Monday, October 31, 2005

Shelby TINKLED in the potty!

Shelby had taken her clothe and her barely wet diaper off (after I got off the phone with Sandi) so I decided to go ahead and take her to the potty to sit.

Shelby started out on the big potty and Kurt on the little one. Neither of them had done anything. So I turned on the water in hopes of getting things flowing, but Kurt just decided he wanted to wash his hands. Shelby took the opportunity to sit on the little potty and all of a sudden she teeteed!

They've been sitting on the potty off and on for several weeks, but had not voided or soiled as of yet. Today was Shelby's very first time to actually void in the potty. She was so proud!

Sunday, October 23, 2005

LSU WON! 20-17

Jab called me from work about 2pm and asked if I felt comfortable enough for Cynthia to watch the twins from 6-9pm this evening. His boss invited him and his wife(me) to go to their house to watch the LSU game. Jab and I have not had a night out together without kids since we brought the twins home on March 17, 2003.

Jab and I have also been cleaning up our junk room, formally known as our master bedroom. It looked like a room from that TLC show CLEAN SWEEP. But now only half of it looks that way. Jab is off tomorrow and Monday, so we are hoping to get it completely finished before we take Al to his football game Monday night.

Monday, October 17, 2005

Future Remodel

Waaaay into the future. This is our 5 year plan. The previous post shows the current layout (minus where I'd like to add a foyer locker area) of our house. This one shows how I'd like to remodel our home. Is there anything that any of my friends would do different?

This is a general layout of our property. With the exception of the little inkspots near the road at the top of the picture, all of the black spots are trees. After I put a fence up, I'd change my driveway so that the one on the right would circle around the 2 trees and go back out the same way you come in.

Saturday, October 15, 2005

HousePlan


I would add the foyer locker space in the green rectangle located between BR3 & dining room. It is a foyer area, but it's not a enclosed foyer.

Thursday, October 13, 2005

EWW, EWW, I LIKE IT

Thanks to Peggy, I have found 2 dream design options for my foyer locker space. My next step is to show my Mom the designs so I can get her opinion. We both like to do projects like these.

This design is closest to what I liked about the furniture locker space that I found in my previous post. But I really think I like the next one better.

I just absolutely love the way this space is layed out. The only thing that I would do different is change the dresser located closest to you in the picture to a desk area for doing homework.

Monday, October 10, 2005

MY Christmas Wish List


I would love to have either something very similar to this style of Entryway locker or have someone build something similar for 8 people. (NO, I'm not expecting, but we do have animals that need a space, too). Right now when any of us come in we put everything on top of the deep freeze. So we end up with baby bags, school backpacks, etc., loaded up on top of the deep freeze.

I love bugs!

But only when you add bunny behind it!

Aug 05 Vacation Pics






Thursday, October 06, 2005

Some new pictures

Mary-Jo as a future bride. Like 20 years into the future!!!


This picture was taken at my Grandma's 90th birthday bash. Ninety percent of the time, you will find Kurt playing with trucks or cars.

Jaba with the kids and the cats. Duet is the black and white and Solo is the other.


Jaba took Al and Mary-Jo fishing early one morning at one of the many nearby lakes back in late July. This is Mary-Jo's fish.

Alex caught a fish, too. They got back around noon, but thankfully they didn't bring any fish home. They were a little too small to cook.

Football and Privates

Alex got hit in the privates Tuesday night at football practice. He got up and hobbled to the coach and told him, "He hit my private! He hit my private!" Well, as you know, we've been having a problem with soiling & wetting, so when I saw him holding himself, I just assumed he needed to go potty. I told him, "Come on, let's run!" But the coach told me, runnings probably not the best idea.

I took him to the bathroom so we could do an inspection. I didn't see anything wrong, but since we were in the bathroom I told him, "Let's see if it works, why don't you go ahead and try to tinkle in the potty." It worked fine.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Homeschooling Alex

Today has been a real rollercoaster of emotions for me again, but it has also been a day where God has answered prayer and revealed answers and opened a path as well as provided a clear choice.

As I waited in the schoolboard office waiting area to meet with the Assistant Superintendent, I prayed and asked that God would soften all of our hearts (Jab's, mine & school officials) and I asked for God to reveal His plan how on how He wanted us to help Alex.

We met with the Assistant Superintendent of Schools and the Elementary Director of Education. Both seemed to want to help Alex, but they still wanted the release of specific medical diagnosis. After an hour of debate and discussion, they did concede to a generic diagnosis along with specific instructions of how to assist Alex.

However, I did not come away from the meeting as if this was the course of action that God wanted us to take. While we were waiting outside for my SIL to come pick us up (our suburban broke down on our way into town ), Jaba and I started discussing what questioning what would be best for Alex. I think it was Jaba that mentioned short-term homeschooling. We discussed how even with the twins at home, it could give Alex time for much one-on-one supervised care, not only in the medical aspect of it, but also give his school mates time to release associations of soiling with Alex. He has had to endure much teasing AND has not been able to make any close friendships with any of the kids in his class.

When Jaba mentioned homeschooling, a sense of peace-not a full sense, but a small part of relieving, entered my heart. It was not until later at the doctor's office, that God fully revealed His plan. I went into see Al's pediatrician to get the letter that was agreed upon. However, after about a short 10 minute discussion with the Pedi about the specifics of what the school board needed in a letter, then discussing Alex's hardship with his peers, he asked me what kind of education I had. I told him some college, then he asked me if I felt that I could adequately homeschool Alex. (The doctor brought it up, I didn't.) At that moment, I knew that God was revealing that this was the course of action that we needed to take. I was fully at peace.

The note that the Pedi wrote reads as follows:
[Alex] has a severe medical problem with his intestines. He cannot function in a school room setting, but would benefit from home schooling, at least in the immediate future.


Now, I know that homeschooling is not something that can just be done on a whim. It is also not a cheap endeavor, but Mama had already opened that door yesterday. I know that homeschooling will be challenging. But I also know that God has given me wonderful friends who will be able to guide me and encourage me if or when I get discouraged or frustrated.

God is Good.

Thank you Father, for this whole process of revealing to us your plan for Jab and I to parent Alex more fully. You keep teaching me that when I say "I can't" or that "I don't feel that I can do an adequate job" that your will is greater and that through You, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Father, continue to direct me in your path, keep throwing up those big direction signs so that I can follow you more fully. I ask all of this in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.