I'm Moving...

Well, sorta kinda.

About five years ago, I was very much into pixel art, building websites, and that sort of thing. I fully realized that I have a short attention span. When it comes to hobbies I tend to flow in and out of different things. I wanted a website that was a definition of me. After much thought, I came up with "Merely Me"; it was perfect!

Over two years later my website had gone through numerous changes. Then one day something happened that made me want to hide away from the world. I honestly can't recall what it was. I know I was getting over 50 garbage e-mails a day. I couldn't stand having to delete message after message, all full of vile porn and scam stuff. Since I no longer cared to do anything web related (when it came to being creative) I let my hosting contract expire. Why spend $100 for a website I didn't care about?

Then I got into playing Final Fantasy Online with my husband. I was a cute little creature, and my screen name was Shenanigans. It was a perfect description for my online personality. Like much else in my life, God removed that desire from me. (Of which I am eternally grateful!) When I started blogging again, Shenanigans just followed me. But now I feel that once again I have changed. (I'd like to think I matured, but I suppose that's debatable. lol)

Though I am most definitely not the same person I was all those years ago, there is one thing I will always be. Me. Thankfully, though I had let my hosting lapse, I always kept my domain registered. Now it is time for me to return to that.

Merely Me.

Nothing fancy, definitely imperfect, often rash, unfortunately sometimes too controlling. But it's who I am, always changing, striving to be just a little bit of a better person than I was yesterday. No matter what interest me, how I change, I'll always be me.

So, this is my last post here on Simply Shenanigans. I will continue my sharing and blogging, and rambling at MerelyMe.com Though I don't have the blog entirely personalized, it's something I'll be working on from time to time. All my current posts here have been transferred over so, please, change any links you may have. Thanks for the understanding!

Better than expected, not as well as I had hoped

That pretty much sums up my feelings about the parent teacher conference. I went in prayed up, and over analyzing all the possible angles like I always do. I shared that the reason why he was pulled out yesterday was to see the therapist, and this is what she noticed .... and gave the run down of what she had said. His teachers don't agree. They have big doubts that a lady who met with him one hour could ascertain that he's bored when he doesn't open up that easily. (Never mind the fact she's licensed and specializes in military and children.) They don't understand how he can be bored when he has work to do, and he's choosing to not do it. I tried to explain, but they just don't seem to see it the same way.

However, they did agree to try some of the things that were suggested. Extra "special" work that is a little bit harder will be given to him after he completes what is needed for that class. They will give him lined paper that is not as big as well. Even though I said several times that the therapist suggested he be tested for giftedness, and I want him tested for an IEP, we ended the meeting with "we'll try these things and see how it goes". So I don't think they're going to be testing him for an IEP. The councilor made the comment that they can't test for giftedness at this age.

So while I am thankful they are willing to try a few things to hopefully rescue him from boredom, I have a feeling I'm still going to have to fight for him to be tested. I'm just praying so hard that these extra steps that will be taken will be enough that he actually tries. If he does, they'll get to see how smart he really is. I mean even his communications teacher showed that the writing in his journal at the beginning of the year was better than his writing now. And I told her that it's because they are loosing him. He no longer feels like he needs to show them what he's capable of. If they don't reach him now, they're going to loose him to a point where he won't be reachable.

It's just that now I am living out all I had not liked about Public School when homeschooling my kids. Public school is set "this is the way we do things, the child needs to adapt". And you know, when you have twenty kids in a class, that's the way it usually has to be. But that's not the best learning environment. The best is finding where the kid is at and adapt the teaching to the child! This school is set up that first and second is grouped together, third with fourth, and fifth with sixth. This way kids are not split up entirely by age, but by academic capabilities. I love that about this school! I had just hoped that it would have carried over to being more willing to treat his needs more specifically.

And I do have to give the school credit. My oldest son struggles so very much with reading, grammar and spelling. That school is doing all it can to help him. He's on an IEP and I really do feel he's in good hands. Isn't it ironic how it's the smart kids that get left behind? The therapist told me something yesterday that will stick with me forever. She said 40% of drop-outs are gifted. 40%. It reminds me of my husband, who graduated only thanks to summer school. He ditched all the time, never really tried. Once he got out of high school and actually applied himself, he's graduated at the top of every single school the Marine Corps and Army sent him to. His mom tells stories about when he was in the second grade, everything just went south from there, all because the system failed him. I'm not willing to let that happen to my son. I'm just not.

