Luke couldn't move his arm today.

I let Luke sleep in since we got home so late.  We started school a little late and skipped Bible class.  I was hoping to do it at dinner time tonight.  Surprisingly, that didn't happen.  

I took Levi to his allergy appointment.  We found out a month ago that he is allergic to fire ant bites.  The doctor said he may never have a problem again if he's bit, or it could be worse.  We need to have an Epi-Pen with us in case he's bitten again and has a reaction to the bites.  Texas has tons of fire ants. 

He is a little young to get allergy shots.  I opted not to get them for him.  This allergy makes him inelligible for military service unless he gets a waiver.  If he has no more reactions for fire ants, then at 16 he will be considered not to have the allergy anymore.  

Speaking of military service...I had to ask a second doc about eligibility for military service for Luke.  His arm was still very painful today and he said he couldn't abduct it.  That's an indication of rotator cuff injury.  I thought maybe he tore a muscle in his shoulder.  We got an appointment for today! At the appointment,  Luke was actually able to lift his arm, it just hurt a lot.  So, he has a referral to PT and needs to rest his shoulder.  He can't play his game on Sat.  Fortunately he has no games scheduled for nest weekend so he won't miss any that weekend!  He plans to ride a stationary bike to keep up his cardiovascular exercise.  

Turns out the Air Force doc he saw also had a history of shoulder dislocation.  I asked if it was before he went into the Air Force because I was wondering if this would keep him from military service. The doc said he doesn't even think he mentioned it on his application/physical.  

Oh, he won't be able to bag for awhile either.  He goes back to the doctor next week for  a follow-up.  Hopefully he'll heal quickly.

Below:  The toad that lives in our basement.  He's been there for awhile, so he must be getting plenty to eat.  As long as he's working for food, we'll keep him.

Sophia is studying Pond Life and made a turtle.  She tends to wear her gymnastic leotard often.  After all , she is the one who wore the same bathing suit everyday for 2 years.

I had a great thought. At least I thought I did.

Levi liked soaking his feet the other day, so my great thought was that I would let him soak them again today to keep him gainfully employed while I had a writing class with Jesse and Caroline.  He thought it was a great idea too.  Unfortunately I think I should have put him in a more centrally located place (he was in the hallway, but nobody was near enough to him).  So I think it only lasted about 10 minutes.  That's better than nothing though. Next time I'll put him in the same room as somebody else!  I'm hoping that as he is approaching his 3rd birthday that it might be easier to have him entertain himself.  I don't know how often I'll have someone who can help watch him during school.  Rachel will come in October and November when she can, but she graduates in December and has a full time job after graduation- I'm really glad for her!

It's midnight now.  Luke called at 0850 from his soccer practice, which is supposed to end at 900 pm, and said, "Mom, I dislocated my shoulder."  I said what any mom of a prospective college soccer scholarship recipient would say.  "No you didn't."  I thought he was kidding.  He wasn't.  He did a slide tackle in a scrimmage and the kid who had the ball fell on Luke and when he fell Luke's arm was stretched out. Luke felt his shoulder dislocate and then he rolled and felt it pop back in.  Steve was already on his way to pick him up and got there   a few minutes later.  On the way home Steve called and said Luke was in alot of pain. I asked him how bad on a scale of 1-10.  He said 10. So Steve took him to the ER and I met them there with clean dry clothes for Luke and Motrin.   Steve went home and I stayed.  The XRAY showed no fracture!  And the shoulder was not dislocated then - although it could have been earlier.  So, he needs to follow up on Friday to see if he can play soccer on Friday or Sat.

We met a little girl about 3 years old when we were at XRAY.  She hurt her arm while jumping off an ottoman in an attempt to show-off her dad said.  We talked to her and then saw her again in the waiting area.  I told her and her dad that "they" have  Freeze-Pops in the ER and that I was sure they would give her one...I've worked in Army ERs as a nurse so I knew the deal about the popsicles.  I told her dad that sometimes you have to ask for them.  He thought maybe he could ask for ice cream too.  And maybe chocolate!  She ended up in the bed next to Luke and before we left I asked the nurse to get her a popsicle.  Luke thought it was funny that I said , "I know you have popsicles."  The nurse smiled and said, "Sure.  Do you know her?"  I said, no we just met, but I told her you have popsicles!

As we were leaving one of the medics was brining her a Freeze-Pop.  I told him he was a good guy.

"Don't argue with me." "I'm not."

That was a brief conversation I had with Levi today.  It's sort of funny, sort of not.

Another thing he yelled to me from his room after he kicked me out when I was reading to him at quiet time/nap time was, "Mooooom.  Will you 'way' by me?"  Yes, it was "way" and not "lay".  He can be so smart, yet still sound like a 2 year old.

