Forgive me Reader, for I have failed. It has been 13 months since my last posting. 13 months and SOOOOOO much has happened this year.
This past year has been the year where LIFE happened. Believe it or not, my lovely blog hostess has had a very similar year as us, just in a different order.
Since my last posting I have……
1. Traveled across the continent with 5 kids alone
2. Traveled alone to San Diego to fulfill the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim (Visiting the Sick)
3. Traveled across the ocean (for the first time) to fulfill the 231st Commandment of Burying the dead
4. Sustained a knee injury
5. Had myself and 3 kiddos do black belt testing
6. Moved to a new community
7. Had knee surgery
8. Made a beach trip
9. Attended the yearly Homeschool Expo
10. 1 finally beach trip of the summer.
So here is where life continues. I will try to sum up everything here but I apologize if its long. A lot happens in 13 months!
Our first adventure was to Vancouver Canada for a family wedding. I am always worried about the kids when I travel with them, especially when I travel alone. While we had some ear issues from the plane rides, the rest of the trip was full of excitement. I think we managed to travel on all forms of transportation available to us. Trains (in the airport), Planes, Automobile (ok, an SUV that my wonderful Aunt lent me for the trip), Boat (aka the Ferry!!!) and Bus (best way to travel once on Vancouver Island). While on this week long adventure, we compared the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean (Oceanography class) got to visit and meet with MANY family members, and once on the island I fulfilled my promise to that the kids to the BUG ZOO (insectology??). With all of that, I think the bugs were the biggest hit of all.
Now I know what you are all thinking “Is she NUTS??? Travelling ALONE with 5 kids across the continent????” First off, YES!!!! Unfortunately, Dad couldn’t make the trip because of work. But what better way to educate your kids but to take them on the ultimate field trip? After all, Canada is MY homeland and I LOVE taking my kids to where I am from (I didn’t grow up in Vancouver or the Island, but my extended family has always been out there). While travelling, each child was given a responsibility to help make things go smoothly. Yes, I had to make it all happen, but everyone felt needed and “big”. For the most part, all 5 kiddos were amazing. No mater what hiccup we had, everyone just went with it and behaved. This allowed for a very enjoyable trip. Needless to say, my kids did more learning in that 1 week away from home than they would have AT home!!!
From the Atlantic to the PACIFIC!!
From here I will combine the next 2 events as they are related….
Unfortunately, right at the time of our grand adventure our west, my dear Grandfather was nearing the end of his fight with cancer. My father had disappeared just after the wedding to go and be with him and thus, we finished our trip with me dropping him off at the airport before we left a couple days later. During the last 3 weeks or so of his life, my father was out in San Diego, alone to be with his father. In the middle of those 3 weeks, I went out to not only to say my good byes, but to help my father out, and fulfill the mitzvah of Bikur Cholim (visiting the sick). It was a short yet emotional trip for me, as well as the kids, since they knew that I MIGHT not come home as planned but perhaps a little later. Fortunately, my grandfather was strong enough to hold on just a little longer to fulfill the 613th Commandment of Writing a Sefer Torah. A man, who lived a long hard life, was able to, on his deathbed, to still amaze us all. Just a few days after seeing this all happen (Thanks to modern technology, he was able to watch it all on skype), and a week after I went home, he was finally at peace and back with our creator. At this time, I was able fly to Israel, for my very first time to follow through with commandment 231, Burying the Dead. While the purpose of the trip was not for a happy event, I was blessed to make this trip with my parents and 2 siblings.
Post Shabbos outing. The holiest place on earth that you can touch and be close to Hashem
Just 3 gals, adventuring across the world together. The 2 gals got me through the entire trip in 1 piece! (In order l-r, Me, Older Sis, and our MAGNIFICENT Mom 🙂 )
Ok, I will jump ahead a little now, the day after my knee injury, from training, Myself and 3 boys tested for new belts in TKD. At this point, I am going to stop to tell you HOW proud I am of #2. He has come a long way in life and during this 45 min testing he not only worked hard, but was cheering on his younger brother like there is no tomorrow. #3 had to retest on his board breaking a month later but the love and compassion out of #2 when he didn’t get it was AMAZING. He was right there, sitting beside him, hugging him and telling me how “It’s OK!!” and that he will get it next time. While some people look to me for advice on Sensory issues, I love to take the time to point out how these kiddos are so special in their own way:)
#3 After retesting and getting his belt!!
Ok, let’s pause here. I forgot something on my list that happened a couple weeks after belt testing. My Sensory Kid TRIED NEW FOODS!!!!!!! Yes, you read that right, he tried new foods, and LIKED it!!! At this point, we ran away to Texas to visit my Sister and her family for the end days of Pesach. The holiday ended nicely and the next day we celebrated eating “regular” foods again by trying INDIAN Cuisine. Everyone found something they liked but most of all, #2 Ate and devoured his plates!
#2 is the one in the middle, enjoying his new foods 🙂 Nothing is better than trying new things when you are surrounded by cousins!!
Ok, back to our list. The move. We moved 20 minutes down the street 🙂 Actually the 20 minutes is correct, but its not literally down the street. We moved to a new community. This move has given all the kids a chance to make new friends, and more friends. 3 months later, everyone is still happy!
What our new classroom LOOKED like before the rest of the house was populated! Here, the kids are enjoying their first meal in the new house. LUNCH!
Let’s see, knee surgery was next. Yes, I had knee surgery to fix my knee injury. The recovery is long but I am being good about it! In the mean time, #2 is probably the most helpful of all the kids. He is always double checking to make sure I have what I need, and that I am not doing too much (even though I am able to start running again in a few weeks!). You gotta love the love that comes from him (and yes, the others too 🙂 )
To finish up quickly (and if you’ve made it this far, Thanks for reading!!!), We have completed our summer fun with a few camps, 2 beach trips and 1 homeschool expo. The highlight (besides the beach of course), was seeing my kid, who can’t sit still, play 5 chess games over a 2.5 hour period at his first chess tournament. While he didn’t get a big trophy, he walked away with a Pawn piece, and to him, it was the biggest thing in the world at the time.
Both #1 and #2 showing off their prizes at the chess tournament
All 5 kiddos working on Architecture class while at the beach (Where we also had Marine biology class, Oceanography class, as well as ended with History class on the way home)
While most of this posting has little to do with how I’ve dealt with a “special” soul in our home, I will end with this. This past year has presented MANY MANY changes in our life. We have also had many life lessons that could send children in many directions. Seeing how changes have effected all of them has opened my eyes up. They have ALL grown by leaps and bounds, but to see that I can uproot the trickier one and still keep going on means 1 thing to me, We are starting to learn with life. Where a change would have ended up with tantrums and fits, we are learn to see that life is full of changes and yes, it still keeps going and the world has yet to end.