Cool Things the Kids are Doing

The twins are well into their cross country season and improving a few seconds each race.

They are also in JROTC, which requires them to have good behavior both at school and home. It has really changed them a lot.

We have all been trying to take advantage of the still-hot weather.

 Jasmine doesn't have classes on Friday, so we decided to go to the beach. I didn't go all summer due to not having a car and not having time in some cases. So this was our first time since before she left for Honduras.

I saw this old fashion surf board and was curious. The owner came over and told me it was from the 1950s, and his dad had bought it at a pawn shop in the 1960s. 

Jasmine has her first job!! She started at Dollar Tree yesterday. No pictures yet.

Right now I am in San Antonio, so more updates to come later.

The Twins Started High School

The twins are in high school this year. Because they plan to be in both cross country and track, they spent a lot of time running with the teams this summer. 

Kaleb, first day of school

Kayla, first day of school

First cross country meet

Kaleb. It was a huge meet, and he placed 171st with a time of 24:??.

5th Grade Graduation

Both twins finished 5th grade this year. Here, that is the end of elementary school. They were at two different schools and will be in two different schools for middle school. That seems to work out best. Otherwise sometimes they choose to play off each other and it's never a good thing. So different schools, and both very good ones.

The week before graduation, Kaleb was in the fifth grade program. He even had a short speaking part.

These two friends will be parting ways. Josiah is going to a computer based charter school, and Kaleb is going to an "A" public school. I will have quite a drive dropping off and picking up out of zone kids this year.

 I wish they would have had them turn and face the audience for pictures, but they didn't.

Jessica and River joined us. Tyler had to stay at home with a child on 24/7 watch.

 Celebrating

 Adam and Tara came over to help celebrate.

Unfortunately you will not see pictures of Kayla graduating. That is because she did not go to school the last three days. I will just say that she is exhibiting some ugly behaviors and made some threats which has her here at home under watch. I know she is capable of so much more. I know that she has the ability to be kind, honest and take responsibility for her actions. But that's not the side we've seen lately. So she missed out on the school celebrations. But as you can see, we did allow her to celebrate with us at home.

Right now I am at a loss as to how to deal with the behaviors. We met with a counselor, but not an hour later she was being very ugly to her siblings, being critical, saying hurtful things and stealing.

I know I am not alone in this, but I also know families are hesitant to share this side of adoption. Sometimes people want to live in fantasy land as far as issues, but the truth of it is, many time children who were older when they were adopted bring with them behaviors that aren't easy to deal with. 

My twins are two very different people. Kaleb is small for his age, socially immature, but eager to learn and eager to please. However, both his teacher and music teacher said he has so much more potential than he is displaying because when he is corrected he goes into a pout and dark mood that it's hard to get him out of. We see this here at home. Normally Jasmine will give him a pep talk, tell him to get over it, fix it and get one with stuff. He loves to do about anything as long as he's doing it with someone--watch a movie, help rebuild the swing set, go to Taco Bell happy hour, almost anything. 

Kayla is four  inches taller and about 20 pounds heavier than Kaleb. She is not socially delayed, but does not always treat people well. She will say hurtful things. Today when Kaleb was practicing his trombone, she would howl like a dog every time he played a note. He is actually doing very well for only having had four lessons. Thankfully she was out in the yard and he was inside, so he didn't realize. 

I offered to show her how to play ukulele, and she tried once but hasn't tried again.

With trips coming up, Kaleb has taken a break from swim team, but will return to it in August. Next year he will be in band, swim on the county team, swim on the middle school team for four weeks in the spring and run track in the spring.

Kayla may be in band and run track too. We will take that day by day. I wanted both to join the county Christian choir Jasmine is in, but not sure how that will work out.

Jasmine is on choir tour right now, and I'll post about that soon. She will be home for only one day and then we will head to NC to meet up with another family for vacation. That is followed by a family visit, Christian book convention and camp for the twins. Jasmine has surgery in July and then will resume voice, keyboard and ukulele lessons. They are all combined and with the same teacher.

To see the travel pillows we made for the trip and camp, check out the post HERE and HERE.

A Busy Week...and This Week Holds Even More

Last week was a crazy busy week and this week will be even more so.

Mother's Day. Rick took me to Chili's in the evening, and by then it was almost empty.

