Week One

The first week of school is over, and it was successful! The kids are so happy to be back in school and just jumped right back into the routine as if they never left it. They come home from school so excited about their day and can't wait to tell me what they learned. Ethan is even reading so much more than he was before. Ethan told me that he wishes that the school year went from January through December with only a Christmas break and a Spring Break. Let's give him a few years and see if he still feels that way. Ha-ha!

It is quite obvious that both of the kids got teachers that fit their personalities perfectly. Ethan's teacher is doing a great job in keeping him motivated. I can tell that their work is mostly review stuff right now, and I can't wait until he starts getting stuff that challenges him more and makes him think. Emily ADORES her teacher. They have been doing some fun science stuff in class this week and they are taking a field trip to a vet's office next week. Emily comes home every night and tells me stories about her class. The funny thing, though, is that most of her stories are about how she was hanging out with her teacher and they were joking around, or how she went over to hang out with her teacher from last year (which she also LOVED!) and she got to be a helper in her class. The girl cracks me up. It's almost like school is just a social outlet to her, and her best friends are all of the adults in the building.

Both of the kids are having a blast in Extended Day, the after school child care program. I really am glad that they are in that. They get to do things like go to the computer lab, play in the gym, play on the playground, play board games, etc. And they are also given a snack. The kids are really getting to do way more in Extended Day than if they came straight home after school. It's nice to know that when I pick them up each afternoon, they are happy and having fun. We are all so happy that school is back in session!

Now for the update that I wish that I didn't have to give. We got the results back on my dad's most recent biopsy. This was the final one they did in preparation for his upcoming surgery scheduled for this coming Friday. The biopsy results have confirmed the cancer and we finally have a diagnosis as to what kind. MELANOMA! I wasn't expecting that, although I knew that it was a possibility considering that Dad has had several spots of Melanoma cut off of his skin. I guess I was more expecting this cancer to be the renal cell cancer that had returned from when his kidney was removed back in 1997. The only thing that I can say that is good is that we finally have an answer. However, Melanoma is not good news. Being that it is already into his organs, it is considered Stage IV. In the past, treatment options for Melanoma have not been very successful, but according to the doctor, there is a new cancer clinic in Mobile with an Oncologist that actually specializes in Melanoma. He is getting Dad an appointment right away. He said that there are some new treatments available now, but I don't have details or statistics on them. And time is still of the essence and his surgery is still scheduled for Friday. I'm torn up about this and don't know what to think. All I can say is that right now we need prayers for strength, prayers for healing for my dad, and prayers for guidance for the doctors.