Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow, And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go. For the children, they mark, and the children they know the place where the sidewalk ends.

-Shel Silverstein

Monday, May 10, 2010

BRINGING THEM HOME

It's difficult to find the words to put the past 9 months into perspective with out looking back to where we were...
Some days I don't even remember who that little boy was, the one who was so full of anger and anxiety and stress that he hardly interacted with me anymore, could hardly make eye contact with anyone. He spent most of his hours at home in his room decompressing from his day at school. Something as small as asking him to come to dinner could set off an emotional tirade that would last an hour.

Sometimes I watch him do the smallest thing...And I know I am witnessing a miracle.


Bringing the children home to home school took about as much courage as anything I have ever done. It has transformed our lives in ways that I cannot find words to explain. I have learned deeper and clearer that God knows me. He knows my children. He hears my prayers and he answers them.

There are hard days...lots of them, it's still real life with all of the upsets and variables that come with it. But this week Heather read her first word, because I taught her to read. Cameron and I imagined together the thrill of living alone on a deserted island as we read the pages of Tom Sawyer. Ewan painstakingly worked to put letters together on his own to make his first real words and I was there, engaged, involved, present in a way that being their teacher has taught me to be.

Repeatedly on Sunday, Cameron wrapped his arms around me and said "I want this to be the best Mother's Day you ever had!" He made sweet and thoughtful efforts all through out the day to show his love for me. He is a joyful, conscientious, curious and loving little boy again and I thank God for leading us to this path.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

CAMERON'S BAPTISM

Saturday, February 20th 2010
Richland, Wa








CAMERON TURNS 8

Our boy turned 8 yesterday. We are so proud of the what a wonderful, bright, thoughtful, passionate, articulate, affectionate, and earnest little boy that he is. We love him so much!




Nanny and Papa, Uncle Ben and Aunt Holly, and our dear friends and neighbors from Portland Marilyn and Emma came to help us celebrate the big event!

ORBITAL CELULITUS

I woke up the morning of my Birthday in January, to find my baby looking like this. We had thought she had a wicked case of pink eye until her eye was swollen shut and got all these awful little pustules all over it.


Evan took her to the ER and they did a CAT scan to make sure the very, very dangerous staff infection hadn't traveled behind her eye yet and into her brain. They started her on super strong broad spectrum anti-biotics and pretty soon she was looking more like herself again.

ANTOHER CHRISTMAS IN MONTANA

We counted down the days...
Trimmed our tiny tree, and wrapped our gifts...

and donned our Christmas PJ's. Then it was time for the Christmas morning magic...


Then we packed up our new gifts and jumped in the car to drive to MONTANA!


Where we got to see Papa Clause!
And meet our new Christmas Kitty we named Sylvester.
Then it was time to bundle up...

Drink some hot cocoa...
And hit the slopes!


(And it uncle Ben's case, the Emergency Room!)
We made snow angels...
Went snowmobiling...
And hung out with cousins!

It was great!