My Goal

My new goal (besides losing those few extra pounds from Christmas..thank you Erin) is to reread Overcoming Dyslexia by Dr. Sally Shaywitz. I feel so bad that I have a skill that can benefit so many adults and children and I have neglected it for the last year. I loved volunteering at the school and teaching the kids because I didn't feel a lot of pressure to know everything there is to know about dyslexia. Parents weren't hiring me, I was just volunteering my time. Regardless if I volunteer or get paid, I need to get busy reviewing things that I have since forgotten. Mario of course would like me to get paid, but I feel it is better for me to serve those kids whose parents couldn't afford help any other way. Maybe there is a good middle ground and I need to find it.

Hopefully by writing it down, I will feel motivated to start right away. Really all I need to do is remember the joy I felt when the teachers would come tell me how much their students were improving because of the tutoring.

Update on Combat Training

Mario has one more week of training and he is really enjoying it. He was telling us about one of the aspects of training where they put you and 3 other guys in a Humvee. Then they flip it and you have to get yourself out. Sounds pretty easy but Mario said that it was much harder than he ever imagined and no wonder so many people drown when there car flips into a lake. He said that he was totally disoriented and couldn't find the seatbelt latch or the door handle. Mario estimated that it took him and the other guys at least a minute or two to get out. That scared me because if it were me and the kids in the car, there's probably no way I could save them (or myself...which I probably wouldn't want to anyway if my kids all drowned. I guess I better not think about this or I will have nightmares.)

The only time Mario was really cold was on Friday when they had a full day of shooting. Today he gets to learn how to clear a room. I guess that means he goes into a building and has to shoot at targets representing the bad guys. Mario said he has a much greater appreciation for the army after this training. He knows the army has training 100 times harder.

The kids and I are fairing well, actually better than expected. I have gotten along well with all four. Zach still tests me to see if I will be consistent. But so far, so good. Nathan asked me yesterday if dad was going to church in Wyoming. I told him no, he had to work. He said that he wishes he were dad so he didn't have to go to church because as he put it "I don't like church." When I told Mario this he said maybe we need to relax a little and when he gets too restless in Sacrament meeting take him out for a walk (I think Mario wouldn't mind getting out for a walk-right to the van for a snack.) That is the opposite of what I thought. Time for him to learn to sit reverently. In fact, I sat them all down on the couch before church and laid out some new ground rules for church. They always fight on who gets to sit by me. As much as I would rather sit by the big kids (because they are quiet), I have to sit between the twins so everyone else can enjoy the meeting. The twins bring paper to draw on after the Sacrament has been administered. They like to sit on the floor and use the bench as a desk. I think they are old enough to sit correctly now...bottoms on the bench, backs against the back of the pew. Maybe this is why Nathan told me he doesn't like church.

Science Fair Projects

Can I just say I hate Science Fair Projects?! First I bought the wrong size board-I thought they only came in 1 size. Eric picked a project that is interesting-Do playing violent video games affect your heart rate? Problem is, Eric doesn't play violent video games and so he has to find 10 friends who do and test them. Fortunately his teacher said he could only use E and Teen games (no mature games). He tested Mario and I but we weren't into the games at all so our heart rates didn't increase at all. Erin picked out a really cool project but her teacher rejected the idea and told her she had to compare 3 objects. She wasn't sure what to do so she decided to just see which kind of apple turns brown (oxidation) quickest. She wanted to research oxidation but her teacher wouldn't allow that either. So she and I are stuck with a project that is really boring to her. Hopefully next time she will think about it in advance and pick something that interests her (and get it approved by her teacher).

I can't say it enough-I hate science and science fair projects! Another example of why I would never be a good homeschool mom!

Proud Mom

I received an email that had "Eric and Matthew" in the subject line. It was from Eric's ELP teacher. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous to open it. Brought me back to those preschool days when I would get phone calls in the middle of the day telling me about Eric hitting or biting another child. I didn't want to answer my phone and I dreaded asking the teachers everyday about Eric's behavior. Here's proof that kids change, he is nothing like that 3 year-old preschooler now.

Anyway, back to the email. Here's a copy of what she sent me:

Hello,

I was just talking to Mrs. Emory, and we got on the topic of Eric and Matt. We both mentioned how they are bright boys. I told her that when they work together in my class, they come up with the most unique, and brilliant ways to solve problems and I am very often impressed. She said the same thing happens in her math class!

I just thought I'd let you all know that we think your boys are very smart kids!

Sarah Boeder

ELP/MathCounts

Desert Sky Middle School

While I'm bragging on my son, here's another email that I received from his teacher last year after we first transferred to Tucson:

Hi Perez family,

This is just a quick note to let you know how impressed I am with Eric's work so far. It's always tough joing a new school partway through the year, but Eric seems to be adapting quite well.

Thanks for sharing him with us!

Brent Edwards

Kids

How can kids be so different? Our four kids are so different from one another. The following are just some observations of each of them so I can look back and remember what they were like the start of 2010.

