Post Vlog Attempt

I had put this blog on hold with the goal of vlogging... which only happened once. So very much has happened/ is happening.

Sometimes it's easier to do it by kid so....

Back in Aug. 2019, Julianna choose to to not go back to public school but we agreed homeschooling wouldn't work for her either. So we found a private school and she is thriving. She LOVES it.  Julian had considered the option of private school as well, but wanted to see how school in the middle school building worked out so he tried it.  The week before Thanksgiving, after two huge issues with the school and seeing Julianna do so well, he choose private. He is also loving school and doing fantastic.  Both have so much less anxiety and stress.  They have made friends, have all A's and B's, and really like school.

SS.... oh where to start.  He's been struggling this school year.  BM2 and DH met with the school in the fall and made a follow up for this month (I stayed home with the baby).  BM2 didn't show for the follow up but it didn't go well.  Basically, since SS isn't their version of 'special needs' they won't do anything. We've decided to try to get SS into the private school as well, in hopes there's enough time for SS to turn around his high school run and get into the school he wants for his degree.  He has his hopes set high, and we are trying to encourage other options without deeming his hope, but he has his mind made up.  Fingers crossed he gets in. Dh and BM2 had a phone conversation about it in which she agreed something needed to change and seemed to be on board, then immediately texted and said we were pushing him to commit suicide. Not sure where that came from, and haven't heard from her since.  We had been doing pretty well, we even offered to switch weekends when she needed it and had to switch everyone else. DH and her had even done a couple joint sessions with SS and his counselor, to which she was receptive to SS finally admitting that he's terrified of her BF and has severe PTSD due to the abuse. I'm hoping this is just a hiccup.

Niece.  So this one is super hurtful and I'm not going to share all the details.  I'll share a few, and when things are set through court I'll share the whole story. Niece has been manipulated and bribed into wanting to live with Biodad and his new wife.  They are loaded, eat out every meal, and let her spend most waking hours with her boyfriend.  We decided not to fight in the end, and I wrote up an agreement we both signed. If Biodad doesn't file it with the court by Aug. 2020, then niece will come back to live with us full time. As of right now, she comes back for visits, but those have been awkward. While we hope she's happy with her choice, we know it's not what's best for her.  However, our household has been less stressed, more calm, and definitely more quite since the change.

SD is doing very well.  She currently is in major like with a boy, still has her first job, bought herself a car and pays the insurance, and is in a program for college credit called Teacher's Academy.  She's wanted to be a teacher since before I can remember, but she decided winter break 2019 that ... WHAM... she wants to be a pediatrician.  We have 1.5 years before graduation.  We are such a good place.  She's turning out to be such an amazing young lady. She even took me out to dinner in the midst of the whole niece drama because she told me she thought I needed it. Bm1 occasionally tries to talk SD in to 'living with her' to which SD stands firm that that will never happen because it's not what she wants. We had to cut BM1's ex husband out of the co parenting picture due to him cussing out SD, telling her (before she bought her car) that she had to give him gas money for visits, and being otherwise completely inappropriate. Since removing him, things have been ok.  We honestly don't message or talk much at all, especially since SD has been driving herself since October.  BM1 has been clean for a bit, has kept a job for a bit, and seems much better. SD goes to see her when SS goes to BM2's.

Arabella will be 3 in June. We are homeschooling as of now, and she knows her colors, shapes, Upper case letters, opposites, and 'helps out' around the house all the time. She loves to read and play and begs for the park daily. We love this sweet girl so very much. We have high hopes for her next allergist appointment and she's still on donor breastmilk.  Her and I are currently battling a virus and think DH has come down with it too (he had to leave work early yesterday to take care of us), but other than that we are good!

Kittens! We added another sibling pair to our house.  They are also girls.  They are 5months old now and were adopted them at 12 weeks. Our older cats are almost 4.  The kids love them sooo much.

DH and I are doing well.  He still works at the same place, while looking for something with better insurance. We dream of living elsewhere, and of Disney together. Next month is 14 years.  March 2021 we've booked  cruise for our 15th anniversary. Just us, no kids, Disney Fantasy!