Growing Pains?!

Experiencing growing pains around our house lately. The kind where teenage angst and attitudes are flying left and right. UGH! I think Caragan is definitely out of the honeymoon phase of settling into her new family. I think she is comfortable enough to buck the 'wallace system' of dictatorship. LOL. We have had some rough moments that aren't exactly the norm for our day to day routine. Not sure, why it's all happening now, in particular...but it's happening all the same. She can't tell me why either. She knows we love her and that being part of a family means you take care of one another even when we may not like your attitude of the day. I tell her, we do whatever we have to to move through the good and the bad. There's no condition on our love for her, ever. We love her even when she's copping an attitude, even though we might not like her ways too much. Those are growing pains, to me anyways.

School is ending and with that changes in routine and also a lil nervousness about leaving what she has adjusted to since home from China, a year and a half ago. Caragan rounded out the year with all A's and B's and her 8th grade graduation is tonight. She begins High School in the fall, where the grades begin to count for college entry. We have made our kids believe that college isn't optional...so we are pushing her to learn more vocabulary and become more proficient in writing and reading especially. I had offered her an incentive to complete her Rosetta Stone level 3 by the end of the school year. She hasn't met the goal, though. We got a tutor that she spends a few hours with a week to enhance her writing and reading skills. She is reading on about a fourth grade level in English, so we still have a ways to go. She is not really excited about High School at all. That is worrying me a lil. I know she will love it, when she gets used to it.

KateLin, my sweet China Doll, just graduated from Kindergarten. She is reading already. Wooohooo! So proud of her. She was definitely meant to be my baby because she requires lots of attention. She is swimming like a fish in the pool...and also has recently took on learning to ride her bike. She can still be a timid lil somebody...and when she is, I have flashbacks of my withdraw lil girl while we were still in China. Mind you, that only lasts for short moments. She is very much outgoing when it comes to what she will tackle and wants to constantly be on the go. She's been home for 3.5 years...WOW...has it truly been that long?? Time flies when you have four to keep you busy. My lil Yangzhou Princess has come a long...long way.

Logan is a rising 7th grader and as tall as I am. Man!! That kid needs to slow down. He is growing steadily...and his voice is changing too. He got about several awards on Awards Day at school for highest English average, one of the top AR points in Reading (565), Spelling Bee Top 3, all A's the entire year...! So very proud of my big boy. Hard to imagine that he's almost a teenager. I watch him with KateLin and realize daily that he and she will always be close. He looks out for her, and does it well. I think having a lil Sister has definitely stretched his character a great deal. He is my witty young man...does have a crazy bone like his Mom.

Christian will be a 4th grader. I was so proud that he has made all A's and B's, for the entire year. Honestly though, he would rather be helping somebody. This child has a compassionate side a mile wide. He is growing fast too, but not quiet at the rate his brother is though. Thank goodness, cause I can't keep them in clothes. LOL. He just learned to dive in the swimming pool. He is getting really good at his RipStick too. That is a type of two wheeled skateboard that we discovered while in China. Some kids were using them in the park in Guangzhou. It takes a great deal of balance. He keeps practicing. Still loves his pups to death too. This child is also my animal lover.

My life is definitely never dull at all. These four keep me busy. I love it...but Whew!! it wears me out mentally sometimes keeping up with all. I wouldn't change it for the world though.