Summing It Up

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

So much has been happening here in This Nest, and I wanted to take a moment to catch everyone up before my Fall term begins next week. The end of Summer term marked the official end of my nursing program prerequisites. Although I do still have to complete my CNA and First Aid courses (which begin for me on Tuesday) prior to beginning the Nursing Program, I have successfully completed the last of the classes required to APPLY for the program. The program application deadline was September 15th and I am so happy to say I am among those being considered. I retained my 4.0GPA through what proved to be a very stressful condensed Summer term, so I am feeling hopeful that the letter I will receive in approximately eight weeks will be and acceptance rather than an apology. Please keep me in your prayers.

  • My husband is continually working very hard to provide for his family, while the kids and I concentrate on our various school and athletic schedules. I am so looking forward to the day that my income as a nurse will allow his freedom from so much overtime. Lord knows, he’s tired. Lord knows, I appreciate the hard worker in him.
  • Our oldest son will begin at the Community College as well next week. He is focusing on his academics this term and then hoping to transfer to a junior college in California with a football program, in order to potentially get himself recruited and attend a University after that. His ultimate goal, however, is law enforcement.
  • Our second-born is a junior but, since she will also begin at the Community College as a Running Start student, only attends her high school for algebra. If all goes well and she works hard, she could graduate from high school while simultaneously earning her Associates degree – and get her Bachelor’s degree by the time she’s twenty.
  • Our third-born is a freshman this year. She is so far really enjoying high school, and is gearing up for her first-ever high school homecoming week and all the included festivities. She tried out and made her high school’s volleyball team – which is a pretty big deal considering the competitiveness of that particular program. Her team is undefeated, and she is having fun being a part of it.
  • Our fourth child is three weeks into his kindergarten year and he is loving it. His name was drawn in June’s lottery for acceptance into our district’s Spanish immersion school – they only took twenty kindergarteners and his name was drawn 20th! I have to admit, as much as I want him to have the gift of bilingualism – I was really worried how he’d react to no English being spoken to him at school. He is amazing though, and is learning so much already. He comes home and tells us all the new words, numbers, and letters he learned in Spanish.
  • Our last little guy did have some difficulty adjusting when his older brother/buddy went off to kindergarten. He’s never been without him. He is beginning his own preschool schedule, however, when I go to class next week. He is so excited to have his own class in his own school – just like his older sisters and brothers.
  • Tony’s littlest not-so-little-anymore sister (his last sibling still living in This Nest) is just about ready to spread her wings and fly. She has completed her six-month certificate in Early Childhood Education, has been working hard at her current job, has been searching diligently for a new full-time job, and has been saving her money to move out. I will miss all the help she gives me…but am really excited for her to get out on her own.
So, summing it all up…we are busy, busy, busy still enjoying our blessed chaos! We are what you would call a well-oiled machine…ok, not really, but we sure do try our darned-est to keep up with everything. School, motherhood, and marriage keep me almost too busy to blog about school, motherhood, and marriage – but I will try harder to keep up with that as well. If for nothing else…to be all rolled up into a book my kids can have when they are all grown up and facing the joys of adulthood that I am currently enjoying!
Be blessed,
Donna
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Homeless Duck

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

 

Driving home together, Devaney and I dodged the normal onslaught of what ifs from the two imaginative maniac midgets riding behind us in their booster seats.

“Mama, what if I found a duck and brought it home and it was my pet?” D’Lo asked

“Oh no, that wouldn’t work.” I answered

“Why not?” he returned

“Well” Devaney replied “that duck would hate you because it would want to go home to its own family.”

“Ohhhhh, no no no, I am talking about a homeless duck!”

(Of course you are, lol, what were we thinking?!)

Crazy kid.

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First Day of School

 

First day of school. First day of kindergarten. First day of high school. First day of no high school. First day without a best buddy. First day as a part time high school/part time college student.

We are a busy bunch.

Let me clarify.

