first week down

Holy mother of god, this has been one long arsed  first week of school but we made it.

Rosie is fine, loving it. She realises that middle school offers some independence and the opportunity to make some of your own decisions. It also allows for a tiny bit of freedom before classes start and also at dismissal. She, so far, likes her classes and her teachers so is giving everything an A+ rating. I'm proud of her and how she has taken it all on the chin, once it got started. I also am not surprised as she truly has come so far.

Lily has taken the return to school on the chin but the changes for her have been harder. For almost 2 years she worked at home, worked at her speed ( which was always on track and most often accelerated) and did things when she wanted to too. For example, Mum, where are you going? I'm going to work and then to run errands and I'll be home. Oh, can I come, of course. And she would and sometimes school work would happen en route to these things and sometimes it would happen when she got home. I always kept her on a strictish schedule but always allowed her some freedom.

Well now she has HAS to be on the bus  by 8.10, in this class and that meeting, at particular times she doesn't have an entire curriculum to work through at her speed she has the teachers curriculum and homework schedule in their time. It took a few days for the perfectionist to find her groove and she still is a little  way to go but all in all it's coming together.

Some first week hiccups:
* no school bus at all for Lily on the first day.
* AP BC Calculus was giving her a fit but she spoke to someone and sorted it all out
* the little arsehole that has taken to calling Rosie, Chink.
* my work schedule was pure insanity and I wasn't around for them as much as normal.

Some first week highs:
* Both are loving the independence
* Both are making friends....even Lily!!!
* Both are extremely happy
* they are happy so I am elated.

Ok we are ready lets do this

I'm ready Mumma

cool as a cucumber...externally

And so part of my heart was ready to take on the 2018-2019 school year.

homeschool mum

What I am about to pour into this blog post is information that I have always kept to myself and a very few people that are close to me.

When Lily was 6 years and 6 months old she was tested for the gifted program at her school at the request of her teachers. Since I had nothing to compare her to I thought she was an average kidlet who strived to do her very best all the time. Once the results were in I was called into a routine meeting to discuss her results with her teacher, the principal, the assistant principal and the Dade County school psychologist that had administered the test. Ms.V., the principal, looked at me and didn't say hello, she stood up and said, you are in trouble, in all my years in education I have never seen anything like this. Thankfully she said it with a smile as I had no idea where things were headed. Being in trouble with a principal is never good, ha ha.

It turned out that Lilipop breezed her test and the results showed that the child at 6 had a near genius I.Q. Long conversations ensued, and  an IEP  (individual education plan) was put in place Lily was moved to the gifted program and so it all began, the fun and games. A decision was made between us, to not discuss the results with her. She was little and very driven and we felt, with the agreement of all in that meeting, that this would be in her best interest. Knowing how smart she was would only drive her harder and harder and at an elementary level that was pointless.

Her K-8 always worked with her and me to put her where she needed to be. Skipping a couple of years in math, not even getting the basic building pre- algebra she was able to switch to algebra 4 weeks into a semester and fit right in. It was becoming obvious to her that she wasn't quite like most kids.

She isn't a sociable child at all. She has nothing in common with kids her age and her little group of friends are from her math classes where she was placed in 8th grade when she was in 6th. A fabulous little group of utter nerds, just like herself. I love having them at the house as they are all so very very sweet. It is hard to get Lily to go out and do things.

I put her in swimming for 3 reasons, (1) it was a sport and all kids need exercise and (2) I believed that this was something where she could free up her brain for a couple of hours each day and (3) for the social aspect. It all worked beautifully until she placed in a meet and received a ribbon. To her that was a sign to push herself hard, to be the best at swimming. She pushed like no other and within a few months was swimming in a much higher age group and even with a broken arm she was in the pool with a waterproof cast, pushing and pushing and pushing. Her coaches loved her. Her mother worried.

