Snapshots and Snippets

Dad:  My dad was an amazing person…he was full of fun, jokes, music, and laughter.  He genuinely cared about people and served our home church from soon after he graduated college until he died.  He was such a special person there were over 1500 people at his visitation and 1000 people at his funeral services in a town of 2000.  He made an impact.  People still remember and talk about him all the time…they talk about how they miss him, they talk about what a great person he was,etc.  I am so thankful for a father who left such a beautiful legacy…and inspired me to be the kind of person that people love.  I am also thankful that he instilled in me the love of music…and a love of silliness!  I learned some great practical jokes from him!  :)  I am grateful that I had the chance to know him for as long as I did.

Dishwashers:  I wouldn’t like a world without dishwashers, I’m just saying…I HATE washing dishes.  And considering I have exzcema on my hands, it’s really an unhappy situation.  Itchy, dry, and annoying.  The dishwasher is a beautiful thing…you put the dishes in dirty, pour some stuff in there, close it up, and they come out clean.  Lovely.  Simple. Sigh…
Jeff usually does this…so kudos to my hubby for being awesome!

Disney World:  I really do love Disney World…even now at 31!  I love being there with my family, I love the rides, I love the magic, I love that it makes me feel like I kid again when I’m there.  We have been there several times and we’re going again in a little over a month.  I can’t wait to see how much fun E has!  And we get to travel with Mom, Benji, Liz, and Eli!  FUN!

Dining Out:  I love going out to eat.  And I love new places with new food…I really enjoy trying new things!  I wish we had the money to do this more.  But I’m thankful for the experiences we’ve had in the past!  Jeff and I have had several different “food” experiences that we really enjoyed.  We both love finding spots that we’ve heard about wherever we are traveling.  I guess you could say I’m a foodie.  ;)

Diversity:  I enjoy meeting and being in relationships with different kinds of people.  It’s so amazing to see how such different people can become such great friends.  Different backgrounds, political views, ethnicity, personalities, etc.  We are all beautiful and we’re all unique…and God made us to be people who do life together.  It’s great to have the friends I have…and I celebrate our differences!

Cheesecake:  I LOVE cheesecake…in all forms…nuff said.

Cable:  I have a TV obsession…seriously…I was without it for a while and I must say it was no big deal, but I love watching crime drama, home improvement shows, and the food network.  Although I wouldn’t die without it, I would REALLY miss it.  Cable is also very useful for the munchkin…he loves Playhouse Disney and the older shows that are on the “On Demand” menu…namely, Blue’s Clues and Sesame Street.

Contentedness:  This is a hard one for me sometimes…and not because I’m not happy with where I am, I just always seem to be thinking about what could be better.  Fix-ups needed/wanted around the house, new appliances that will make our life “easier”, material things that would be fun to have (like a new slr digital camera…ahem)…etc.  I have to remind myself of all that we already have and how lucky we are.  Jeff has a good job and is in no danger of losing it, we have a nice house, we have enough money to pay all our bills and even do and buy special things every once in a while.  With content comes peace, and I need more of that in my life…

Comfy Couch:  I love a big comfy couch where I can snuggle with E after his nap, sit and watch my favorite movie/tv show, or read a book.  Sometimes a blanket is nice too…

Coupons:  I have recently inserted myself in to the world of the coupon.  I haven’t gone gang-busters or anything…I get one paper every Sunday and I look online for monthly coupons.  I try to plan my shopping list around what coupons we have when possible.  It has been a great thing.  I’m sure we don’t save as much as we “could” if I was crazy about it…but we save enough for it to be worth it to us!

Clarks:  I LOVE Clarks shoes.  Now that I’m old and breaking down, I need better shoes than just flip flops.  Clarks are it.  I love their stuff and I wear mine EVERY DAY.  Seriously…every day.

