....so many more to go.
Got the kitchen recovered from Thanksgiving yesterday and the bathroom has been located again. School plans took a dive in the opposite direction of where we planned but we're A-OK with what we're doing now.
DS's room is on the docket for this weekend as well as getting the rest of the cleaning done and Christmas moved back in/down/and up.
This week, however, holds something much more special.
Tomorrow is Dec. 1st and we will be kicking off the Christmas season. Nothing is more precious to me than this time of year and the momories it brings. It's so beautiful and wonderful to me to be able to celebrate this time with our little family in unique and beautiful ways. This year we will be inviting a family over for Christmas Eve and Day - I hope they join us. NOTHING would make me happier - and I hope they bring their appetites.
Tomorrow we will begin the season by making some cookies - just DS and I - he needs to practice his "skills" before we move onto the "keepers" and gingerbread houses....thinking of making some ornaments too.
Blessings, Peace, and Love this season to each and every one of you....the sun has set on November and anxiously awaiting the rising of the sun on December tomorrow.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Blessings Falling Alert!!!
This week has been one blessing after the next for our family!!!
The "useless" appointment last week turned out to be far more useful than we thought. They allowed us to complete a small portion of the TBI exam in advance hoping to trigger something in the system and make it work quicker.
If only we knew what that 30 min. would do for us....
On Monday we received a call from the Poly Trauma Unit in Billings. We were extremely surprised to learn that:
DH HAS ALREADY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TBI!!!!
WHO KNEW?!?!?!?!
They were calling to set up appointments with us to create a treatment team and treatment plan!!! Wanted to know what we needed help with, etc. etc. etc. We were thrilled. They said they would call back when they had the appointments scheduled.
Lo and behold they called TODAY!!! Everything is already scheduled for Jan. 25th (1 day before DH's 5 year anniversary of getting wounded). We even found out if there are weather issues that we can go down the night before and they will cover a hotel room for us. Too cool!!!
Called to actually talk to someone at travel reimbursement because we were only able to leave a message. They had already processed it and the check should be on the way.
We're still waiting for one last blessing, but after all these, one can't HELP but feel like they are walking with GOD.
The "useless" appointment last week turned out to be far more useful than we thought. They allowed us to complete a small portion of the TBI exam in advance hoping to trigger something in the system and make it work quicker.
If only we knew what that 30 min. would do for us....
On Monday we received a call from the Poly Trauma Unit in Billings. We were extremely surprised to learn that:
DH HAS ALREADY BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH TBI!!!!
WHO KNEW?!?!?!?!
They were calling to set up appointments with us to create a treatment team and treatment plan!!! Wanted to know what we needed help with, etc. etc. etc. We were thrilled. They said they would call back when they had the appointments scheduled.
Lo and behold they called TODAY!!! Everything is already scheduled for Jan. 25th (1 day before DH's 5 year anniversary of getting wounded). We even found out if there are weather issues that we can go down the night before and they will cover a hotel room for us. Too cool!!!
Called to actually talk to someone at travel reimbursement because we were only able to leave a message. They had already processed it and the check should be on the way.
We're still waiting for one last blessing, but after all these, one can't HELP but feel like they are walking with GOD.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Home again....
We're home!!!!!
Yesterday went well, but wasn't what we thought. Yesterday was the OEF/OIF in depth screening. Which was, for the most part useless and told us yet again that he's flagged for TBI.
Yesterday went well, but wasn't what we thought. Yesterday was the OEF/OIF in depth screening. Which was, for the most part useless and told us yet again that he's flagged for TBI.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Secret
It dawned on me tonight once J was asleep and J3 was in bed that it had been a very long time since I had taken a bath.
Yes, I shower regularly, but I'm talking about a BATH. You know, like you see in the movies. Lights low, candles lit, bubbles...nice music in the background.
Okay, you can stop laughing at me now. :)
No, really - stop laughing.
I know it's a dream for most of us. Between juggling house and home, homeschooling and work, grading papers and gardening taking time for a BATH is nearly impossible.
However, today, I have reached the impossible dream. I have, amazingly enough, taken a BATH.
FOR A WHOLE HOUR.
How did I reach the impossible dream? Simple - I waited for everyone to go to bed and be asleep!!!
That said, it makes me feel more empowered to ask for a bit more time for me.....
Maybe tomorrow when they're all conscious again.....
Yes, I shower regularly, but I'm talking about a BATH. You know, like you see in the movies. Lights low, candles lit, bubbles...nice music in the background.
Okay, you can stop laughing at me now. :)
No, really - stop laughing.
I know it's a dream for most of us. Between juggling house and home, homeschooling and work, grading papers and gardening taking time for a BATH is nearly impossible.
However, today, I have reached the impossible dream. I have, amazingly enough, taken a BATH.
FOR A WHOLE HOUR.
How did I reach the impossible dream? Simple - I waited for everyone to go to bed and be asleep!!!
That said, it makes me feel more empowered to ask for a bit more time for me.....
Maybe tomorrow when they're all conscious again.....
Friday, November 13, 2009
Worksheets and Nosebleeds
While I wait for what feels like FOREVER for the doctor's office to call me back I figured I would give you an update on what's happening at the Purple Heart Academy and a little background about our family.
We are the Purple Heart Academy. We homeschool on the fly in the car, doctor's offices, waiting rooms, and occasionally actually IN our home. We hope very soon to have a family room/schoolroom in our home for us to all be together and enjoy each other's company.
