Days 5 and 6 have fallen on days that we just run. I often work late on Mondays and Tuesdays just trying to keep up with what needs to get done for the week. This week was no exception. I am usually running out the door from work to make it in time to pick up K from either dance or basketball. Today, it was a basketball pick up to a piano drop off. We were running slower than usual because she hadn't had anything to eat so we stopped at home long enough to nuke a leftover piece of pizza for 30 seconds. Studying spelling on the drive to try and prepare for the test that comes tomorrow. All the while, Rich is doing the same work and kid shuttle balance back and forth from basketball and baseball and all the things with Lil b. E was taking photos at a high school basketball game for the yearbook spread she is working on while Big B was getting his school work done and packing. The photo above is the only photo I took today. Dad asked if I would come pick up Patsy and drop off Big B because he was running behind in his preparations to leave in the morning. He wanted me to bring the grandkids to see the new lights they had put up. As I drove around the corner, my mood was a common one for moms. Tired, working through the next thing in an effort to just get to that moment where I can climb into bed and call it a day. I wasn't pausing to take in the moments. K was asking great questions, as she does. She has a great mind that is constantly analyzing and evaluating situations in new and unique ways. I was answering the questions at face value and moving to the next. But coming around that corner, there was a glow coming from the house and as we got closer, we saw this beautiful gold (K's favorite color) nativity scene. It's size was immense. The star up so high in the tree really grabbed the eye. It was take your breath away beautiful and shocking. In that moment, I slowed down. I stood and watched K walk all around it, amazed at its beauty. She asked for a photo or I may not have had any photo. The photo doesn't really do it justice. A good reminder to me that God fetched me back in 2020, likely knowing how badly I was going to need Him over the next several years. Something that I am grateful for every day because I am keenly aware that I would not have had the patience, peace, and capacity that I needed to survive. Moreover, there wouldn't have been as much obvious joy lighting up the dark spaces. Just like this display was lighting up the night tonight. I hope this display holds similar meaning, comfort, peace, capacity and mostly joy for my Mom and Dad as they walk through this valley. Regardless, the display is breathtaking and festive.
This was my only picture from day 5. It is a good picture because it allows for a big update from this year. Big B is now doing an online curriculum with Mom as his teacher and accountability coach. It wasn't an easy decision but it became really our only decision. I can't remember if I included the years of work up we did with B that was initially led by his awesome OT. She was our neighbor first but educated us on ways to help B develop life skills through OT. She helped us learn so much about B and how much potential he has that we didn't fully know or see. Through that testing we found that he was gifted but had significant challenges getting in his way. We have tried every avenue in public school but the answer is always some version of lowering expectations and passing him along. He wasn't building the skills needed and was falling behind as a result. The decision was purely academic and led by his own desire to attend college - however, the fact that he isn't dealing with daily unkindness from other students is an added bonus. Do I have time to homeschool one of my kiddos? Of course not. But I know he is capable if his feet get held to the fire and I can do anything for a finite period of time. His work is elevating quickly, because it gets sent back if he doesn't do his best work. Most importantly, he is so stinkin' happy. I knew he was a different kid during the school year versus summer break - but the stark contrast from public school to online school was shocking. You can see that joy in this photo. The added bonus to this is that he can travel with my mom and dad. This allows him some flexibility and changes in scenery for doing his school work and provides my parents with a helper and muscle. He has worked hard the last couple weeks so he can take a couple days off this week. It is a new world for him. He loves it. It isn't all sunshine and roses - we wouldn't have done this if there weren't bad habits to be tackled and accountability doesn't feel good. It is often so essential for growth and that is wildly true here. Plus, my world history, english and algebra knowledge is really expanding. I do want to give a shout out to Mrs. Holthaus. She was the teacher that taught me how to lovingly hold B accountable even when it was really hard and he wanted to give up. She knew kind accountability and she set up skills that we are leaning on as we work through this adventure. He had a lot of good teachers for whom we are thankful. But Mrs. Holthaus knew B's potential and she knew how to help him reach it.
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