I know we haven't updated our blog as often as we used to, but things have become a little busier around here. So here is an update on what our family is up to.
Ken is working full time (YEAH) in Lethbridge at a place called "Ultimate Freedom Plus". They provide things to allow people with difficulties the "Freedom" to move around and do the things they used to do. Ken mostly repairs, assembles, and delivers wheelchairs, scooters, lift chairs, and stair-glides. He LOVES it. He has a company vehicle to use on work hours, and he drives all over southern Alberta helping people. He loves to chat with the clients and working with his hands. It is a 40 minute drive to work, but he feels it is well worth it. He loves to watch movies and programs from the internet in the evenings, and was disappointed that "Chuck" came to and end. Together we are working our way through "Eureka" episodes and "Once upon a Time"
I am also working. I'm at Inline Ovals. I started with cutting glass for bending (to make glass that bubbles out of the picture frames. I worked hard and got 3 months supply of glass cut and on the shelf. Then I ended up working only 2 days a week for 3 hours to maintain this supply. Just after Christmas, I was offered their idea of full time. I was (and continue) to be trained to help the Distribution Manager. If she goes on holidays, or is sick, I should know enough to step in a take over the job. Its a lot to learn, but I love it. I work from 9:00am to whenever the job is done. As January is a slow month, I am usually home around 1:30-2:30pm. We only have one vehicle, so I bike to work and back. (I take the mountain bike in the snow, and the racing bike when he roads are clear.) I feel alsot busier, and struggle fitting everything I used to do all day into a much smaller time frame, but I am sure I'll figure it out eventually.
Sarah is enjoying grade eight. She is earning A's in most of her classes. She attends young womens each week. She is a great help in the home, she might fuss a bit about helping out, but I can always count on her to get the job done. She still enjoys reading and is currently reading "The children of promise". She still loves music, and plays her harmonica continually. She has a great smile, and seems to do well with young children and can keep them entertained and happy.
Courtney is also enjoying school, much to her surprise. She was stressed about attending public school, but has fit in well with her grade six class. She also is doing very well in most of her subjects. She loves reading and has organized a book club. It will have its first meeting this week. She wants to be a cook and a fashion designer and is very picky about the clothes she wears. They must look good, but also be very comfortable. It is a good thing we have wonderful friends who can provide hand me downs that she loves. She also has been taking Lulu out for walks everyday and is working on teaching her obstacle course tricks
Nicole is also enjoying school. Her favourite subject is gym, math and science. She enjoys have school friends over on Wednesdays after school. She loves to play games, and spend time with people. She knows how to push my buttons. She can be a wonderful help when she puts her mind to it. She loves to talk and share everything that has happened that day with us at the dinner table. She loves attending Activity Days every other week. She just changed her special Irlen colour of paper from pink to a pale purple and her overlay sheets were blue, and now she has two sets of grey she uses together
Kenny has also adjusted to public school. We held him back, and put him into grade one, as we felt he wasn't ready for grade two. It was the right decision, as we learned this year that Kenny also has Irlen Syndrome (same as Nicole and myself). He is rated very severe and struggles with words floating up hovering just off his page and then sliding sideways off the paper. or dimming out to leave only the outline of letters and not knowing what the inside of a letter is. (is that an a o, e, a, c or s?) No wonder he struggled with reading, and math! Poor kid! He now has coloured overlay sheet and special colour paper that will correct about 25%-30% of the problem, and we are saving up to get him specially tinted lens that are not covered by health care, and is very expensive! His special colour of paper is pale green and his overlay sheets are one yellow, and one green.
Adrian has struggled the most with the change to public school. At the beginning of the year, he found himself alone with just Mom for the morning, until it was time for him to go to school. It was exciting at first, but he soon realized he missed his family that he had always been with, especially his brother. When Mom started working, Adrian also had to adjust to attending a babysitter for the mornings. He seems to finally be settling in and happy to go to the babysitters, and then off to school for the afternoon. He is learning tons, and is easily putting letter sounds together and reading words. I've a feeling he will be well prepared for grade one next year.
Kens parents spent some time out here just before Christmas. It was wonderful to see them and have an early Christmas with them. It was hard to see Kens father struggle with the thinner air here, and he did have to spend some time in the hospital while he was here. As a christmas gift, they also purchased all the supplies we needed to finish our one and only bathroom. Now we have a beautiful floor, new toilet, walls with drywall and painted my favourite green, and a gorgeous double sink. We have put up curtains around the toilet, and now we can leave the bathroom door open and have a number of people using the sinks and mirrors, and not have to kick everyone out when someone needs to use the toilet. (Just in time, before the house if full of teenagers). It was a wonderful gift, and we really appreciate it!
Well, I think that is a long enough update for the moment. Hopefully I will get to blogging more frequently. Keep in touch everyone!
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