Welcome Back?!?!

It has been MONTHS since I did anything more than copy/paste onto here. The reasons for this are many and I would greatly appreciate your prayers that everything settles and that we can establish our new normal. I trust in God that all of this will occur, but in His time and not mine! I found this to be very true trying to make appointments - I am ready now, but apparently He wants me to wait until October! UGH!

So besides the need for prayers, life has been great. Both Lil Robert and Hannah finished up their final year with Seton Home School - Robert finishing 1st and Hannah Kindergarten. I said our final year with Seton because we found this past year to be quite difficult - Seton met our every need for Kindergarten, but with 1st Grade, we met struggle after struggle. None of these struggles inhibited our learning and I am still exceptionally proud of my children and all that they have learned, we just had great difficulty becoming motivated. Robert requires more than book work and that is what we were given with Seton. So after much prayer, discussion, discernment, and even considering 'traditional school,' we have decided upon Catholic Heritage Curricula. We are so very very excited about this. Unfortunately they are temporarily out of a vital part of the curriculum so we will not begin until the beginning of September. We are anxiously awaiting an email stating that we can go ahead and order!

Also exciting in Home School Land, we have joined a great weekly Co-Op and the older two will attend once monthly zoo classes for 3 hours. The Co-Op will be interesting as I will be there, but Lil Robert and Hannah will be in their own groups. Co-Op will be every Thursday from 9-3! It will be a long day, but I think it will be great for all of us. Also during this time, I will teach a pre-school class from 9:30-11. Wesley will be in this one, but there are 2 other pre-school classes that Wesley will attend...without me. Having never participated in a co-op, I have no idea what to expect, but this is a great opportunity for ALL of us! Thursdays will be so much fun - It will give Robert, Hannah, and Wesley time to be around friends and socialize. It will give them time to learn from someone other than mommy. It will be good on so many levels. As for the zoo classes - this will be significantly different from co-op in that I won't be there and Robert/Hannah will be in different age groups. I know this will be good for them and it will force them to branch out, but the mommy in me is nervous! All of these new adventures start at the beginning of September.

Aside from school, the kiddos are growing like weeds. There are so many firsts taking place so frequently - for the first time in 7 1/2 years, there is absolutely no need for diapers/wipes. We can go somewhere without a diaper bag. We don't even carry a change of clothes! Sippy cups and little kid snacks are being replaced by water bottles and emergency granola bars. Bottles are a thing of the past, although Wesley still tries so often to convince us that because he is 'Mommy's Baby' that he is an actual bottle toting, sling sitting baby! Both Robert and Hannah have excelled at riding 2 wheel bikes and swimming without floaties. Wesley is doing great on our friends strider balance bike and has no fear of the water. In fact, he is so confident in his non-swimming abilities, that he will jump straight into the water without floaties and show us how fast he can sink! Talk about great times! Also, they have all developed an absolute love for the beach! Robert loves to boogie board - Hannah loves to run away from the waves - Wesley just loves it all.... as long as he has on a life jacket!

In daddy news, he accepted a job promotion a few months ago. He is now Robert Riker, Mortgage Underwriter! He is just that much closer to his goals and dreams. The kiddos and I could not be more proud of him for accepting this job.

All in all, between the kiddos and husband, life is grand. We have had an incredible summer. We have made so many memories. We have enjoyed being a family of 5. Hopefully in the next few days, I will make it to the computer....not the kindle..... and add some pictures! I have every intention of updating the blog at least weekly and once we start the 2012-2013 school year, I hope to do a post every week about what Robert and Hannah have learned/are working on.

Once again, thank you for understanding my quasi sabbatical. I am praying that things are improving, but like everything in life, we take things one day at a time.....