This past week we have celebrated 2 birthdays, Dylan is now 16 and Dagyn is 6.  10 year gap and only 1 week apart.

I cannot believe that 16 years ago I would have been laboring on a hospital bed scared outta my wits not knowing for sure how any of this "baby stuff" works.  No plan, no security, no choice but to push ahead.  But that is my life.  Life provides choices, I make choices, choices bring forth consequences, and I push through them.  Thank goodness most choices have been good ones.  Like Dylan; he is a good choice.  Mind you, he has not been a very easy choice.  You see, Dylan has Asperger's Syndrome.

He looks the same as other 16 year olds at first glance, he even comes off as (at times) behaving like other young men his age.  But Dylan is different...he is special.  He is hypersensitive, hyperfocused (at times when it seems most inconvenient to others) and hyperdriven...well atleast he used to be.

So we celebrated another year of his life with him this past Friday.
Dylan's thoughts:  "today is [pretty much] the best day of my life".
If only we could all have that attitude about our birthday.  I mean, really, how many of us approach a birthday with an attitude like this:  "oh great, yet another year"  or even better (or should I say even worse), "it's just another birthday, no big deal" or "I stopped counting at 29"... what is it with this 29?  Is this some magic # that is supposed to immortalize our youth?  Come on, we all know that we all grow older.  It reminds me of that Primary song, "one year older & wiser too...happy birthday, to you!"  Shouldn't we be celebrating that fact, "wiser too"?  How wonderful for us that we have been blessed with another year here on Earth.

Ok, we digress...
And so that is how Dagyn feels.  She is the epitomy of sweetness.  She is so greatful to be blessed with another year here and to become 6 years old.  To her that means, no more carseat, a bigger bike (with no training wheels ~ she might add), a bigger girl to help Mommy & Daddy, and yes...she feels much wiser too!
So, who would have to question that after labor with her, when still loopy from the whole thing, that when asked by my most wonderful OB, C.Hunt, if we were going to have more that I would respond with a resounding, YES!!!....you would too with a child like her!

So today, I take head of action to when my birthday roles around in a couple of months, that I may celebrate life as it should be and accept my time here on Earth and turn (dare I say it)...39...too late.

Happy birthday to any & all of you whose birthday falls in August!  Know that I send you good tidings of joy as you celebrate yet another year (& become wiser too)!
 
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Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
FARM BOYS
We had a wonderful time discussing our read-a-loud book, Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder during Mom School today.  I also came across a website for an idea on doing a lapbook to further our study on this book (you can ck it out here).  It has some really good discussion questions to go along with each chapter too!

I also ran across a site of the original farm house of Almanzo Wilder that has a DVD I'm considering purchasing (see video clip above).  I think it would be fun to watch after we read the book together. 

I love it when we find some or even create some fun, hands-on activities to further our studies!


SHOOL BOYS (& girls!)
Currently we are implementing all we can of the TJEd (Thomas Jefferson Education) while we DETOX from the public school system.  We've decided to do this by recommendation from a good friend of mine who has the experience & knowledge I seek.  Here is her blog post on:  DETOX

So for now, we mostly work in the Core Phase of learning while Devyn encroaches upon the Love of Learning Phase.

So here is our layout for today:

Mom School:  Prayer, Pledge, Devotional, read Article from Friend magazine & discuss, Read-a-loud book (Farmer Boy) & discuss

Dylan:  Starts PS (public school) tomorrow, GEMM Learning, Walk with Devyn, finish reading Wizard of Oz

Devyn:  Football Practice, Walk with Dylan, Help read to younger siblings, finish reading Alice in Wonderland

Dagyn:  Read-a-loud 1 story (choice of Dr. Seuss) to mom,  1 Chapter of The Little Princess, practice jump roping, train younger brother, Dyson on how to unload dishwasher, play hide-n-go-seek with little brothers, Dyson & Dyxon

Dyson:  Unload Dishwasher (training), 1 Chapter of Moby Dick, legos, play hide-n-go-seek

Dyxon:  Potty training, 1 Chapter Peter Pan, play hide-n-go-seek

Denym:  play, practice putting away toys, eat, nurse, sleep, repeat.
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A Thomas Jefferson Education, by Oliver Van De Mille
 
Sorry, I got to posting this a couple days late...
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New Haircut ~ $15
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New 'Size 13' Shoes ~ $65
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A Smile on Dylan's face on the 1st Day of School ~ PRICELESS!!!
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He's feeling 'SO COOL!!!'
The first day of PS (public school) was on Wednesday, August 11th, 2009.