The First Day of School

We started our “new year” of school on Tuesday, August 20th.

Because we were in Madison and at therapy the whole day on the 19th, some of our first day of school traditions did not happen this year!

I still remembered to take our first day photos though!

Just look at these awesome students I have!

Chad Ryan, 15 years old, in the 10th grade.

Lane Stevan, 11 years old, in the 6th grade.

Tate Owen, 8 years old, in the 2nd grade.

Eliza Claire, 7 years old, in the 2nd grade.

Cute, aren’t they?!

And getting SO BIG!

These kiddos THRIVE with structured days – so we are enjoying our school days very much already!

We start our day with our group Bible time – singing, studying God’s Word, practicing our memory verses and catechism questions and answers, and prayer.

This was this past week’s worship song!

A new favorite from church!

Tate and Eliza are singing in this photo!

Next up is Math – ABeka for Tate and ELiza, and Teaching Textbooks on-line for Lane.

On-line math for Lane has been a game changer – a literal answer to prayer!

Chad is also trying out Teaching Textbooks for Algebra I.

Lane, Tate and Eliza (and I!) are using the Bible as our “textbook” for this year.

BRILLIANT.

Not my idea – so I can say brilliant!

We are walking through the Old Testament stories, memorizing the books of the Bible, memorizing verses, and running with whatever we feel led to run with to learn more about!

The first week was all about Creation, so we studied the solar system, planets, stars and the sun!

I always try to give them an opportunity to paint, draw, or do a craft too.

Our second week was all about Noah.

We studied floods, tsumanis, different animals, and painted some rainbows.

Chad is on his own again this year, studying the New Testament with the curriculum My Father’s World.

We all gather back together late in the morning and are all studying this book about Nutrition for our Science this year.

THIS BOOK IS GOLD!

And it ought to be considering how much it cost – ha, ha!

We are learning SO much about foods, toxins, health, our bodies and how they work.

Of course daily chores are part of our routine.

I could never keep up with this nest we call Twin Oaks without the help of the kiddos!

Even as small as it is!

We started our new chore routine a while back so that I could teach the new chores and inspect them often.

This way when we started school chores were going smoothly!

Eliza offered to keep track of the Keurig – keeping it full of water, and keeping the glass jar with the K-cups in it full.

Why, yes, thank you sweetheart!

I added a coffee helper disc to her daily chore list!

Lane has the chore of mowing this year!

His first year to be our main mowing guy!

He still gets help if there is a problem.

We have many other routines that fill our days that are continuing on this year.

Library day is a favorite for us all!

We also go to Briar’s place on Thursday afternoons and evenings – there will be a post about that soon!

Right now school is happening only in the mornings because therapy and doctor’s appointments fill our afternoons.

We are still very grateful for a GREAT start to this “new” school year!

These kiddos make my job super easy and fun!

2019-2020 school year here we come!!

Chaddy Boy

I thought today’s post would be a good time to give an update on Chad!

Chad started therapy with a Certified Hand Therapist at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in LaCrosse on July 31st, over four weeks ago now.

We could not possibly love Chad’s therapist MORE!

She is the BEST! We consider her a friend now!!

Lots of things happen in therapy, which is twice a week right now.

August 14th was a big day for therapy because most of Chad’s scabs and stitches were removed, and his day time splint was changed to just having his fingers “buddy” splinted!

We headed back to Madison on August 19th to see Chad’s hand surgeon.

He was pleased with Chad’s progress!!

We see him again on September 24th, and we are expecting Chad to get the GREEN LIGHT to DO ALL THE THINGS again!!

According to his ability at that point, of course!

This past week Chad’s therapist gave him the go ahead to be splint free while here at home.

YAY!!

This week she also made the plan to make a new splint for Chad next Monday – one with some rubber bands to hold his index finger and middle finger at certain angles because they are not wanting to bend right now.

She showed us a photo of this kind of splint and it is going to be quite the contraption!

In the mean time Chad does exercises many times a day to try to get his fingers to make a fist again.

He is getting to about 40 or 45 degrees so far.

Progress, progress!!

Chad and I spend a lot of time in waiting rooms!

Sometimes we have helpers!!

