Tamra
I finished class tonight. My final project didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but I didn't bomb it, either. We had to sign 15 sentences, which isn't a lot. But we had to sign it one-on-one with the teacher. While being videotaped. Can you think of a more stressful classroom situation? Well, maybe there's a more stressful one, but still, that's a pretty stressful situation, I think you'd agree.
I was on the way home, in the car, thinking about how bumbly my ASL was, despite the fact that I know sign and I'd practiced the project multiple, multiple times. I had most of those sentences memorized. I signed to myself some of the sentences again, just to prove that I'm not an idiot. I suppose that's how it goes.
Anyway, it's over and I have a week break before round 2 starts! Hurray!
I haven't updated anything lately, mainly because I wasn't in the mood. I think not being in the mood was partly because I'm just busier with class. Not that class takes a lot of time, but my practicing outside of class took a bunch of time (I'm required to have 8 hours outside of class, and I easily doubled that, if not tripled it. I humbly only reported 11 hours). I've started making connections, particularly in the LDS deaf / ASL community. That's meant meeting new friends and having them over to our house, etc. I don't mind the decrease in down time, because I love signing, but it's been an adjustment.
Here's another thing (and I know you don't really care, but honestly, I'm not writing this for you): Figuring out how to mesh my two worlds together is an interesting process. Huge kudos to my husband for being ultra-supportive in letting me invite people over to our house, KNOWING that he can't effectively communicate with them. Love that Rob husband. ... I now feel like I have 2 separate sets of friends, and those 2 sets can't even talk to each other. Not because they don't want to, but because they can't. There aren't many people who can bridge the deaf / hearing gap. (But thank you to those who try!)
This is a struggle for me. Mostly, I leave it alone, in my mind, because I don't quite know what to do with it. I suspect it will resolve itself over time, or I'll figure it out in some way. But for now, it's ... somewhat stressful for me. I enjoy the process. I like having new friends. But feeling a gap between two parts of myself that I love? Don't like it. ... Bah.
And that's pretty much my life these days. ASL is now creeping into my everyday speech and thoughts and dreams and just random nothing moments, too. My kids often will say, "What are you saying? Oh. You're just talking to yourself." They are now getting interested in signing for themselves, which I LOVE. Hopefully they can acquire some skill at it, too.
Oh, and I turned 30.
Rob
Finished with classes (sort of)! Over the summer he is teaching 2 sections of an on-line class for Raymond Walters, but he won't have to go anywhere. So our Tuesday / Thursdays without him won't start again until late August. Hurray!
He's had a blast helping coach for Elijah's baseball team. It's been adorable. Elijah has one game left, and hopefully I'll remember to take pictures. Elijah and Rob are both so cute out there.
Miciah
Still wonderful. Now that it's summer and we're not as vigilant about her bedtime, I'm sure she's staying up reading until midnight or later. She'll get up in the morning at 10 or 10:30, which is shamefully late. Even I get up by 9:30 at the latest. ... Tonight Miciah suggested that her name sign (usually the first letter of your name used in some way that reflects your personality or interests - only someone who is deaf can give you a name sign) could be something relating to reading. I thought that was cute.
Elijah
Elijah has a name sign, by the way. It's an E circling by the side of his head. It's for Crazy. Elijah the crazy kid. For how much energy he has. I think it's AWESOME. (Again, I didn't come up with it.)
He asks lots of questions to my deaf friends. Things like, "Can you hear music?" and "Can deaf people hear other deaf people?" I like that last one.
Elijah is LOVING baseball. He was interested in the games. He paid attention. He hit the ball well. He wants to practice throwing and catching. Who knows, we might have found a sport for him.
Tank
Adorable still. Interested in helping me around the house. This has been an interesting summer development with all the kids, actually. I will call them and say, "I need you to do this," and, normally without complaining, they'll do it. Weird, right? And then, when they're done, they'll come and ask what else I need them to do. It's like some sort of alternate reality. ... It makes me wonder if the school process is just a lot for them to handle, at these young ages, along with the other stuff that I want them to do around the house. (I'm still making them do chores when school is back in, either way.)
He still only eats crackers and apples and cheese. Normally dinner gets completely passed over. Oh well. Someday he'll grow and then he'll have to eat!
Tank did have a birthday party, even though his 5th birthday isn't for another month yet. Some of his good friends are moving very soon, and some others were leaving town, so we did it early. Also, the #3 person on his invite list was a 14-year-old. I think that's hilarious.
I have other stories and things to report on, since I haven't in a while. Let me make a short list of what's to come in a/some future post(s):
- "Is it a whale or a dolphin?"
- Elijah and the Book of Mormon
- fights during sacrament meeting
- fireflies and soft, quiet things
- Teancom's fear of babies
Sounds like fun, no?
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