Here are some individual family member updates:
Michael continues to truck along at his job with McKesson/Relay Health. Michael is missing his Weitz friends but is happy learning some new skills in his Security position, as well as making new friends among his colleagues.
Sam is 8 1/2 now and settling into his new elementary school. His favorite subject at school is Math though he says "there are a lot of good ones" regarding school subjects. He's doing well, it's really awesome as a parent to watch him grow in his interests. He's very excited to play Little League this summer. It will be his first summer out of the Parks and Rec program and into a more competitive league. He's always hit better when pitched to then off of a tee so I think he's going to enjoy himself. He'll be one of the oldest in his Division since he has an August birthday. This creates a little bit of awkwardness because his classmates who are older will be on the team above his. But maybe that'll give him a chance to show his stuff with the younger players :-). In other news, he's interested in learning how to create power points, particularly about Iowa. Not sure where this idea came from...
Noah is 7 and never ceases to surprise me. He doesn't allow his learning needs to stop his progress and persistence. He is "keeping up" with the 1st grade curriculum just great thanks to the support of his Speech therapist and Occupational therapist. This is his second year with a teacher who has high expectations for him, which I believe makes a huge difference in his success. He continues to amaze us with his sweetness and charm and sprinkles of humor. Though he's got a crush on a little girl in his class, he informed us on Valentines Day that he would not be getting married ever. We're hoping to put him in swimming lessons this spring or summer and he's looking forward to another year of Parks and Rec tee-ball.
Jacob is 5 and is a whirl-wind of happy energy. He's had a positive year at preschool and has a made a lot of adorable friends. His humor and creativity is developing and he reminds me more and more of my own Dad, who has a unique and dry sense of humor. He's a little sponge right now, eager to learn how to read and write. I wish I could bottle this type of excitement for learning and I'm thrilled that his early learning experiences are encouraging this excitement. We're hoping that Jacob will start Parks and Rec tee-ball this summer and he's thrilled to be on a team like his big brothers. We're also throwing around the idea of soccer but haven't made a decision yet. Jacob's energy would be suitable for soccer but we work very hard at finding a balance of activities for each child while remaining mindful of the implications these activities have on our entire family.
Aubri is 3 and has a big personality. She's so articulate and surprises us with the things that she says. She's also the most intuitive 3-year old I've ever known. She's the family social butterfly and is making plenty of friends in both childcare and preschool. We are also thinking about registering Aubri for soccer this summer (she turns 4 in May). While I anticipate her hanging out on the soccer field looking for dandelions I think the opportunity to run and play with other little ones this summer would be a good time for her. I'll also put her in "zumba" for little kids this summer as well because...well, watching that is really for my own entertainment.
My personal update is that every week and month that passes at my new job at Loras College proves to me that we made the right decision. Earlier in the Fall I struggled with missing our friends and family and wasn't sure about how long I could see ourselves here. But after feeling adjusted to our move as well as getting to know my colleagues, the college, the community, and my professor-role more....I can't help but to feel excited for the coming years. I really do love my job...and seem to be reminded of that on a daily basis. Unfortunately, I've watched too much Greys Anatomy and Downton Abbey to feel completely settled....I keep waiting for something bad to happen. I know that's not the way life should work. But, like I said, I watch too much dramatic T.V. to feel completely safe. :-) My back is not yet in good shape following my surgery in January, but I didn't let it make me miss a beat with my teaching. Awesome colleagues have been supportive along the way, which only assures me that much more that we're in a good spot here in Dubuque.
This has been a long post, but I feel like it's been awhile since we've been in touch with some of our long-time friends back "home" and friends and family for all over the States (and world!). We're hoping that spring and summer weather will bring us to Central Iowa often and we hope to continue to host visitors this summer.
 |
| Good Buddies, Sam and Noah |