Every now and again as she worked her way up through elementary school she would encounter a teacher who strongly disliked her. I never paid it much attention as I have always taught the kids how to deal with people they don't like as life will be full of them and running away is not an option. I don't believe in changing teachers just because of a character clash. It has only happened 3 times and now with the help of her middle school teachers I realise that certain teachers are intimidated by her. It seems so absurd but the girl is a steel trap, you tell her something and she NEVER forgets, she can recall pages of books she read at 4. It is the craziest thing ever. Don't tell her a something you might later regret as she won't forget it or any of the details about that moment including what you were wearing. sigh.

We have a system in place here that allows a variety of high school choices, you don't have to attend your home school. Applying for the magnets with Lily was a very slow and laborious process yet at the same time she knew exactly what she wanted but she couldn't decide which school offered the best of it. Finally it was narrowed down. The school offered the moon and stars and actually started recruiting her. INSANE.

We were a mere few weeks into the first semester of High School and I could see a dramatic change in her personality. She was limp. We talked but she, " had got this". I let it go but watched sadly as she withered. Finally a few weeks before Christmas, in true Lily style, she exploded. I told her it would be  and I would start the chain of command to see if she could bump up a few classes. I started at the bottom of the chain and then went to the lead teacher and counsellor for the Cambridge program.

I was told to let her be bored.

I was told that next year she won't be bored and she really isn't giving G Holmes Braddock Senior High School a chance.

So I went over her head and in the mean time was talking with her old principal and some of her teachers from her middle school and they would guide me where to go next and suggest options for her. I called the assistant principal, who was her swim coach before he was promoted and I am still waiting for him to return my call, 7 weeks later. I did manage to get a return call from the Head counsellor who one sentence in to the conversation reiterated the sentiment, let her be bored.

AND RIGHT THEN I KNEW WE WERE DONE.

I was so deeply saddened by their response and so very very thankful for my village.  My girl needs, longs, desires to be challenged. I have to do what is best for her so after many conversations it was decided to let her home school. She will finish 9th grade and all of 10th by June and then come August she will dual enroll in high school and college and get her Associates degree and graduate early.

I went to her high school yesterday morning and withdrew her. I saw the head counsellor, she walked up to me and said: I see you have made up your mind, I think you are making a huge mistake.                     Thank you lady but the mistake was yours.      

I had done as much of the preliminary work with regard to enrolling her in home school as was possible so yesterday when we got home we officially enrolled her. It will take about 3 days to get everything set. Girl is antsy and impatient and NEEDS to get started.

I have one job left to do with regard to her public education and that is to let the region know what I think of the high schools suggestion.

Oh and this is why  I have always kept a tight lip on Lily's accomplishments, I have never wanted to sound like I am bragging. She is completely self motivated and I am incredibly grateful.

She recently found out about her IQ and the latest test proved what we all assumed, it has increased. She has an amazing gift and it is my job to see that she doesn't waste it. She owes it to the world to go out and share it in her own way.

Oh, and just to keep my on my toes Rosie came home last week and said the DR R. came into her classroom and talked to her teacher about getting her tested for gifted. WAHHHHHHH.

I will close by saying the biggest thank you to Rosell, Font and Virgin. Because of you, we can but without you we wouldn't and couldn't. much love.

the dress

For her graduation ceremony the dress was picked out and hanging in her closet, it wasn't new but it didn't need to be and she loved it. A few weeks ago I was going through the last of my "i just can't bare to give them up" skinny clothes and had one particular dress hanging all alone. Lily saw it and said how much she loved and asked if she could try it one, I told her, of course. I was shocked when I saw her in it, firstly it fit and secondly it looked fabulous, well sort of.

Something about it was a little "polly long frock" and "old lady". I told her if she liked it too not to not take it off and I ran down stairs and got some pins, I then took up the hem to above the knee to give it a more youthful appearance. We both agreed it was lovely, at least we thought it was but with that much fabric pinned up it was difficult to know for sure but I had nothing to lose, I wasn't about to wear it again.

things didn't start out well, my machine wasn't working properly. After trial and error I sorted out the issues.

Sewing is ot something I enjoy but sometimes it's something that is part of a bigger a picture and if I make up my mind then damn it, it will happen

Oh how I love this dress

in the words of Nike, just do it

another bobbin disaster.

