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Good Stuff

Despite a rough week there have been some really nice moments lately.

Seth got a 1530 on his SAT. He got a perfect score on the  math portion! I'm super excited for him. He's filling out college applications and I think just knowing his score is that high makes him feel more confident and motivated. He took the CLT (Classical Learning Test) and got a 98. The college he really wants to get into requires a 100 in order to qualify for their best scholarship to their Honors College. He's going to retake it and he's pretty sure he'll do better. He hadn't studied for the CLT, that was his first time taking it, and he was out till midnight the night before at a marching band performance.

It's hard to think about him going off to college but it's also really exciting. After the typical teenage stage he's now coming out of that phase and becoming a nice person again. I think he's going to have an amazing future. College is where Theo and I met, we formed our deepest friendships with people who are still important in our lives, and formed our beliefs about ourselves and how to live. I'm excited that he's almost to this amazing phase of life. Plus, his chosen field, Data Science (think: statistics and spreadsheets) has a great employment rate so that's a relief!

Jane and I were at the grocery store together and during check-out she asked if she could bag the groceries. I was doubtful but let her give it a try. She did a great job! Sure, some bread and peaches got a little squished and she didn't yet know about putting all the cold stuff together but those are things every kid has to be taught. She was super proud of herself and thrilled when I brought it up with others by praising her helpfulness.

She's gotten really interested in building towers and such. She's using wooden blocks, cardboard bricks, and Magna-tiles to make some really fascinating constructions. I love to see this new interest in spatial reasoning since it'd been an area of weakness for her. It's like watching a new dimension of her brain develop.

She had her 4-yr-old well child check-up yesterday and cried and reached for me when she got her shots. I was glad to see her showing pain and asking for comfort. It's a noticeable change from how she handled medical events when she first arrived. She was eerily stoic through some of them in the saddest possible way.

(Also...super sweet moment. I had Kate and James with me during Jane's dr appt because Theo is out of state so no option to leave them at home. James got his shots last month and remembered how much they hurt. When Jane started crying he became very upset. He came over and tried to hug and kiss her, but she was up on the table so he could only reach her legs and kiss her knees. He was telling me, "Oh no! Mama, look, Jane crying!" I put him on the table next to her and he gave her a big hug and kiss on the cheek. It was very sweet and truly comforted her.)

Kate regressed to diapers for about a week but now is working her way back into underwear. I think giving her a complete break from the stress of potty training was really what she needed. I had her give a urine sample at the doc's office yesterday just to check for a UTI yet again but the doc said their quick test came back negative. I think the girls just have weak bladders and every strong emotion affects their bodies.

Kate now has a new song she sings several times a day. She's at that age when kids make up little songs as part of the self-talk stage in language development. So, her song is, "Mama always comes back." That's it. Just those words over and over in her sweet little baby voice. It absolutely breaks my heart but it's a comfort to her and she sings it whenever I'm leaving--as in, going into the bathroom all by myself or getting out of the car to open the garage door. 

Gus and his puppy started Obedience classes this week. We were there for an hour and a half. He's drinking up all the adult attention. Most of the people there are older women with mature dogs. Gus was the only teenager; Sage was the only puppy.

You know that scrunched up, "Awwww!" face that moms make when they see a newborn baby? Well, turns out women with dogs make that same face for puppies. It kinda cracked me up a little.

Jane started her dance class. It's for "challenged" kids. Each kid is matched with an able-bodied partner. For example, some of the dancers have Down Syndrome or autism. Jane will be able to do far more than many others but I think this is perfect for her. She gets to feel like the star instead of the most awkward, frustrated kid in the class (as she did with her last dance class).

I didn't kill any chickens while Theo was gone. Well, that I know of, anyway. Monday night I forgot to shut the door to their coop, leaving it open to predators all night. Thursday I forgot to even let them out of the coop or feed them till 7pm. This morning I discovered that their waterer ran dry at some point.... Ugh. I did keep five children, two cats, one dog, and two goats alive.

Gus was supposed to be doing the chickens. Blame him. 

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