Eric is 12 and quickly turning into a teenager. Friends warned me that when he turned 12 he would withdraw from the family. I kept thinking Eric would be different. He is really attached to Mario and I. Eric has changed in some ways, but for the most part, being 12 hasn't been as bad as what my friends predicted. The other day I took the three younger kids to the skatepark after school. I knew Eric would be going over after he was out of school too. When he showed up, he hardly even made eye contact with me. I guess I might embarrass him and try to give him a hug or kiss or something that would totally ruin his whole life. But when we are home, he is likes to cuddle up next to me on the couch and watch or movie. Or he jumps at the opportunity to go to the grocery store with me. Overall, he is a sweet kid that loves his family very much. Example: last night Nathan was asleep and he fell off the bed. Eric quickly ran to his aid and then went to my room to get some overstuffed pillows to lay on the floor in case it happened again. He also heard a loud bang when Erin was taking a shower. He ran over to knock on the door and make sure she was alright.

Erin...When she was one or two, our Christmas letter stated that if we could guarantee all our kids would be like Erin, we'd have a dozen. That quickly changed when she hit 3. She threw too many temper tantrums to count. But something magical happened this past year and she has turned into a daughter that we wish we could clone. She cooks, she cleans, and she excels in everything she tries. I am not sure there's anything she can't do. She adores Nathan and loves to hang out with Eric. The only improvement I would ask from her is to be a little nicer to Zach. Lately, I have found her being a lot kinder, so she is working on it. She still has her moments that frustrate me, but those aren't very often anymore. She is an all around terrific kid. Mario and I think she is going to make one lucky young man very happy (and fat) one day.

Nathan...He is a lot of fun to have around. He makes us all laugh. He loves Pooh Bear, but if we could describe his personality he would be a little more like Eeyore. We need to work on the glass being half full instead of half empty. Nathan cracks us up with things that he says. For example, I found a good deal on a Didj (gaming system) like Zach's. I asked Nathan if he would like to spend his Christmas money on it. He said no, he didn't want one. Then a few days later, he decided he really did want one and asked me why I wouldn't let him buy one. Times like that I want to pull my hair out. Finally I took him back to the store (I thought for sure they would be sold out since it was such a good deal.) Now he didn't have enough money for the Didj and the game so Zach agreed to pay for the game and share with Nathan. Nathan liked the idea until the transaction was all over and then he wanted the game too. I told him that he didn't have enough money. So he said, "I guess my Didj is just for decoration then." So dramatic but always good for a laugh from the family.

Zachary...Zach was born thinking he would rule our home. For 6 years he has tried, but that time is over. I bought a book called "The Strong Willed Child" by Dobson. After reading that book, I was convinced that I was the boss and Zachary was just going to have to accept it even if it meant some tough discipline from me. With Mario deploying, I needed to take control. Zach had a rough couple days, but I think he is finally realizing that I mean what I say. I just have to be consistent and stay on top of him. But I adore Zach (as I do all the kids). I always wanted to have a little boy named Zachary. He takes every opportunity to sleep with me when Mario is out of town. He loves animals, especially our dog Buzz. He wants to be a veterinarian but isn't sure he wants to treat cats. :) He recently started asking for his own dog. So we told him that he could call Buzz his own. He loves telling everyone in the family that Buzz belongs to him which makes us all laugh since Buzz has been part of our family for almost 10 years now. But the kids don't complain because then Zach gets the chores of feeding him and taking him outside.

Another observation about Nathan and Zachary is that they almost never get in any trouble when they are separated. They feed off each other whenever we go anywhere. I often think they revert back to acting like 3 year olds. But when we take them out one-on-one, they are perfectly behaved children. That is the reason Mario and I try to separate them as much as possible when running errands or going on small trips to see Abuela.

Combat Training

Mario left for Wyoming yesterday. He will attend AF combat training for 10 days. We looked up the weather for Wyoming before he left. They are having a cold front. The high was going to be 11 degrees Wednesday. Mario was starting to panic a little, but then he made contact with someone up there and they told him if it is too cold, they just move training indoors. I wonder if the army moves training indoors when it is too cold! :) Of course it is a lot of fun to make fun of the Air Force. But, I am so glad Mario joined the Air Force and not any of the other services.

Mario had to fly into Denver and then board one of 3 school buses for the 4 hour drive to Wyoming. Unfortunately they were experiencing heavy snow so the travel took a lot longer than they thought. Mario texted me after 11 pm to tell me that he finally arrived.

Now time will tell how intense this combat training will be. I am guessing not too intense since the Air Force isn't involved in ground combat. But Mario will have to carry a 9mm with him at all times in Afghanistan. Fortunately he will be working a desk job at NATO. Mario was so relieved to talk to the guy he is replacing and find out the job isn't intense, the boss is nice, and he will have some time off to work out, go to church, and call home. Fortunately, he won't have to do any traveling with the boss. That was a concern of mine, that he would be constantly traveling around Afghanistan.

Peace

Mario and I realized late Saturday night that it was Fast Sunday. We had not prepared for it by making sure we had drank enough water throughout the day. I thought about not fasting or possibly just fasting from food because I was worried about being dehydrated. But I need the blessings from fasting and praying because of Mario's upcoming deployment. I fasted that I would feel peace as I face these next couple months.

Yesterday (Monday) I felt so much peace about Mario's deployment. I was feeling pretty lucky that it is only 6 months and not 18 months like the army. I also was feeling pretty lucky that he is going to as safe as a place as possible in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, Mario wasn't feeling the same peace yesterday. Before bed I was telling him that I was feeling good about everything. He said, "Wow, that fast really worked for you." It clicked, he was right, that is exactly why things had turned around for me. I felt so bad that I hadn't recognized that earlier. It was another example that Heavenly Father is well aware of me and my needs. I am so thankful for the opportunity to fast and receive answers to my prayers.