Kaden's latest improvements

Today we had another IEP meeting for Kaden at his school. These meetings consist of his teacher, special ed teacher, speech therapist, school social worker, school psychologist and us. This is our 4th one since we moved here and we still have one more before the end of the school year in about another 30 days. This one was a follow up on how he's doing so far. And the timing couldn't have been any better.


A few weeks back they did the PALS testing for the 2nd quarter (we'd moved right as the 1st quarter testing took place, so this was our first real testing with Kaden) and we got to hear Kaden's test scores for part of the meeting. All of his scores were where they would expect him to be at for the 3rd quarter testing We were in complete shock to hear just how high he scored. The one downside, which came as no suprise, is his speech is still an issue. He is still struggling a bit with the higher level speech, but at the same time he is improving.

He doesn't do so great in large group settings, tends to withdraw and be super quiet, but one on one or in small groups he just excells. Due to the MASSIVE (I came home with 4 different reports of testing) amounts of testing that he's gone through we have a direct plan of action for him. He's going to continue to get speech therapy in school and all of his testing will be one on one (like it has been up to this point) because he does much better at testing with zero distractions. These are all wonderful things to hear because it just means more progression with him. I'm just in complete shock over the scores he's gotten with the standardized tests he took. It's just like my Grandpa (Kaden's great grandpa) says, "You can tell he's a smart kid, just look at those gears in his head turn."

Life's changes

A few months back I noticed something about my self and those I am around that required me to make a change.  I noticed a lot of negativity, anger and just missery in my life and how it was affecting me as well as the family.  So I made the choice that has certianly changed me in ways I couldn't have imagined.  I chose to find possitives in every part of life.  Sure I get bad days and days where I just want to pull my hair out, but I can still find something that was good about those days and choose to focus on that.  At first the choice was a challenge but then it got easier and better with time.  Just reciently I've seen the dramatic changes that have happened since making that choice.  The blessings that have come into our lives are amazing, the kids are much happier, my marriage is better than ever before, and I'm a happier person. 

Just in the last few weeks blessings have come to Jay with his job, he's a work center supervisor in his division and he got a NAM.  Jay had been wanting to be a work center supervisor for a while and it just never happened.  He got on the IKE and bam it happens.  This is a position of leadership which will be great for his career.  The NAM, was something we had given up on.  Back when he was on the Nimitz he'd been promised so many things in the last year we were attached to the ship that ended up all being broken.  So when this last and final promise of a NAM was made we hoped he'd get it, but also knew it could just be another broken promise.  Well this last week he was given the NAM (Navy Accomidation Medal).  This is a big deal, it isn't easy to get one of these medals, and it looks great for his career.  He had a ceremony for it and all (pictures to come once he gets them).

So many changes have been happening since that choice to be happy and find the good in every aspect of life.  Too often any more there is a huge focus on the negative and quite honestly I got sick of it.  I'm making the choice to be happy.  I deffinantly have my challenges in life, heck I'm teaching in Primary now, but there is so much good out there.  I've got too many blessings and too much good going on to not see how the choice to find the good in life has impacted me.  I know I've lost friends over this choice, and you know what I'm okay with that. I am making the choice to be happy and be okay with who I am. 

Celebrating 7 years

This past Monday we celebrated our 7th anniversarry.  I can't believe we've been married for 7 years.  It has been an amazing journey full of ups and downs and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.  We didn't do too much, our sitter canceled due to their kids being sick so no date night, but it was still a nice day.

Jay brought home 3 dozen roses for me this year.  I love how they look and smell.

The other big news in our house came today.  Jay came home from work announcing he'd just been made a work center supervisor!  This is a big deal.  He's only been on the ship for 2 weeks and really wanted to do this, but wasn't sure if it would happen.  It did and it is a huge responsibility for him.  He's only over a small part of his division, but it still is a position of leadership and can help him go far in his career.

New Year, New goals

Wow, I can't believe the year 2010 has ended and 2011 has begun.  The last year just went by so fast for us.  It was one wild ride for us, that's for sure.  Survived a 8 month deployment, more time with Jay being out to sea after the ship got back, re-enlisting, getting new orders, having them taken away, and then getting them once more, getting out of debt, moving from San Diego to Norfolk, Jay going off to school and then coming home.  It has truly been an amazing year.  A year that I discovered my voice and ability to stand up for what's right, not matter what the consequences would be.  A year that has given me so many amazing experiences and challenges.

And now here at the start of a new year I can't wait to see what happens.  This year I've made goals that for me, and our family are what is best.  I'll still be standing up for what I believe is right, still defending the consitution of this wonderful country, still speaking the truth (even when it may not be easy), and doing all that I can to teach my kids.  I can't wait for Sunday to begin teaching my new class in primary and to see what comes from it.  This year, Annabelle will be in primary instead of nursery and that will make things different.  It will be quite the adventure this year, I can feel it.

Christmas Snow

Chirstmas night it started to snow and just kept snowing all night long.  We woke up to it still coming down strong.  It was a good snow storm by Jay and my standards, but to those in Norfolk, it was considered a bilzzard.  So for fun the kids and Jay went out and played in it and they all had a blast.  It was also the first time ever that we've had church canceled due to snow.

This is right out our front door.  The wind made visibility really low, but everything was just beautiful.

Miya just loved the snow.  She was going crazy out in it and it was quite deep.  We got about 1ft of snow for the kids to play in.

Jay and the kids were throwing snowballs at each other while Miya went nuts.  It was something the kids haven't gotten to experience much since we lived in San Diego for the last 3 years, but boy was the winter wonderland sight something that just felt right. 

Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year.  Christmas eve kicked off the fun with a trip up to Waynesboro to the anual Teerlink Family Christmas party.  This was a first for the kids and I, and only the second time for Jay to be with Grandma and Grandpa T. and everyone else at Christmas time.  Sadly this is also the last year they are doing the big party.  The whole family comes to Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas eve dinner and then they do a Nativity play before opening some simple gifts.  It was a great time, and we all had a lot of fun.

The kids and Jay all had parts in the play, Jay was one of the 3 wise men and the kids were lambs.

Annabelle had her part down great! 

The Grandkids and Great Grandkids all in costume from the play.

We came home Christmas eve and the kids got their jammies before watching "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas" (cartoon version).  They were just so excited for Christmas.

Looks like Santa came to our house.  My kids are the 3rd generation on my side to have the "Santa" wrapping paper (white paper). 

Chirstmas Day was wonderful.  My head cold, that I thought was gone, hit me again and while I wasn't feeling the best it was still a wonderful day.  Santa brought the kids the lightsabers and boy do they just love those.

Even Miya got spoiled for Christmas

Poor dog was worn out by noon.  She just had too much excitement for the day.

The best part of Christmas was it snowed that night.  We had a white Christmas, which for us is exactly how Christmas should be.

Christmas Time

I love the magic of Christmas time.  I just love this whole time of year and normally have my decorations up by Thanksgiving, blame my Grandpa for this one he's worse than I am with Christmas, but because we knew Jay would be coming home just prior to Christmas we decided to wait for him to come home before decorating.  That finally happened this last weekend.

 95% of the ornaments on our tree came from wedding decorations from our wedding almost 7 years ago.

 Even Miya got decorated with a jingle bell collar

 This last weekend we had our Ward Christmas party and the kids had so much fun.

 They even got to meet Santa!

My parents package arrived today and in it were more ornaments for our tree.  We put up about 1/2 of them and they look great!