How is it that another whole year has gone by? Time seems to be ticking faster and faster every year. We enjoyed a wonderful Hanukkah. My mom visited for nearly a month, and then took our oldest 2 daughters back with her to California for a few weeks. The girls come home in 4 days. I have missed them so very much! We haven't had more than a dusting of snow so far. And we still don't know where we are being transferred to in June. The powers that be have announced that they are making 2 chiefs on January 1st. That puts Hubby at #2 on the list. Could be February or March when we see his promotion. We have been fighting a horrible cold/flu for 3 weeks or so. I hope to update more again soon when we are all well and have more info. Until next time....
Be Blessed!
Tiffany
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel...
It is that time of year again. Holy-Day time! We celebrate Hanukkah as messianic followers of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - YHVH. However, most of our family and friends celebrate Christmas. Well, we can not, in good faith send out cards celebrating the pagan ritual of Christmas - now that we have come to know the truth. And it yet we can't really send everyone a Hanukkah card that does not celebrate this Holy-Day either. Last year we made a "Happy holiday" card, and that just didn't sit right with us. So this year, I created a wonderful card (with the help of my hubby who manned the camera). It proclaims our faith in Yeshua without being overtly "Hanukkah-y", and stays clear of the trappings of Christmas. We used Shutterfly.com! It was so easy. They have so so many choices for cards, and photo layouts. Here is a preview of what will be coming to a mailbox near you. Hopefully I will find time to write a little "What the Ambriz Family has been up to in 2012" letter to include with it. Talk to you soon!
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1QauGrly1ZOJA&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=1QauGrly1ZOJA&cid=SFLYOCWIDGET
Thursday, October 25, 2012
On the road again!
Hello, hello, hello. Did I ever tell you that we got the news that Hubby made the cut to be promoted to Chief this year? Well, this coming year. Sometime between January 1, 2013 and December 1, 2013 Hubby will be pinned as GMC Ambriz. He is, however, already Chief of my heart - and our home. We have also learned that we will be on the move this summer. Hubs was scheduled to be at this billet until June 2014. With him advancing - they have decided to send us on our merry way this summer. Well, truth be told - we were given the option to say whether we wanted to stay or go. We chose to go. I know you are all chomping at the bit to know where we are going. Want to know?....Well....We don't know. Yet. I will say that Hubby's list looked something like this....
Milwalke, WI
Buffalo, NY
Yorktown, VA
Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic Beach, NC
San Diego, CA
Sault Saint Marie, MI
These are the places that didn't make it onto our list....
Charleston, SC
Oakland, CA
Norfolk, VA
Key West, FL
Kodiak, AK
Port Clinton, OH
*Port Clinton was actually a place we really wanted to go to. BUT...that particular job is a deployable, security unit. Given the state of things in the middle east, and the fact that I would wager a hefty bet there will be at least a regional war - and quite possibly a global war there in the next few years; we decided to not hedge our bets and left it off.
Of course, the Coast Guard can send us anywhere they darn well please. We are leaving it in God's hands, and want to be where He wants to send us. So, we will happily go where we are sent. It is possible that we will know before - but I am thinking we won't know until sometime between the New Year, and mid-March. I will, of course, keep you posted.
Until next time...
Be blessed!,
Tiffany
Milwalke, WI
Buffalo, NY
Yorktown, VA
Atlantic City, NJ
Atlantic Beach, NC
San Diego, CA
Sault Saint Marie, MI
These are the places that didn't make it onto our list....
Charleston, SC
Oakland, CA
Norfolk, VA
Key West, FL
Kodiak, AK
Port Clinton, OH
*Port Clinton was actually a place we really wanted to go to. BUT...that particular job is a deployable, security unit. Given the state of things in the middle east, and the fact that I would wager a hefty bet there will be at least a regional war - and quite possibly a global war there in the next few years; we decided to not hedge our bets and left it off.
