Fall

I couldn't think of any more creative title.

So after my last whine-fest I wanted to make this one good. I don't know that I will live up to that wish, but I will try.

This has been an interesting time in the Tiner household. Two short weeks after I had "the swine" my kids all had cases of it. Or at least, they had a number of symptoms that were close enough to them that they were asked to stay home from school. Andrew was out for a solid two weeks, while Kadee Joy was kept at home for just one. They all seem to be back to normal now, and we're very glad to be on this side of it.

After being on a waiting list for nine months, Jeffy finally got in to see the geneticist. The geneticist ordered a battery of tests to be done, and on his evaluation listed several possible syndromes or diseases that Jeffy could have. After a couple of weeks of waiting, we got the results back...His DNA looks good! (as well it should...have you seen us? :) He has one more test that we're waiting on. I'm very glad everything came back looking normal. I do, however, still wish that we knew why he has so many medical problems.

My hair is changing often these days. I went to a new salon and came back with group of colors which many people liked a lot...but which really wasn't me. So after six weeks, I took the plunge and tried to make it all one color. But in order to do that I had to go dark brown, since one of my many colors was dark brown and I didn't want to risk going all Anne of Green Gables and ending up with green hair. I really like it. I also have bangs now, which I also really like (after not having them for 17 years). The downside to all these hair changes is that I inevitable have the not too with it student who will ask (weeks afterwards), "Why did you dye your hair, Mrs. Tiner", to which I really don't have a good answer yet.

My mom came and visited last weekend and we had a great time hanging out, shopping, and catching up. My daughter bawled after she left...she misses her Bomma.

I had my first program of the year, which went pretty well, and I have another one coming up on Veteran's Day. Programs drive me crazy, but their an important part of my job.

I've been making a more conscious effort to work with my kids and have seen great improvements. Jeffy now knows his colors (of course) to go along with his letters (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and a few shapes. Kadee Joy is making good gains on sight words, and recently got glasses! She failed her 5 year old vision test miserably, having inherited her daddy's lazy left eye. So we took her to the pediatric opthamologist who confirmed the lazy eye and gave her a prescription for glasses. We went back today and found that the glasses are helping, but if they haven't corrected her vision more drastically in the next six weeks she will need to get an eyepatch. Arrrrrrr!

Andrew is struggling a bit this year in both preschool and Sunday School. I'm not really sure why...We have our parent teacher conferences for both Kadee Joy and Andrew next week, and hopefully we can get a better idea then. His IEP was mailed to us this week, and it was a bit discouraging to hear the large number of ways he is behind his peers. But oh, how we love our boy. Please pray that we will find additional ways of helping him.

Chris and I are having fun being married, parenting, and leading the senior high youth group at our church. I am so amazed at the man God has changed Chris into. He is so exceptional at what he does. I thank God for the second chances He gives us all, and for the ways He has opened my eyes to the wonderful person I am married to.

Chris is headed to the church and needs the laptop, so I'll finish. Above are some fun pictures my mom took during her visit here.