Week in Review: Week 2

Katie has scoliosis. She was diagnosed three years ago. And has been wearing what is called a Boston Brace for almost two years. She has an "S" shaped curve. What her brace does, is it has padding where those curves are. And the pads PUSH her spine straight. It is painful to wear. So painful that in the beginning she would cry for hours. Sometimes it is even more painful to remove the brace. Which she needs to wear at least 20 hours a day. She gets heat rash on her skin. Which tends to bleed, scab, and then scale. But, amazingly, over time. She has gotten used to her brace. You wouldn't know she had it on. Unless you hugged her. Or touched her torse. And felt the hard plastic. Or the metal clips. She does not like to acknowledge that it is there. She doesn't want to answer questions. And she doesn't want anyone to know. I wish she could find an explanation that would make her comfortable.

And on Monday, she was casted for her third brace in 2 years. At $7000 a pop. She has grown 2 1/2 inches just since March. I tried to convince her to let me take pictures of this process. Of how they cast. The strange table that she has to lay on. Her maniacal orthodic maker, Larry, as he had fun with her in cutting off the cast. With an electric saw. But no. She said no. I and respected her wishes. And now she is respecting mine...in that I have to report it. Maybe next time she'll be comfortable enough to let me take pictures. Because I know there is going to be a next time. For another $7000.

We did manage to have some fun this week, too. We went to the indoor aquatic center (and I have more about that another day). We started church choir. Our homeschool group had its "Not Back to School Party." And we did school work. That counts as fun. Right?

BIOLOGY: Most of the work Katie has done this week centers around observation through the microscope. A microscope that we bought many many moons ago. And that we had not taken out of the box. Until this week. And it still works! She loves it. We have all kinds of slides. And today we had to take the netting off of a bandage for her too look at. And see what the fibers are doing. I tried to take a picture through the microscope, but it didn't work. It would be very cool to have one of those microscopes I could attach a camera to. Or one that could be hooked up to your computer so that you could view on your monitor. But...I think we will just be content that we have a microscope. And that the girls are so fascinated with what they can discover

HISTORY: We started off the week with a little drama. Because I asked Katie to draw a cover for her History Odyssey notebook. It caused a complete meltdown. I suppose I should be sympathetic. I think I would have a break down too, if someone asked me to draw something. But, she got over it. And found something to trace. And we labeled the sections for her notebook. And talked about how to follow the lesson plans. She read about the first civilizations, irrigation, trade, and the first megaliths in Europe.

Who wants a trivial educational side note? It was a rehetorical question. There is a theory that the entire reason we have civilizations. The entire reason that people stopped their nomadic existence. And planted crops. Was because of beer. That someone accidentally discovered the "feeling" fermented grain gave them. And they put down roots. And grew crops. Not for sustenance. But for beer. Beer: the root of all civilization.

LOGIC: Katie continued with Logic countdown. And we moved into analogies this week. We talked about process of elimination - and how to make educated guesses when you don't know the answer. Like in this problem:

Cod is to trout as grouse is to: ________

a. covey b. bird c. fish d. egret

She was stumped because she didn't know what a grouse was. Or a covey. So, I asked her what she could immediately eliminate - and that was bird and fish. And then, she could just make an educated guess. And then we talked about another problem. In which a lot of the answers appear to fit:

Beggar is to poor as president is to __________

a. chairman b. leader c. powerful d. nation

She knew that nation could be eliminated. But the other three seemed to be possible. So then, I asked her what kind of word is beggar. And what kind of word is poor. And then the answer becomes obvious.

WRITING/GRAMMAR: We still have another week before Write at Home begins. So we have continued with Daily Grams and the Note taking workbook. I am now on the same page as Katie. The note taking workbook is boring. So, we are going to switch tactics and do daily grams and a vocabulary program. I got Wordly Wise. And we'll see how that goes starting next week.

GEOGRAPHY: This week Katie studied Malawi. There is no such thing as a book about this country. So we did our research on the web. Katie wanted to study it because at her summer camp they talked about that country. And things that we might do to aid them. In monetary and missionary relief.

Other Stuff: At the Not back to school Party we registered for classes. Katie will be starting her fourth year of Latin. And continuing with swimming/stroke clinic and folk dancing. All of those start after Labor Day. Next week we get back into our regular routine with piano lessons.

That was our week. And then tonight? Only 6 hours and 15 minutes and my girls will both be spending the night with friends. Both of them. Not that I am counting or anything. Which means Michael and I get a date night. Without having to arrange for a babysitter. What shall we do?! When was the last time you went on a date? What do you like to do?