An Overhaul

So, when I posted in March about the new changes our family is experiencing, I was playing with the idea of leaving my blog behind. As anyone who has ever tried to read my blog with any regularity knows, I often have multi-month breaks, so I didn't feel I needed to make any big announcements or proclamations. Well, as the months have gone by, I have missed blogging. I think, though, that I was unhappy with blogland to some extent and was also rebelling against these overly cheery and beautiful blogs. Life just ain't that pretty all the time. I want my blog to be real. So, here I am, back to the drawing board, trying to decide where I want to take this silly little online journal of mine.

So.

When I come back from my blogging breaks, I tend to do big, long update posts. I shall do that now.

Quinn is now twelve. And acting like it. Overall, though, it's okay and I enjoy having someone old enough in the house for me to run out if I need to (either to run an errand or to a birth with short notice). He started school in the 4th quarter of 5th grade last year. That puts him old for his class, but not very. His birthday is 5/19 and the cut-off for our district is 6/1, and I just couldn't see making my little, immature guy the youngest in his class. Additionally, the schools are IB magnet schools, and the curriculum is quite rigorous, so I felt he would be plenty challenged in 5th grade. Academically he did fine, though a bit of catch-up in math was needed (we did the same math curriculum at home--Singapore--but they were a full year ahead of where we were when he enrolled). Socially, he made a couple good buddies right away, but still had some struggles with his focus and distractibility issues. We had him evaluated for ADHD several years ago, and he certainly is borderline, but we've learned how to compensate at home. At school--all bets are off and he had to work hard to keep on task. His teacher, while very good I am sure, seemed to have no tolerance for distractibility, and I was overall displeased with the fit. But next year, in 6th grade, he'll have several teachers and I hope that there will be at least one that will get him.

Liam went into 2nd grade a month or so before Quinn enrolled. His 6/5 birthday officially missed the cut-off, and--again--I am glad he is older for his class. His issues of self-confidence and sensitivity certainly came into play this year, but overall I would say it is clear school is a better fit for him than homeschooling was. Which is good, because at this point I am not willing to homeschool him further. We are just too similar and I was either engaging in, or avoiding, power struggles each day, and that's no way to enjoy one another. Being right on the cusp of reading fluency before enrolling definitely was concerning, because he wasn't up to classroom standards. So, he had a bit of extra reading intervention, and was pretty much caught up by the end of the year. As long as he doesn't do the summer backslide, he'll be fine without intervention next year, so I'm trying hard to keep him reading and writing now. However, the power struggles that result from my insistence remind me why I enrolled him in school in the first place. He's having some other issues, which are proving to challenge me immensely, and I am still amazed at how far he has stretched me--in good and bad ways.

Rhys has been in private speech therapy since January, and is making really excellent progress. He, too, will start school next year. He is really a joy, and we enjoyed our few weeks of one-on-one time while the boys were in school. Full-day kindergarten certainly will change the status quo around here. I am looking forward to focusing on my work and studies, though I will always think fondly of my stay-at-home, homeschooling days.

Jason is still at Vitamin Cottage, and we marvel at how it took this long to find a job he actually enjoys, even if he is not employing his education or previous experience. It is much better to be happy, no matter where you are. He's been very helpful with our landscaping projects and hopefully we can finish the trim painting on the house next week. We've really done a lot of home improvement, if only baby steps. I am looking forward to having the basement re-finished (adding a second bathroom in the process) and some day remodeling our teeny kitchen.

And I am spinning my wheels as always. My midwifery client is due soon, and I am very excited to attend her birth as the primary midwife for the first time (I have had other clients but did not have a chance to attend their births for a couple different reasons). I had a busy doula month in May, but nothing since. I rented an office in a chiropractor's office, and between having the kids home this summer, and not having much work, sometimes chuckle at the lack of necessity for an office. But I am certain that it will be beneficial down the road. My trip to Bali is coming up soon, and hopefully I will get most of my clinicals completed so that I can focus on my midwifery certification soon.

So, that's my update. From here on out look for my posts to be more reflective, real, raw, and me.