Four months out!

Well where to begin other than I am the world's worst "post adoption blogger"! It's starting to sound like a broken recond but here I go again! Ira is FANTASTIC!!! We have no porblems with her - she is amazing. She is funny, smart, delightful, a joy to be around and we love being with her every day!!! She soaks up life to a level we all could learn from.

She has finished her summer tutoring and we have now begun home schooling. Her English has exploded big time these last 3 weeks or so. She has been "bugging" me to death to hurry up and start schooling - which I didn't want to do for another week or so but I finally started today. We are working thru www.k12.com academy and I'm thrilled with this totally accredited program. Home schooling has come so far that most of you wouldn't believe it. So much is virtual and the hard core work is done for the parents so you're more of a coach with less pressure of being a "teacher". So today was day one and when we finished in a little less than 3 hrs. Ira said - "finish - that's all - noooo - come on mama let's go"!!! That's the way she tackles life - with so much energy, enthusiasm and gusto - it's amazing!!! This child will probably knock down about 3 yrs of school in 1 yr w/ home schooling!

She has started private swimming lessons as well and apparently is a "natural" and the teachers want her on the local swim team. She is interested in that as she loves swimming BUT she really wants to take dance and the schedules conflict. So we are starting dance on Sept 7 two days a week - ballet and hip hop - and she's crazy excited. Her first preference was dance so I figured let's start that first - if it works - great - if it's not her thing afterall - she can join the swim team anytime but dance pretty much has to start the first of the year. So off we go on the 30th for ballet shoes and dance clothes!

We also did Hooked on Phonics this summer here at the house in additon to her tutoring - she's reading like crazy. Some comprehension is lost because of a lesser vocabulary - but she's reading!!! She reads everything!!! Menus, items in the grocery store, signs on trucks, road signs, names of cars - and her favorite car by the way is "Herbie" - so guess what that is - and believe it or not there are a TON of "Herbies" in Boone!!!

Will try to do a little better with the blog and get some pics up soon. But to all of you still checking - thanks!!! Your interest and concerns mean alot.

We are truly blessed and grateful that Ira is here with us and she is doing incredibly well. We are LOVING life!!!!