I didn't show her the dress after I had done it I just took it to the dry cleaners and once I picked it up I gave it to her. She loved it and was so confident.

P.S. I wanted to take some photos before we left but I had had a dermatologists appointment, for my eczema so it was very routine. I was just going to dash in, she was going to look, hum and hah do what needed to be done and I was going to leave. The unhusband was heading to the house for dinner and we were all heading to graduation together. ( why yes I do need a halo don't I ) Well the dr decided that an area on my arm needed to be biopsied, no biggie, it would just be a minute and indeed it would, if neither one of us had overlooked one, not so minor detail, aspirin. I have been stuck, as have nearly all my migraine suffering friends on the migraine rollercoaster lately, and when it happens and the meds don't work another alternative is massive amounts of aspirin. Massive amounts. All went well, the biopsy was done the band aid applied and a couple of seconds of chit chat as she filled my information into her computer. I looked down and was disgusted to see blood on the floor. Really? In a Dr's office, that is disgusting. Then it clicked that this pool of blood was mine and then I knew I was going to be late. LOL. Things got sorted reasonably fast and things weren't too messy but she wanted me to wait to make sure it wasn't going to happen again in the car. I told her i was fine, that is what I always say and I explained that I HAD to leave. By then it was rush hour and I got stuck in traffic and there was no time for any photos or anything. But the girl looked glam and all was well. but the photos of her are in front of a chain link fence. blech.

feeling scholarly

The girls both made honor roll for the last grading period and the award ceremonies were both this week. Thankfully my clients are always willing to change appointment times to accommodate the girls. Actually my clients are just very very accommodating, end of story.

Rosie received perfect attendance also

so proud of herself, as well she should be.

Hah, look at the socks! This is Hamley her friend, I love this little boy he is such a good student and a sweet kid to boot. These two have been in the same class every year. P.S. I cropped the other child out of the photos but blogger decided she should be in it anyway. LOL

Lilys ceremony fell on a Wednesday and Wednesdays happen to be, Wear what you want Day, hence no uniform. 

cheesey grin!

Lily and her BFF, Misela. 

Congratulations girlies on all of your hard work. You both amaze me.

rounding out the school year

Lily also had an award assembly this week and it will surprise no one that the girl cleaned house. Some of the awards were just downright annoying and pathetic, some, like the academic ones were not. If you carry the highest GPA or have achieved something at school that no one else has ever done, recognition is nice. An award for showing up, ridiculous.

Lily received another award for her participation at Duke, and then social studies, physical science, language arts, civics and a trophy for geometry. In addition was honor roll and showing up, sheesh.

I was so happy that Rosies teachers allowed her to come to

We were told we could take the kiddos home. so I did

We decided to head out together for a celebratory lunch but just as we were about to leave the school called to say Rosie wasn't feeling well. So I picked her up explained that playing hooky is illegal and to never ever do it again. (I might have put the fear of God into her) Once the lecture was over we all went out to lunch.

tip

As I may have mentioned Lily has a phenomenal principal who has worked wonders with Lil's curriculum to keep her challenged and happy at school. Other than just the learning aspect of school she  suggested Lily join the Duke TIP program. Basically it is a program offered by Duke University geared to high achieving students. THey offer summer programs, weekend courses all types of things to keep the challenge on.

Dr. P suggested back in October that Lily apply to take her SAT or ACT test ( the ones given as college entrance exams in 12th grade) through Duke, in December. Studies have shown that 7th graders can do as well as if not better than 12 graders on the test. They feel no pressure to pass, yet for the most part have the knowledge required. Lily sat the exam along with one other kid in her class and they both came out saying it was hard.

Months and months went by and finally we received her results. Th
ey weren't very clear but from what we could make out she had done very well. More time passed and an email arrived stating I needed to attend a webinar if I wanted to understand the results. I did.

Child scored within the top 5% of the country. She held her own against the 12th graders and in most cases surpassed them . She was getting an award at the State level. 2 weeks ago was the award ceremony.

