Surviving

Ok, so maybe school is not such a bad thing for my big boy. I still miss him, though. It drives me nuts to not have him home all the time. He is loving it, and so far he is doing well. He will have his first spelling test tomorrow, but I'm not sure he will do well on it. He can read the words, but he can't spell them without looking. We're going to try to study one more time in morning before school.

My husband and I are switching surgeons and hospitals for the toddler. There were many reason behind our decision to change, and we actually managed to come to that decisions without a fight between us (this was a huge accomplishment!). We will not be meeting the new surgeon until the end of Sept. This will probably also mean a change of orthodontist and pedontist as well.

I met with the speech therapist who works with out local school district. I had thought that she was going to do a speech evaluation on the two year old, but she was just gathering information on him. A week before his third birthday, she will evaluate his speech. If she feels he has the need for it, she will begin giving him speech therapy twice a week after he turns three.

I've decided that I'm not taking college courses this fall, and the cool thing about it is that I am feeling guilt free! I'm free of guilt for this because God loves me anyway (right, Grace?). I failed to submit my Pell Grant application in time to receive it for this semester. This ended up being the main deciding factor. I have confessed my sin of procrastination and am attempting to change that bad habit. I look forward to returning to college in January (and if I don't you all have my permission to knock me upside the head with a two-by-four!).

Today I placed an application with CASA to become a volunteer with their organization. I'm supposed to talk with the trainer tomorrow. If I am accepted as a court appointed advocate for children in foster care, I will begin training on this Saturday. I'm hoping that this endeavor will give me something constructive to do, combat my boredom, and increase my knowledge, wisdom, and facilitate a growth in faith for me.

I also hope that volunteering will help me to develop a life outside of my marriage. I've got to find a way to make my life happy regardless of how little my hubby wants to share his life with me. I can't make him want to spend time with me. I can't make him care more about improving our marriage then playing his games.

I have a referral for a councilor. I need to make a call to her soon. I have had her number for about a week. I've spoken with others and they do not have openings. I've been becoming more comfortable with our pastor and his wife; I may try to talk with them first. I have thought about this all so much, several times, changing my mind each time...Eventually I will take a leap and begin speaking to someone.

I'm still kicking

...and sometimes screaming, too!

I completed my first semester back at college very sucessfully! I received an 'A' in both classes. I never did the Fast Track course. In the first sommer session, I took a Government class and Agebra. I earned an A in Government, but...we won't discuss Algebra. ;) I will say, though that 'D' is for diploma! (Thanks for that line, Alise!) This second summer session I am taking another Government course being taught by a guy who is two years younger than me! He has worn flip-flops to class twice!! He knows the material, though. He is a good instructor. I'm not sure if I will be taking classes this fall or if I will be taking a semester off. Life is getting hectic!

My seven year old will be re-entering public school this year. I'm very concerned about him. I'm trying hard to just wait and see how it goes, not expecting the worst. I keep thinking, "He's my baby!"

He was Baptized this summer! Last fall I read throught a gospel tract with him because he wanted to know what it was about. It had the Incredibles charater's on it. He wanted to do the prayer at the end, so he repeated after me. Later he did not remember what it was about. He said, "the only thing I remember is God said, 'it's O.K.'" Then this summer at vbs, he approached his teacher and asked her what it means to be saved. That night, he did definately accept the Lord as his Savior! He was Baptized the following Sunday, and if you ask him, he will tell you all about how to be saved. Actually, he'll tell you even if you don't ask!

The two year old has developed a huge interest in trains. His favorite is Thomas the Tank Engine. He gets upset if someone else is watching the TV, and he can't have his Thomas movie on. He does not like the idea of waiting for his turn. He has Thomas shoes, Thomas books, and a Thomas toy train. He will probably recieve more Thomas toys for his birthday and Christmas.

We are expecting a surgery for him this fall to do more work on his cleft lip/pallat. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I want him to get his surgeries and have his little face reconstructed. On the other hand, it is so hard to hand him over to the medical personell and let them work on him. It is hard to watch him go through recovery, and to care for him while he is so uncomfortable.

All will be well, though. I'm praying that God will get us through this stressful season!

Dios esta aqui!

I attended a hispanic church service today. My Spanish professor preaches in Spanish! I have to become bi-lingual in order to teach Spanish in the state of TX. He said the best way to become bi-lingual to expose yourself to people who don't speak English.

I really enjoyed it. They were very sweet people. The members of this church were accepting, loving, and genuinely seemed pleased that I had joined them. They were not at all standoff-ish. I think they all shook my hand and greeted me.

They all touched my children on the head in the same way. I think it is a cultural thing. I'm going to ask my professor about it. They gently placed both hands on the sides of the heads and smiled. It seemed so sweet. Like they were cradling something precious. I loved it!

I had been afraid that they would feel I was intruding or that a racial wall would be there. There was not. They are very awsome people.

I even managed to pick out a few words that I know en Espanol! The title of this post, "Dios esta aqui" was in a song that was sung. It means, "God is here."

Post No. 2

Howdy!

I had an interesting turn of events regarding the radio auditions.

I got to go to the radio show audition anyway! I had so much fun. I feel like a thespian again! They are doing call backs sometime this coming week. I'm not really expecting to get a call, because I did not do too well in the audition. But at least they saw me, and perhaps if I audition again, I won't be so nervous now that I have met them and know how nice they are.

The part I thought I was auditioning for was in a children's radio drama. But instead I auditioned for a new Bible epic series they are doing about stories from the Bible ( a little redundant, aren't I?). I do have a hope that I did well enough for them to consider using me, but I am trying not to let that hope get too high!

I used something that I wrote for my auditioning monologue. They liked it, even though my performance stunk. I was just so nervous, I could not get into character or keep my thoughts straight. I'm happy that they liked what I wrote at least. That is encouraging.

Like I needed to have one more thing to do!

This is my very first blog. What a time to add something! I'm homeschooling our seven year old (Robby), I'm in the middle of learning to organize better, we have four speech appointments each month for our two year old (Michael), and I just returned to college!

I'm majoring in Secondary Education-Spanish! It is so fun. Just call me Senora Griffin!

I am only enrolled in two classes right now. I'm contemplating adding a new one this week. It is a shorter online session my college offers. I usually don't do well in online classes, but I am wanting to get through school. I'm so undecided about it. I'm wanting to do a Fast Track course at the end of the semester. It only last two weeks and counts for full credit. I think they cram it in between the spring and summer sessions.

I just received an e-mail notification for Paws and Tales auditions for a paid role and they only record one day a month. Paw and Tales is a radio program for children. I love drama! I had considered making that my subject area in teaching. They were only wanting females aged 50+, so it was not something I could audition for. The contact person is keeping my name on their list for future auditions.

I also enjoy writing. I have been thinking of my unfinished books, and I may try to do some more work on them this spring. Perhaps some day I will get published!

That's all for now! I need to be busy doing other things that are not as fun. ;)