Janelle Starts Junior High

Janelle began junior high this week at the local public school. Actually, it is on the corner, just two houses down from Caleb's house. I had gone to talk to them last week to see what they could offer her as far as ELL classes. After talking, we decided that she would start this week and see how things go for the rest of the school year, which, of course, is only another month.

The school does an every other day schedule, and Janelle is taking a full day (ELL, English, literature, math and study hall), and a half day (ELL and PE). She has a locker, eats lunch there every other day, and today even went on a field trip--her PE class went bowling.

New!

I'm so excited about my new KitchenAid mixer! I sold my mixer to a friend in Bernal who really, really wanted to buy it from me. It was about 16 years old, though worked as good as the day I bought it. But....I really, really wanted the new, bigger one. This was my week. It was on sale at Macy's for the best price (I had checked out every store in town :)), I had an extra 10% off coupon, and it came with an $80 ice cream maker as a "freebie". I brought it home today, and am looking forward to using it tomorrow. The adults in the house are all hoping for home made bread tomorrow.

Feeling pretty good about getting this week posted before two more weeks have gone by!

Gotcha.....

.....while I got 6 kids through the bath and then served them coconut cream pie that I made this afternoon....and then sent them down to brush their teeth....this is what I found in the living room....

like father.....

like son.....

Smile.....

Make your own Countdown Clocks

School and ELL

I finally found a few minutes while Richard was here at the house this afternoon to run down to the junior high (on the corner, 2 houses down) to ask them about ELL classes for Janelle. I was so impressed with the three people I talked to and what I saw at the school. The head counselor was out of his office, so I wasn't able to talk directly to him, but the secretary was as nice as could be and will pass my info along. It looks like Janelle should be able to enter ELL classes (English for language learners) as soon as next week, and get a taste of it for the next month and a half before summer vacation. They are setting up things so that she can take an English assessment test next week and then hopefully get right into the classes. The school is huge, 930 students, and is full for this year as well as next, but since she would probably only take ELL classes and continue to homeschool, they think that they can get her in.

I arrived at the school at a hard time for them. As I was signing in as a visitor I noticed a few people enter the office just a few steps away. A minute later I heard a scream from a girl, and thought, "Someone just got in trouble." But the secretary, with tears in her eyes told me that they had just had to tell the girl that her father had been killed in a motorcycle accident. As I left the school about 15 minutes later, I saw that everyone in the office was having a hard time and had tears in their eyes. There were a lot of caring people there.

While at the school I asked who I needed to talk to to get speech therapy going for Taylor. They passed on my question to someone in the county office, and an hour later I got a call from a lady who is checking out for me where and when he will get speech. She was very helpful as well. Sounds like we should be able to get speech going pretty quickly. She asked if I would want ELL for Taylor, but I explained that we would continue to homeschool, and that he is caught up for his age, and that was no problem.

These two issues were two of the main reasons we felt like we needed to spend some time in the States, so I am thankful to be getting moving on these.

April 12 - 18

April 5 - 11

March 29-April 4

Maybe the only good thing about the girls being sick is that they are both sleeping right now and that gives me time to post some pictures.

Life is busy--especially around here these days. The four grandkids have been sick off and on for the last couple of weeks with fever and coughs. Thankfully our three have not gotten it. They are doing better now with antibiodics which have made a big difference.

Richard and Janelle have been here in Wyoming for a week now, and we are happy to be all together again. We have been working on getting our house ready to move in to. The upstairs needed cleaning, new carpet, some plumbing repairs and in the near future, the bathroom completely redone. Hopefully it will be done soon. The previous owners remodeled the bathroom, but we don't like what they did to it, and we will now have to put it back how it was. They put in a HUGE bathtub, but no shower, so that will have to change. Once we are moved in then Richard will start remodeling the basement as he can. That will be a pretty big job, but will sure be nice when it is done.

No new news on Rose lately. Please keep praying that she will respond to treatment and be back to normal soon.

Hope you enjoy the pics.....

Well....maybe you can enjoy the pics tomorrow. They won't load up for me tonight, and it's getting late and I'm tired. I'll try again in the morning.

April 1st....

I didn't realize that I was so behind here. Every night I think I'll post again, but run out of energy before I get everything done that needs to be done after 6 kids are asleep.

Thanks so much for praying, and for calling. It has been GREAT to hear from so many of my Oregon friends through phone calls. It is an encouragement to me here.

To update: Richard and Janelle are still in Bernal. The work team left on Monday, and they(R & J) are tired out. Actually, Richard said that Janelle stayed in bed this morning with a sore throat and cough. Richard has a lot to do this week. There is a sound in the motor of our car that is being checked out today. He doesn't have a good feeling about it, and is hoping for the best. He has a lot to do this week in order for some major changes next week. I plan to fly back to Mexico on Monday so that I can help them pack up things in our house. I will only have four days, then we will need to drive back up on Saturday and Sunday. In the meantime here in Wyoming, Crystal will take care of the kids, and I am arranging lots of help with ladies in the church to come help everyday, and food to be brought in. I am also planning to leave Taylor and LiAnne, rather than taking them back and then having them in car seats for two 18 hour days coming back.

Because of family needs here, we will start furlough a couple of months early. Thankfully, Walter and Dula will be able to move right into our house and pastor the church. It will be a huge change for them and for the church, but we have never considered ourselves indespensible, and know that God will provide people to take up the slack. Please be praying for all of them in this big change. It is strange thinking about not being in Bernal, but we are confident that we need to be here now.

It is snowing hard as I type this today....a bit of a change from the 80's they are having in Bernal. Just one of the many changes ahead for us. Actually, I haven't minded the cold here, since there is indoor heat, and one doesn't suffer from the cold. When it is cold in Bernal, it is usually colder inside than out, since outside there is at least sun shine, and the rock and block hold the cold in.

So, please continue to pray for us and the changes ahead. Pray for all of the kids here as I am gone next week. It has been good for them to have the stability of having grandma here and now I will be gone again. Also pray for Taylor and LiAnne. I seldom have to leave them, and it will be hard for them, except that they will know that I am going to get Dad and Janelle. They really miss them.