Mother’s Day Love

This is true love. 

My ultra-conservative, Trump lovin’, Obama bashin’ 16 year old suggested he and Keagan get me Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming” for Mother’s Day. My non-confrontational, apolitical, easy-going son agreed,  and then asked, “Mom likes the Obamas?”

When I asked for a picture, Keagan acquiesced with no questions. Evan agreed to it as long as he didn’t have to touch the book. 

When my sister texted later in the day to ask what the boys got me, I told her I got Michelle Obama’s book, and she texted, “And you liked it?”

Academic Awards

More than 500 of the 2000 students were recognized today at the high school for academic achievement. Evan was awarded academic honors for having no grade below 85 and a cumulative average of at least 93. 

To celebrate his hard work, I took him to breakfast. Tonight he’s back to the grind doing extra credit for chemistry and Spanish homework. 

I’m so proud of him!

District Champions

13-AAA District champions! We beat Northeast 3-1 to gain the title. This will be the team to beat again next year as this year’s squad is very young. Our high school varsity team is moving on to regionals next week. We have the semi-regional game on Monday night against a team from the Memphis district. Go Hawks!

Eighth Grade Dance

 

Eighth grade dance. Keagan decided to go with a group of guys instead of a date. Then I found this on IG. I don’t know this girl, but Keagan looks so happy. He’s just beaming! I see his smile and I see my sister. 

Gosh! Look at that smile! He’s so handsome! 

The teachers worked so hard to make the cafeteria look like something other than a cafeteria. It’s gorgeous! 

Keagan had a very specific ensemble in mind when we went shopping last weekend, but then we couldn’t find the pants he wanted in his size. The idea was scratched and we built a new outfit. He looks so good in it and he knows it!

 

Keagan and his two best friends, Ty and Landon.

 In two weeks both of my boys will be in highschool. Two weeks! We are busy beyond belief. I’m exhausted most days. I dream of my bed and no alarm clocks. I wonder some days how it all gets done. But I know it will soon be over. And then I realize these are the very best days. It simply can’t get better than this. 

The World is His

Evan didn’t talk until he was almost three. He was diagnosed with apraxia at 21 months, and we were warned he might not be able to ever communicate with us verbally. His first word was a German word and he called me by my first name until he was four. He communicated with us for two years primarily in baby sign and used two signs exclusively: milk and more. He cried for the first time at eight months. No joke. 

His quirks in language development have actually been something I’ve found quite interesting. I would love to find the therapist who misdiagnosed him. I would like to share with her that he has a 32 on the ACT in reading / 30 in language and share with her he was inducted into the Spanish National Honor Society tonight. He was never apraxic, but he also didn’t follow any “normal” path in learning to communicate. 

Now look at him. The world is his! 

Sports Physicals

The boys had sports physicals on Saturday. 

Doctor to Keagan: “How are you still playing sports? Heart murmur? Concussions? Unaligned hips? Osgood Schlotters in both knees? How do you even run?”

Well, when you put it that way, I’m not really sure.

Evan revealed he has relied on his brother to read the eye chart before him every single time he’s had an eye exam. He memorizes what Keagan says (lil bro’s eyesight is better than 20/20), but today Evan’s plan came crumbling down. He failed the eye exam without Keagan’s “help.” He came home and put on his glasses from elementary school and gasped! 

He gushed “oh my goodness!” and  “really?!?!” too many times. He couldn’t believe how bad his eyes really were until he had glasses to show him what he’s been missing. When he looked in the yard, he exclaimed, “Look how green that is!”

Eye appointment coming right up!

Winners, Almost

I’m tired. Every May I think I just can’t go any more. And we just keep pluggin’ along. And some how we make it to June. I’m almost there! 

We’ve spent more hours than I want to count on the courts this weekend. Yesterday we won one game and lost one. Today we fought back to win two games and make it to the championship game. We are coming home in second place with medals! While winning first place would have been more ideal, we have to be proud of the success the boys have had this weekend. Just a few weeks ago we were losing by 50 points; I never thought I’d see us coming home with medals.

Keagan and Casey

Keagan “coaching.”

No smiles because it’s not first, but I’m super proud of them. They fought hard to the very end. 

We have next weekend off. I’m already looking forward to a full weekend at home!