Of course, the Coast Guard can send us anywhere they darn well please. We are leaving it in God's hands, and want to be where He wants to send us. So, we will happily go where we are sent. It is possible that we will know before - but I am thinking we won't know until sometime between the New Year, and mid-March. I will, of course, keep you posted.
Until next time...
Be blessed!,
Tiffany
Monday, October 15, 2012
It is a fairy tale after all...
Once upon a time, a wonderful man and his bride were expecting a little princess. The day she was born was the happiest day of their lives. Everyone thought she was the most precious thing to grace their family in ... well, in just a really long time. That sweet little princess began to cry. A lot. No matter what the wonderful man and his bride tried - the crying would not stop. They still thought their little princess was as precious as ever, as the bride rocked her for hours and paced the floor endlessly. That little princess grew and grew, and she couldn't have been more loved. Before she was 18 months old, the wonderful man and his bride became worried about their little princess. She wasn't starting to talk and didn't like hugs. Come to think of it - she had never babbled either. She behaved strangely, and would have times where she would scream for hours and bang her head on the ground. Then the seizures started. The wonderful man and his bride took the little princess from doctor to doctor. Medications were prescribed to stop the little princess from having seizures. The medications did not work. No one seemed worried (except the wonderful man and his bride) that the little princess still wasn't talking, and couldn't follow directions, nor could she be taken anywhere because of her propensity for 3+ hour tantrums. Finally, when the little princess was about 3 years old - the wonderful man's bride took her to a new neurologist, Dr. Ira Lott. Dr. Lott diagnosed the little princess with autism. Shortly after, the little princess was enrolled into the local school's special education preschool. The wonderful man and his bride cried the first day the "short" school bus pulled up in front of their house. The kind old bus driver escorted the little princess onto the bus. The bus driver's assistant buckled the little princess into a car seat - and off they drove. The wonderful man and his bride stood on the sidewalk in front of their house, held each other, and wept quietly. Year after year the little princess would get on a short yellow bus to attend special education class at school. Preschool turned into elementary school. Elementary school into junior high school. And finally, high school. The little princess wasn't little any more. But to the wonderful man and his bride - she was still their princess (even though they had been blessed with 4 more children by then). The princess no longer screamed and cried. She had come a long way. She could speak beautifully and carry on a conversation. She was an avid reader, and loved riding horses. The princess had even discovered how wonderful hugs and snuggles were. She no longer needed to ride the "short" bus. She now rode the regular bus with everyone else. The princess made friends at her high school too. She fit in, and even when she didn't - the kids, and the teachers loved her anyway.
One day the princess came home beaming! The wonderful man and his bride were excited to find out what wonderful news their princess had for them. The princess burst out with the news that she had been chosen to be the Junior Class Princess of the Homecoming Court at school! The wonderful man and his bride showered their princess with hugs and kisses. They rushed out the door....they had to go dress shopping! The next day, the whole family...the wonderful man, his bride, the princess, and their 4 other children arrived at the high school to watch the homecoming football game. At half time, there was a flurry of excitement as 4 girls, and 3 boys stepped out onto the football field. It was the Royal Homecoming Court. And among them was THEIR princess! The princess was wearing a beautiful, sparkly, long blue dress. She was arm in arm with the Junior Class Prince, who was in his football uniform. As they announced her name - she was given flowers and a tiara was placed on her head. The wonderful man and his bride stood in the bleachers, held each other, and wept quietly. Their little princess was a real princess after all.
One day the princess came home beaming! The wonderful man and his bride were excited to find out what wonderful news their princess had for them. The princess burst out with the news that she had been chosen to be the Junior Class Princess of the Homecoming Court at school! The wonderful man and his bride showered their princess with hugs and kisses. They rushed out the door....they had to go dress shopping! The next day, the whole family...the wonderful man, his bride, the princess, and their 4 other children arrived at the high school to watch the homecoming football game. At half time, there was a flurry of excitement as 4 girls, and 3 boys stepped out onto the football field. It was the Royal Homecoming Court. And among them was THEIR princess! The princess was wearing a beautiful, sparkly, long blue dress. She was arm in arm with the Junior Class Prince, who was in his football uniform. As they announced her name - she was given flowers and a tiara was placed on her head. The wonderful man and his bride stood in the bleachers, held each other, and wept quietly. Their little princess was a real princess after all.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Where did summer go - and is that frost already?