And sometimes therapy days call for ice cream!

Amidst all the running back and forth to therapy and doctors, and starting school – Chad took his driver’s ed test and got his driving permit.

That is one happy boy in this photo!

Since Chad’s injured hand cannot grasp that steering wheel, we have been practicing driving in parking lots and on deserted streets.

Chad has driven before on the farm so this is not new to him anyway!

We are hoping he will be able to sign up for his instructor hours soon!

We know we still have a ways to go to see Chad regain full function of his hand.

It is impossible not be thankful though!

For how far his healing has come since his accident!

For the team that Chad has helping his hand heal!

Every single person we have met along this journey has been nothing short of amazing, kind, compassionate, concerned, and helpful.

It’s inspiring to meet so many people who love what they do when what they do is help people get well!

Thank you all for praying for Chad with us.

Please keep praying with us!

For that index finger and that middle finger to BEND.

For FULL FUNCTION of Chad’s hand!

For the grit that Chad needs to keep working hard at his therapy.

For his heart as he waits to do everything he longs to be doing!

We appreciate the prayers SO much.

Thank you, thank you!!

Happy Birthday, Tate Owen!!

**Hey, Hey! Just a little intro paragraph before this post! I have been on a screen break for awhile – SO, SO good for this Mama to do that!! We have been back to full-time school for two weeks now and it is busy – but my goal is to get back on this little space to keep some GREAT memories of ours! Stay tuned!

And he is EIGHT.

Eight!!

August 3rd was Tate’s birthday!

August 4th was our celebration!

Tate asked for fish tacos (a favorite around here!) and ice cream sundaes.

You got it buddy!

Great choices!!

After dinner and a bit of clean-up, Tate opened his presents!!

He had lots of very cute willing helpers too!

Then it was time to sing to that adorable boy!

Addie Mae stuck eight candles in his ice cream sundae, and Grant lit the candles while we all sang!

Yes, there is an adorable naked baby in the background!

I did not take as many photos as I usually do, but I have this cute one!!

Can you all believe Tate is EIGHT?

And has been home FOUR years??

When I think back to the first day I held him, it seems SO recent in my memory.

When I say he has been home four years, it seems SO long ago!

Tate is AMAZING.

A gem. Precious gem.

Super smart – in a people and relational kind of way.

He can read people within two seconds of meeting them.

And he can read your emotions whether you like it or not.

AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT HIM!

We really believe God is going to use Tate mightily for His Kingdom!

We can’t wait to see how the Lord leads this amazing boy!!

WE LOVE YOU TATE OWEN, our cheerful young warrior!!

Happy, Happy Birthday!!

Visitors

Twin Oaks was full last week – and that is JUST the way we love, love it!

SO grateful for those who make such an effort to visit us here!

I know what it is like to travel – it’s not easy!

Before we talk about last week, let me mention that first up was a visit from the kiddos Grandpa and Grandma!

They arrived the day of Chad’s accident, stayed in a hotel, and came over the next morning for just a bit.

Then they changed their plans since things were a little crazy here and headed on to their next stop.

We are all SO thankful we got to see them but I did not even take one photo!

Last week Blake’s sister, her hubby, and some of their crew came!

We had a great time!!

The next visit was from a China friend of mine!

She and her family were in China adopting their Stephen with the same agency, in the same place, and on the same day we were adopting our Eliza!

It’s been five years ago since we have seen each other last, but it felt like yesterday!

Some of you might remember her as the one who moved into our hotel room as we waited on the computers at the U.S. Consulate to be fixed so we could get Eliza and Stephen’s visas.

We were roomies for a couple of days in China!

Eliza and Stephen were so little in China – but look at them now!

Kristin and some of her kiddos were in our area dropping one of her daughter’s off at camp.

Kristin’s friend was along for the ride and had some of her kiddos with her too!

Two Mamas and seven of their kiddos with them!

We had such a great time getting to know everyone!!!

Everyone swam together after lunch and then visited and played games together.

It was a super fun day!

We have also been blessed with many of our local friends being here lately too – our hearts are so full!!

Twin Oaks, you look awful good when you are full!!

Looking forward to more visitors soon!