stopping by!

biff's home! grace was home sick today with a rasory sore throat. in case you're counting, i have had 5 days of the last 9 school days with either grace or t.j. sick...i guess for all of the years that they had no school absentees,we are now making up for that!

meanwhile grace has been having a very hard time keeping up with her spanish work...she had mono the first semester which was the cause of her loss of momentum. we thought by now, she would be pushing ahead.

she and t.j. have both been blessed with a good ear for language. grace has alwayss been curious about people from other countries. tonight, sh talked with me about her class and her options with her teacher. it's hard to be a parent...when we encourage, they hear criticism. when we believe in them, they doubt us and themselves.

when they were younger, they knew that the work they did and the effort put into work had payoff. now, it seems when our kids trip and fall once or twice, they have a hard time picking themself up, dusting themselves off and starting all over again.

i know that i've been discouraged. i understand her frustration. it's very hard to learn tenses in spanish...when they just don't make sense....i look now and see how logical the tenses are...but, they make me tense!

as the mom, i want to jump in and save my sweet girl from drowning. she is now in over her head. i know she's smart enough. i know she is a very determined 15 yeaar old! i know that being 14 and in the first year of high school is very big! there is so much to learn.

this is oh so new to me. i have never had to work on this problem. it's been a blessing to see them work hard and be rewarded with good grades. this year, there are more distractions. some kids have a harder time keeping up with the workload...i don't think thatt;s her problem....i think she is used to good grades just by working. it takes alot more work now.

easier said than done! i am here to help. i am willing and ready...... and somewhat able.

tonight we talked and talked ...her frustration level is 10 out of 10....i want her to understand her teacher is ready and on call to help. he believes in her too.

i asked biff to review some spanish with grace tonight....i think everyone is tired of my voice since we've had so much togetherness lately.

t.j.sat doing his homework...history...writing....and this year he loves history and the teacher. that helps him to plow through the work.

grace loves her teacher...she feel bad to disappoint the teacher. she feels like giving up ....i've never seen this before. it makes me sad to see grace feeling so overwhelmed...i know being a good student matters to her...she just doesn't know how to get back on track.

this is one frustrating time...for me, for grace, for griff....we haven'[t had this happen in our parenting years...until now...it's our latest conundrum. we have to learn how to help.....or how to help the best way for grace.

i'm so tired my eyes are closing. i have to take the dogs out and get to sleep. biff got home from buffalo/canada tonight. i'm grateful to have a partner who backs me up and helps me to do our best...and reming me that this too shall passs. i know it but, just like grace and t.j., it's hard to imagine...even when i believe in them.

fitzy is breathing on me. daisy is sleeping. i ran them hard in the woods this morning with snow up to their chests. i was clomping the whole way through...enjoying the winter wonderland. i forgot my camera. i almost went back...but i decided to just walk the trails, enjoying the beauty and quiet....especially when my mind is so busy solving the world's problems. i can't fix everything to keep our kids in a bubble. i can do my best...and help the kids do their best...and pray! good night! thanks for stopping by!