GOOD BYE 5TH GRADE!

Can you believe school is out?! Where did this last year go?!

I just want to take a moment to brag on this kid.......

While I watched him dance at the end of year dance festival at his school, I felt a bit overwhelmed with love for this one of mine!

Goofy red hat, shaggy hair and all!

This was a difficult year for Jake. Moving in the middle of a school year is NOT easy for a kid. Moving added one more unwelcome (at first) change for Jake in his life. Trying to find his way through the grief of missing his little brother and then having to leave his best friends in the only place he ever remembers living.....ROUGH!

This experience has really taught me about the strength of his spirit. I didn't know what to expect when we threw him into a new situation. However, I will say that Ry and I are totally blown away. Within the first couple of weeks of school he had a solid group of about 11 really great friends. His new teacher went on and on about how sweet and great he was in class.

Over the last few months of school I was struck by the amount of confidence he was developing. He was really growing up and figuring himself out. He is a gift to our family! We love him SO much! I absolutely can't get enough of just sitting next to him talking to each other and making each other laugh. He has the cutest laugh....and he makes me feel like I am funny! :)

To top that all off, he accomplished what neither one of his parents EVER were able to do (Ryan says that this proves that two wrongs DO make a right! HA!).....

HE GOT STRAIGHT A's ALL YEAR!!

With a move in the middle of the year! Moving into a school that is using a totally different curriculum....NOT EASY! The most impressive thing is that Jake did this all on his own. He was responsible for getting his work done. We didn't have to push or remind him to get things done, he wanted to be responsible for it on his own. We just made sure to compliment the heck out of him when he did good and left the rest to him. We are so darn proud of him!