wow....I'm really bad at this blogging thing. It's been practically a year since I last updated. And SO MUCH has changed for our family. The main reason I haven't updated is because I was caring for my dying partner for the better part of this year. From April-October, she was sick and passed in October. So, yes, a lot has changed. The children (at least Erin 16 and Adam 12) had decided to do cyberschool this year, which turned out to be a good thing for us and them. Erin is doing 10th grade at PAVCS....she felt like she wanted to be challenged and wanted to do higher Math than I can teach her. She needs guidance, though, so felt like enrolling in the cyberschool would be good for her. It was completely her idea and decision. She's doing really really well. She actually qualified the AP English class and is growing more and more confident in herself. She decided to wait until next year to do AP English, just because this is really her first traditional schooling experience and she doesn't want to overwhelm herself. Smart girl. Adam is doing very well, too. He grumbles and complains, but I know that he likes it....I don't have to (and wouldn't) nag him about doing his work or getting to class. They are both doing synchronous classes (which means actual classes online, real-time) and I think it's a good way to do it. Jamie (my partner) and I had decided to enroll James in a private preschool just because we knew that this Fall was going to be difficult with her sick. We wanted him to be able to go somewhere each day to play and have fun and for it to be a consistent place for him....as well as giving me a break since I was caring for Jamie full-time. I think it was a smart thing to do, as well. However, he has a lot of anxiety about going and I think that it is an overwhelming thing for him. I'm sure Jamie's being gone is certainly causing anxiety....but with his special needs, he is just overstimulated there and does not have the social or mental skills to really thrive and enjoy himself. There have been behavior issues there and I just don't see the point in keeping him in the situation when I will definitely be homeschooling (or cyberschooling) him. So, after the holidays he'll be staying home again. I'm looking forward to doing some fun stuff with him in the new year. So. That's where we are. I don't know where the future will take us but it will take us there together.