Cell Phone:  After reading Deb’s “C” post, I couldn’t BELIEVE I forgot my cell phone.  I honestly feel weird when I don’t have it…like the laws of the world dictate that if I forget my phone, something bad will happen and I will won’t have the ability to contact anyone for help.  It’s so nice to have everyone’s numbers right there…and you can call someone the second you think of something you need to ask them or tell them.  It’s great for the impulse-driven person, like me!  lol

Benji:  My brother is the best!  We’ve been good friends for a while now and it’s awesome to have such a great relationship with him.  He’s super talented, he has a heart of gold, he loves to laugh, and I’m lucky to have him in my life!

Bananas:  I love bananas…plain or in a dessert of some sort, bananas always make things yummier.  They are also an easy go-to snack or meal item for the munchkin!

Books:  I have always loved to read…and I still do.  For me, it’s getting lost in the story that is the best…I crave the feeling of not wanting to put the story down…not wanting to lose the magical place you’ve found yourself in.  I think there is nothing better than sitting and reading a book on the….

Beach:  There is nothing like the sound of waves…I am not the kind of gal that likes to go to the beach with 1500 half-naked people…I like picturesque beaches…rocky, sandy, sunny, or cloudy…as long as it’s quiet, I am at peace.  Give me a chair and a book and I could stay for hours…

Best friends:  I have a few friends who are as dear to me as family.  They know me better than most.  We share many things…stories, jokes, experiences, love, pivotal moments, etc.  I wouldn’t be who I am without them.  They brighten my life and for that, I am thankful.

I got this idea from my friend, Deb, and thought I would join the club.   It will give me something to do every day of this month…and since I’ve been TERRIBLE about blogging lately, I thought this might just do the trick and get me out of the slump.  I’m starting a day late, so I will post A and B today…

Apples:  I love apples in all forms …by themselves, in a pie, in a dumpling, with or without ice cream (or IN ice cream), homemade applesauce, etc.  They are yummy and good for me, and I like them.

Autumn:  Autumn is my favorite month…fall colors, warm clothes (but no coat needed) campfires, picking out a pumpkin from a farm, apples and other fall harvest fruits and veggies, etc.  I love everything about autumn.  The changing of seasons is always a wonderful feeling and I’m always reminded of the beauty of God’s creation during this time of year.

Amiability:  I love people who are friendly, I like being friendly…schmonely people drive me crazy.  I want to be around people who bring me up and give me energy.  This is the kind of person I hope I am and these are the kinds of people/friends I am most thankful for!

Art:  I love art in many forms…photography, film, painting, music, etc.  I love it all and it makes me happy.  Without creative outlet, it would be a boring world.

Authenticity:  I have always been one of those “I am who I am” kinda girls.  I am the same no matter what situation I am in (for the most part).  You see what you get!  Authenticity is important in my spiritual life, too…I don’t want to be fake or be what someone else wants me to be.  God made me…and we’re both working on making me the best I can be, so I must be myself.  Keeping this as a priority in my life will allow for more effectiveness in my life…people will know that when I’m worshipping, singing, talking, laughing…or just living…that I am real.

Adventure:  I LOVE to travel…I love new experiences…I love new places…and I enjoy change.  I think it’s invigorating to be at the threshold of something I have never participated in before…who knows if it will end up being a defining moment in your life…or end up on your list of “best things ever”…I could use more of it in my life.

Animals:  Animals are awesome…they are my favorite…any kind of animal…I love to pet them, to look at them, to own them, etc.  They make life so much more amazing!  What’s better than coming home to a dog or a kitty who runs to meet you and sits next to you for the rest of the evening…just because they like being close to you?  So great…

The garden has really been a fun project so far…it’s so fun to think about all the yumminess that has come (or will come) from it over the season!

Here is the updated slideshow with some new pics!

Here are some new pics from the garden (mixed in with the old).  We have some broccoli almost ready for harvest and our first tomatoes! It’s so excitingto watch something come from nothing!  Awesome!  