I am trying to explain to the kids that when an adult is talking to them, or when they are in a class, they need to listen and not be disruptive.  I'm not sure how long it will take for them to get that, but I guess I have until they graduate.  I thought they would have "gotten it" by now.  Their worst behavior is  in Bible class.  I thought it was because they don't like Bible class, but I had them write down everything they don't like about Bible class and they didn't write anything. 

We are studying early England after the Vikings and the invasion of William the Conqueror.   I read a book to Sophia today called, The Tomten.  I don't remember reading it before.  We looked up, "What is a Tomten?"  They are from Sweden and basically they are gnomes.  Many Swedish believe they are real.  We even watched a You Tube clip of a supposed Tomten sighting in Argentina.  Pretty interesting.

Here's a pic of the book.

     

 Jesse is still recovering, but he went to his Robotics class today.  He wishes he had it 2 days a week instead of just one.  I got some work done with Sophia while we were there and Levi happily played as we all sat outside.  

We can sit outside in TX. It's going to be 100 degrees for the next two days.   And then still in the 90's after that...and continue in the 90's as we reach October this weekend!

Jesse was sick, but wanted to come to school!

Jesse has a cough, a slight fever, he didn't sleep well.  I told him he could sleep in.  But he got up. He didn't want to miss school!  This is the same child who cringed at writing 4 words just a week or so ago.  I think the schedule change and some relaxed schooling helped.  Something did.

Levi wanted to go to the Fire Station Field Trip and the monthly roller skating.  My 2 year old.  I asked him which he wanted to do more because we couldn't do both.  He said roller skating.  So we went roller skating this afternoon.  Josh stayed home to do work and I had Jesse stay home too.  I told him he could watch a movie or sleep, but he needed to rest.  When we were leaving he said he felt better.  I told him it was the medicine.   Well apparently he didn't understand so he went over Christian's while we were gone.  They painted.  Hannah got to go with us, and her and Sophia had a great time!  Caroline almost got to take her friend Hannah, but she had to stay home.  Luke went on Facebook before we left and found out his friend/and soccer teammate was going, so they devised a plan to dress silly.  They had a great time too. 

School went really well today!  Caroline's German class was postponed due to internet difficulties.  Luke had a math tutor session.  She said he is a very visual learner.  She said that his geometry book is very in depth.  She said that the problems he is doing with circles now is more difficult than than things he'll do in calculus.  She said that the rest of his geometry will be much easier.  He should finish the book in the next few weeks and then move onto Algebra 2.  He said Algebra 1 was easy, so I'm hoping Algebra 2 will seem easy to him also.

Even though school went well (I think it helped that Levi watched some TV with Jesse- not usually allowed!), I was emotionally drained after school.  I think it was good for me to get out and take the kids roller skating.  By the way, if you take a 2 year old roller skating don't wear flip flops and walk him around the rink.  His skated kept running over my toes- ouch.  But, we found out that the skate rink has these contraptions made from PVC that the non-skaters can hold on to while they are skating.  I rented one of them and he just stood up and held on!  It was $5 well spent!

Not a good pic of Levi, but you can see the contraption.  

 I took Luke to a seminar about playing soccer in college put on by his club soccer organization.  They said that 98% of the work that is done to get a kid to play in college is done by the kid (and his family).   The most interesting thing I learned was that the kid should start contacting college coaches in 10th grade.   And then keep in touch with them.  Very helpful seminar.

Soccer Day again. Sunday, 25 Sep

 My friend helped in her daughter's sewing coop class and they both just made this skirt! Too cute!!  She invited me to come over with Caroline and Sophia and sew one with them.  I hope we can.

 Luke is not going to help video the church service to simulcast it to the other service.  He was going to learn how to do it, but he has alot going on right now.  I'm not sure it was something he really wanted to do.  However the youth pastor asked if Luke would want to do some film editing and clips for him that the youth group would see.  He said he would buy an Apple movie making program that is a really good one.  Luke said he isn't that good at doing.  But he likes it and he's never used this professional version which should make it easier to do more.  We'll see what happens.  

 Josh got his hunting license today.  He REALLY enjoyed the class. He had to do some classes online before he went to the class today.  He's very excited.  He got hang out with some real good-ole-boys today!

Caroline, Jesse and Luke all had soccer games.  It was about 104 degrees today.  It's almost October.  

I'm still looking for a sitter to help when Rachel can't come, and when she graduates.  Today Levi soaked his feet after Sophia soaked hers for her tendinitis.  He did it for awhile.  I think I'll get out the basin and let him soak them all morning tomorrow (Rachel can't come this week except for Thursday.).