No, this is not going to be a big rant against the federal education department and the changes I would like to see in it, though I do have lots of those.  This post is about the big changes this year for our family in our own education department. 

Reagan was diagnosed with mild Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD last year and his doctors and I agreed it was time to send him to school full time where he could get the most practice in social situations as possible.  So, he is now going to a local charter school that is a much better fit for his needs than homeschooling or even the regular middle school.  He has been to school for a week now and loves it.  His first day at the school he bonded with another kid over, not sports teams, not music, but the dosage of ADHD medication they are both on.  Weird but true and believe it or not, we are thrilled.

We decided Cade needed some extra practice in the social department as well and needed a good challenge so he is now in the gifted program at the local middle school.  He also had a great first week and can’t wait to go back each day.  His favorite teacher so far is the one that had them throw spit balls at a map and then map the coordinates of their spit ball.  Pretty darn cool if you ask me.

I will admit that I was very nervous the first day of school.  More nervous than they were, though I didn’t let on.  I wanted to be able to homeschool all my kids, but have always been open to doing whatever is best for each kid.  Right now I think this is what these boys need and I was so relieved to know they made it through their first day in new schools with smiles on their faces. 

Levi and Liberty will be homeschooling with me this year.  I am excited to spend so much time focusing on just these two little ones who get the least of my attention most of the time.  They are such good buddies and excited to learn so I think we’ll have a fantastic year.  This week I started Harry Potter with Levi.  He has been dying to read it but I wouldn’t let him because I wanted to read it to him and with him.  He was really mad at me for a while, but when I explained that this was something special that mom wanted to do with just him he accepted it.  And it was so worth the wait.  His eyes lit up at the idea of chocolate frogs and magic wands and his giggles over the crazy wizard world have been priceless.  I would not give this opportunity away for all the free time in the world.  To me there is nothing more magical than snuggling together in my bed reading Harry Potter.

Liberty can’t wait to continue learning to read and write some more.  She has been begging me all summer and I’ve put her off long enough.  It’s time to start!

The two littles and I went on a picnic on Friday to the river.  In the past this activity would have ended in fighting between the kids and eventually yelling from me.  One time I marched them all back to the car  before they could even GET to the river because they were fighting.  But Friday was perfect.  We watched a hawk swoop down and catch a fish with it’s talons, Levi found a crayfish and they had a blast climbing all over the rocks. 

Here’s to a new adventure in education this year!  Wish us luck!

Our Levi John is named after Rock’s Grandpa, John Roper and my grandpa, John Wesel.   He’s been lucky enough to spend time with and get to know Grandpa Roper over the last seven years, for which we are very grateful.  Grandpa passed away on the 25th of last month and so there will be no more four wheeler rides or pictures on the porch swing.  We will miss him, but he lived a good full life.  He was a strong, quiet man who loved the outdoors and was hiking right up until the end.  He even went on a big bike ride for his 90th birthday.  I’m so grateful I’ve been blessed to have him in my life the last 14 years.   My grandpa’s both passed away long before I was married and Grandpa Roper has treated me like one of his own since the very beginning.   When Rock and I were newly married, we were in the St. George temple standing around with many of Rock’s family members.  I was still new and feeling a bit out of place.  Grandpa came over to me and gave me a big hug and told me he was glad I was part of his family.  He’s had a special place in my heart ever since then, because even as a new member of the family I knew that Grandpa didn’t say much.  So what he did say was important.  We will all miss him and look forward to the day when we can go four wheeling with him again.  Because of course there will be four wheelers in the next life, right?

As a silver lining to Grandpa’s passing, much of Rock’s extended family was able to be in Colorado together for the funeral.  It was great to see everyone; bittersweet reunion.  Reagan did not get to come with us because he was on his 50 miler with the scouts.  But we decided that was what Grandpa would have wanted him to be doing anyway.  Here’s the low down on our trip.

We left on a Thursday and drove down through Utah.  Just as we crossed the border into Utah, we passed a huge billboard that said Welcome to Utah.  It was pretty hard to miss.  Right at that moment Cade piped up from the back seat, “Hey!  We’re in Utah aren’t we?!”  Thinking he had obviously seen the sign, we chuckled and said, “Uh, yeah, Cade.”  To which he responded, “Yep, I knew it because of the mountains!” 

On our way through Utah we stopped to see some good friends.  As we left their home, we stopped at a gas station to fill up and hit the bathrooms before we headed out of town.   Yes, it would have been smarter to use the bathrooms at our friends home, but we are not that smart, so the gas station it was.   I am still not really used to having to take a little girl into the bathrooms on these trips.  Rock usually takes the boys into the bathroom because he has to go in anyway. I have a bladder the size of Texas, so I don’t often go in.  This time  I was busy with something in the car, and so I forgot to take Liberty in.  Two minutes after we drove away from the gas station Liberty says, “I need to go potty!”  Oops.  Picture me slapping my head, “Stupid, stupid, stupid!”  So we pulled over to another gas station to have her go.  We get back in the car and drive away only to have her say ten minutes later, “I have to go poo!”  So it took us three gas station stops to get out of South Jordan.

