Spring Breakin' It

So what have The Blakelys been up to? It is best to do this in picture form. They were recently seen for an ear "tune up". Brook is still on a once per year or as needed basis. Gage is still as needed but seems to be going every 9 weeks or so which is a huge jump from our monthly visits from previous years.

What else is new? We've spent the first three days of our Spring Break in either Dental or Orthodontic offices (no surprise there), trying to get some things taken care of while we are all out of school. No word on when they think Gage will (or if it is out of the plan) need his jaw distraction. We are still in the infant stages of Orthodontia.

I no longer work at the elementary school, I have moved over to the high school. Brooklyn will be over there next school year so it made sense for me to go ahead while the opportunity was there to make the transition. It wasn't easy but everyone has seemed to have adjusted well.

We still love being at home and wouldn't trade it for any place on earth. We love the sunrises and sunsets, we love to spend time in the woods with campfires, four wheeling, and just enjoying family and friends.

Brook still loves babies (but real ones now, not dolls) and will scoop one up anywhere she can find one. I see lots of babysitting in her future as she approaches the teenage years. Gage is obsessed with building things. He is always, everyday, in his shed working on furniture or handmade guitars.

We lost our beloved dog Marley in a tragic accident so the husband adopted two puppies (both Lab mixes) and they could not be more adorable. The kids really love them!

Next on our list...Brooklyn tries out for JV Volleyball in May. We wish her the best of luck. She already worries about how she will keep her implants on as she jumps around the court. We know there are many sport options that can render this, she just needs something to worry about (smile).

Have a Blessed Spring Break

State Park

We took the kids today, to play in the lake. We decided not to camp overnight so we spent several hours, doing nothing...it was great. On the way home, Gage said (referring to a man with a beard about three feet long) "I saw that man looking at me in the eyes. I saw his mouth moving, I knew he was saying words...so I ignored him and went under really fast." No, we don't try to waterproof the cochlear implant processors. The kids like not hearing for the most part. It's just a bonus to them, lol.

Gage is trying to catch fish with a net and Brook is tugging around her doll on a boogie board

We have only two weeks left before school starts back. Brook got a postcard from her third grade teacher today and was so excited! The anti-static mats have been moved and are in place for my kids to use the computers in their classrooms.

ASD Summer Camp

Gage had a wonderful time at the ASD Summer Camp (Alabama School for the Deaf). He met several new friends, and paired up with a little boy named David who was about his age. Rumor has it, the two got their flashlights taken away...

Brook missed her brother severely but we've been working hard from sun up til way past dark on updating the house we are buying (the one we currently live in). Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll have finished and all can go back to normal-maybe my husband and I won't be sleeping in the kitchen-Brook can go back to her room and it'll all be worth it, 'cause the old hardwood floors are lookin' good!
I'm so proud of my little man who was gone for a whole week. I knew he'd be fine managing his ci's and all but I'm sure these memories will last him a lifetime. Brook says she may even go next year! We shall see....

2 more days

Only 2 more days til my Gman comes back home! I miss him so bad but I called to check on him last night and sent out a spy his former speech therapist who works at the campus once a week where he's staying...she has good reports and says he's enjoying being around other hearing impaired kiddos. Brook is counting down the days til she can see her big brother again. He'll have lots of Summer Camp stories I'm sure when he returns.