Anyone who has spoken to me in the past year for any amount of time probably knows that Ethan is exhibiting signs of high giftedness. I’ve known that he was sharp from early on…early talking, early ABC’s (that he basically taught himself from his refrigerator toy…thank you leap frog), crazy good memory, etc. Well it has only continued to develop and he is now reading independently. He started reading when he was just 2 (books with similar words…pat, cat, hat, bat, etc). Now, about a year later, he can read just about whatever children’s book you put in front of him. He may need a little help with a few words, but even then he’ll sound it out on his own. At this point, I think he’s reading at about a 1st-2nd grade level…and he’s 3. He is also learning to tell time on a regular clock (and knows the 15 minutes intervals at this point), early addition and subtraction, money, etc. The thing is…I don’t push this on him AT ALL…he LOVES working in workbooks, he loves playing games and puzzles…he can’t get enough.
I’ve been thinking and researching giftedness a LOT lately. I want to know everything I can about it and what I need to know in order to insure my munchkin everything he needs to become who God has made him to be. God has gifted him in this way and I feel as though it’s my responsibility to make sure that his education includes whatever he needs to thrive and grow.
The problem is…gifted education in our public school system is just ok. I already have a fight on my hands next year…Ethan is 1 week past the cut off date for entry to kindergarten. I’ve heard that the schools are VERY hard to convince when it comes to early entry to school…but I can’t even conceive of Ethan not going to school til he’s almost 6 years old! WHAT?!?!?! I understand that socially there are differences that have to be taken in to consideration…but Ethan is very well adjusted (better adjusted than some of his older school mates now) and if things continue to go the way they are, he’s going to be so far ahead that he’ll START school feeling like he’s out of place.
This is why I’ve been doing so much research. I feel like I need to know how things work and what he’ll need ahead of time so I don’t go in and get snowed by the schools.
There are some different private schools in the area for gifted kids, but the annual tuition for such places is around 11K…yeah…right. As if we have that laying around in our bank accounts. So hopefully, if we need to put him in a special school in order for him to receive the best education for him, there will be financial aid and scholarships available. This also requires us to have him tested once he’s over 4 years old. They actually recommend that you test them the spring/summer before they should be entering school so they are close to where they will be when starting school that next fall.  But they use those test scores to quanitfy giftedness and it will be a powerful tool when trying to get him in to ANY school, let alone the gifted schools that require the testing.
Spiritually, I feel like God will show up…He has gifted Ethan in this way…and He chose for me and Jeff to be his parents (a good mix by the way…Jeff is gifted as well…and I’m tenacious/stubborn as all get out)…I know God has this in His hands and that He will bless our efforts to do what’s right for Ethan.
One thing I’ve been thinking about lately…Jeff and I have been trying to get pregnant and haven’t been successful…and there’s a part of me that wonders whether we’re supposed to be a one kid family so we can pour all our efforts in to Ethan. I’m not sure this is the case, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a week or so now. It kinda came to me out of the blue and I just wonder…  The cost associated with gifted education is substantial, the effort put in to raising a gifted child is substantial as well…  Be praying about that will ya???  
Needless to say, there’s a lot sloshing around in my head right now. There’s so much to consider and so much we have yet to see in Ethan. He’s still so young.  However, part of the reason it’s so important to me to gather as much info as possible is because gifted kids learn REALLY early that they’re different. The higher your intelligence, the less likely you are to thrive in a standard classroom environment with special “gifted” programs…even in these programs, gifted kids are all lumped together. I want Ethan to live a balanced life and I want him to be able to learn at HIS pace, not the pace the classroom mandates. Unfortunately, quality education for highly gifted kids is expensive. But again, I believe God knows the way. I believe that God has an amazing plan for Ethan. And I know He will guide us and provide what we need. I pray that when we have him tested the path will be clearer, there will be more resources at our fingertips, and we will have some sort of idea what to do about his education.

In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy the time with my munchkin. He is such a great kid…and such a gift! Always smiling, always learning, always saying silly stuff…he’s just a fantastic little man.
Thanks God for OUR gift and thank you for always being there beside us on this journey!

E and I have been busy visiting different parks and fun spots (sometimes Daddy gets to come too when he’s not working)! Here are some fun pics from the last few days of fun!

Here are some pics from the garden!  :)  The only thing I couldn’t get a good pic of were the pea sprouts…my camera wasn’t cooperating.