Is it gone?

After people ask me, "How are you doing?", the second question they generally ask is "How are your kids doing?" 

Overall, I feel like they are doing fine. They are two different beings who are three years apart in age so they are also dealing with this situation very differently. Little Miss is 8. She was barely 5 the first time and I'm not sure she really understands the significance of what is going on. She also lacks the anxiety her brother has so most times she really seems to be acting like life is as it was just a couple of months ago.

E on the other hand is a bit more nervous. He was 8 the first time and now 11. I don't like to go into too much detail about my kiddos because it's their business and not mine to share. But, I will say he's super insightful and tends to withhold his questions, concerns and anxiety to himself. 

Yesterday he overheard some of our discussion about the reflex returning and some questions started coming. "What does that mean? Is that a good thing?" 
I was very happy he was actually asking the questions.

Today, I went to a quick doctor's appointment and when I got back, he ran to the car to ask, "Is it all gone, Mom?" UGH, another tear trigger for me. My sensitive and scared boy asking if the beast inside my body is gone. "No E, not yet, unfortunately it doesn't happen that fast." But, I'm working on it for sure. That's the plan...kick the beast to the curb!

We are honest with our children, but do not go into too much "adult" detail. Goodness, it's hard for us to process, never mind small children. We have also made sure they have other people they can talk to about this "yuck" and both have been very receptive and done very well with that resource. 

This is a complicated journey for all of us and each of us deals with it differently. Being a parent is tough work. Being a parent with the Big C just adds another layer to the already challenging job.  I wrote my feelings about my kiddos 3 years ago when the intruder entered unannounced. You can read it here.

Truthfully, I would say that my children having to deal with this is by far the thing that is the most stressful for me. It just seems so unfair for them. But, again, in an attempt to find a silver lining, I imagine that this journey will help build character and resilience in my children. They will be stronger, just like the rest of us, for it. I have faith that they really will be just fine!

"Persistence and resilience only come from having been given the chance to work though difficult problems."

Gever Tulley

Attention abundance...

I've been taking a class for my teacher recertification.  The title of the class is ADHD:  Focusing, Learning, Teaching.  I'm familiar with the diagnosis of ADHD as both an educator and a parent.  I don't usually talk too much about it on this platform, but I thought I would today.  I had to write 16 pages of content for my coursework, so I figured I might as well share some thoughts here.  I guess you could consider this impulsive and random...a bit like ADHD itself.  

It does seem like everywhere you turn, someone has some sort of medical acronym attached to his/her name, ADHD being among the most popular. In my personal experience, I have seen many children diagnosed with ADHD, but I do not believe them to be over-diagnosed instances.  This being said, why does it seem that more children are being diagnosed with ADHD?

Is this increase in diagnosed instances of ADHD because schools that once lacked identification resources are now officially diagnosing more children?  I think perhaps there is a combination of things going on.  Those students once thought to be behavior problems and underachievers were probably struggling due to ADHD and/or some other disability.  They were never officially diagnosed and therefore they struggled to be academically and socially successful in an environment that expected them to conform to a very narrow set of standards.  In these such cases, there were actually many children, who are now adults, who did exhibit the characteristics of ADHD, but were never officially given that title.  In this year, 2014, there are now also other factors to consider such as an increase in outside distractions, such as social media and video games.  Video games can provide children with ADHD a sufficient amount of stimulation to be engaged for lengths of time, but the effects of these games can often result in unpleasant situations, such as addictions and increased hyperactivity.  These types of stimuli did not always have such a presence in one's childhood, so the effects were not seen.  Finally, there seem to be increased demands at a younger age, including formalized testing, such as MCAS.  This has resulted in children having to conform to standards at an earlier age, making it more evident that not all children are capable of such rigid learning and evaluation.  When the bar is set higher, it becomes more evident where the struggles exist. 

