Update on Life

Well-January is over (FINALLY!). That was a long month. Not bad. Just long. =) I think I've mentioned that already.
So and update on the goings on in our household. Hang on to your seats- it's flippin' exciting ;)
Brad-
He is in full swing working on his thesis now. Ok he's going to kill me but I DON'T know exactly the terminology for what his thesis is exactly- so basically (and in laymen terms) he is researching how students evaluate their peer performances vs. how "professionals" evaluate the same performance. Soooo he went to a Solo and Ensemble this past Saturday and recorded lots of kids from all over West MI doing their thing on their instrument. This is stage one of his data gathering. He then plans on having local students evaluate these performances, then have local professionals (aka other band teachers in the area) evaluate, compare the results and write a really long very THRILLING 50 some page paper about it all. I told him I would be MORE than glad to read it via osmosis. ;-)
He just had a recorder (aka plastic tubes of death) and 5th grade band concert which went....as well as those types of concerts ever go! ;)
We are doing a dinner and theatre trip with the middle school band/choir towards the end of March. Lion King (the broadway version) is coming to Michigan State. We just decided that we're going to take Jaedon with us too. I think he'll love it!

Jaedon-
After his bout with Pnuemonia and 2 weeks of "I can't hear you, Mom" (which was SOOOO frustrating!) I think he may FINALLY be hearing better (altho LISTENING is an all together different matter ;).
His teacher encouraged us last fall to have Jaedon's reading tested which they did and completed around Christmas time. She knew he was able to read well but she also didn't know what things she could be sending home for him that may challenge him more than the sight words that he just blew thru. They assessed him at somewhere around a 3rd grade reading level right now and 2nd grade cognitive level. So other than having a paper in his file that he is an "Accelerated learner" I don't know what else this information means. Altho, his teacher, bless her, is SO great! Instead of sending home the sight word flip charts, she has been sending home some reading level books. After she discovered his reading level she "uped" the reading level books and today she sent home a chapter book that was Star Wars!!! (She included a note saying she thought Jaedon would enjoy this one ;) He, of course, went ballistic and sat down to read/look at it for next 30 minutes.
It's really fun to see his personality keep emerging. Him and I are quite a bit alike (except he's got his daddy's smarts ;) I enjoy conversing with him during the day and his memory just blows me away.

Seth-
Oh I think the "3"s are going to be more challenging than the "2"s were for this one. He is very independent ("I do it" is his mantra) which is fine with me (most times) although is constant mind-changing is something we're really trying to work on with him. He likes to say the opposite of what he really wants then proceeds to pitch a fit about it.
He is VERY imaginative. He will go off by himself with a pirate figure and a Mr. Incredible toy and pretend they are (fill in the blank of favorite character of the day...usually someone star wars thank you big brother ;) and he will play like that for.... a long time!
Potty training is just stalled. I have him sitting on the potty everyday and he'll tell you "yeah..I go poo in the rahree (potty)" buutt....it's more of an idea to him than an actual happening. The sticker chart and candy really have no lure on him. Nor does the idea that he could have his very own Star Wars (or Superman or WHATEVER) underware if he goes to the potty. His impression of that is "huh. cool. where did I put my pirate?"
He has his first dentist appointment coming up in a few weeks. It should be interesting!

Owenator-
What a little sirolin he is. I love baby chunk! He is crawling (albeit still army style) all over the place. Still puts EVERYTHING in his mouth (and no teeth yet!) He still reminds me a lot of Jaedon as a baby as far as his easy going personality and he's so attentive to his surroundings. Altho his beefy-ness reminds me of Seth ;-) too cute. Last night the older 2 were SO tired and we were just pushing thru our nighttime routine to get them to bed - I came out in the living room after kissing 2 crying little boys and Owen's just started giggling and smiling and rolling over... what a joy he is!

And me-
I'm fine.


=)
OH ok... I'm ramble on more- because if you've made it to this point you're either 1. REEEALLY bored or 2. my mom.
Have I mentioned it being a long month? ;) Not bad but the four walls get pretty closed in after awhile. But I have a great husband who knows I need some fresh air every now and then (even if it is just running errands by myself).
I'm enjoying the bible study I'm in altho sad that it's almost over. I like getting up in the mornings to do my study - unfortunately it seems I can never get up early enough and there are a lot of mornings that 2 little boys are up with me and it's not a study I can do while they need me...but I can read Brad's message bible (SO neat to re read some familiar passages in the contemporary text!) so that's my standby a lot of mornings. I've been very challenged in my faith lately (like the past 3 years) and my latest challenge is how am I living out my faith? Do I hide in bible study's and safe christian circles or am I reaching out to people God puts in my path every day? The other day I gave a lady a ride home from the library- way out of my comfort zone b/c I tend to be scared of people (and with good right in our culture- have you read the paper lately?) but it was one of those 3 degree evenings and she was planning on walking the mile to her apartment. Now, I didn't end up sharing the gospel with her but God can use anything we give for his end.
I am going to be taking a class at our church over the next two weeks that helps you discover what your spiritual gifts are and how you can best use them. I'm looking forward to it. I have always been "involved" in DOING for the church but it was usually just something that needed to be done. I'm looking forward to discovering what passions God has wired me with and seeing how I can use them.
So I'm reading thru this book called "the Shofar Blew"- by Francine Rivers. She's one of my favorite authors(ress?) anyway, this book is really frustrating to me. I won't go into it in detail but basically it's about a pastor and his family who get "called" to a small church in suburbia and how he plans to "build himself a church" - meanwhile his marriage and family are totally being obliterated which just infuriates me (ok down, K itty it's just fiction!) I don't know why but God has given me a passion when it comes to marriage and family- I'm interested to see if that comes up in the class I'm taking.
Ok- I've been on this computer way too long.
Hope you've enjoyed the update!!! =) oh...and I'm not doing spellcheck so deal with it! ;)