I'm Still Here...

Yes, I know it's been a month since my last post. Can I just say it's been a bit crazy around here?

The girls (Jaclyn and Ashley) enjoyed an extra long Christmas break. I ordered new text books which didn't come in on time, so it prolonged their vacation much to their delight. Caitlin had exams right after Christmas and then celebrated her birthday on January 16--she turned 17!

I could bore you with all the details of our daily lives, so unless you want to go to sleep, I'll save you. I am blessed to be so busy but at times I feel so worn thin.

I am asking those of you that read this post to please pray for Caitlin. She has always struggled in school with focus, motivation, poor organization, getting poor grades, losing homework, etc. We just assumed that one day everything would click. Of course, she does extremely well in what she enjoys--band and music. But she struggles in what she has to have to get in college--the basics. She is down to the wire with 18 months left of high school and is struggling.

Last week I took her to a learning center for an assessment. This is not a tutoring place (which is just a bandaid for the real problem). With learning difficulties, there is a missing link somewhere in the brain. They identify the missing link and "train the brain" and see major improvement.

Well, when I went today for the results, let's just say I wasn't prepared for what they told me. She tested below average in 4 out of 7 categories. It is very complicated to explain and would be a journal to write, so I'll spare the details. She is significantly lower in memory, logic and reasoning, auditory processing and reading. No wonder she has struggled. I have cried all day until I'm worn out.

I am upset that we have let it go on for this long, but we thought something would click. Now we know that it's not because she doesn't care, it's that she can't. The time we have wasted nagging, yelling, threatening, pleading with her to "get it together". I wish we had known about this 3 or 4 years ago--before she hit high school when everything counts towards college.

We'll be shelling out several thousand dollars that we don't have but are trusting the Lord to provide. We don't do it because we have to, we do it because we believe in her and her dreams and goals. Without this help, she will not make it into a music program to follow her dreams.

Please pray with us that Caitlin will give it her 100%. I will have to work with her for an hour every day--please pray that we are consistent and do this everyday. Pray that Caitlin's belief in herself is as big as ours as! Please pray specifically that my Creative Memories business will be blessed and multiply abundantly to finance the $5500 we need to cover these costs. Pray that I will be an encouragement to her.

I am feeling very overwhelmed with homeschooling, working at the church, helping Caitlin, rejuvenating a business that is in a "winter" season, providing Jaclyn the extra time and care she needs--plus giving her the physical therapy she needs everyday at home, slowing down long enough to read a story with Ashley or just play a game and also help her where she struggles in school.

I need help and I know my help comes from the Lord--the maker of heaven, earth, Caitlin and me. I am holding Phillippians 4:13 close to me, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." That is where my strength is coming from every day in order to put one foot in front of the other.

Trusting in Him and Holding on Tight!
Glynis