I am at a loss for a whitty title. Again.
We have begun the 2012-2013 school year. I don't know why - but suddenly adding a 3rd, full time schooling child has really changed the dynamics of our little home school in the boonies. Often, I am not done schooling everyone until dinner - and the house has never been less organized. And yet - I am thankful that YHVH has blessed me to be able to have a home to be messy, and my husband with a job that allows me to stay home and school the children.
Hubby took the 2012 Service Wide Exam in May to make chief. He tested well, and with his dinosaur points is sitting at #5 on the list (of about 80). I am so excited! We are expecting the cuts to be out any time in the next week or so. Praying this will mean we can move next summer.
Summer went by way too fast. Didn't do anything major. Camped out in the yard, swam in the pool. The kids all grew. And we are already waking up to a frost nearly every morning.
Sadly, I have 3 family members struggling with cancer. My father was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. They got it all with surgery, and he is going for follow up routinely - but they found a few more polps recently. My dad's next youngest brother was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer a few months ago and has been given 12 to 18 months to live. There is no real treatment for small cell cancer. My mom's brother had prostate cancer - stage 3. They treated it with radiation - and he was doing better, but recent tests indicate the cancer is growing again. I hate cancer.
There is so much more to say, but lunch break is over and it is back to the grindstone....
We have begun the 2012-2013 school year. I don't know why - but suddenly adding a 3rd, full time schooling child has really changed the dynamics of our little home school in the boonies. Often, I am not done schooling everyone until dinner - and the house has never been less organized. And yet - I am thankful that YHVH has blessed me to be able to have a home to be messy, and my husband with a job that allows me to stay home and school the children.
Hubby took the 2012 Service Wide Exam in May to make chief. He tested well, and with his dinosaur points is sitting at #5 on the list (of about 80). I am so excited! We are expecting the cuts to be out any time in the next week or so. Praying this will mean we can move next summer.
Summer went by way too fast. Didn't do anything major. Camped out in the yard, swam in the pool. The kids all grew. And we are already waking up to a frost nearly every morning.
Sadly, I have 3 family members struggling with cancer. My father was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. They got it all with surgery, and he is going for follow up routinely - but they found a few more polps recently. My dad's next youngest brother was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer a few months ago and has been given 12 to 18 months to live. There is no real treatment for small cell cancer. My mom's brother had prostate cancer - stage 3. They treated it with radiation - and he was doing better, but recent tests indicate the cancer is growing again. I hate cancer.
There is so much more to say, but lunch break is over and it is back to the grindstone....
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Education.
I am so overjoyed, and sad. How wonderfully complex our YHVH made us! Our 5 children are all so fearfully and wonderfully made - and YHVH made them all so different. I have made some discoveries lately about my children's academic abilities and struggles. It was a boon for me, as I realized I am not failing them in education - but it also tore at my heart to realize that I do have a child who struggles immensely despite all the different things I have tried with him.
It is no secret that our oldest has autism. She is now what you could call "high functioning". She is in regular ed. classes in 10th grade at age 17 (she just had her birthday last week), with the exception of math. She goes to public school - and always has. It started when she was 3, and she got on that short yellow "special" bus to special education preschool and has just continued. She was always in self contained programs. She was protected in a little nest, so to speak. Until high school. She has bloomed in many ways. I look at her and marvel at how far she has come, but it is sobering also that she is nearly an adult and won't be doing normal adult things (that is another post for another time).
Our 2nd child, Esther is my right hand gal. She is 11 going on 25. Taught herself to read at age 3. Flourishes where ever she is. She went to private kindergarten at our church school in San Diego, and then I have homeschooled her from 1st grade on. Schooling is easy for her - and she zips through her work most day is 90 minutes or so. Devours books like there is no tomorrow.
