First Two Weeks of October 2022

Keeping up with school and teaching co-op classes is a whole new level. I felt chagrined one morning when I had no time to teach school to my younger boys and I stumbled upon them "playing school," with Thomas (7) legitimately teaching Kindergarten to David (5). Despite the challenges of lack of time, I am now enjoying teaching Gregorian Chant, Literature, and Economics to my classes, and I am valuing doing something of service to the community and that utilizes my mind (which is satisfying in a different way than housework and cooking, which is taken for granted anyway).

Hockey is in full swing for John and Joseph . . . we're at the rink four days per week . . . while Margaret continues with ballet lessons (online) and Mary tennis . . . .

Thomas hopes to play ice hockey one day but for now is teaching himself how to rollerblade.

We enjoyed attending the Cupcake Rosary with our homeschool group. And Thomas was able to tolerate eating half a conventional cupcake (with his medication), which shows how far he has come!

We also found that Thomas can tolerate the lowest sugar donut at Dunkin Donuts: the Sugared Donut with 4 g sugar. Last fall, there was no low-enough sugar s'mores I could make him without his getting sick, but this year he tolerated eating one. He is over-the-moon happy!

Low-sugar, high-protein marshmallow + 10 chocolate chips + 1/2 graham cracker

We also attended a truly festive event at a local church: Mass, procession, bratwurst cookout, and called contra dancing all in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary.

Our beautiful daughter Mary enjoyed attending her first opera--Opera Carolina's Tosca--with her good pal G----!

We attended the long-anticipated Oncology Clinic Talent Showcase, which you can read about here, which was the first in-person event held by Oncology in two and a half years!!!!

We had a fun evening at the Pineville Fall Fest last night while our son John worked at the booth sponsored by the ice cream shop. John is growing and learning so much through employment, and he works two to three shifts per week while maintaining high-school academics, hockey, and church involvement.

Last week, Thomas attended his bi-annual hepatology appointment, hauling along his homechooling with him, and got a good-for-his-baseline report!

Miscellaneous Puppy Pics

I watched Tilly wake from her nap, crawl bleary eyed half way out of her crate, then collapse from the exertion and go back to sleep. We joked that she has narcolepsy.

Margaret-Mama Movie Night with the pups