We'll start from the beginning, J (husband) served in the Army for 12 years. We were married in 2002 in Illinois (my hometown - Chicago!) and greatly enjoyed our military life.
We quickly became pregnant with J3 and he came into our world in July of 2003. Having suffered a severe head injury at only 6 weeks of age, J3 continued to learn and grow while struggling with his motor skills. Shortly thereafter, J had to start training to deploy to Iraq. He was deployed in February 2004 and was wounded in action on Jan. 25, 2005.
DH suffered permanent shrapnel injuries to his right leg from mid-thigh to mid-calf. He also retained shrapnel beginning at his left shoulder going down his left arm and then moving up his right hand to halfway to the elbow.
During the process of J's recovery, it became more and more clear that J3 had a motor skill learning disability. While he was three and already beginning to read, he struggled to play like normal children and do the things "they" expected him to do.
I can't tell you how many appointments we have had with physical therapists - nor do I wish to try to go back and count!! :)
In Dec 2006, J was medically discharged from the Army from his wounds. It was a long and hard time for our family but he found a WONDERFUL job with a railroad which has brought us to far northern Montana where we currently reside.
J3 began preschool apprehensively at the age of 4 and while his teacher was kind, regular school wasn't working well for him. His disabilities (by now diagnosed as dyspraxia and dysgraphia) made it difficult for him to make friends.
Against my better judgement, I allowed him to continue to Kindergarten thinking moving from the private school to the public school closer to our home would be better. We live in the sticks so the classroom sizes are very small (only 10 kids) and I thought he may benefit from the special needs program.
Was I ever wrong. His 1 year of public school has resulted in trauma that we are still dealing with 6 months after it ended. I keep praying for it to be over and for him to recover and little by little, he is. :)
He is ridiculously bright. He finished an entire year's curriculum in 3 weeks (computer based) and retained 90% of it...so we're now doing unit studies until we can afford to purchase new curriculum which, I am excited to announce, will be taught in our new family room/schoolroom!
2 weeks ago, he would still cry at the sight of a pencil and then I got the following "letter" from him. He had been threatening to run away from home, so this was quite the surprise for Mom.
We are the Purple Heart Academy. We homeschool on the fly in the car, doctor's offices, waiting rooms, and occasionally actually IN our home. We hope very soon to have a family room/schoolroom in our home for us to all be together and enjoy each other's company.
We'll start from the beginning, J (husband) served in the Army for 12 years. We were married in 2002 in Illinois (my hometown - Chicago!) and greatly enjoyed our military life.
We quickly became pregnant with J3 and he came into our world in July of 2003. Having suffered a severe head injury at only 6 weeks of age, J3 continued to learn and grow while struggling with his motor skills. Shortly thereafter, J had to start training to deploy to Iraq. He was deployed in February 2004 and was wounded in action on Jan. 25, 2005.
DH suffered permanent shrapnel injuries to his right leg from mid-thigh to mid-calf. He also retained shrapnel beginning at his left shoulder going down his left arm and then moving up his right hand to halfway to the elbow.
During the process of J's recovery, it became more and more clear that J3 had a motor skill learning disability. While he was three and already beginning to read, he struggled to play like normal children and do the things "they" expected him to do.
I can't tell you how many appointments we have had with physical therapists - nor do I wish to try to go back and count!! :)
In Dec 2006, J was medically discharged from the Army from his wounds. It was a long and hard time for our family but he found a WONDERFUL job with a railroad which has brought us to far northern Montana where we currently reside.
J3 began preschool apprehensively at the age of 4 and while his teacher was kind, regular school wasn't working well for him. His disabilities (by now diagnosed as dyspraxia and dysgraphia) made it difficult for him to make friends.
Against my better judgement, I allowed him to continue to Kindergarten thinking moving from the private school to the public school closer to our home would be better. We live in the sticks so the classroom sizes are very small (only 10 kids) and I thought he may benefit from the special needs program.
Was I ever wrong. His 1 year of public school has resulted in trauma that we are still dealing with 6 months after it ended. I keep praying for it to be over and for him to recover and little by little, he is. :)
He is ridiculously bright. He finished an entire year's curriculum in 3 weeks (computer based) and retained 90% of it...so we're now doing unit studies until we can afford to purchase new curriculum which, I am excited to announce, will be taught in our new family room/schoolroom!
2 weeks ago, he would still cry at the sight of a pencil and then I got the following "letter" from him. He had been threatening to run away from home, so this was quite the surprise for Mom.
Translation: I think I won't go. I think I will stay.
Warmed this Mommy's heart. His fear of writing was beginning to subside.
Starting yesterday, he became a worksheet addict. However, he is having these horrid nosebleeds that are preventing worksheet work. So he's getting very frustrated with the nose.
So that's where we sit now. J getting tested for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), J3 struggling with being exceptionally bright, dyspraxic, dysgraphic, and having nosebleeds.....and Mom trying to hold it all together. :)
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to our blog! We are a homeschooling family of 1 child who is 6 years old. He is "double exceptional", gifted as well as dyspraxic and dysgraphic. We've only been homeschooling for a few months, but we know this is the best decision for our family after J3 left public school after one year. We're still "ironing it all out", but with God's help, we will triumph over this like we have over every obstacle in our way!
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