I am not certain that there is necessarily an increase in the number of students with ADHD.  Perhaps the changes that exist with not only educating our youth, but also raising them, make us more aware of the struggles of those diagnosed with ADHD.  Twenty-five years ago, the hyperactive child was told to go play outside.  Now he can be found stimulating his brain while sitting on the couch playing video games.  So, is there really an increase in the number or a difference in today’s world that just makes the instances more evident?

 Is it important that the child with ADHD be labeled?  It is only important so that we, as teachers and parents, can best help our children to become the best versions of themselves.  The label is given not so the child with ADHD can be provided with an excuse for not completing an assignment or making loud noises in class.  Instead, it helps us to understand and have a clearer picture of how the child can be successful.   Although there are specific criteria that we are expected to teach to all our students, each child should be viewed as an individual, each capable of learning in his/her own way at his/her own pace.    They should be given the opportunity to learn and show their understanding in ways that best suit their own learning style.  Nowhere in life are we expected to “fit into such a small box”, so we cannot expect developing young children to be able to do so either.

 As part of my coursework, I was required to read this article.  Well worth the few minutes it will take you to read it.

"I prefer to distinguish ADHD as attention abundance disorder. Everything is just so interesting . . . remarkably at the same time.” — Frank Coppola

First trip...

We took our first trip to the zoo this season, and, we got to enjoy it with some of the cousins.   The baby goats were the highlight, oh so cute!

Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo.

Paul Simon

My apologies...

....for a lack of blogging, but we're on a little (well, sort of big) family vacation. 

Here is a glimpse of our day today.

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.

Walt Disney

Movie Night...

We had our 2nd annual Outdoor Movie Night at the end of August.  Yes, I'm just getting around to posting some pictures now...sorry.  This year we watched the Lorax.  Of course I never remember to take pictures of all the kids prior to it getting dark, so here are some pictures from the preparation.  

 The bags had a Lorax notebook, mustache, pencils and stickers.  I found the free downloadable quote online.  The notebooks and pencils were from Target, the stickers from Michael's and the mustache from etsy, found here.

 I glued the mustaches to paper straws, also found on etsy.

We made truffula trees using "feather" boas and styrofoam balls.  I found the idea here.

We serve hot dogs, popcorn and lemonade and then, when it gets dark, we start the movie on a screen that Vic put together.  

It's a fun night to celebrate the end of summer.  I'm looking forward to next year's movie night already.  

“It's not about what it is, it's about what it can become.” ― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Embracing the Little Boy...

E turned 8 in February and the other day I thought to myself..."Yikes, he is halfway to 16."  

So often I watch him and see that he is getting older and becoming more interested in "big boy" things...and then, I see that he still really is most comfortable being a little boy,....

 ....because that's what he is.  He is ONLY 8, in 2nd grade, likes to play dress-up with his sister (shhhh...don't tell him I told you), still loves his stuffed animals and loves to cuddle with his Momma.  

I'm embracing the camera today with Emily at The Anderson Crew.  Go check out how others are Embracing the Camera too.

“One's age should be tranquil, as childhood should be playful. Hard work at either extremity of life seems out of place."

-Thomas Arnold

Eggs...

Our yearly tradition of dying Easter Eggs took place this past Monday.  For any project that takes place in our house, it's important to prepare myself for a mess...my kids are award winning mess makers...

By the end of the activity, the yellow dye had been spilled all over the floor and E.

 We use whisks to dye our eggs...I can't remember where I first saw this ingenious idea, but it works out great!  E really became the Master Egg Dyer this year thanks to the wonder of the whisk.

 Generally E is not excited about doing anything remotely creative, but he LOVES to dye Easter Eggs...

 We dyed almost 3 dozen eggs and he could have dyed 3 dozen more.

 I misjudged the cropping on this self-timer picture, but I think it's still a winner (even with the wonky coloring too)

The result of our afternoon of egg dying...I think they get better and better every year.  Here is the link to last year's eggs.

"Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg until it is broken." 

M. F. K. Fisher

Time to Embrace...

