Houston

I picked up Caleb at Grandma Manion's on Friday morning. He stayed with us until Saturday afternoon around 5 when we headed to Houston. Hayley and the boys came to visit Friday afternoon so that the three "big" boys could play together. I love having my grandchildren visit----I just love to watch (and learn from) them.

Driving to Houston with a two year old was quite an experience. We have become accustomed to a long and boring trip----it was neither long nor boring. I was trying to get some of my reading done for my coursework. I had to re-read every sentence at least three times. The little chatter box in the backseat needed attention.

We sang songs----I would have to listen to Caleb's request many times before I would finally be able to decipher what he was saying. We sang "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...." over and over again. Mike started joining in----only he would mix up the days. Caleb just kept singing----and giggling now and then. I made up songs with that tune: "Momma, Daddy, Tate, and Caleb, and the twins are Neil and Blaine....." and "First came Tate and then came Caleb then the twins: Neil and Blaine...." He just laughed and laughed. He also liked "I am a child of God" and his rendition of "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" was a riot. He was just as serious as he could be.

We stopped at Gilberto's in Fairfield for dinner. They have a large stone fountain near the table where we sat. He couldn't keep his eyes off that fountain. He collected the salt and pepper. He shook salt and pepper on his chips and then ate them----just like they were the tastiest things in the world. Fun little man.

We put him in pajamas after we left the restaurant knowing that he would likely fall asleep, and we didn't want to have to wake him up to get him ready for bed after we got home. He was asleep before we got to the Sam Houston monument. We got to Wyatt's at about 10:30. He stirred enough to get kisses and then went right back to sleep on his own little bed.

The twins are so cute. It's very easy to tell them apart---if you are not looking at them from behind. I was holding Blaine (and I knew that to begin with) but thought I was holding Neil. He was sitting on my lap facing the living room. As he turned his head sideways, I thought, "the boys really do look alike----he looks a lot like Blaine." Then Carrie said something about Neil, and I realized that I was holding Blaine. No wonder he looked a lot like Blaine.

I'm just enjoying feeding and holding babies and reading to the boys. Watching their antics is so much fun. Yesterday we had to drive to "the race track" (school track) so that Tate and Caleb could show us their prowess at running. Caleb took off first. He ran half way around the track before he got too tired to go further, and Wyatt scooped him up into his arms to finish the lap. Tate didn't join in with the first lap, he started at the second and Grandpa timed him. He made it around the lap in less than 3 minutes. He was pretty proud of himself. It's so hot outside----I'm pretty proud of him, too.

Yesterday I turned in my second assignment for this course 20 minutes before midnight. I'm still not sure that it was adequate, but it was all I could think of to do. This course, Diverse Learners, has me evaluating my own biases and prejudices. I will always have certain ideas about some areas of diversity, but it has made me aware of "the other guy", and how much work needs to be done to create equality for ethnicity, cultures, languages, disabilities, etc.

All these years (I just completed 18 years of teaching) I've just taken care of my job. I haven't really been aware of how things are working. This coursework has really opened my eyes to what really goes on in the classroom and the school community. Education has a powerful impact on families for generations---what an awesome responsibility----a HUGE, but awesome responsibility.

Carrie went to the temple tonight while Mike, Wyatt, and I watched the kids. Really, Wyatt was the one taking on all the responsibilities. Neil went to bed and Wyatt held and entertained Blaine while the boys played in the little wading pool. Then Wyatt gave the big boys a shower. By then Caleb and Tate happily went to bed---they had a full day today---and Wyatt gave Blaine his bottle and tucked him into bed. Wyatt's gone to the gym to workout, Mike's taking a bath, and I'm still working on my coursework----tons of reading still to do...........

Today's chapter had an interesting anecdote. It was taken from this website link:
http://ldonline.org/firstperson/Paul_Orfalea . Paul Orfalea has dyslexia. He discusses what life was like for him in school. He talks about overcoming his "disability" and founding Kinko's. It's very inspiring. He tells students to concentrate on their strengths and not their weaknesses.

I need to close. I still need to finish this chapter in my reading.