Catching up

I really have my work cut out for me this year.  I felt more prepared.  I had a year of teaching under my belt, and had a better idea what I wanted to do.  I have had the confidence to venture out on my own to find what works best for me when it comes to lesson planning and pacing.  However, this year has been very challenging so far.  My students this year have severe behavior problems due to lack of structure in previous grades.  On top of that, I have learning challenges that come with a normal set of classroom students.  Then, my health has not been the best.  Add it all up, and I am overwhelmed much of the time, and hoping that I help prepare these kids for 5th grade.  Right now, the plan is "survival." 

I went to visit a naturepath doctor due to promptings from Greg.  I about fell asleep in the examination room.  He comes in, administers some tests.  I didn't tell him much of anything. 

Then, he proceeded to ask me, "Which one of them did this to you?" 
To which I responded, "Which one of what?"
"Which child?"
"I am afraid you will have to be more specific."

He told me that my symptoms are common to a crash in the pituitary gland that results from a strenuous child birth.  However, many of my struggles happened after Rachel was born, and I remember severe baby blues.  Tons of symptoms that I have thought are normal were listed by this doctor, all resulting from this problem.  He said that other problems could be masked by this gland, but that we would not know until it was functioning properly.  I was at 20%.  He said he had seen worse.  Many people come in so sick that they have been brought in on a gurney.  Thankfully, that was not me.  He prescribed me some natural medicines, and scheduled me for another visit.  My pituitary gland is functioning well now, but a problem was unmasked.  My antibodies are fighting against my good cells.  This has resulted in mood swings and fatigue, but it is manageable.  I am wondering what I will feel like when I am well.  I have lost the feeling of "pushing myself to always overachieve, to do everything right."  It is a little disconcerting.  I am not sure who I am some of the time, and I am struggle to find a balance that will make me happy.

Our children are excelling.  I am so proud of them.  Of course, Rebekah has her piano, but is doing wonderfully in school.  She is becoming a social butterfly, but seems to have her head squarely on her shoulders.  She spends her time looking up new hairstyles for me to try in her hair.  Rachel is writing up a storm.  She keeps us entertained with her stories.  She loves to be in the kitchen helping cook, and we would be starving during lunch without her.  She has done the majority of the planning for cold lunches for Mom and all the kids on their hot lunch budget.  Now, all the kids have to help out in the morning to prepare for the day.  Jacob is doing very well in school, and is still making friends everywhere he goes.  (I think this comes from his grandpa S.)  He is in to airsoft guns, and joins the neighborhood boys often to have wars.  They schedule them and invite everyone to come.

Greg has purchased a new dirtbike, and in his efforts to have a good time, has crashed yet again.  He sliced his arm open, and then asks me to clean and bandage it up.  (Needless to say, this is not my favorite activity, but seems to happen more often than I would like.)  He says he has bent the radiator on his bike, and might need a new one.  I think I have heard this somewhere before.  He has done a lot of the negotiating with the insurance companies, scheduling of contractors, and rebuilding.  He held his ground, and we were blessed by the decisions he made.  We now have a new section of fence, a new tree where a couple of pine trees once stood, and the siding on one end of the house has been replaced.  It was a lot of work, but we are happy with the results. 

And, the neighbors are starting to rebuild as well.  They were blessed with good weather to get their concrete in.  Miracles happen every day.