Child number 3 is Jack. He is my struggling learner, in regards to reading. Math- he is a wiz. Jack is exceptionally bright, and loves to learn. He has so much to say, about anything and everything. You can watch the gears in his mind spin. He thinks about everything! However, he struggles with reading. And by struggle - I mean outright fights for every little baby step he makes in progress. It exhausts him, and rather depresses him. At 9 (almost 10), I feel I have tried everything. It is just a very very slow go. Most days it takes him 4+ hours to get through his individual school work. And it breaks my heart. I know he feels stupid.
4th in line is Pippa. Miss Penelope Pit Stop. Princess Pea. She is 5, and about 6 month ago started reading. At. Break. Neck. Speed. She is now a fluent reading with feeling. Probably reading mid-2nd grade level. (Probably better than Jack. And as I type that I cry.) Math stumps her sometimes...I used to chuckle about how well she reads, and yet 1+1=11 to her. But she is making progress there and "gets" basic addition and subtraction now. I school her sporadically, as time allows. Which really isn't more than once or twice a week for 30 minutes. Age wise, I should be starting kindergarten curriculum with her in the fall, but will start first grade instead. Why hold her back because of her age?
Israel (aka Izzy) is thus far, last in line...our caboose. He knows his letters, numbers, and shocked me this morning by pointing to a word and reading it. Izzy is 4, a sweet heart, cute as a bug's ear, and just a ball of joy. I haven't really spent any time schooling him formally. I am hoping that next fall, when Pippa settles into formal sit down instruction, I'll have some time to spend with him 1:1.
I used to think I wasn't a good teacher. That I just got lucky with Esther. Jack struggled so much with reading. I knew it was me. Then Pippa came along and picked up reading. I started to wonder if maybe Jack just had some special problems...maybe it wasn't ALL me. Now that Izzy is starting to read - and showing none of the issues Jack has, I am fairly convinced it is not me. My heart breaks that at nearly 10, the 5 year old reads better than he does. I hate to see how hard Jack has to work to learn a skill - only to realize the next day, that he did not retain it. That we are back to square one. I remember being in a grocery store when I was 20. A man approached me with some cans of cat food. He asked me to read the label and tell me what flavor they were. He could not read. I realize that my son is not much better off, and secretly fear that he will be that man someday. Jack thinks he is stupid - and I tell him he is not, and remind him of all of his wonderful talents. But when you struggle with basic reading, and your sibling that is 5 years younger can out read you - it doesn't seem to matter. I am in the process of getting Jack an appointment to see a neuro-psychologist for educational assessment. I hope that can shed some light, and maybe point us down some unknown road we haven't yet tried.
It is no secret that our oldest has autism. She is now what you could call "high functioning". She is in regular ed. classes in 10th grade at age 17 (she just had her birthday last week), with the exception of math. She goes to public school - and always has. It started when she was 3, and she got on that short yellow "special" bus to special education preschool and has just continued. She was always in self contained programs. She was protected in a little nest, so to speak. Until high school. She has bloomed in many ways. I look at her and marvel at how far she has come, but it is sobering also that she is nearly an adult and won't be doing normal adult things (that is another post for another time).
Our 2nd child, Esther is my right hand gal. She is 11 going on 25. Taught herself to read at age 3. Flourishes where ever she is. She went to private kindergarten at our church school in San Diego, and then I have homeschooled her from 1st grade on. Schooling is easy for her - and she zips through her work most day is 90 minutes or so. Devours books like there is no tomorrow.
Child number 3 is Jack. He is my struggling learner, in regards to reading. Math- he is a wiz. Jack is exceptionally bright, and loves to learn. He has so much to say, about anything and everything. You can watch the gears in his mind spin. He thinks about everything! However, he struggles with reading. And by struggle - I mean outright fights for every little baby step he makes in progress. It exhausts him, and rather depresses him. At 9 (almost 10), I feel I have tried everything. It is just a very very slow go. Most days it takes him 4+ hours to get through his individual school work. And it breaks my heart. I know he feels stupid.
