Weird Weather

This past winter, was the winter that wasn't. The temperatures never got frigid for long... and snow? Well aside from the below documented pictures, there was no snow (made Mama happy, but the kids were quite disappointed). We got about two inches in late winter that proceeded to melt as soon as the sun was up. I took the pictures around 7:30 in the morning and the snow was gone about an hour later.











Then, last weekend, we had a crazy storm system move through and we saw more white stuff in the form of hail. The hail came with buckets of water... it was one of the quickest and biggest downpours I have ever seen.

We knew the storm was coming, so I took a picture of my beautiful Red Bud (that was planted about 8 years ago as a tiny 12 inch seedling).



And then came the hail and rain.











The hail was mostly pea sized mixed w/ some marble sizes. One piece of hail packed enough of a punch to put a substantial crack in Noah's windshield.

The amount of water was so great, the runoff created a river in our backyard... the first time we have seen this happen! Now that was a LOT of water in a matter of 5-6 minutes.

Hopefully we can avoid more of these storms when we go camping this spring!

The "D" word.

Different! Disabled? Dyslexia.

Isaac... my sunshine. There is something about a firstborn son. God simply knew I needed Isaac first. To challenge me, but mostly spark a love I didn't know existed. Isaac has been a challenge from day 1. He gave me the worst morning sickness, I labored the worst with him, he was a very very tricky baby (colic combined with a general hate of being trapped in a baby's body), his tantrums have always been over the top, and now, issues with learning.



But I realize that God has made him a unique and talented individual. I see a lot of me in him... sometimes that's good, sometimes, not so much. He is extremely loyal, extremely creative, and he has a drive unlike most children to do heavy labor. Take him into the woods, give him an ax and tell him to chop all the trees down, and he would work until the sun goes down.

"Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

Enter, school. These have been a hard few years in where Isaac's education is concerned. Isaac is considered "learning disabled" however, we have learned it is more of a "learning difference" in Isaac's case. His IQ/intelligence is quite fine... anyone who knows him can see he is bright, at times, downright clever. The unofficial diagnosis is dyslexia. I say unofficial because the school system won't recognize dyslexia (they feel a general label of "reading/writing disability" is better for liability reasons). To get a private diagnosis would cost a ton of money, so, we are left with the opinion of those who are very knowledgeable about dyslexia.

"My teachers say I'm addled . . . my father thought I was stupid, and I almost decided I must be a dunce."

-Thomas Edison

For months, I have poured my energy into researching dyslexia... in addition to looking at private programs, in home programs, tutors, etc. What I have learned really has amazed me. Dyslexia, while a challenge, is not technically a "disability." It boils down to the brain being wired differently than the general population. Interestingly enough, this unique wiring also has some big advantages. There are many successful people who are dyslexic: Richard Branson, Jay Leno, Ted Turner, and Robin Williams, to name a few.

There is much evidence that a direct link exists between dyslexia and those who are successful in the creative realm. Many architects, artists, inventors, actors, engineers, and entrepreneurs are dyslexic! And what research shows is that they became successful not "despite" dyslexia, but because of dyslexia and the intricate wiring in the brain.



Upon this knowledge, Noah and I have been on a journey to find what will help our dear son reach success. Right now, we are facing a challenging decision as to what to do for school next year. There are 3 viable options, and I am praying God would make the best choice clear. For Isaac to get the help he needs to succeed academically, he needs to be taught with the Orton-Gillingham methodology, which is considered the best way to teach people with dyslexia how to de-code the written language in a way their brain can understand.

We have found a top notch program that is hands down an ideal school located in High Point. With the price tag and driving distance, we don't know if the program is the "right" choice for us. Isaac's current school has FINALLY got him qualified for help in the EC program... I was shocked and pleased to find out they are implementing an O-G based language program. This is very rare in the public school system. However, we are unsure of how well this will be implemented with Isaac, likely not to the caliber of a high quality private school simply because of logistics. Option number 3 would be to bring him home, bolster my curriculum with some O-G software and textbooks, and see what services we can continue through the public school as they are required to service children with IEPs whether homeschooled or in a private school. Sigh. We get one shot at raising our kids, and these decisions are so very big. May God show us the best thing for our son and our family.

For a great read... an article that brought tears to my eyes... read THIS.

It's good to have a friend.

When we brought Jackson home back in early December, we were not expecting a bond between the him and Jezebel. With Jezebel going on 14, she mostly tolerates others, and takes no interest in forging doggy friendships.

However, Jackson has befriended her, whether she likes it or not.

It's been good for Jezebel... we see more of her, she actually eats on a schedule now, and there is a little more pep in her step.

Even for dogs, I guess it's good to have a friend.