First Day of School 2015-2015

I can't believe my babies are in 10th grade and 5th grade. Last year of elementary school. And my 10th grader drove to school, with Hubs in car of course. 

And not to disappoint, here is the traditional first day of school picture. 

Oh Father Time can you please slow down! My babies are growing up to fast.

Have I Done Enough?

A new school year is upon us again and I am filled with dread. Yes me.

You see my youngest child, R2, has dyslexia. And each and every school year has been a fight for me to make sure he receives the accommodations the law says he is entitled to.

In the very beginning of his diagnoses I used to walk out of our 504 meetings feeling as if my heart had been ripped out of my chest and feeling as if I had been defeated. After our meetings, I somehow always managed to hold it together walking down the school hallway until I reached my car and then I would turn into a crying mess.

 When R2 began third grade I began to really educate myself about my rights as a parent and my child’s education regarding dyslexia.  I no longer wanted to feel crushed. I wanted the school district to do everything they are required by law to do. I showed up to our first meeting of that year with a 3 inch thick red binder. The look on the 504 coordinators face was one of complete and total shock.  I printed out more laws and information that I’m sure no other parent has even come close too. I spent weeks reading laws and interpretations of those laws. I also learned that a school does not always have your child’s learning as their best interest. It is a business for them, but not for me.

So when she began stating incorrect information regarding dyslexia accommodations, I would open my book find the laws written not only by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) but by the U.S. Department of Education as well. I had done extensive research and I could quote a few of the laws from memory but I wanted hard evidence to show her where her statements were incorrect. As one point during our many meetings she asked me if she could have a copy of the STAAR guidelines provided by the TEA. While I know I could have easily pulled out my copy for her to make one for herself, my reply was short and simple.  “I’m sorry but no you may not, you can find this information by doing a little research on the TEA website, just as I did”.

So here we are at the beginning of a new school year and my anxiety is already in over drive mode. Did I do enough preparation last year that this year will be an easier process. Did I do enough last year that R2 will have everything he needs in place as the school year begins? Did I do enough last year to ensure that his teachers are well informed of his accommodations provided in his 504 letter? Did I do enough that moving forward to Junior High School in the next school year will be an easy transition? (Yes I am already worried about Junior High and it’s a whole year away). Did I do enough that he will make significant progress this year? Did the private tutoring we did over the summer stay with him? Did I do enough?

This thing I call “mama guilt” can and has racked through me with such destruction I am left feeling destroyed. While I know in the overall scheme of things I’m a good mom and I have done everything I could/can to help him, its times like this and throughout the school year I am left feeling overwhelmed thinking I haven’t done enough for him. I haven’t done enough to help him adapt to this learning disability that does not define who he is? I don’t want him to have an advantage, I just want him to have a level playing field.

Have I done enough?

Still Ballin'

Well I thought we were done with baseball for a while and it turns out I was wrong. 

In the upcoming weeks R1 begins conditioning with a new coach for the 2016 season, which by the way is months away. He said wants to be in shape and ready to go before the season starts. I can't say I blame him there. Catching is hard position to play and so if he stays in shape during the off season making the transition to game time will be easier. 

R2 had a tryout with a select team. He has been wanting to play select baseball for a few years and we finally decided to take the plunge with him. So this past weekend he had a two day tryout. And let me just say it was HOT! Nothing smells better in the summer breeze than the smell of burning turf. Not really. It was 102 degrees yesterday and R2 played catcher. When the second to last inning was over and he took of the catchers mask and slowly walked off the field and I knew at that moment he was feeling the heat. I walked over and made sure he had plenty of Gatorade and reminded him to drink it and drink it often and to let me know when he needed more.  

He did good and he was proud of the effort he put forth. And because he knows me so well and how I worry and get nervous for him and his brother, he told me, "Mom if I make the team great and if not then that's OK too, there is always regular season ball." What a great attitude to have. I'm proud of him. 

So I guess we are still kinda baseballing around here and I'll take it!

Hardware

Well the boys baseball season ended a few weeks ago but not before R1 and his team brought home a little hardware

Yep his summer league team took home second place in their world series. R1 even played a few other positions to just try something different and he did great! I am really proud of him. 

Way to work!

Happy Birthday Hubs

Happy Birthday Hubs!

In honor of his birthday I thought I'd post a few pictures. Hubs, I hope your birthday is awesome and the boys and I love you!

This one was taken not to long ago, it was opening weekend for high school baseball.

Having a little fun and at R2's basketball game. GROSS!

Disney Trip 2014

This one is a few years old but I love it. It took forever to get them to pose like this.

1000

This post marks my 1000th post. 

Back when I started this blog I knew I liked to write but never once did I ever think about how one day I'd be writing a 1000th post, Hubs didn't event think I'd make it past my third post. And to be honest I had my doubts too. 

But here I am!

I've sat down one thousand times and told the internet people about me, family, my love a baseball, and what truly happens when you run out of specific things in your house like Sour Patch Kids, Oreo cookies, and paper towels. 

Before I started this post I took a look back at some of the things I blogged. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me smile, but it made me feel a small sense of accomplishment. 

I started this blog and I've continued to keep it up. Not every day like in the beginning but I've popped in from time to time to let the thoughts from my brain explode on to the page and craft a story that will one day take me back to a certain time and place and make me feel things I haven't felt in along time. Kinda of the way a song or smell can instantly propel you back. You just instantly remember that specific time.

So here's to the first 1000 and hoping I can continue on to the next 1000.  It's been amazing!