Small Town Girl

I am a small town girl. Through our many moves growing up, we almost always (one exception, I think) lived in small towns. I love the feel of them, the sense of community. I love knowing the people around me.

I have now lived in not-so-small towns and rather large cities, and I always feel a little lost. Not geographically, though that is sometimes an issue, but socially and emotionally. I'm just another face in the crowd.

So, who would've thought that I would find a little bit of that small town vibe halfway around the world?  Living on a small base, especially one in a foreign country, is similar to living in a small town. It's easy to get to know a large portion of the population when you see them EVERYWHERE. The clerk at the BX knows us by name because we are in there at LEAST once a week. The clerk at the commissary praises Ben's soccer skills while we check out. That little girl I helped get unstuck at the park this summer? She's in Keri's class. That other preschool mom? She's one of the Key Spouses for the squadron.

Okay, so where did this rant come from? It came from thinking about schools. My graduating class was 45 students (most of which had been in school together since kindergarten). Ben's graduating class was around 1000.  That's crazy!

The school here is down from last year. There are currently less than 500 students from preschool to 12th grade. We went to graduation last year to support, and celebrate with, the daughter of some friends of ours. This was the graduating class:

 

 

I hope wherever the Air Force takes us, our children have the opportunity to be in schools that are small enough to allow them to not feel lost in a crowd.

The Idea of Home

Home is where the heart is.  Home is where the Air Force (Army, Navy, Marines) sends us.  The idea of home has been on my mind lately. In a blog post the other day, a friend of mine related the following story that she had read in Readers Digest:

A travel-tired little girl lay on a pile of suitcases in an airport while her military daddy saw to the details of yet another flight. A nearby woman sized up the situation and remarked, "You poor dear. You don't have a home, do you?" The little girl sat up and replied, "Yes, we do. We just don't have a house to put it in right now."

I love that response! Being "houseless" seems to be a common occurrence with military families. You clean your house, turn in the keys, and check into temporary housing (basically a hotel). You get to your new base and check into temporary housing until they have a house for you.  You learn to keep "home" with you. 

So, that's what started my most recent reverie on home. Then, I found this beautiful quote in the book I was reading.

"Here's the thing about home:  you can create it most anywhere, as long as you gather your people around you."- Shannon Hale, Midnight in Austenland

That is why Washington will always be home. It is where so many of "my people" are...the people who have known me the longest. We moved a fair amount when I was growing up. Not because we were a military family, Dad is just genetically predisposed to itchy feet. Sometimes I wonder if there might be some Gypsy blood in the Heinz 57 sauce that is the Shapley lineage.  But even with the hardest move (the summer before high school), I don't remember ever feeling like I wasn't at home. We were together as a family and, ultimately, that's all that really mattered.

It is also why I've been able to pick up and move every 3-4 years since we've been married.  I have my wonderful husband and our little people, so it doesn't matter where we end up. Each move is difficult, but it's also exciting (perhaps the Shapley blood helps). 

In the last 12 years, we have set up our home in Spring, Texas; Cheyenne, Wyoming; Abilene, Texas; and Adana, Turkey.  When we're finished here, our home will be....wherever the Air Force sends us. We'll pack it up and take it with us because that's what we do.

Finally Some Answers...

And some help.

For years we've dealt with school conferences and reports that Alex had behavioral issues, was immature, and was behind academically (which, for the most part were attributed to the first). The school in Abilene, although great in some ways, did not have any answers or help for us.

When we got here to Turkey, he was a little over halfway through 1st grade. His teacher was fabulous and worked to try to get him caught up. He also spent time working with a remedial reading teacher each day. He was referred to the "Student Support Team" (a group of teachers and other school staff) to discuss options. It was decided that since it was so late in the year we would just keep doing what we were and keep an eye on him.  He DID make progress in those 4 months, but he was still sadly behind.

Last year, as I've mentioned before, Alex was placed in a combined 2nd/3rd grade class and I was nervous. His teacher noticed the same sort of issues and we were sent back to the SST. This time it was decided that he should be evaluated. After TONS of paperwork and a few more meetings the conclusion was reached that he has some learning difficulties (including slow processing speed) and they suspected ADD/ADHD. They wrote up an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for him that includes extra help in the classroom AND time in the Special Education class. He also meets regularly with the school psychologist.

Since ADD/ADHD is a medical diagnosis, we went to the doctor. He looked over the questionnaire we had filled out and spent some time talking to Alex.  He said there were definitely some indicators, but that it wasn't clear cut enough for him to feel comfortable making a diagnosis that would stick with Alex for life. While I appreciate that he didn't just jump to a diagnosis and write a prescription, I worry that we could be losing an avenue of help that Alex needs. I'm torn.

