It's Been a Year--Lots of Changes

WOW! It has been a year since I posted. I guess I have been busy. Jacob got a job with a school district as a computer technician in July of last year. He loves his job and he just moved out with his girlfriend. They live about five minutes from us! Elijah is going to move from his room into Jacob's old room. We had it painted today, and we are getting wood laminate laid tomorrow. We hope to have him in his room by Saturday!!

Elijah is doing well. He still has his challenges with behavior, but we continue to see improvement. He and I went to the Lexington down in south Texas. It is an air craft carrier. We went down with his ROTC group. It was a neat trip, but boy my back was not happy for about 2 weeks after. Elijah got his state ID and we got him signed up with the state workforce solutions. There are lots of other changes coming, but I'll update those after they happen.

My wife and I are doing well. We both work a lot. I had my gall bladder surgery a year ago February. It was almost the summer before I really got back to 100% of my stamina. We had a busy summer. My mom had back surgery so my SIL and I spent time taking care of her through July and August. My ex-hsuband's mother, the boys' grandmother passed away last June. The boys and I took it hard. We still miss her every day.

Elijah and I went to see my sister and nephew in San Antonio mid July. We actually went tubing down the river, which was lots of fun. The holidays were fun and we got to see family.My wife works hard, but we find time to be together. It isn't always easy if she has to work at night, but we make it happen Elijah went to his Tourette camp a few weeks ago, so we spent 1 1/2 days shopping and EATING! We found a great little restaurant in Chappell Hill! We really enjoy that time together. We are on spring break this week and we went and spent time together shopping on Tuesday. We like to go in and out of antique shops checking things out. We even found a chocolate shop and bought some truffles!!

Jacob getting a job, a "real" job as he calls it and then moving out are the two big things in the last year. Elijah will be 18 next month and that will be the next big thing. He will be a senior next year!  I'll try to be better about blogging!

Counting the Days

I am counting the days until Summer break. I have 5 1/2 more days with students and then 1 1/2 work days. It will be a busy summer. I am planning on doing some mystery shopping in June and my mom and I are taking Elijah to Alabama to visit the family. My grandmother turned 89 this month and I really want to see her. It has been two years since I have been back home. Jacob is down in Waco for his summer semester at TSTC. It is a full 15 week semester, not summer school which moves at a much faster rate and is only about four weeks. He has already texted me to tell me he needs some help with math when he comes home this weekend.

I got some good news this week! I received a $7,000 scholarship for graduate school. It will cover my summer class that I am taking that starts July 7th and my Fall semester classes. I am going to call Texas Tech and cancel my school loan! This will cover tuition, books, and any other supplies I need. I plan on quitting mystery shopping come July 1st and focus on school and the family. It will be hard to give it up, because I love the thrill of getting good shops and extra pay. Next Fall is my last semester in grad school and I will graduate in December. I will be completing my internship for my certification as an educational diagnostician, so it will be a tough semester, but I know I can focus on school now and still be able to focus on the boys, my honey and the rest of my family! It is really wonderful that this happened, and I feel blessed!

We really aren't doing much except for the trip to Alabama. I have one two day workshop in June and Jacob's girlfriend is going to watch Elijah for me. It is close enough that I will drive back and forth each day. I plan on taking a few days here and there to go to the movies, visit some museums and plan some other activities with Elijah. We are also planning on joining the rec center here in town. It is a good price and I like to go walking there. The library is right next door, so Elijah and I will go and walk and then go to the library. Once my class starts, it is a good place to work and let him hang out in the teen room. He also likes to check out books and read. I want to have him read to me this summer.  Hopefully, my honey will be able to join us on a few of these days when we go to a museum or go shopping!

Slowing Down....A Little

I have spent the last five years rushing through life. In fact, I have probably been rushing through life for the last 14 years, since Elijah was born. Parenting two boys, especially one with special needs, is no easy task. Elijah came home on oxygen and has always needed more attention than a typical child.
I work full time and have been mystery shopping for the last four years, and now I am in grad school.

I just started getting child support again back in January, and I think I can finally slow down a bit and not work so hard. Of course, I will keep teaching and working on grad school. I am slowing way down on mystery shopping. I am finally at a point where I feel like I can slow down and enjoy the boys and spending time with my honey. Time has passed too quickly with Jacob and I want to be sure I can spend time with him and Elijah this summer. I am so used to rushing around and working so much, that I hope I can make myself slow down and smell the roses!