trusting- always

Back in the saddle

This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Life continues to be full and blessed.  These last few months we have been trying to adjust to having a college girl living away from home.  Olivia is at UW Madison with the hopes of possibly entering medical school.   The dynamics at home changed a little bit with Gretta now being the oldest young adult in the house.  Gretta is busy with Choraliers and studying ALL the time.  She holes herself up in her room on most nights making ump-teen notecards to study for various tests.  Ella is playing indoor soccer and busy being a fan of all sports with her new friendships she has made since entering school.  She squeaks in a little time at Culvers working- but does not get many hours since she is not fifteen yet- so that is a little frustrating to her.  Dayne just turned teenager yesterday.  He is now the oldest homeschooled here and is really helpful in making our days go smooth.  Basketball fills his weekends.

Diego and Yerly are growing in their learning everyday.  This year has been really rewarding seeing their level of reading and math skills come along.  We still struggle with what they say are normal issues for kids who were abandoned at such young ages for such an extended period of time.   Many of the issues seem to be our issues which we are finding are a result of reactive attachment.   This whole process has increased our dependency of God- it has not been a bed of roses.   It is difficult dealing with their emotions and difficult dealing with our unexpected emotions as well. 

Jude has been our comic relief and continued blessing.  He blesses Diego and Yerly everyday by allowing them to nurture him.  He has helped them tremendously find a place in our somewhat chaotic family.  He has provided learned empathy and care giving to the older kids.  He has provided stress relief when we realize that dealing with a toddler issues are much easier than dealing with teenage issues.  It is so easy to tell him no and sit him on the stairs….not as easy with free willing young adults who need to make their own decisions- which are sometimes hard for us to sit back and watch.

Whats on the rothwell plate? We are gearing up for some of us to travel to Cancun for a mission trip this summer.  Gearing up for a family trip to Gulf Shores…even sooner!!!

 

 

 

 

 

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the return

My family- they bring a smile to my face! This was taken during Fermentation Fest in Reedsburg!

This fall has been full of traditions and memories in the making. And sadly, as Olivia has reminded me, traditions that will be different next year.  Olivia is in full swing planning for college and life after high school.  We did our obligatory college tour of some campuses in the Milwaukee area- baby in tow.  I’m still not quite sure how to feel about visiting colleges with our senior and her baby brother. Two different worlds.

  It has been a stressful fall for Olivia, retaking her ACT for a final try at a better score, applying to colleges and writing essays.  Thankfully, today Olivia was blessed with her first acceptance letter.  She was accepted into UW Madison.  She has always dreamed of UW Madison- but she was doubting her acceptance  and had come to terms with the fact that she might have to go elsewhere. This was a huge sigh of relief for her and a milestone in her education.  A milestone for her and a milestone for me.( If I am allowed to say that.)  I can breath a huge sigh of relief as well after all of the years of toiling and worrying if I was teaching the kids enough at home while being questioned by others if the kids were learning anything.  Why would I ever doubt that God would not equip us when we were homeschooling for Him?   Nine years of homeschooling Olivia and three years of public high school.  Praise God.

There are other schools she is still waiting to hear from.  Her other top pick is Marquette.  Unfortunately, we will not hear from them until February.  I am feeling like a little fish in a big pond trying to help her navigate these decisions, apply for scholarships and plan for her future.  I have to remind myself and her that God has a plan!  We need to pray and allow him to direct and guide her. Once again, I am reminded what a gift she has been to me, but one that I cannot keep.  I pray that she will remember her foundation in Christ and that she will allow Him to be the center of life and with that all good blessings will flow.

Summer Lovin

 

Summer is in full swing at the Rothwell house.  Full swinging baseball bats that is.  Dayne finished his first season of baseball  and just got voted onto the All Star 11 year old team to play in tournaments all July. Diego and Yerly are full swing in tball.  Diego is an “Ole Pro” this year and helping his sister get familiar with the game of ball

this summer!

 

The Rothwell taxi cab is racking up the miles. Diego and Yerly took a week long soccer clinic, a week long vacation bible school, tball and swim lessons…while dayne and ella are busy at 2 different basketball camps and tennis lessons everyday.  We found a way to condense 5 trips in 4 hours to the high school down to 2.

Olivia is busy at Hollister at Tanger mall. Gretta helps Ella with a babysitting job once a week.  Ella’s highlight of the summer is BRACES…woo hoo… hardly. And in our free time…there is lots of playing in our newly painted pool!!!

We started out summer with our annual camping trip to the 400 trail in Wilton!

I am trying my hand at a mini-job this summer.  Jude and I head into the Swim Reedsburg office a couple of mornings a week and I have been teaching swim lessons one afternoon for a couple of hours.  It’s alot of fun, but not sure if this is my season to be working away from home…even if just for a few hours.  Home is such a busy place and in need of a full time manager…now I see why I haven’t worked all these years.

JudeBug is scooting around. He says mama(came first :) ) and papa.  He shakes his head no.

Diego and Yerly are in full english mode.  Yerly speaks with absolutely perfect grammar with an extensive vocabulary.  Her first favorite word was “repulsive!” They are in for a treat this summer with the spanish summer school which is spoken in 90% spanish for 3 weeks.

We continue to be amazed at God’s provision for our family through our new house and new family members.  Our God is an awesome God!

 

LIfe is Full Life is Good

We are all blessed with the new life of Baby Jude. He brings alot of smiles into our house and fills us all with love. Jude is sitting, laughing, shaking his head..no, no, no, clapping, scooting, back floating in the pool and blowing raspberries to name a few.

