the college campus to 'begin' her college career. She will also be adding as much music as she can to further prepare her to enter the college music world. Plus, there is still much that this sort of grown up kid of ours still needs to learn. Like how to work at an actual job and manage money, realizing that it really doesn't grow on trees, and what working and saving really takes. This is something that we feel boarding school has taken away from us as her parents. At home, we would have had her get a job this year and pay for her own 'stuff'. We have prayed and prayed for wisdom literally all year about this decision ,and haven't made it lightly. It has been a very hard decision to make, and it will not go over well with her. A lead balloon comes to mind... We have still done all the scholarship applications and FAFSA in order to see what we're up against. It MIGHT be doable, but we have other kiddos at home who also need a good education...and food...and shoes...and pants that cover the ever growing ankles...why DO teenage boy's ankles grow so fast? But, I digress. All of those scholarships and grants will be there next year. Also, we have saved for a long time to be able to put braces on this kid. She needs some teeth pulled to prepare for those, and we have the chance to put the more expensive, quicker kind on her because of our wonderful dentist friend. God is so good to us to give us this gift. BUT, she has to be seen by him every six weeks or so. That is not possible if she is in SC. Soooo...somehow we have to tell her all of this, not that it will come as a huge surprise to her, just that we know she has been holding out hope.
Our next kid, who Mom can't help but see like this...(Aww, he was the cutest baby boy in the world!)

He is, in reality, like this...

 Or even this, more often than not.

This guy has hit High School now, too. He is finishing his Freshman year as I type. There is a big push at our house to finish Algebra 1. That has not been pretty this year. I spent the first half of the year trying to teach him myself. Oh, the frustration!!! Both on his part and on my part. We finally broke down and threw my curriculum out the window and bought him an online class that has been working well for him. He has continued in band at the High School and had the amazing opportunity to join the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra. His concerts have been astounding. What a blessing it has been! At the end of this month, he will go to Quebec City with this group on a tour. Seriously, I NEVER could have imagined the opportunities that God has opened up for these two kids this year! Next year will bring big changes for him, as well. He is looking at joining the Building Trades class at Region 3, our local technical school, while still continuing to do his AP courses at home, along with orchestra. I have researched and found another way of getting those AP courses that I feel are important for him to have, but in an easier way than what I have previously used. Same content, just streamlined a bit. The Region 3 class with take all day, so I had to do something else that made it so he wouldn't have to sit for hours in front of lectures on DVD. I am a bit anxious about his AP Biology course, but feel college bound kids need this. Nathanael, at 14/15, has begun to figure out that working and receiving a wage is a good thing. He has been walking neighborhood dogs this year, something that, amazingly, people will pay quite nicely for. He has also been working in wood piles and doing yard work for folks. He had also been a huge help helping in Gospel Club this year. He has helped write and preform with the puppets, helped with game time, crafts, and just general crowd control. Also, he plays trumpet, organ, or piano for church services depending on where he is needed.  He is hoping for a job at the Ford garage this summer, vacuuming, cleaning, and detailing cars. He is now taller than his Dad, and I can't keep him in pants that fit. ;)
Last, but certainly not least, our youngest continues on her merry, no worries way. I often see her like this...or even just before this in the NICU.

 She has come a long way this year in her academics. She struggles to learn things like math and reading. It's been a challenge to get her to read independently. I'm still not sure we have accomplished this very well. It still seems like hard work for her. She has recently discovered audio books, and although I don't want this to become a crutch for her, I'm very happy to see her curled up with a book, even if she is just following along with a tape. She IS on grade level with her math now, although still not confident at all in that subject. She loves History, Science, and English and does quite well in those subjects. Reading is about on a fourth grade level. I have to remember how far she has come. Because, a fourth grade level, though not where I want her to be, is still a fourth grade level. She has also made strides socially, and that is a work in progress too. She recently had a sleepover party that she did so well with. Sometimes, I worry a lot about her, but most of the time, she overcomes whatever the problem is (just a bit later than her peers), and I breathe a sigh of relief. I guess some kids are just late bloomers, right? She had such a difficult start in life, too. BUT, She will be in the sixth grade next year with some more remedial work in her spelling. We will also be working on hard on that independent reading. So, here is our Lanie Lou at twelve...

And some pics of her recent birthday party.