Awards and Kindergarten Graduation

Another exciting week at the Wikoff house. On Tuesday it was a Wikoff sweep for the patience award. Both Ben and Amanda won the patience award from their teachers this month. We were there to see them receive their awards and hear the wonderful things their teachers said about them. Luke was came with us and managed to be a part of what both teachers talked about and attracted a lot of attention by making a lot of noise--some just singing and "talking", some by rattling the cage protecting the sound booth. Hmmmmm, mom and dad have a lot to learn about where to stand.

Wednesday was kindergarten graduation. Ben lead the whole group in the Lord's prayer. The kids all finished some well known phrases and on that Ben completed was, "two is company, three is the translator." We are so blessed to have had such a great Kindergarten teacher. Ben loved school so much.

Friday was jump up day so Ben went back to school as a first grader and Amanda went to school as a fifth grader! Yikes. They both had a good introduction to their classes next year.

I went back to work this week and it went well. Mainly because there wasn't a ton of work to do. Some of what needs to be accomplished before I have summer break we weren't able to do most of the week due to a new computer program needing a patch. It was a good way to ease back into things. I don't think I blogged this but when we returned from China there was emails that talked about how only teachers who have taught 4 years or more for our school are getting contracts at this point. That was a little concerning just because we have to finish paying for Luke's adoption and then his medical bills are coming in already. We were mildly concerned but figured we knew there would be sacrifices to be made in adopting and we could do it if we had to. I found out this week that I will get to continue in my Safe and Drug Free Schools position which is 1/2 time. I will have at least that income and it may work to my advantage since I am not sure how teaching full time would go with Luke.

It is interesting to see God's hand in all of this. My service coordination job is helping me a lot right now as we coordinate Luke's medical appointments and doctors. The Safe and Drug Free Schools position will provide us with an extra income (safety net) next year and keep my foot in the door at IDVA. None of this we could have planned!

Luke gets his tubes in his ears on Tuesday. Then he has another appointment in Spokane on Tuesday. He has an extra hole in his bottom that we have to have checked out by the pediatric surgeon. This has been an unexpected thing for us. . . there was nothing in our reports about this. Hopefully, it is just a minor thing that can be easily corrected. Then we are trying to get the cleft palate surgery scheduled for June 22. If not then then the 26th or 29th.

I had a great experience with Luke this week. I was working in my office and he was playing with the train and train track. Every once in a while the train would get a little off the track and stop moving. So Luke would come and sign and say, "help" and I would help him and then he would wave me back to work, like I have it handled from here.

Everyone got to ride on the riding lawn mower today that Craig borrowed from the church. Luke loved it.