Anyhow... on to an entirely different topic. I got an early birthday present today. I'm so spoiled! I got a new camera, and I absolutely love it! It's a Canon Power Shot, and I've been playing around with it today. It's going to take me a while to learn all of it's features. I am so anxious for Spring to hurry up and show its self. I can't wait to go on a photo safari and give my hand a try at getting some pretty pics. I told my kids that their gift to me will have to be patience while mommy follows them around taking pics. My girls however LOVE to have their pictures taken, so this might backfire on me! lol

Update

Well, today's visit with the therapist went well. I was starting to waiver in my determination to get him tested, and she just helped me see how important it is to push that issue. The way she said it is that Johnathan is bored. (I knew that.) But he had been able to handle his emotions decently until his dad left. That extra amount of emotions was more than he knows how to handle. So rather than acting out at home regarding his dad leaving, he's coping with his father's absence, but not coping with the boredom at school.

Now the big struggle is to see if I can get his teachers to see it. She suggested that I approach them, not as a parent who is emotionally invested in having my son labeled as gifted, but as a parent who is concerned about his behavioral problems, and if giving him more challenging work is what he needs, then that's what we need to pursue. She also said that kids that are gifted often are perfectionists as well. And that would explain his outbursts in PE. He doesn't know how to handle not being so good at the physical aspects, and that's something we'll have to work on.

So, I'm just going to be praying for God to give me wisdom, and a way with words that will disarm the teachers and to get the need across without insulting anyone. I want to thank those who have left helping comments and words of encouragement. They've helped me more than you know!

Stressed...

That is the single word that describes me most right now. I know as a Christian I'm not supposed to be stressed. I know that Christ is the source of all my needs, this is the only hell I'll ever have to live through. But it doesn't seem to matter right now. I am stressed, and I can not wait till the kids' bed time.

Johnathan had yet another not so great day at school. It was written in his notebook that he would not do the worksheet. He was told that he would miss recess, he didn't do it, so they sent him to the principle's office. No mention of him being disruptive, no breaking pencils, just sitting not doing his work. So I asked him why he was sent to the principles office. Was he talking back? Was he making noise? He said no, that he just didn't want to do his work.

Now, I know I am so very, very emotionally tied up in this. I totally know I am capable of not seeing this without clouded vision, but it just seems that he's being sent to the principles office for EVERYTHING! Why not just send all that work home with him for him to do? If they want going to the principles office to be the master of all punishments, shouldn't it be reserved for when he's actually doing something that deserves it? I'm just so frustrated.

I think the teacher is tired, I certainly don't blame her. I'm tired too! But I don't think this is helping. Good news is we finally have an appointment with a councilor tomorrow. Even better is that it's a Christian organization. So we'll see how it goes. I'm not sure what to expect, as I've never gone through this before. Though I doubt it, I'm hoping the six free sessions we do get will be enough. There's no possible way we could pay for him to continue. We're a family of six living off of a Sgt.'s Salary. It just isn't gonna happen.

Drastic Measures

I can't believe I did it, but I did. Whenever Caitlin gets her hair brushed, she always cries and complains over the smallest little tug. "It hurts!" she'll yell out, even before I hit the tangles! Though it's down right cold today, it has been getting warmer, so I asked if she wanted it cut. "YES!" was her enthusiastic response. Boy... here's hoping that Daddy takes the news well.

Before:


After:


All those beautiful locks are all gone. It's not the first time we've done this. A little more than a year ago we had done the same thing. Her hair grows pretty quickly.

As to other matters, I'm sorry to say Johnathan most certainly did not have a good day Friday. In his notebook one teacher explained some of his actions and then followed it with an "I don't know what to do". I so join her in that statement. I think we're all tired and feeling worn out of fighting with this boy.

Anyhow, we didn't get home from my Children's ministry meeting last night till 10. I was so hoping the kids would sleep in, but nope, bright and early, just before seven I was being woke up. So I'm a bit tired today. I'm trying so hard to not be a grump. As for our day, I've gotta clean up some things, get ready for tomorrow and I have a scrapbook layout that's coming along nicely.