Kaleb had games last week, and next week is the end of baseball. The final game is this coming Thursday and it's awards day too. His team is tied for first place. He is still afraid of the ball. I want him to try another season. Adam is going to try and make time to work with him this summer.

I realized there is a walking path around the pond at the baseball park. It's not where our teams usually play, so I didn't know this.

We have had a lot of shoe drama the past few weeks. I have one child who intentionally destroys shoes. Thankfully the teacher caught on to this and doesn't think we are just being negligent about shoes. Five pairs in one school year.  While we were talking about shoes, I traced feet to check sizes. Kaleb has the smallest foot. Jasmine has the next to smallest foot. Kayla, who is four years younger, has a larger foot than Jasmine. Jasmine's feet are actually two different sizes. That is because on her right foot, the large toe lays sideways against her foot due to missing toes. So she always has one shoe that fits and one that is too big.  My foot is the largest one on the paper. 

Jessica had an exciting announcement for us!!

I got to give her the first baby gifts. (I was ready for the announcement!)

The twins turned 10 on Friday. Kaleb got to pick donuts at Krispy Kreme.

Unfortunately, the day was a little marred by an incident on Thursday. Most of you know that Kayla has had nine disciplinary referrals for aggressiveness toward younger/weaker kids and multiple detentions suspensions. She missed Battle of the Books last Monday due to In school suspension for assaulting another child.

We talked a lot about kindness, how to deal with it when you feel like being unkind (walking away, redirecting your anger--although these have all been unprovoked for the most part--talking to an adult about feelings etc) and I felt like she was listening. Wednesday night I rebeaded her hair and used the time to reminded her that Friday that was both her birthday and field day. The very next morning she injured a first grade child in the bus and got two days out of school suspension before the school day even started. I think field day may have been canceled so she might get that anyway, but she didn't get to take her birthday treats. And she will not get a chance to redo that.

She and Kaleb had already planned separate celebrations and hers had to be changed. We made a big deal of her birthday, but at home, not a girls' night out as planned.

We had pizza, a cake for just for Kayla and gifts. Then we watched movies at home.

Look at Kaleb's face. He couldn't believe they got Kindles. Loaded with 23 appropriate books and parental controls in place.

The kindles were a hit.

Blowing out the candles.

Poor Max was missing for two days and then came home with the side of his facing looking like there was a golf ball in it. He had a bad abscess.

The tube is stitched to his ear. They had to put him under, drain the abscess and put in a tube.  He was born July 7, 1999, and we've had him since 6 weeks old. I had originally posted a picture of the underneath of his chin, but then realized it was a little hard on the stomach seeing it if he's not your baby.

Jasmine hand fed him tuna.

 Jessica and I went to the mall and rode wild animals!

And I bought her first maternity outfit even though she won't need it for a while.

Saturday morning we had a 5K

We all finished. I hate doing a 5K in the sun on a track. Prefer my park! We had signed up ahead and ordered shirts. Everyone else signed up that morning. Instead of sitting our shirts (preordered!) aside, they gave shirts out first come, first serve. So Kayla ended up with an adult M. Next year we'll send one person ahead way early to get our shirts!

Kaleb's party was Saturday afternoon

Then Jasmine and I went to a high school production of "Into the Woods" that was really good, but really, really long.

Ty David and four others from Job Corps were sent to Washington and Jefferson National Forest in VA to help with a fire, but it was out by time they got there. So they did some routine cleaning and made $17 an hour for it. He's disappointed he didn't get to fight the fire, but glad for the pay. Hopefully the group will get to actually help with one next time. He has a chance to get more fire training, but is not sure if he wants to delay coming home in order to do it. I think it should because the chance might not come along again, but it has to be his choice.

Jasmine and I continued our adventure yesterday, plus she had dress rehearsal for her recital which is Friday.

This week's schedule:
today-Haitian Flag Day

Tuesday- Jasmine's final middle school concert and awards reception
Wednesday-full dance dress rehearsal
Thursday-last baseball game and awards
Friday-recital
Saturday-not sure yet
Sunday--adventuring with Jasmine, moms over for Liz Curtis Higgs DVD hopefully
Monday-jet skiing for the first time this season if the weather is good. Right now we are forcasted for rain.
Lots of appointments for all three children--one eye, two ADHD, one physical, three dental, one urology (me), two vet (Max)
Last day of school-June 5