Now we're back to school...back to fights over homework...back to tears because he just doesn't get it.  I wait for the day that he gets upset because his little brother is reading better than him, and I know it's coming. He's angry and a little combative; he's sensitive and easily discouraged. He's also very concerned with what is fair (or that he thinks is fair). He's hugging me and telling me I'm awesome one minute, and slamming doors and yelling that he KNEW I never loved him the next. But at least he's stopped telling me that he thinks he should just die...

Wow, this post just took a turn. My point is...we finally got some answers and I'm hopeful that this year will bring us more. I firmly believe that the Lord never gives us more than we can handle. So, we'll handle this...one day at a time.

Knitting Madness

First, some backstory...

I don't remember my mother just sitting very much when I was growing up. Whether we were watching TV or riding in the car, Mom usually had something to occupy her hands. Quite often she would crochet, but she also did other things like embroidery and knitting. She managed to teach me embroidery when I was in middle school and tried to teach me to crochet (I never caught on). I tried again as a newlywed to learn to crochet and again failed. I just don't seem to be able to do it. Luckily, two summers ago I had the opportunity to spend a couple of months living with my parents while Ben was deployed. While there, Mom taught both Lizzy and me to knit. I made a couple hats and started a cowl for myself but I hadn't really fallen in love with knitting yet. It was simply a way to pass the time.

Then, we moved to Turkey and I made a couple of friends who are avid crocheters (is that a word?). They took me to a yarn store in downtown Adana and the obsession began. The yarn here is beautiful and so inexpensive!


The results of my 1st trip to the yarn store. With the exchange rate it all came to less than $40!

 

 
 

 
Ben bought me two plastic storage units and I proceeded to fill them...it would've been rude not to. :)  Now I just need to work through my stash so I can buy more. I'm never without a work-in-progress (or two or three). I also have an ever-growing list of projects I'd like to do.

I spend a good portion of my time, now, with my hands in yarn. I've even taken to listening to audiobooks so that I can satisfy my literary addiction while also satisfying my knitting madness. And, like my mother, I knit while watching TV.  I even took a project along with me on our road trip to Cappadocia (a post or two all of its own). 







I found this great website called Ravelry that has a huge collection of crochet and knit projects, and you can interact with other crafters. It's pretty cool for getting new ideas and keeping track of your work. My username is isommama if anyone is interested.  A picture of one of my projects (a baby blanket) was chosen to be featured on the pattern page. I felt pretty honored, especially since it was my first blanket. Usually I forget to take a picture of the finished project. Here are a couple that I remembered to photograph:

 

 

 For some reason it's not letting me caption them.  The top one is a cowl I knit with a fabulous yarn that my friend's son calls "peacock yarn". The bottom one is the baby blanket I made for a friend's newest addition and is made with a bamboo/nylon blend that is super soft.

So, that is my madness. I'm trying to embrace it and control it at the same time. The control is necessary so that the house and children don't get too out of hand. :)

 

Worst Blogger EVER!

Yep, that's me! I just realized that its been almost a year since I lasted posted anything. I could make a list of excuses, but that's all that it would be. So...I'm going to be better about it. Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to be sharing some of the exciting things we've been doing this year. They will most likely NOT be in order and that is going to cause me some discomfort, but I'll work through it. There are still pictures I need to find and, as some of you know, I don't always think in a linear fashion, so maybe it'll actually work out better if we all know what to expect going in. For now, I need to log off the computer and get dinner done.

Minion Madness

Garret decided that even though he wasn't having an actual birthday party this year he still wanted Minion cupcakes. He picked chocolate fudge cake with milk chocolate frosting and minions made out of Twinkies (half per cupcake) with Sweet Tarts for eyes. They turned out really cute and we still have 2 left (4 days later).

He also got all sorts of great presents and had a great time playing with them.

He also got some new clothes, which he ALMOST as excited about.

Thank you Gramma Connie and Papa Ray, and Gramma and Grampa Texas!!!

Back to School

Here I am...behind again. School started almost a month ago and I'm just now blogging about it.  I could blame it on computer issues, but we all know it's more than that. ;)

Lizzy and Alex started school on August 27th.  Lizzy is in 5th grade (when did she grow up?) and is enjoying it so far. She especially enjoys the fact that she HAS to read at least 20 minutes a night. She has turned into such a bookworm. It makes me proud!

Alex was placed in a combined 2nd/3rd grade class (he's in 2nd), which made me a little nervous at first. His teacher explained that they're not all being taught the same curriculum, though, so hopefully it'll be okay. She has asked me to come in for a conference already, though, to discuss his progress and behavior. (Keep us in your prayers.)  He meets one-on-one with a reading specialist for 30 minutes every day and loves it.

  Outside our house before the 1st day of school. Don't they look so loving?

 

 

Garret started kindergarten on September 4th and loves it. I love how enthusiastic he is about going.

 

 

 

Outside the school. He doesn't look very excited, but he was.

 

So, that leaves Keri and I home alone during the day.  She likes having Mom (and the TV and toys) to herself. She cracks me up every day. I had a picture of her playing that I was going to post, but apparently it got deleted. Bummer!