We made it to Grand Junction and the next day we took a drive over the Colorado Monument.  It is always spectacular.  I wonder if you can ever get tired of looking at those amazing rocks, formations and colors.  

Silver lining; family time!

Three Bald Brothers.  They could start a band.

This is all the great grandkids practicing their song for the funeral.  I don’t think you can find a more tear inducing song than “Somewhere Out There”, but that’s what they sang.  It was beautiful.

Uncle Sam is a photographer and got some great pictures while everyone was together.

I think this might be my favorite picture of the weekend.  Sam is such a goof and Grandma is just beautiful!

Saturday was the funeral.  I hate funerals.  I hate goodbyes and do everything I can to avoid them because I cry like a baby.  I actually left for college once without saying goodbye to my baby sister because I did not want to cry.  So funerals are hard.   And this one was made harder by the fact that I had a very wiggly five year old on my lap.  I almost named this post Five Year Olds and Funerals.  They don’t mix well.  That being said, it was a beautiful funeral.  I loved hearing all the wonderful tributes to Grandpa.  And Monica was totally right.  He would have been embarrassed at all the fuss we were making over him. 

Here is the gravesite, beautiful and peaceful there under those trees. (more Sam pictures)

Grandma Dot was amazing that day.  Faithful and fearless. 
Seventy years of marriage is so long I can’t even comprehend it.  I hope she won’t be too lonely.  

Rock’s mom was also amazing.  I can’t imagine dealing with that kind of grief AND putting together a funeral.  I know that’s how it always works, but it was really brought home to me this time.  For some reason it always seems like funerals just happen without any work. 

To end on a funny note, here are a few things you would have heard had you been a fly on the wall of our van as we drove home.  Levi, when asked to hand up his electronic device:  “Mom, I need to die first!” And Liberty, (said menacingly) during a scuffle with her brother just as we were about to drive away, “I could throw this backpack at you!”  And on that happy note we left Grand Junction and headed home.  We sure will miss you Grandpa John. 

Till we meet again…

Most of the time it is the man who forgets his anniversary, but in our family it is me.  What woman forgets her wedding day?  In my defense, July 26th is just not a good day to get married.  So if you are considering marriage dates, don’t pick the end of July!  There will always be a family reunion, or Scout campout or family vacation at that time. And if you are really dumb and have a child two days before your anniversary you will often have a child’s birthday you are celebrating on or around the day.  June.  June weddings are much better.

The first time I forgot our anniversary we were having both a family reunion at our home AND we were celebrating Cade’s birthday on the 26th.  A woman can handle only so much on her plate in one day, people.  I totally spaced what day it really was until Rock mysteriously disappeared that evening.  I went to the garage to see if he had taken a car.  Staring at the empty spot it suddenly hit me.  He left to buy me flowers because TODAY WAS OUR ANNIVERSARY!!!  In he walked a few minutes later with a  bouquet of flowers for his forgetful wife.  I felt so horrible.  Mortified.  I swore it would never happen again.  

Fast forward a few years to the Roper family reunion at Bear Lake.  Please note that this was not the first time the Ropers had planned a family reunion on our anniversary.  There was one on our first anniversary that we decided not to go to because we wanted to spend it alone together.  But after several years of being married we were fine spending it at a reunion.  I was dealing with cranky kids in a vacation rental far away from home or any kind of calendar and it was not until halfway through the day when I walked into the kitchen to see a big beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting there that I realized with a gasp that they were for me (no card was even needed). I had forgotten my anniversary, not once, but twice now!!!  More mortification.  More promises that it would never happen again. 

Fast forward to this year.  The week before our anniversary I was in WA helping my parents.  I got home late on the 24th, Cade’s birthday, and then had to throw a birthday party the next day, the 25th.  That morning Rock’s Grandpa passed away. Our hearts were sad and our minds were wrapped up in how and when we would get to the funeral.  As if that weren’t enough we had to get Reagan ready for a 50 mile, week long campout with the scouts.  Pack check in was that night.  Oh and my sisters were staying with us that night as well. So the night we should have been celebrating our anniversary (because the actual day, the 26th, was on a Sunday) we were rounding up bug repellant and smashing a piñata.  The 26th came and almost went.  While sitting at dinner I happened to look at the calendar.  When I realized what day it was, my face turned bright red with embarrassment and then when I realized that Rock had ALSO forgotten what day it was I just started to laugh.  I couldn’t decide whether I was offended he had forgotten or glad that I was no longer the only one in the dog house!  Needless to say we went out the very next night to celebrate fourteen years (and one day) together.   I love my husband for many reasons, but on our anniversary I love him most for his numerical memory and his forgiving nature.