Yesterday was the day, the day for the planned buzz cut as I prepare for clumps of my hair to begin falling out.  As the day got closer, I decided against the full head buzz, but rather a haircut I could still "blend in" with as I wait for the cleansing of my hairline. I have had no signs of it happening yet, so why be too much of a planner?  However, in celebration of this event (that just ended up being a super short haircut), we had ourselves a little party. 


My goddaughter, Miss E has been growing her hair out for quite some time.  She took this opportunity to have 12 inches cut and donate it to Locks of Love.  She is awesome!

And here's E getting his Mohawk...it took some time (and patience) to get the exact look he was aiming for, but he is happy with it in the end..PHEW!

Littlest Nephew wanted a Mohawk like E.  I'm pretty sure he has a little strut in his walk now after taking a look at his new do.

B went for the number 1 Buzz, go big or go home, Cut.  He wears it well.

Not feeling quite as bold, oldest nephew went for the Number 2.

Little Miss originally wanted a Tinkerbell haircut, but settled for a trim and pigtails.

And finally, it was time for my cut, the shortest yet...buzzed in the back and cut super short on the top.  It's definitely low maintenance for sure. 

photos of me taken by Miss E

Thank you to my dear friend Lauren who welcomed me and my entourage into her home and cut hair for 3 hours...you ROCK! 

Lauren's clients for the afternoon, excluding myself and Little Miss.  I'm so happy they could share haircut day with me, and I must say, they are all looking fabulous!

Most of the gang and me.

photo taken by E

“What I do you cannot do; but what you do, I cannot do. The needs are great, and none of us, including me, ever do great things. But we can all do small things, with great love, and together we can do something wonderful.”

-Mother Teresa of Calcutta


Today I'm embracing the new haircuts, including my own, and the simple fact that I still have the hair to embrace :)
It's Thursday and I'm joining Emily at the Anderson Crew to Embrace the Camera.  Check out how others are Embracing the Camera in their everyday lives.

Peace, Love, & Joy

Every year I have made our Christmas Cards. Sometimes it's a lot of work, but it's been fun. This year, it was time to let go and explore the option of having them printed somewhere. Being back to work full-time has been bit overwhelming and something had to give. Honestly, it felt so GOOD! I took some photos of the kids, found a card template and ordered them. Now, I wait for them to come in. I am so excited to see them. I used Pinhole Press and used the Peace, Love, and Joy Template; the words seemed to match perfectly for the photos and the font color went with the colors in the photos...too perfect! I even found a discount code online to save $25.00.

Here are the photos I used. (E's t-shirt is a bit on the small side...)

This is actually the only posed picture. All the others (believe it or not) were candids.

Peace,

Love,

& Joy

May Peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through! ~Author Unknown

I'm Grateful...

...for our beautiful new (safe) front walk; the old one was treacherous.

...for my spunky, happy, beautiful daughter,

...and my spirited, happy, and handsome son.

It's November, the month that reminds us to be thankful. What are you grateful for?

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
Oprah Winfrey

Dance Confidence

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”

-William Purkey

"With confidence, you can reach truly amazing heights."

Marianne Williamson

Today's 9-11

A friend posted this on facebook today: "A Macy's ad in todays New York Times says it all....'hug your children, spend the day with family, think of an old friend, wave to your neighbor, go for a long walk, light a candle, share your thoughts, take a moment for yourself, be there for someone else, watch the sunset, look forward to sunrise'.

I spent the day at the zoo,

taking photos of my kids,

and having a picnic.

On the way to my parents' house for dinner, I traveled over a bridge dedicated to two local victims of the attack.

I thought about what happened 10 years ago and the precious lives that were lost that day...the day that is forever etched in so many minds.

How could anyone ever, ever forget what that day was like?

Today, though, I made happy memories and am even more grateful for the blessings I have been given. Today's 9-11 was a gift!

"Crazy" Summertime

Happy, Crazy, Summertime Fun.

Can it get any lovelier?

"Be intent upon the perfection of the present day."
-- William Law

PS...and just because I'm on the topic of crazy...

I'm linking up with Heather today for Life Made Lovely Mondays.