Thomas started sixth grade and is now in the middle school. Notice the dark porch? He catches the bus at 6:50am. He is loving having his own schedule, more freedom and independence, the challenge of multiple teachers and more homework. He is playing clarinet in the band and he is AMAZING (that is his critical self-analysis). He intends to switch to saxophone later this year and follow in his Aunt Mandy's sax footsteps. He is following in his dad's footsteps by running cross country and he's doing pretty well with that also. He struggled at first remembering gym clothes, instrument, homework, lunch, running shoes and everything else every day, but he seems to be getting the hang of things now and seems very happy overall.
Tinsaye started fourth grade. She skipped third to catch up with same-age peers. She is doing much better emotionally this year. She has gone from crying about something at least once a day (usually more) to maybe tears twice a week. She has just settled in and leveled out emotionally. I think her growth is settling down too... she grew 5 1/2 inches and gained 25 lbs in her first year here. Hopefully that will slow because we can't keep her in clothes.
So far she is doing fine in fourth grade in spite of some pretty big gaps in her learning. On her last math unit she started out with a 30% on her pretest. At the end, her final test was 90%. She is just a really hard worker. She adores her teacher and is developing a whole new set of fourth grade friends. Her vision is 20/20 in her good eye but she is legally blind in her bad eye. It doesn't seem to affect her, though. In another year or so we may get her a contact for her bad eye because it is correctable to about 20/150, but the ophthalmologist isn't sure her brain will use that eye even if it works.
Meredith started third grade this fall and I think she's having her best year yet. She does not love school like the other kids do and her usual answer to "how was your day?" is "fine" or "okay". This year I'm getting "GREAT!" She likes her teacher and her class and I think she's catching up academically to some of the other kids her age. She is still taking piano lessons and doesn't love to practice, but she loves her teacher and she loves to be able to play the pieces she finishes. Her class will go on an overnight trip to Mackinac Island in the spring and she is very excited about doing that all by herself (no sisters or brothers or parents dragging along!). Mere is taking gymnastics with Tinsaye on Saturday mornings and she really likes that (and it's not too taxing on our overloaded schedule).
Solomon is in second grade this year. He was disappointed that none of his best first-grade buddies were in his class and he was nervous about getting glasses in August and starting school with his new glasses. All his fears were unfounded however, when everyone loved his glasses and he made lots of new friends right away (plus he still sits with his old friends at lunch).
His vision continues to improve. He had surgery to correct his wandering eye in May and now he has improved depth perception. The eye drops continue to lower the pressures in his eyes and now his vision is correctable to 20/40 and 20/60. Solomon started karate this fall and he is going to be a Ninja for halloween. He's all about kicking, punching, jumping, spinning, and any other smashing that he thinks counts as "martial arts". He loves to read and is the kid we never have to remind to do his daily reading minutes. He also does math worksheets for fun. It relaxes him. Seriously. He's the child of my heart, but clearly not my genetic material.
We could not be more proud of these terrific kids that God has given us!
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