Happy 14th to our Elcie!! - Update

Here's our beautiful girl all dolled up for school.

Their mom was here early to do their hair and clothes and I finally have both camera and software functioning at the same time.

That's Tasha (their mom) with the girls. Great picture except I don't know what was biting Rebecca. Perhaps because it was someone else's birthday? Rochelle looks so much like her mom that when I see them from the back or in dim light it's hard to figure out which one I'm talking to.

No, I don't leave my garbage on the front porch. Those are plastic bags for recycle that I keep forgetting to put in the car. The market takes them back.

She has totally blossomed this year. I can't believe this is the same child who first came to live with us almost 13 years ago. She was this tiny cherub with so many challenges. We didn't know if she'd ever walk unaided. She does. Later, when the learning problems surfaced, we weren't sure how far she'd get with school. She's doing algebra, working almost to grade level (with resources of course), and will start high school in August.

She's an amazing kid who never stops trying. She gets discouraged sometimes but never for long. She's jumping up and down wanting high school to start tomorrow. Patience is not her long suit.

Just look at that smile. Happy, happy birthday Elcie. We love you so much.

We'll probably have her cake and ice cream today. Tomorrow, we'll all go bowling with a group of my friends and I might get her out for lunch sometime over the weekend. The first time Elcie tried to bowl, she made a strike on her very first ball. I wrote about it a few months back and said everyone in the alley was cheering. Here's this kid, balanced on one crutch, handlng herself and that bowling ball.

Ray has been back in hospital since last Sunday. He seems to be feeling better and I have a feeling they may send him home today. Carol remains about the same. She had a brief hospital stay over Sunday and Monday.

We tried to have Elcie's annual i.e.p. meeting (for those who don't know that's an Individual Education Program for kids with special needs). The school's computer went down and lost all her info and then two of the participants had to cancel last minute. Those of us who attended just chatted off the record and then rescheduled for Monday when the representative from Golden Valley High School and Elcie's advocate can make it. The middle school teachers, her P.E. teacher and I didn't want to make any decisions without the additional input.

Rebecca was out yesterday with a sore throat and no voice. She's feeling better today.

I still haven't figured out what's wrong with my "router" but at least I have the net and I can stop throwing rocks at Comcast who was completely innocent this time. The girls will survive without their computer until I can get someone who knows what they're doing over here.

This day is getting away from me quickly and I should go be useful. Thanks for the comments (I'm still trying to catch up on reading and responding so please bear with me), have a great weekend (nice weather here - might hit 80° F), and take care everyone.

Update: For any who don't know which girl is which, Rochelle is the smiling one, Rebecca looks sad, and Elcie is in the chair. If you didn't know where the blog name comes from it's their names: ROChelle, REBecca, ELcie (rocrebel granny). Also, I'm something of a Rebel. They're in the same order on the sidebar.