SO happy

The speakers...they were a bit long winded

Being called onto the stage

recieving her award

rightfully proud

So very proud of her

Yesterday I met with her principal to talk high schools. Gulp. She sees no reason for the kidlet not to study both college and high school for the last 2 years so she will start college with an AA degree. Phew, sounds taxing. We only have 2 schools here in the district that do that.

that long, huh?

Poor old abandoned blog.

The last week has been a little nutty, batty, crazy. Lily has been up to her chin in rehearsals for the school play. A play that she didn't sign up to do, in a subject that she chose as her last resort. She doesn't care for drama, ( pardon me as I laugh my head off) and she certainly didn't want to take it as she knew it would/could interfere with swimming.

She was correct on the latter thought and last week her 2 worlds collided and I swear all I did was drive her from one practice with a pissy coach  to the next one. No one ever cares what the other person needs and or thinks.

Thankfully all the madness will end now as her play was last night and Junior Olympics are this weekend. Phew.

She had 2 roles in the Best of Broadway but I couldn't even see her on stage in her first role as the place was jammed and everyone was holding up recording devices to record their kiddos. I had already decided when she got to her monologue in her second role I was walking to the side and standing up to record her.

The quality is very very poor because my camera is in the shop and her act was done in the dark??? WTH.

She  learnt her lines very well and spat them out with an insensity I am glad I don't see here at the house. The Matilda play was for the next grade level but the girl who was chosen to play just couldn't deliver this monologue so Lily was asked to step in and do it. I thought, and it is quite possible that I am pathetically biased, that she did it better than the 8th grader.

She has been staying at school until 7.30 in the evening. Last night she crawled into bed at 10.21 and had to be up at 5.30 to head to her swim meet. She was asleep tonight at 7.30.

I haven't actually watched this, I just got it up here as fast as possible as I promised the Grands I would.

on a roll

I'm on a roll with this getting caught up lark and Lily was also Honor Roll, hah, get it? My sister was gone when Lily's ceremony took place but my sista from another mista was here.

So wonderful for Lily to have someone extra special with her at her awards, just like Ro

Principals honor roll for this girl

hah, look who grew?

Rosie was on her tippy toes in that last photo but Lily had her feet planted firmly on the ground. In one year she has grown so much. Last year when Jakie arrived they were even and now.............not so much. Next year I will be the one looking up at Lily.

rewarding.

Lily's principal is the soul reason she is still at her current school. I thank my lucky stars for her each and every day. I love the kids school and am thankful it is a teeny tiny K-8 centre and not just any K-8 centre mind you, the number one in the south.

Dr P. keeps a breast of Lily. Frequently sending home papers with her that pertain to things that Lily may be interested in. Recently she sent home a form asking if I would allow her to sit for her SAT's. I agreed and the test is coming up in a few weeks. She also pushes her to reach her full potential. Now, I'm no fool and this is public school so when Lily looks good the school looks good but Dr. P cares.

Two weeks ago she sent home an invitation to a Dade County School Board meeting/award ceremony where Lily would be receiving an award. An award for what? I had no idea. Last night was the ceremony.

We left the house quite early as I was quite sure with rush hour traffic it would take forever to get there, it didn't but once we arrived the place was a mad house. So Many People. Luckily, we had left early but for the wrong reason.  Hah.

We were separated, students receiving awards to the left, and family members centre or right. As is typical with anything to do with schools or school boards it didn't start on time, it was nearly an hour late and the board member/unpopular politician who was giving the award was even later as he got caught in traffic. Finally things got under way and the ceremony began.

Meeting the big wigs

All 4 of these kiddoes are from Lilys school. I think it is funny that Karina and Lily chose very similar dresses.

The FABULOUS Dr. P. and Lily

And of course, The Pickle, who even wore a dress for her big seester.