This year began quiet and calm, much unlike our beginning to 2010. Olivia had a little reprieve from her mystery illness for a couple of months. In the beginning of April, we were back on the road of hospital and medical visits. She has been dealing with numbness and loss of movement, speech and vision in her episodes. Thankfully, she is scheduled to see a neurologist and all major tests so far have been clear. Despite all of her illness, she has maintained the high honor roll and with 2 AP classes this year as well. She was inducted into National Honor Society. Last fall she enjoyed the football dance team and working as a dancer for an illusionist in the Dells. This spring has been full with a new job at Hollister and preparing for Prom!( below….olivia before prom)

Gretta has enjoyed her first year of high school after homeschooling. She entered the year as one of two freshman on the football dance team. Her cohort was of course best friend Emily. They are literally joined at the hip all the time. She has excelled in her classes with 3.88-4.0 grade point average all quarters. She just finished Drivers Ed and is active in the JV soccer team. She hasn’t played soccer in a few years and was eager to get back on the field and have some fun with friends! We don’t see her a whole lot as she really enjoys having her own room for the first time in her life, although we do hear lots of singing coming from her humble abode.

(below..gretta with emily before winter carnival)

Ella had a busy year playing volleyball and basketball for the city and local Christian school. She is now on hiatus…not a wanted one though…( mom missed soccer sign ups with a new baby) Ella is such a help to have at home with schooling and homelife. She is doing well in her seventh grade work and always a social bee. She works once a week, nannying for a 3 year old girl.

(Below…ella with mom and pop for her special 13th birthday dinner alone)

Dayne has been playing football, basketball, swimming and now entering baseball season. Dayne has enjoyed cooking every Tuesday with a family friend of ours, Linda Sweeney. Linda comes every week to help with any tasks. Since feeding our large family is at the top of our priority list, Linda and Dayne make meals to be frozen every week. Dayne’s favorite recipe has been the snack of squash or pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. He has become a huge help and so thoughtful.

(below..happy dayne with a birthday present)

Diego loves being a big brother. He is the one to make Jude laugh the most. Diego has been working on speech this year. We began doing some testing through the school to see where he was with his speech. We found out he is in fact delayed and was emotionally the level of a four year old. We were hoping to have some speech therapy through the school on a weekly basis, but unfortunately as homeschoolers he is not able to get help. He has to fully enroll or is not able to have therapy. He is not ready to enroll full time and we find that he benefits from being home as do our other children. As we tie up our school year this next month we are amazed at his progress. Diego is reading english~ which is a major accomplishment. He is also completing first grade math with adding and subtracting. He is accomplishing so much more than we expected. When we first brought him home a year and a half ago yesterday, he could barely follow simple directions, he could not count and did not know letters. He still struggles with speech and being understood. We are praying that God will turn on a little speech light in his head that makes the sounds flow.

(below…diego and yerly decorate christmas cookies)

Yerly our sweet ,doting girl, has loved being a big sister. She asks to watch Jude daily and loves to entertain him with toys and books. We decided to school Diego and Yerly together doing first grade math and k/1 reading. Keeping them together has worked well. They challenge each other and encourage each other. Yerly is one smart chica! She is flying through first grade math and is reading and writing her own stories. She comes up with the best words to add to her vocabulary. Her favorite word this year has been repulsive. She speaks english and understands it incredibly well.

(below..Ella invited Diego and Yerly to a dress up tea party)

Mike is busy at Grede but his real love is on a football or baseball field as a coach. He puts all of his time and effort into coaching.

I have had fun with zumba with Olivia once Jude hit four months and swimming lessons with Jude which has led to finally using my lifeguarding cert. and some hours this summer at Swim Reedsburg! Thanks to our friend Andrew, I have a website for photos. I have just taken family photos and some for friends. This summer I have two weddings scheduled and am excited to venture down that road.

Life is full and Life is good!

a crazy day….

not only did we welcome a new son, we welcomed home a son with a broken arm today.

After a long day of oooowing and aaahing at Jude, Nana and Grandpa offered to take the kiddos to the football game so MIke and I could have some time alone. We had been up all day and we ready to snuggle in for a nap.  The gang was gone about 45 minutes, when we got a phone call saying Diego broke his arm.  He ran ahead of my parents and sat on the ledge of the bleacher ramp and fell off.  They ran him home to show us and Mike took him into the ER…which followed by a quick “surgery” at 2 am after a whole day of no sleep…plan B is in full swing.

Diego broke his right forearm in 2 places.  So we are in a cast for 8 weeks and a splint for another 4 and the already challenged school…well we will be taking a break and figuring out a payment plan for this new little undertaking. Whilst Diego was in the hospital, we had Olivia in and out for mystery stomache aches, nausea and vomitting all of October and November.  She was the lucky recipient of a endoscopy and colonoscopy….more costs to find out we couldn’t really find anything….  all said and done, time to move on.

Welcoming Baby Jude

Baby Jude Simeon Rothwell was born at home on a warm, breezy, fall night~September 24.2010.  He is our little miracle baby and a  surprise blessing.  Jude means praise and Simeon means God Heard.  The little baby we prayed for 7 years ago is finally here.  He weighed 8.12 and was 21 inches long.  After contractions all day long, Mike and I decided to do our belly cast that night after all of the kids hit the hay.  While in the middle of the cast the contractions became pretty strong around 11pm.  After the cast, I slipped into the tub with the relaxation prompts from Shawni on the ipod.  By midnight it was apparent we needed to call Lindsey and finish getting the portable birthing tub ready.  Mikayla arrived first around 1:15 and Lindsey to follow around 130. The contractions were already strong and 2 minutes apart and quickly turned into back labor~ which I can only describe as the after pains of being smacked with a 2x4 in the base of my back. What seemed like a year, only took an hour and a half.  Baby Jude was born into our arms at 2:46.

About 2minutes after he was born I asked Mike to get the kids, who not to our knowledge were all standing waiting outside our door.  They came in and we all awed at Baby Jude.