Our Adventures in Homeschooling

I had mentioned before that we were going to be homeschooling this year, or maybe just that we were considering it. Well we began Week 4 of our homeschooling adventure and what an adventure this is. My whole idea of how this was going to work has been tested, challenged, and changed numerous times. I am sure this is not the end of it but we are finally getting into a groove with everything. Sophia missed the cut off for Kindergarten by 7 days because of her birthday. Which I am totally OK with but since we decided to home school this year we are combining some preschool and Kindergarten activities this year. We are having a good time and she is going much quicker than I anticipated. It is a struggle to keep the work interesting and challenging, not too easy so she doesn't get bored, yet not to advanced so she doesn't feel defeated. Keeping it fun, yet staying on task... we are having a great time with it.
I love being able to add in some 'faith talk' to our lessons. This week we are working on the letter Gg, Hh. The numbers 6,7. We are talking about God's girl being Thoughtful. We are on the 4th president of the USA, James Madison. And our theme for the week is 'family'. It has been very fun! Tomorrow we are going to make a family of finger puppets and Sophia and Troy will perform a finger puppet play for me. We are also going to a playdate at the Splash Park. Fun!
Sophia takes her school work very seriously and calls me, "Teacher Mommy" which I find hilarious. Troy mostly plays but when he wants to participate I always have something fun ready for him to do with us.
I have really enjoyed this special bonding time for the three of us. Seeing my daughter in this 'school setting' is something I am really enjoying. Watching her handwriting change in the last four weeks. Watching her eyes and her hands work steady on projects. Listening as she figures problems and finds the right answers. It is a different part of her that I am so glad I am able to experience. It is far different from anything I have ever done with her. Don't get me wrong do a lot of reading and playing and learning in our home, but this 'school time' is different. Some days she is stubborn and strong willed and other days she is easy going up for anything.
Today we went for a walk (which Troy was all about it and Sophia protested the warm weather the entire way), when we got back we ate lunch, and I read them a story about God's girl being 'Thoughtful'. When we were done I asked them ways they could be 'thoughtful'. Sophia responded by telling me she could share her toys with Troy and kiss him. Troy said, "I thoughtful, I tickle you!"
Ah- I love it. I seriously soak in every second with them and enjoy each moment.
Here are some pictures from our school time.








Also, for a quick medical update on both kids:

Troy was sick last week and through the weekend. Other than some runny nose and continued respiratory congestion he is doing much better. This was the first time he has gotten sick since the doctors have mentioned cystic fibrosis as a possibility and while we still haven't done the lung biopsy that is necessary to confirm this diagnosis they are treating him as such. My first thoughts were: antibiotic. Which was not necessary and the pulmonologist assured me it would not help the situation. Troy had a yucky cold and it just had his breathing all kind of nutty. His daily steroids were doubled until he is well then we can go back to his normal dosage. He is using a nebulizer treatment every 4 hours for wheezing. He is fine though, it is just a cold. I was sure he had some kind of respiratory infection or something but the doctors (pediatrician and pulmonologist) assured me it was just a cold but because of the CF he has lots of extra mucus in his lungs. So he was puking from that mucus as well, and I have NEVER seen a child pee so much! ;) I am glad he is doing better.. I guess I just have to get used to the new way of treating him. Before we always treated him with antibiotics, for upper respiratory infections and pneumonia. The doctor has ordered a chest xray if he isn't better by next week- but he is alreayd much better and I'm sure he'll be fine but next week.

Sophia never did get sick! Hurray! I ran a high fever one night and all I could think was, "God please don't let her have this fever!!" Still praying she doesn't get sick and Troy and I are still croupy. I did talk to her doctor this week though and please pray that we make some good decisions with some upcoming medical choices. Although she is VERY high functioning cerebral palsy one of the affects of that is that she walks on her tippy toes. Her tendons in her legs are a bit contracted and sometimes worse than others. In an attempt to correct this we are having to make a choice between doing a series of botox injections or having her feet casted so that the tendon will be stretched and then corrected. We are working with a physical therapist and in the near future we will be going to a pediatric orthopedic specialist as well. Her pediatrician and her neurologist say that if we do nothing that she will eventually need surgery to correct the problem and it could lead to hip, knee, and back problems -so letting her just be a tippy toe walker is not really an option; plus kids can be very cruel and I have already heard other children ask her why she walks on her toes all the time. So- keep us in your prayers while we research our options as to which way to correct this issue. She has continued to do excellent and not have any seizures.. I love her medicine! The doctor is very pleased and we will go back at the end of October for another EEG and follow-up before meeting with the ortho doc at the beginning of November.