It's been a long difficult road...

Ever since the kids started Kindergarten, Jacqui and Matt have been polar opposites. Things just came naturally for Jacqui. She NEVER needs help with her homework. In fact, she gets a 6-7 page packet on Monday to do through out the week and turn in Friday. Usually miss "born organized" has her packet done by Monday night so that she won't have homework the rest of the week. (Unless you count the 20 minutes of reading she is supposed to do each day. Even that she will try to do all in one day to leave the rest of her week open - and if she doesn't read, she usually writes down that she did anyway. Yes I realize that it is a big fat lie but the girl is in fourth grade reading at 8th grade reading levels, so I give her a break)

Matt on the other hand hasn't had it quite as easy. He genuinely enjoys going to school. All his teachers tell me how excited he is each day to be there and loves to learn. Science is his all time FAVORITE subject and he soaks up all the information that he possibly can in one lesson. But reading, it's always been a huge struggle my friends. When we got to California, all the kids in his first grade class were reading sentences. Matt could barely spell his name. I could go on and on about all the crying and screaming and tantrums we had over doing his homework that year. Every report card always said "Behind in Reading" and every single break they had at school, he would have to go to intersession because his reading level was so low. But over the past 3 years he has been doing better and better. I have found ways to gently correct him when he makes a mistake and we also found out that he can't see close up so his glasses helped him see the words more clear. Still, reading has just been one of his problem areas.

Well last Friday, Matt came home with a note home from school. He told me "It's not good mom!" So as I gave him the "What did you do now" look and started reading the card, a smile spread across his face...

HE DID IT!!!!!!

I'm so proud of my baby!!!! He finally made it to the level that he is supposed to be at!

Matt went on to tell me "I was on the fence mom! It could have gone either way." But it didn't - he's come along way since the first grade when he got here and all he could recognize was the word Matt.

Great job buddy! If anyone knows how hard you've worked to get to this point, it is me!