Wow, it has been over 2 months since I updated this blog! Time has flown by as our life has gotten more hectic than ever. I'll try to post updates over the next week. So much to tell!
First of all, we are all doing so well! Here's a brief update on each of us:
Ashton
Ashton is in kindergarten! I can't believe he is already in big school! He had a rough go for the first 2 weeks but he is now in a different school and absolutely loves it! We had initially obtained a zone waiver so he could attend a school that focuses on arts such as music, acting, and drawing. He went to a 2 week kindercamp over the summer and loved it but when school actually started, so did the nightmare. Every single day, he was bullied and even though the teacher knew about it (I went up there myself the 2nd day of school), she did nothing about it. He was constantly spit upon, hit, punched in the face, pushed down, etc. There was also verbal abuse. His teacher wouldn't even let him wipe the spit off - even on the day he was withdrawn, she still would not admit that when a student was spit upon that he should be allowed to go to the bathroom to wash it off. Personally, I was ready to spit right in her face and make her wear it all day but that's not the Christian thing to do so I ignored the little thought nagging my mind. We knew Ashton was struggling with school but we asked him to give it at least 2 weeks and then about 1 1/2 weeks into the year, this was his prayer: "Dear God, please give me another school. When Jesus was on the cross, the people spit on him and slapped him. Dear God, that's what they're doing to me and I don't want to die at school like Jesus died on the cross." Enough was enough and after a conference with school officials, he was withdrawn from the school and it's been going great since then.
Sorry for the sideways pictures but blogger isn't cooperating!
Maura
Maura is only on 1 medication now and will likely remain on it until at least December but possibly for a couple more years just to make sure she receives the maximum benefit.
Maura is still very tiny. She is now 19 months old and only weighs 18 lbs and 14 oz. We had a scare about 3 weeks ago in that the doctors starting hypothesizing about potential illnesses that are preventing her from gaining weight. She underwent lots and lots of blood work but everything has come back within normal limits, so we know it isn't her hormones, thyroid, some type of cancer, or celiac disease.
Maura just loves the potty. She even went potty on her own last Saturday night! She has started pulling on her diaper when she is wet and she hides when she has personal business to take care of. We pulled-out the potty throne and have been allowing her to sit on it but it is the big potty that has caught her eye.
Maura was so happy when she went potty that she started squealing and clapping for herself. Too cute!
Jason
He is still working and dreaming about goats and alpacas - he wants both for pets. I have learned more about both animals than I ever wanted to know! He dotes on both kiddos but Maura definitely has her daddy wrapped around her finger.
Erica
I have resumed the practice of law and started graduate school through a predominately online program through the University of Tennessee. I am working towards my Master of Social Work and am absolutely loving the courses! Life is quite hectic but I am happy.
Now the question that most people ask when they find out that I am going back to school is "Why?" I feel like this is a program that will not only enrich my practice and make me a better attorney because I can understand my clients better but it will also enrich my personal life, and most of all because I feel like this is a path that God wanted me to go down. Be sure to check-out my
new blog for school - Food Stamp Challenge where we have to live on $21 per person for a week. More about schooling and why I'm doing it later! Right now, I have to get back to work!
Oh, and if anyone can help me figure out why Blogger is posting my pics sideways, please let me know how to fix this!
The most exciting event in our lives occurred in October when Ashton asked Jesus into his heart! Maura was sick that Sunday, so Jason had stayed home with her while I went took Ash to church. On the way home that morning, I had the radio playing and we were driving down the road when he said, "Momma, turn the radio off. We need to talk about something very serious." I asked him what he wanted to talk about and he said that he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart and he wanted to go live in Heaven one day with Jesus, Granny, and Julianna. Needless to say, the radio went off quickly! He is only 6, so while we know he is young, we also know that from the time he was born, he has been taught about Jesus and His sacrificial love for us. In November, Ashton attended a series of classes for new believers and then in January we met with our church's children director to discuss baptism. Maura and Jason were sick the morning he was scheduled to be baptized, so we had to reschedule it for Feb. 20. It was a glorious day for our family!
