Well, the day has finally arrived for which we have been waiting. Our youngest, Emily, will graduate from K-5 tonight! They will walk down the aisle to accept their "diploma" and then put on a short play for all of us adoring parents. Emily is already stressing about her reading part in the play. She told me, "I can't do it well, and Mrs. Pitcher (teacher, voice coach) will be sitting down!" Five-year-old stress.......tell me, if she can't handle this, how is she going to survive the next twelve years of school?! Oooooh, boy, something to look forward to!
Chad and I approached this milestone before when Ashley was in kindergarten. We were looking forward to the "growing up" years: no more diapers, no more baby food, no more waking up in the night to a crying baby, ready to move on to "older" children. Then........surprise! Emily came along! We found out halfway through Ashley's K-4 year that we were expecting again. Emily was born three months early, so she and Ashley are just over five years apart. We had gotten rid of all baby things once Ashley grew out of them, so we had to get new car seats, new crib, new blankets, new clothes, new everything! Of course, our wonderful church family helped us out tremendously by throwing us a "this is unexpected" baby shower. We found a cute little pink stroller with ladybugs all over it. Since Emily was born so early, she was super tiny. More than once, when we were walking through the store with Emily in her stroller, someone stopped us to say, "Oh, I thought that was a baby doll, but she's real!" Seriously, why would a woman my age be pushing a doll around in a stroller???
Anyway........we are glad Emily's graduation is tonight. My husband was able to take off work to be there, so we'll all enjoy her play. I have to tell on one of my girls, but don't tell anyone, OK? :-) During one of our daughters' graduation plays, the kids got the giggles. Our daughter laughed so hard that she accidentally wet herself! Then the laughter turned to tears because she didn't know what to do next---should she keep on going or run for the bathroom? She stood there crying for several minutes until my husband went to her and calmed her down. Her teacher also talked with her, and, as a result, our daughter was able to finish the play. The other kids had just sat there, unsure what to do because our daughter had not said her next line, so, in their five-year-old minds, no one else could speak! Once our daughter was able, in a tear-clogged voice, to speak her next line, the play finished smoothly. Talk about relief!!! Chad and I were so thankful to see the end of that program! And, because our daughter didn't want anyone to know exactly what had occurred (obviously), we could only anwer vaguely when someone asked what went wrong onstage. Thankfully, our other children, during their graduation plays, did not have any problems! Whew!
Today is the last day of school, and it's only a half-day at that. There was a brief awards ceremony this morning for all students. Our girls received the Scripture memorization award, and Amanda got the Honor Roll award (all four quarters). Throughout the school, there were some names called repeatedly---teachers' pets!---and some whose parents were just glad could move on to the next grade. The high school guys cheered each time a high school boy got an award just to further embarrass him. Bro. Minge, our principal, pointed something out: When the elementary students' names are called, they come to the front with big smiles and excitement. When the upper grades' names are called, they act like, "Do I really have to go up there?" I think secretly they are thrilled but to show that would be acting "childish." That's what parents are for.......to clap and cheer and fully embarrass their child, right? I'm very good at that---just ask my kids!
Dale has no therapy until Monday. He is having a bit of a shaky day today, having fallen a couple of times already, but he doesn't quit. He just keeps going---like the Energizer bunny! Speaking of therapy, here is a prayer request: Beginning July 1st, Medicaid will no longer pay for services or medication unless authorized by an enrolled provider. Group Health is our primary insurance, and they are not going to be enrolled with Medicaid any longer. This may mean that Dale's therapies and doctor appointments may have to be curtailed some, since Medicaid right now pays for all co-pays and extra costs of care. We are going to have to reapply for Medicaid for Dale anyway because that coverage only lasts until August 1st (one year), and we're not sure Medicaid would continue their coverage of Dale anyway. So this may not be a big deal after all; this may simply move up by one month the date of Dale's curtailed therapy. And, since he is doing so great (!!!), having to cut out some of his therapy may not be a problem. YES! So, we'll see how the summer unfolds.
Chad and I cannot express enough how thankful we are to our Heavenly Father for His goodness and care. Not just in Dale's case, but for our whole family. We are blessed to be His children, called by His name.
John 12: 26 "If any man serve Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honour."
Kirsten, of course I'll add to my prayer list. Things have gone well so far and they will continue to do so; God may not always gives us what we want, but he always gives us what we need. I do have a joke for Dale, hope you don't mind a groaner lol. There was a man who entered a local paper's pun contest. He sent in ten different puns, in the hope that at least one of the puns would win. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did. As always, you are all on my prayer list, and thanks so much for this blog. All my best, Eric
ReplyDeleteHello: How much time has passed since Dale has had a seizure? I recall several posts ago you were happy at the number of weeks that had passed, but I don't recall any postings about it since. I hope we get a review (unbiased of course, lol) of Emily's play.
ReplyDeleteHere is a joke for Dale:
A little boy was eating in a restaurant for his birthday, when he started eating without a prayer. His parents turn to him and say, “we say a prayer before eating in our house!” The little boy replies, “yeah, that’s in our house but here the chef knows how to cook!”