I find it interesting that this post is back to back with my post on James 4:17. Again, my theme verse for 2012 is penetrating deep. Knowing the good I ought to be doing, and doing it!
So where to begin... Discouragement has been in full force this week along with frustration and feeling overwhelmed. My amazing, smart, funny, hard working, full of life almost 11 year old son struggles with learning. He has severe dyslexia and dysgraphia which makes him have to work harder than most kids to read and to write. In October of 2010, we got many of our questions answered and met an amazing educator who teaches parents how to work with their struggling learners. Her name is Dianne Craft and she is amazing! She has been nothing short of a lifesaver. As Camden's homeschool teacher, I have the priviledge of working with him every week day on reading and writing, along with math and all the other subjects. We saw tremendous progress during the 2010-2011 school year but towards the end of 2011 we seemed to get caught in a rut and things seemed to have come to a hault. I began seeing letter reversals again in Camden's writing and reading wasn't as easy as it had been which left both Camden and I frustrated. So this last week I had a conference call with Dianne. We decided to make some changes with Camden's lesson plans in homeschool, change up his diet, and also start some new supplements. All this left me feeling overwhelmed.
First up was going dairy free. Dianne is also a nutritionist and there are studies out there showing that kids with dairy allergies can be affected academicaly in the areas Camden is struggling with. So we went dairy free 4 days ago and I have to say, it's going very well! My prayer has been that as we incorporate these changes with Camden that we will be rewarded for our efforts and see big changes right way. Last night Camden ate 4 tacos for dinner, that has never happened before. And then this morning for breakfast he ate 2 gluten free/dairy free french toasts. I like to think that his gut is super happy and he is feeling good to eat more than he ever has. Thank you Jesus!
We are also working on his supplement regimine and hope to get that squared away this next week. I'm getting another opinion to make sure we are heading in the right direction with that.
And lastly and probably the most overwhelming is making changes with Camden's daily lesson plans. I've had to order some new readers (which my amazing mom helped me with), change up his spelling program and writing program and we are also having to incorporate back in some therapies to Camden's school day that he HATES. That part I'm most not looking forward to but I know it's what will help him in the long run.
As I was crying out to God this week, I was telling Him how I wished Camden could just be taught and learn the "normal" way and that it wouldn't take so much effort on his part or my part. However, I am reminded that while we are here on earth we are not called to an "easy" life. It's through the hard things in life and through our trials that we become the people God wants us to be. I know that God has an AMAZING plan for Camden's life. I know he will be successful and make a difference in this world. I am so excited as his mother to see God's plan unfold for Camden's life. I honestly believe that through Camden's toughest days as he battles it out with a book or with his pencil and paper that God is at work teaching him lessons that will last a lifetime. And one day, I will get to sit back, take a deep breath, and say without a doubt that all our hard work in homeschool paid off.
Until then, I will keep pressing on.
Philippians 3:12-14
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
1 comment:
Hi Korri, I have been eating dairy-free for awhile and have discovered palm shortening from Tropical Traditions as a baking substitute for butter. It works as butter or crisco but it is dairy-free and healthier than crisco. I use it in rice krispie treats and cookies, I have even used it in a chicken recipe where the sauce recipe called for butter. Keep pressing on with all you are doing! Camden is a blessed boy to have you for a momma! Love, Traci
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