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

There is nothing quite like being on the parental end of a high school graduation…unless you get to simultaneously witness her receive her high school diploma and Associate’s degree at the same time. Devaney began her junior year of high school today – but she will only see the inside of her actual high school for one period per day (algebra). She will begin her college schedule in three weeks when her brother does. Her enrollment in English 101 and French will earn her several college credits, as well as be applied to her high school graduation requirements. She is so blessed to have such a program to take advantage of…and we are so blessed that she actually wants to.

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

While the chaotic hustle and bustle of back to school preparations engulfed This Nest over this previous week, there was one Sparrow who simply didn’t partake…our recent high school graduate. No, he most definitely and completely sunk into doing absolutely nothing (except play Madden on his PS3) while I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off getting his siblings ready for the new school year. Tony will begin his college schedule in three more weeks…but today, today, he took full advantage of NOT having to gear up for this big day.

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

AD. Oh, my baby boy. What a terrible day it was for him. His best buddy, his partner in crime, his big bro began his kindergarten journey today…and AD was devastated without him. The emotional low of crying desperately at the door as I drove away with the other half of himself, to the emotional high of the after-school reunion – well, it proved to be just a little too much for his four-year-old heart to take. I haven’t rocked him to sleep like a baby in quite some time…til tonight. I kissed his sweet face repeatedly as he drifted off to dream land. I plan to offset tomorrow’s repeat trauma with a morning trip to his favorite place. The Dollar Tree!

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

 

D’Lo woke up this morning as an official kindergartener. I don’t know where the time went. It’s been so long since I sent a child off to kindergarten…and all those old, uncomfortable feelings rose up inside me with a vengeance as the morning unfolded and I tried my best to capture as many mental memories as I did actual photos. He is attending a Spanish immersion program, which only made me more nervous for him than I already was – knowing all of today’s new-ness included no one speaking to him in English during his first ever day of public school.

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COPYRIGHT@ThisNest

Dee Dee and I were at Starbucks by six thirty this morning. She looked so grown up and lovely as she ordered her first-day-of-freshman-year-coffee. I knew today would be exhaustingly good for her – following up the excitement of high school with the exhaustion of high school volleyball practice (yes, she made the team!). My baby girl is forever done with grade school and middle school, as tall as I am, and more magnificent than all those dreams that all mommies have for their little girls.

So, that’s it in a nutshell.

A very busy day.

First day of school. First day of kindergarten. First day of high school. First day of no high school. First day without a best buddy. First day as a part time high school/part time college student.

And another day to be grateful for my blessed chaos. Thank You, Lord.

 

 

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“Looks Great!!”

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“Looks Great!!” Even though my three terms in Anatomy & Physiology have offered me some insight into what all these numbers mean, and even though two years of watching our precious D’Lo battle this have given us experience reading these results…the only thing I really see on this whole piece of paper is the part right above Dr. Mike’s signature that says – “Looks Great!!” (that’s TWO exclamation points, by the way).

Three weeks until he walks into school as an official kindergartener, and D’Lo will be steroid-free for the first time in two years. From weight gained and then lost, from normal to low-sodium diets, from trying to find our normally joyful fourth child somewhere between moody and sleepless, from the lips of prayer warriors to the ears of God…here is our beautiful son. Eight doses of prednisone left, and holding strong.

Thank you to everyone who has been On Bended Knees on behalf of our precious, crazy, active, imaginative, loving, joyful, hyper, smart, funny, beautiful boy. We love you all.

Oh, and thank You, Father.

 

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Wishing On A Star

 

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Wrapped snugly in a blanket, we cuddled up together on the back patio as the sun faded into night time. You were so excited when the stars began to appear, pointing to the first of the evening with your precious, chubby, tan finger.

“Look, Mama, look! A star, a star!”

“Star light, star bright, very first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have this one wish I wish tonight…Now make a wish.”

“Mmmmmmm….I wishhhhhh…I wish I could be a singer.”

“And a ninja.”

“And a doctor.”

“And a superhero.”

“And a scientist.”

Ohhhh, little boy – how I love your mind, and your heart, and your voice, and your cute pointer finger…and all the potential you carry inside of the precious package that is you.

I hope we see another first-star-of-the-night again soon.

Love, Mama

 

 

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