Update on Dani

Dani has been with us almost two months now. She has transitioned VERY smoothly and seems to really be enjoying her time here with us and us with her!

The boys have gotten very used to having Dani around and still get very excited when they see her in the afternoons after daycare! She is so good with both of them and is always willing to help out while I make dinner or do laundry to play with them and keep them busy. She loves to read to them, inspire their imaginations and be a silly sister. Sometimes when they are fussing, she jumps right in to deter their attention before I can even react.

 



 

They love their sister!!

The hardest adjustment Dani has had is homework and frequent tests at school

  

Many nights consist of homework galore!! Josh comes home from work and will spend at least two hours on homework/studying. She started off the semester with transferred grades of B's. She has pulled all of her grades up to all A's and two high B's.

 

Before tutoring began....

 

 

After....

 

 

 

 

It has taken some extra time to teach her discipline, organization and study skills with her school work. We know she is very smart so with Josh's excellent tutoring skills she will have straight A's in no time. I told Josh if engineering ever falls through with him, he certainly has a gift in teaching!!

 

 

Josh has really loved having some extra help....here they are painting and installing gutters. Dani has been a great help though with his tasks. She always has a great attitude and really does love spending the time with him! I personally have enjoyed having her around to help him with things like that which he would normally ask me to do. 

Sometimes though she does get him back for all the hard work she puts in....hehe!! Below she "dressed" him up while he was sleeping!

 

 She goes to visit her mom every two weeks by plane. She is considered an "unaccompanied minor" until she is 12 years old. Which means we have to escort her through security and stay at the gate until it is time to board.  When it is time to board the plane we hand her off to an airline employee who takes her onto the plane and gets her seated. We then have to wait at the airport until the plan is in the air.

 

When she returns, we have to pick her up at the gate when she arrives back in Baton Rouge.

 

 

 

 

She has become accustomed to flying by herself and almost seems to enjoy it. She had her first layover flight at the beginning of February. She gets escorted through the airport on one of those little carts and has an airport employee with her at all times. She said that wasn't as great as the direct flights, but it is certainly better than driving 11.5 hours to her mom's new house in San Angelo, TX. Luckily on every third weekend of the month she gets to still fly direct to Houston, TX which is only 1 hour away by plane. 

 

 

Here is her little escort in the yellow vest....she was embarrassed of me taking so many pics of her, so I only got a quick shot!

 

And here is the view of what we get to see until the plane is in the air.....

 

Dani is always so positive about her circumstances. She has a great attitude most of the time and really loves living here with us now. She even told us the other day that she thinks she needs "more chores". Well okay then!! I think we can handle that!!

 

 One of Dani's desires is to become more involved in activities/sports.

 

During February she did try out for volleyball, but unfortunately did not make it.

She is in the choir for school and she does participate in leading praise and worship at our church. Last week she had her first chroir concert. See more about that here.

 

Next week she is competing in her first pageant for the title of Miss Zachary.

We are going to start up horseback riding again. She really wants to join a sport so we are looking into those options for next semester.

 

 

 I asked her the other day if she is still happy about living here and she said "Of course, what in the world makes you think I would have changed my mind??!" I was thrilled that she answered that way because it makes me feel like she has enjoyed the last two months as much as we have!!

 

Even though it has been quite a big change in all of our lives, we are absolutely loving every minute of having Dani here with us at home!!

 

Until next time.....