Showing posts with label judo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label judo. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Big changes around here...

The biggest one is that little Loren is going to preschool after all. I took him in last week to be evaluated for speech because I wasn't sure where he was in relation to his peers. They screen for speech, OT, and another one (I forget what), and they said that he was fine for speech, but that he qualified for OT.

I thought it was just because I'm his mom and he's 4.5 that he doesn't pay attention and doesn't follow directions, and I thought he's just being shy when we're in strange places. He's really not all that shy, but he does get very easily overwhelmed if too many new people pay attention to him all at once. Once he knows you though, you have a friend for life. My husband's whole family is "type-A" personalities and LL is already struggling with perfectionism- I discovered this when I was trying to teach him how to write his name and he got frustrated when he couldn't write the letters perfectly every time.

I'm nervous about sending him off, but it's only afternoons for less than 3 hours and I know they'll be helping him learn what he needs to do to cope. I'm still hoping to homeschool him starting next year, and I am planning on continuing to work with him on K stuff this year. But for now, we're waiting to have an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting with his teacher(s?) and occupational therapist(s) to see what goals we have for him. The school district started this week so they're trying to get settled with what they have and then get the new students in. So it will be about another week or two before he actually starts. I asked him today if he wanted to ride the bus (he has the option) or if he wanted me to drive him, and he said he wants me to drive him. I'm perfectly okay with that!

The other big change is that Loren (hubby) is leaving his job at Job Corps. The management there leaves MUCH to be desired and they're just getting worse instead of better. I told Loren a couple weeks ago that I was tempted to tell him to just quit and focus on building up his judo club. At the time he told me "no, I have to stay at Job Corps." A couple days later he called me and told me he was going to turn in his 2-weeks notice. Friday is his last day. Right now, he's working on several leads for part-time work in the mornings and is going to work on building up the Roswell Judo Club in the afternoons. I'm not really as freaked out about the sudden change in income as I thought I would be. We've been through worse and we know what we can live without and what we can cut back on. He's also working on a couple other things, but right now I'm not at liberty to disclose that information.

Fall is a busy season for us no matter what, and these next few months will definitely be crazy with our new changes, but I know we'll come out the other end doing just fine. God always takes care of us.

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Four years ago today...

I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.

(Well, as I write this, it's already past midnight, so yesterday was his birthday.)


Loren Blanton Bentley IV was born on September 24, 2004 at 7:31 in the morning. He weighed 7 lbs, 7.6 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long.


I can't believe he's already four. Loren is learning how to read, can count to 10 in English, to 5 in Spanish, and to 3 in Japanese. He loves Transformers and insists that he is Bumblebee (one of the good guys, of course). He's fascinated with dinosaurs, his pet snails, and is a very loving big brother. He can hold a very polite conversation with pretty much anyone now, usually about Transformers. He's my little tough guy and he insists that he is going to go to the Olympics to compete in Judo some day. I am so proud of all that he has become thus far in his little life.

Happy Birthday, Loren!! Mommy and Daddy love you!!


I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.
-Robert Munsch

Friday, July 18, 2008

Future Olympians... Maybe?

My nephew, Chase, is in town visiting for 2 weeks and decided that he wanted to go with Uncle Loren to judo while he was here. He borrowed Loren IV's judo-gi (which really made L4 mad!) since it fit him perfectly. I went to class with Chase and Loren on Monday and we did some basic stuff (mostly review for me) just to show Chase what it is all about. Today I didn't participate and took Justin and Loren IV with me when we took Chase since his mom wanted pictures of him doing judo. All three of them were having a grand ole time, although Justin was just having more fun with all the free room to chase his crazy brother and cousin around.


Chase and Loren IV are both very good at judo, I must say, and I hope I'm not saying this just because I'm biased. Loren IV still thinks it's mostly a game, but he can put up a pretty darn good fight against his older cousin. That's Chase on top holding Loren IV down:

He's one tough little booger, and Justin seems like he's headed that way too. Loren and I have discussed this before and we think Loren IV will be our competitor and Justin will be the tactitian. Loren IV just jumps right in and does things, and Justin sits and watches. Contemplating his next move, I'm sure...


I suppose every parent has high ambitions for their children. And I know most parents would say "I just want them to be happy with whatever they choose." I know my parents told me that. I don't ever want my kids to feel like I pushed them to be an Olympian, a Navy fighter pilot, a paleontologist, or an undersea explorer, but I always want them to know those options are out there for the taking. The WORLD is for the taking.
The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking
part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.
~Pierre de Coubertin