School days & growing up fast.

As I sit here listening to my daughter play I think back to the time when she was too small to talk or play.... To a time when laying on my chest and looking up at me was all she wanted to do. I think back to the time when my middle son did the same things. Time has flown by and my middle son is now 6 and my daughter is 3.. those years have flown by too fast. I have tried my best to capture all of those sweet moments in my mind. Reading books, playing games, giving hugs and kisses...

Sadly I did not have all of those moments with my oldest son. .as a working mom then I did not have the time to watch him grow as I have had the privilege to do with my youngest two. I wish I could get those moments back.. but they are forever gone.. and now he is 12 years old.. taller than me.. and growing fast in height and attitude.. I do my best to keep him a grounded person .. but sometimes those preteen hormones get in the way. Time stands still for no one so hug them while you can and take many many pictures.. for when your memory fails you.. those pictures will not.

Now my little Tristan is in school.. spending much of his time away from home. I worry about him in this new school.. In this place that cares more about money than his education. I pray that I am doing enough for him. I ask him everyday how school is and if he learned anything.. most days I get the same "no" answer.. I pray that I can somehow keep him up to date on his learning in the 3 years we are here before we are able to find another duty station an hopefully better schools.

I have seriously been contemplating home schooling him because of how bad the schools are here. I know that I will be home schooling Alora when the time comes.. if for no other reason than to keep her from moving mid school year the way that Tristan has had to. He mentions frequently how much he misses his old school and how much he wants to go back. He had friends in his old school.. He loved his teacher.. I loved his teacher.. and now.. nothing.. the kids are mean.. the teacher is seriously lacking in ability.. and the school system doesn't care. sigh..

I know I won't be able to teach Mcleod.. he doesn't like to learn and I am not a very patient person so he will stay in school.. and I will do my best to help when he is home.. but that will mostly be his dads job.. since I don't do so well in math and that is usually where he needs the most help. Reading on the other hand.. I can help with that. :)

I know that I can help Tristan & Alora because they are still young and the things that they need to know I can do easily. I hope that I am able to give Alora the head start that she needs and have her reading and doing some math by the time she starts school.

So for everyone that teaches their kids.. I commend you.. For everyone that knows their limitations I commend you.. and for everyone who knows how quickly time can get away from us.. Hug your little one just one more time before bed.. they might not remember it.. but you will.

30 days of Me- Day 8

Day 08 - a photo that makes you angry/sad

Ok, so I had been thinking about this one for awhile.. and there are probably lots of photos floating around that make me either angry or sad, or both..However, yesterday when I was going through our things thinning stuff out I came across a very old picture.. One of me when I was with my ex. This picture garnered a lot of emotion, mostly anger.



You can see that in the picture I am holding my face, that is because my ex had just hit me and thought it was funny so he took a picture of me. Yep, you read that right. He thought it was funny to hurt me, and btw, I was big because I was pregnant at the time. So this picture definitely makes me angry... but... it also makes me happy because that is no longer my life.. It is a past so distant that I don't much think of it anymore. I have a loving wonderful husband now that makes my life complete and I am very thankful for that.


As for a picture that makes me sad...well.. Most of the pictures that make me sad are a mixture of happy and sad... and most are of my children.. I am sooo happy to have them and look at their pictures.. but at the same time, they are growing up all too quickly before my eyes.

So here are just a few of my beautiful children, in no particular order.





These two pictures were taken on Easter 2008 .. the day Alora started standing on her own.









Ok, so there are soooo many more, so at this point I will stop..lol..

Washington

Well we are officially moving to Washington in only 2 short months. It took over 3 months for Kris to get his 1306(extension form with the Nimitz) approved so we could schedule a move and know for sure that the navy would move us. Now we know, as of just this past sunday we finally got word it was approved. We will be moving to Washington in November and we will be there until December of 2011.. I don't know where we are going after that. With the Navy there is no telling but we are ready for whatever comes our way. Lately I have been thinning out our things, trying to get rid of all the extra baggage we have acquired over the years that we just don't need. It is depressing sometimes for me to get rid of somethings .. I am a pack rat and find sentimental value in pretty much everything.. So for me getting rid of things is a show of strength that until now I have been unable to muster. I have to dig deep in myself and make the decision, "do i really need this? will I ever use it?" Many times the answer is no, and if the item has no seriously significant sentimental tie, like my dad or Kris gave it to me, then it has to go. There are still many things I keep, that probably should go. I will probably need to go through our things at least 2 or 3 more times before I can really get rid of all the unnecessary stuff. For now though, at least I am doing something about the tons of stuff we seem to be just dragging around with us from place to place. Even though it has been hard, I feel some sort of freedom by ridding myself of these "things" it is almost liberating.
Anyways,
So now I am waiting for a copy of the HPC form so that I can send it to the moving office. Gotta have that to schedule my move on the Navy's dollar. So again I wait, but this time, it isn't scary or unsure.. I know I will have that paper, I just don't know how soon.

I am really looking forward to the drive to Washington, taking lots of pictures, and spending time with my dad, since he is supposed to fly in and drive up with us. I am supposed to call him today to buy his plane tickets.. hopefully he will still be coming, but only time will tell.

They grow so fast....

Every time I look at my children I wonder where the time has gone.. My youngest child and only daughter is 11 1/2 months old and we will be having her first birthday party on Saturday... She has grown so fast.... She wears size 2 and 3 clothing, she walks, she says a couple words... and she communicates with me by pointing... and she just recently started waving hi... I can't believe this is the little baby I brought home last sept. My middle child has been going through a horrible stage where he whines about absolutely everything and drives me nuts... I remember when he was 2 and he was such a good kid.. he did everything he was told with ease.. I miss those days...
Although I love to watch them grow it saddens me to know that I will never have another baby and mine are growing up so fast.. now don't get me wrong .. I don't actually want another baby... I just miss having mine as cuddly little babies.. My oldest starts 4th grade this year... man that makes me feel old.. I remember when I was in 4th grade still! 2 of nieces are teenagers now.... it is crazy.. I don't know where all the time has gone.. the best thing I think that I do is take lots of pictures and videos to remember the kids as they are in every stage of their life... It is amazing how much they change.. my two oldest look nothing like the babies that I brought home from the hospital... and Alora is starting to resemble a toddler instead of a baby now..:(
Remember to treasure the time you have with your little ones because before you know it .. the time will be gone and they will be all grown up.. One of the reasons I decided to stop going to school after I finished my bachelors is because I want to spend more time paying attention to my kids instead of my school work... I want to enjoy them while I can... and the camera will be right by my side as I do.. and anyone that wants to can happily follow along and watch my babies grow...


Alora-- My youngest and only daugther.. as a baby





Alora -- Now



Tristan- My middle child as a baby








Mcleod-- My oldest son as a 2 year old.. (the youngest picture i have of him online)




My boys .. Now...