What a week....

It has been a banner week for our family. I am more encouraged about our family than I have been in a long time. Here's why:

**Report Cards came out and the kids did fantastic. I couldn't be prouder of them and the effort they have been putting into school.

**Nathan just finished his twentieth book off the Bluebonnet List. These were challenging books for him and he completed a very difficult goal. He is most excited because he will get a trophy for all his hard work. I am excited because he took on a task that required him to go above and beyond and he did it!

**Lexi received an award at her schools 9 week awards assembly. She has come a long way in her reading and her teacher recognized her effort. She was also formally tested this week on her reading and her teacher sent me an email saying "I am doing my endzone dance...Lexi just soared on her TPRI test...woohoo." Needless to say, I wrote her back and said "I'm doing my endzone dance too!!"

**I am helping coach Lexi's basketball team and it has been so much fun to watch her develop into an aggressive player. It's just such a joy to cheer her on. She's not the star of the team by any means, but she is having fun and is so engaged this year.

**Braden is Braden. But, he is getting so much better. He really is.

**I took the kids out to dinner Friday night to celebrate their good report cards. For the first time, I left the restaraunt feeling like I had enjoyed going out to eat with the kids. Usually, I feel like we are a three ring circus and wonder why I paid good money for the pleasure of entertaining others.

**I discovered the value of large, black trash bags. It is amazing what you can throw away....and the kids can't see through the bags to see what has been tossed.....I think I have about 7 large trash bags in the garage ready for the trash man on Monday.

It's difficult to know how my kids are really doing....but, there is some indication that they are continuing to thrive...and for that I am so grateful....