Working with Riley's class

While we were in Texas, the parents had to work a set amount of hours volunteering at the school. Yorktown Christian Academy was a wonderful school for us to be starting all of our academic careers (Riley as a student and me as a parent). Plain and simple, they expected the parents to be involved!! Such a difference when we came here!! Just put your kid on the bus and away all your responsiblity goes with the bus?? After a couple of weeks, I couldn't handle it! At YCA, we talked to the teacher everyday as she walked the child to our car. . . more later. . .family calls. . .
Now a month later - I am finally sitting down to work more on my blog!
SO I went in to talk to Riley's teacher. WE all LOVE Miss Buckley!! She is a wonderful teacher, calm, quiet but loves the kids. We decided that I would come in a couple of times a month and make crafts with the kids. We made peppermint cocoa mix for Valentine's Day, rainbow fruit salad for St Patricks' Day, handprint bunny's for Easter, Mother's Day brooches and Key chains for dads. I also went in as a mystery reader. I read a few Eric Carle's books and then ended with the Very Hungry Caterpillar. Then I left them with a kit of caterpillars that would develop into butterflies! They loved it!
I also joined the school's PTO because I read that it is important to show how you value's your child's education. I had no idea what a PTO does!! Last school year, our PTO raised something like $22,000!!!! for our school use!! Without the PTO's money, the school would be without many programs!! No exciting morning programs. The district has cut field trips so the PTO provides the money to bring special programs to the school - like a traveling zoo, plays, naturalist, etc. I CAN'T believe what all a PTO does! SO get involved in your child's school!!
Well, at the end of the year, Miss Buckley wanted me to come in so the class could thank me for all I did. I wanted to help out the class 1) because Riley wants me to, 2) I enjoy it, 3) I want to be a help to Miss Buckley and 4) because I realize that this is a way to shine my light to children who might not see much of Jesus in their everyday life. Well, I was NOT expecting what Miss Buckley and the class did for me!!! They had a large cake that said "Thank You Mrs Lierman", she made a book where all the kids drew a picture and wrote what they liked doing the most with me, made me a picture frame with a picture of all the kids and all the kids signed their names AND THEN she gave me a Vera Bradley bag!!! What!! I was trying to help her out and show her MY appreciation for being a wonderful teacher to all these kids!! I just can't believe it! :) Let's see what I get done next year!! I am looking forward to it! :)

Gardening

Since we live in such a wonderful climate, we have decided to start a vegetable garden!! Daryl and I spent one weekend preparing the area. We borrowed a rototiller from the Albert family and Daryl rototilled the area. I raked the soil after him and picked up TWO large BUCKETS of rocks from the area. The builders must have put as must rocks in the yards as soil. :{ Daryl used the rocks to line our front flower beds. I am trying to grow as organically as I can. We bought cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, basil, several types of lettuce and dill from the farmers market. Then we planted pumpkin, green bean, sugar snap peas, and carrot seeds. We seeded a potato and planted that too. I used marigold to edge the garden since it and the dill are natural bug and deer repellents. I hope something grows!! I am worried because nothing has sprouted yet but Daryl is reminding me that it hasn't been very warm yet and two nights have been frosts. I love it!!! The kids love going out and helping me water. I think it will be such a great learning experience for all of us!! I want to learn to can and make jellies and pickles. I won't post pictures until things actually start growing. I do hope they do!!

Spring is full of Sickness!

We have never been so sick since we moved up here!!! Probably from all the new bugs around here. Since we got here, we have had 6 bouts with the stomach bug, unknown cold - which turn into sinus infections, Kaylee has had at least 1 ear infection a month (WITH tubes), Daryl gallbladder problems and surgery, and the latest is his back (bulging disk). Ugh. So many weeks full of sick kids. Not fun.
Riley is not sleeping well so that in turn wears her out. So then she ends up getting sick on Friday night and is sick all weekend. I am praying to how to help her! Before she goes to sleep, we talk about the blessings in our lives. We have memorized the 23rd Psalm and then I have talked about the meaning of the verses and why it is so special. We have a list of my favorite Bible verses that deal with comforting and peace so she can read and memorize them. We don't read scary books or watch anything remotely scary. I do not know what is bothering her!! I talked to the school counselor and she will be in a life skills counseling session next year. I LOVE her school!! They really work with you!! And I love her teacher!! The counselor said it might be such a shock to her that she came from such a small Christian school where the parents HAD to be involved and kids were to act a certain way and now she is in a LARGE public school where there is almost no parental involvment and kids come from all types of families. Keep praying on that one!!
Kaylee is seeing an immunologist to see why she is getting sick so much. It has been continual!!! We are trying a few things and are also to get a complete bloodwork test done on her - but haven't done it yet.
Overall, Bodie's asthma is much better here!! His body likes the dry air and we can tell by his breathing when it gets more humid outside.
Our pediatrician knows us VERY well. The office staff love us. The pharamcy tech doesn't even ask our names when we come in and she hands us lollipops when we leave. On a monthly basis we see - along with our regular ped. - a GI specialist, pulmonologist, ENT dr, and now an immunologist!! Thank goodness we have insurance!!!