After the intro's were given from the presenters of the awards I still had no idea what she was getting it for. Turns out it was for, Excellence in Academics. It now resides in a drawer in her closet because you all know how quirky this child of mine is and in her mind, "she didn't earn it". It's a blanket award for nothing in particular that was given to 4 students from each school. "Dr. P just gave them my name". (when asked if she knows she wasn't chosen from the district and Dr. P. informed the same way she was, she said she didn't think so.) She wasn't ungrateful, she was thrilled to receive it but that doesn't change it's origin. Someone shoot me now!

Well done oh quirky one. I'm proud of you and your academic success and you should be too.

from the heart

Yesterday Lily had another writing assignment and much to my surprise it didn't elicit any long drawn out groans. She sat down at the computer and asked me a couple of questions every now and again:

Mum, what words describe me?
She didn't like my answers to this as she said they were not single words.

Mum, What do I want more than anything?
To meet your birthparents.

And then she surprised me, really surprised me.

No, I really don't anymore. If it happens it will be fine but I don't care if I do anymore.

Hmmm, I wonder when that happened and what made it happen? She was slapdab in the middle of an assignment and I wasn't about to stop her then. By the time she was done I was so impressed with everything she had written that her response left my head, until now.

Who is Lily?

Lover of swimming.  No kidding

David Mi****s Granddaughter.........another shocker. second line!  She idolises my father. Just like I did as a child. Only 2 things in my life have ever knocked some of the shine off of that man in fifty years. Hah, she has really good taste.

She wants to fly.    Good to see she is still a kid.

She wants to see her face reflected in the mirror in her old age. Wise old soul this kid.

Her feet planted firmly on the Olympic podium.  She has big goals and dreams.

scared of rejection.  and spiders.  Many of us are.

There was much more that I don't recall and she wouldn't approve of me slapping it here for all to see.
I was impressed that she was truthful. usually she writes a load of old rubbish. Mrs C. must be one heck of a teacher, I know she is a lovely lady.

national junior honor society

Last night Lily was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. All I knew about it was this, Mummy it is going to be very fancy, I have to wear a fancy dress and so do you. Okay then, fancy it is. Which one of us was going to break that news to Rosie, oh that was going to be me.
So we got all fancy schmancy and headed off to the induction ceremony.

Oh my.

that is Rosie, yes.

Wow, these gorgeous girls are mine.

see, I do wear a dress on occasion.

Once at the hall Lily took off with off the other inductees and Rosie and I made our way to our seats. Everything looked so nice and no detail had been missed. The local high schools Colour Guard marched them in and the pomp and circumstance was set.

Mr Robinson (asst Principal and wonderful man) followed the Colour Guard

Here she comes

The kiddies were called up on stage one by one to light a candle, they then walked off of the stage and took a position on the floor whilst holding said candle. Guess whose candle blew out?

uh-oh

aww shucks.

thank heavens for good friends like Mark, who kept his composure

well kinda. I love his grin.

finally, she's got it together.


Nest the kids had to go back up on stage, greet all of the members of the teaching staff that are part of the NJHS and then walk to get the their certificates.

All of these teachers are truly truly caring and wonderful people. I appreciate every one of them that is pictured. (hah)

accpeting her certificate

It's official she is one of the elite few....or so they say.

But wait, theres another one.

I am very proud of you Lily and I know you can fulfill the requirments of the NJHS.

Lily was in her element from the very second she found out it was a dressy event. She shot into her closet and started pulling dresses out to try on. Luckily for her she has all the dresses that my Sista from another Mista's girls have out grown. She narrowed it down to 2 and then chose this one. I posted a photo of both kidlets on Facebook as we left the house and received a comment that caught me off guard cos it mentioned Lily looking s*xy. Umm, hello, that isn't a look that is a state of mind and one that Lily doesn't have yet, she is 11. She is a girly girl who loves to dress up. It's a pretty dress and a pretty grown up looking one but she will be 12 in a couple of weeks. She can't pull of the little girl dresses anymore and she no longer likes them. I don't mind her getting dressed up and for the most part she is a casual kid due to where we live but even in shorts she wears them well, it's just who she is. She is a clothes horse. If you see her in person she still looks like a kid. So let her wear her girly dresses and be all girly but don't label her please.