I know it has been so long since I have been here to write, and I apologize.

In a way there is alot to write about, but in another way, there really isn't much, that is other than the same old things.

As I have already stated in a previous entry, school started a few weeks ago. Well, Joshua brought home progress reports yesterday, at least he brought home 3 progress reports for 4 classes. The excuse, which I fell might just be that, an excuse, not the real reason, for the 4th progress report not being presented was that the teacher didn't give them out. Why do I say it is an excuse, because all progress reports were to go home yesterday, why would one teacher just decide he wasn't going to give out progress reports?

I have a feeling Joshua either has a terrible grade, or he is missing so much work, that he doesn't want me to see it. He did however bring home one progress report that was not good, but maybe this other progress report had a bad grade along with many missing assignments. The missing progress report was for Geometry and this is the class that Joshua says is going fine, and usually has a workbook assignment daily for homework, but that is it and there never is anything else. Joshua  also claims that the teacher doesn't even take the workbook assignments for a grade. So, that right there tells me there must be many other assignments that are graded, and I have never seen any of them. I guess we will see if the missing report comes home today, with the missing truth.

So the first 6 weeks is half over already, and Joshua is up to his old tricks. In Advanced PE, Joshua has an Excellent grade, which in parenthesise states that is a 93-100, and the Good work-keep it up, recommendation is checked off. Visual Art 1,  is a good report also, Joshua has a 96.3, the median for the class is a 94 almost 95, and the highest grade in the class is about a 98.5, so Joshua is actually in the top half of the class with his grade.(WAY TO GO!) Then, we come to English, Joshua is doing his usual things, not turning in work, not doing journal assignments and not doing homework, and therefore he is sporting a low "F" at this point. However the teacher did write on the report that part of the reason for the very low grade is the "0" he is getting for his missing Journals. She also wrote that if Joshua wants to bring up his grade, he could stay after school for a make-up session on one of the days she is offering them, one of which will be tomorrow, so I guess Joshua will be staying after school for the first time tomorrow.

That brings me to Extended day. On the 26th of this month, next Tuesday, Joshua has to start staying after school until 6p.m. The extended day will be in order for Joshua to get credit for the Earth Science class he failed the last semester of last year. Did I mention, Joshua is only a Sophomore by the skin of his teeth. He only had the minimum credits necessary in order to be a Sophomore this year. Seriously, he just made it because there was another class last semester that he almost didn't pass, it actually came down to how he did along with how everyone else did on the exam to decide what Joshua's actual grade was, wether it would be enough points to average a 70 for the semester. Joshua got just that, a 70, and actually I think it really was a 69 which would have been failing, but the teacher went back and adjust another grade for everyone and it made it just enough to give Joshua that 1 point to pass, therefore giving him the 12 credits to move onto being a Sophomore. So, next week extended day starts and will be every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the next several weeks. I don't envy him at all, man get to school at 7a.m., and have to stay until 6p.m, and not for sports, for school work.

Speaking of grades, did I mention the deal Joshua has with my husband? For some reason Joshua wants a Laptop computer. I really do not know why, I think he thinks that having a laptop means unlimited access to the internet. I keep trying to get through to him that I does not mean that, that the laptop with be limited just as the desktop computer is, that is in their room. Just because the computer is bought for him, doesn't mean we will not control his use of it. Anyway, one day not long before school started Joshua just kind of threw out the question "if I get all A's on my report card will you buy me a laptop for Christmas?".  I started to tell him that was a little too much to ask for, way to expensive, but then DH spoke and said "You know what Joshua, yes, if you get all A's on your report card, I will buy you a laptop." Well, only a few weeks into the first 6 weeks, and Joshua is already trying to talk himself out of  the hopes of getting the laptop. He is already doubting himself being able to get A's. Which you know, really is sad, because intellectually Joshua is very capable of getting A's, and used to do it every report card in Elementary school. I know Elementary School is much different than High School, but Joshua is still as intelligent now as he was then (he has been tested in the last year, and his IQ is still up there ) so, it is just a matter of Joshua applying himself now as he did back then. I think it also comes down to needing to want to make me proud, that always seemed to be a top priority back then, I wish is would be again. I guess I should clarify here, it isn't that I hate him or anything, he just does many things these days that really disappoint me, and it just breaks my heart because that is not the way I have raised him.

Ok onto the next events in the life of Joshua. I think he finally signed up for Driver's Education.I actually made him do it.  At least I filled out the form and gave it to him, twice even because he folded it up and I found it in the laundry, and I think he did finally turn it in,  I have not found it anywhere anyways. I'm not sure if he really wants to do it, but it is necessary. In just 7.5 months Joshua will be 16,( YIKES!!!! DID I really just write that?)  and I really need him to be able to help me out sometimes with getting himself or his siblings where they need to be. I know, I know, I'm getting the horse ahead of the cart here, but seriously, he needs to start at least trying to drive or he will be 18, going to college or the military or wherever, and still will not have a driver's license. Here in North Carolina I believe the law is, a child can not get their actual license until they have had their learner's permit for a year. Joshua could have actually taken the classroom part of driver's ed almost a year ago, you only have to be 14 1/2 to do so and then the day he turned 15 he could have gotten his permit and then done the driving part of Driver's Ed, and now could have been almost half way to the point of getting his driver's license.

Don't get me wrong here. Nothing says that once he gets his license we have to let him drive or that we have to buy him a car. In fact, just the other day I was in the Insurance office and asked about adding a teen driver to our car insurance. The flat out honest to goodness answer I was given was "You would be better off to go out and buy him a junk car and just put liability on it." Really!?! and just why is that? I guess our insurance would double, DOUBLE!?!, if we add Joshua to our car insurance. The reason why, because we have fairly new vehicle, 2.5 yrs old, and a little older vehicle, but still have full-coverage on both of them. Therefore, I guess if we want Joshua to be able to drive one day, we will have to find him an old car to put liability insurance on. But that maybe a long way off anyway, Joshua has to get a driver's license first.  The next session of  the classroom portion of driver's ed starts the middle of next month, right after Joshua is done with Extended day, and since Joshua will be one of the older kids applying to take the course. Age is how the school decides who gets in the alloted slots each session, the older kids get in first before the 14.5 year olds that apply.

There is another incident that has happened with Joshua lately, another incident caused by Joshua taking something and then lying about it. I have reservations about posting it here though. I know what he did was wrong and more than likely illegal, but it is something that was done to something of mine and not to anyone else, so there would not be anything legal done about it unless I made it happen. Which that is what I'am struggling with. Yes, Joshua needs to learn one way or another, that he can not lie and steal and get away with it, but I just don't know what all ramifications this could entail, so I'm hesitant to proceed with trying to scare Joshua into flying straight.It involves my check card. The situation has been corrected and everything is fine, Joshua has repaid the debt, but there has not necessarily been a lesson learned. I did tell him all the possibilities of what could happen or at least who all I thought could be involved, he was not aware that what he did could involve so many people, but he knows now and it did scare him a bit. I just wish there was a way to make him stop lying, he does it so much it is just the first thing that comes out of his mouth. He is constantly found out and gets punished by privileges being taken from him, but it never seems to make a difference. The next time he does something he knows he isn't supposed to or the next time he is in a situation he doesn't like, HE JUST LIES!

Well, I think that is it for now. I am all typed out about Joshua for now.Thanks for reading and hanging in there!

Until Next Time...............

God bless,

Bridgett and Joshua