Yet another good day...

I know! I am waiting for something awful to happen and wreck it. Two good days in a row. What happened to my kids? I got some housework done today, although allergies are officially kicking me in the rear end. I am so tired, and the benedryl doesn't help. Plus, today was the first day of my medication. That can cause drowsiness too. We left Oren's last day of school party a little early, because I wasn't feeling very energetic.

Oren is now a first-grader. It's official, we made it through the whole year of kindergarten. I'm a little suprised, but the teacher made it through too! And she still likes us! It was a hard year, we had to make some tough choices. And I think we did it the best we could, for all parties involved.

When I think about it, we really have had a lot going on this school year. Oren was diagnosed with ADHD. We went through a family diet makeover. We put him on medication and watched a huge transformation.

Nathan made a lot of progress with his speech but not quite enough. We did a nasal scope and the doctor couldn't figure out what was wrong. We felt that switching therapists was the right thing to do and ended up with someone with connections to great doctors, with experience in his sort of problem, with an inkling of what the problem might be. The ball is rolling to get another set of nasal scopes and we have high hopes for more answers from further evals.

William turned a year old, and 6 months later, finally hit 20 pounds. Doctors say now that he is just a small guy and have stopped hounding me on his weight. He walked, runs, and says new words every day. He loves nursery, and is so active no matter what. He is the one child who hasn't had a problem required a big, tough decision this year.

Mark made a new rank, went through several weeks of torture (long days of school and study) and I got to stand by him proudly and punch his new stripes on. That was a stressful time on all of us.

And as for myself, this year has brought the biggest challenge I have ever faced. I now have a disorder. I can't do anything to change it. I have been through heck and back with these children. I have been emotionally drained so many times I am suprised there is anything left. I have luckily not been so physically exhausted. I never thought that having a child start school would require so much of me. Every time he had a hard day, I ached with him. I have spent much of the year raising them alone, when Mark has base inspections and school and odd work hours that require him to sleep during the day.

I am so glad this school year is over. And although it leaves me wondering what the summer will bring, I feel like it will be nothing compared to what I have already had to deal with. I'm not complaining, everything the Lord has sent me has been for my own growth and experience. I guess I have just been thinking a lot lately about all the trial the Lord has given me. Each one has given me some sort of life experience. Some little thing to take away and use in some future situation. Like Oren's ADHD. I feel more connected to him now that I know I have the same problems. All the things I have tried to teach him I can use for myself. These trials have taught me who I can really count on for anything, who will be there no matter what.

So I will try and enjoy this summer, and be back at the grind next school year for our whole new set of challenges, hopefully more calm and able to handle them.