Hard Decisions

Well, I think we/I have decided that we have to at least try the public school. No one really truly knows or understands why the decision is so hard for me, except my dear husband. It is hard. VERY hard. We will go out this weekend and get a few basic school supplies that Anna didn't have to have for private school and then we will register and start at the new school Monday. I will continue to pray, but I have to at least give it a shot. If after that six weeks time period I still feel hesitant or not comfortable, then I will make that decision to bring Anna back home. (My sis-in-law was my encouragement for this. She called right after I posted the last post and encouraged me to at least try it. If it doesn't work, then there really is nothing lost but 6 weeks or so and I can always pull her back home if I absolutely hate it.) I will give it my best shot and continue to pray. Thanks for those who cared enough to encourage and pray for me. We will continue to need prayers.

Asking for Prayers

(This is a lot personal and hard for me to post, but we need prayers.)

Please pray for guidance. We have withdrawn Anna from the private school effective this Friday and the plan was to put her in public school, but I'm not so sure about this plan. I really need prayers for guidance that we make the right decisions. I am running out of time to decide this as it will need to be on the paperwork first thing Friday and because I'm making the schedule for work for next week and if we will indeed be homeschooling again, we will need to tweak it just right. I make that schedule for tomorrow. Thanks all for the prayers. I always hope I'm making the right decision for my little girl and acting on faith and not self, but sometimes I question and double guess myself. Thank you in advance again. God bless.

Changes are Brewing....AGAIN!

Well, changes are brewing....again!! I know, not shocking in my household. As of last week, Wednesday to be exact, Anna will finish out this month at her current private school AND we will be putting her in a close by public school with LOTS of prayer. It was a tough decision, but we really need to put aside the money we are paying in tuition every month and save up for other expenses we have coming (like medical on my end.) It was a good school and I liked their curriculum, but they have no extra resources for children who need extra help, which left Jeremy and I schooling Anna at home to the tune of 1-6 hours a day. (YEAH, I know really developmentally appropriate for an 8 year old. NOT!) Anyhow, so from November 1st, till Christmas we are trying out the public school. We will be praying a whole lot as this is not really high on my list of where to send her to school. Anyhow, if it works, she will continue, if not, after Christmas I will be changing my work schedule and going to back to homeschooling forever more. Anyhow, that's all. We could use prayers for Anna and for us as a family. This was a very hard decision and not one we came by lightly. I am really personally struggling with this idea, but I am giving it a shot, to say that at least we tried. I hope it works.

My Beautiful Gift from God!

Today I was thinking about how lucky and blessed I am to have a beautiful gift from God. He gave her to us to raise and love and show His ways. She is more than we could ever ask for. She is smart and witty and very funny. She thinks of things in ways like no one else can. She loves unconditionally and she has a smile like no other. She is my special little girl and I love her deeply. She is our little miracle and our pride and joy! She is the light of our lives.

Outside playing in rocks:

Roping a tree (she's a little cowgirl):

See that beautiful smile:

She completes our family picture:

See! BEAUTIFUL!!!

I love this girl with all my heart and feel extremely lucky and blessed to call her mine. God truly knew what he was doing when he gave us this beautiful little girl. She is truly a joy to have in my life. I am proud to call her my daughter!

School Troubles?

***WARNING: FRUSTRATION VENT AHEAD!!!

We are beyond frustrated with school. Anna has a major test again tomorrow on vocabulary words that are way beyond 3rd grade. I received them tonight. The test is tomorrow. By the time I got home from work, that didn't give me much time to make sure she knows them all. These words are hard. We will be going over them again in the morning.

They keep pulling her out of PE for finishing class work, which results in her needing to do make up work for PE. She has this make up work completed and on time, but she never gets to take it to PE with her and she has a different teacher for that class. UGH! So, we spent the time doing the work, but she loses points for not turning it in. Not fun.

Math is hard too. We have been working on it and working on it, but she is still behind. I received a timed math paper back with a "memorize facts" comment written on it. That's all we've been working on. She had completed 4 questions out of 25-30 in the 5 minute time period. Anna has gotten better at the math and even a little faster, but when she feels the least bit threatened, she shuts down. I'm not sure how else to drill it into her. We started touch math with the intention of it making things faster, and it does, but not fast enough.

I love the school that we picked out and the things that they stand for. I like Anna's teacher, but I also feel like they are not giving her enough to work with. They just expect her to pick up with the other kids and be able to perform at the same level. She is trying hard, but still struggling. I have e-mailed the teacher and the principal. I have tried keeping a daily log open with the teacher. I have tried watching her in class and observing the teacher's technique. I have tried doing the work at home, but that is paying to have her in a good school and still homeschooling. I just don't know what else to try right now. They are not willing to work with parents and get the student to feel confident. They are not making it easy to transition. I am just beyond frustrated. I do not feel that they are working with us or with Anna and her learning disabilities. She is trying hard and we are trying hard with little results. There is no one else to contact at the school. No one.

I just do not know what to do right now. I do not know if I should move her to another school, where they are better equipped or do I move her back home with me and go back to working full-time nights again. (I really am enjoying my days. REALLY!) I will not got back part-time. I am working full-time. I took a promotion at work to be able to put Anna in school and I will not go back on that. I will have to figure this out. This will require a lot of prayer. I really wanted to give it till Christmas break to decide, but it is obvious to us that something will have to be done sooner. There is just too much stress involved in schooling her where she is at. We need something different.

All I'm asking for is prayer and guidance. We don't need criticism. We just need prayer. Thanks all and thanks for understanding.