4th in line is Pippa. Miss Penelope Pit Stop. Princess Pea. She is 5, and about 6 month ago started reading. At. Break. Neck. Speed. She is now a fluent reading with feeling. Probably reading mid-2nd grade level. (Probably better than Jack. And as I type that I cry.) Math stumps her sometimes...I used to chuckle about how well she reads, and yet 1+1=11 to her. But she is making progress there and "gets" basic addition and subtraction now. I school her sporadically, as time allows. Which really isn't more than once or twice a week for 30 minutes. Age wise, I should be starting kindergarten curriculum with her in the fall, but will start first grade instead. Why hold her back because of her age?
Israel (aka Izzy) is thus far, last in line...our caboose. He knows his letters, numbers, and shocked me this morning by pointing to a word and reading it. Izzy is 4, a sweet heart, cute as a bug's ear, and just a ball of joy. I haven't really spent any time schooling him formally. I am hoping that next fall, when Pippa settles into formal sit down instruction, I'll have some time to spend with him 1:1.
I used to think I wasn't a good teacher. That I just got lucky with Esther. Jack struggled so much with reading. I knew it was me. Then Pippa came along and picked up reading. I started to wonder if maybe Jack just had some special problems...maybe it wasn't ALL me. Now that Izzy is starting to read - and showing none of the issues Jack has, I am fairly convinced it is not me. My heart breaks that at nearly 10, the 5 year old reads better than he does. I hate to see how hard Jack has to work to learn a skill - only to realize the next day, that he did not retain it. That we are back to square one. I remember being in a grocery store when I was 20. A man approached me with some cans of cat food. He asked me to read the label and tell me what flavor they were. He could not read. I realize that my son is not much better off, and secretly fear that he will be that man someday. Jack thinks he is stupid - and I tell him he is not, and remind him of all of his wonderful talents. But when you struggle with basic reading, and your sibling that is 5 years younger can out read you - it doesn't seem to matter. I am in the process of getting Jack an appointment to see a neuro-psychologist for educational assessment. I hope that can shed some light, and maybe point us down some unknown road we haven't yet tried.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Hello 2012! Where have I been?
I guess I haven't been to update-y on this thing have I? Here we are. 1/6th through 2012. We made some big changes over the summer and at the end of 2011.
In August. Shortly after coming back from our trip to California to visit my mom. We moved out to the country. Not too far. About 20 miles outside of town. I (mostly) love country life.
We left our church. It was not an easy choice. The pastor/elders appointed someone into the leadership of the church who adheres to unBiblical beliefs. Beliefs that actually are directly apposed to the church's statement of faith. And this person was actively involved in prosylitizing members of the congregation to his beliefs (despite being warned by the pastor not to). We went to an elder. Then the board of elders. Finally we met with the pastor and the head elder. There was no budging. We chose to leave. In all, 4 families left.
We were hard pressed to find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church. In the end, we found a home church. It is actually a Messianic Jewish congregation. We have been learning a great deal.
Will finish this later...I must run to take Olivia to school.....
In August. Shortly after coming back from our trip to California to visit my mom. We moved out to the country. Not too far. About 20 miles outside of town. I (mostly) love country life.
We left our church. It was not an easy choice. The pastor/elders appointed someone into the leadership of the church who adheres to unBiblical beliefs. Beliefs that actually are directly apposed to the church's statement of faith. And this person was actively involved in prosylitizing members of the congregation to his beliefs (despite being warned by the pastor not to). We went to an elder. Then the board of elders. Finally we met with the pastor and the head elder. There was no budging. We chose to leave. In all, 4 families left.
We were hard pressed to find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church. In the end, we found a home church. It is actually a Messianic Jewish congregation. We have been learning a great deal.
Will finish this later...I must run to take Olivia to school.....
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