July 2011, Columbus,Ohio~

Hello! Hattie Dale Ackerman here; hope this finds you well and happy.  We are doing quite well for ourselves; I pray this continues.

Other than being stormy (and now hot) here, the weather is okay.  I'm more than ready for the storms (or the threat of large hail, damaging winds, tornadoes, or flooding rains) to go away!  I'm also ready for the heat to go away; I don't do heat very well.  Never have, never will.

Hal is at work as I write this.  Hal is my husband; been married 13 years now.  He works for a law firm.  As for me, I am a stay-at-home mom and a homeschool teacher.  I teach the children here at home because I don't like what the public schools are teaching our kids or the fact that they are doing everything possible to remove God/prayer from school. And besides, I can keep an eye on my kids and know what they are doing at all times.

The kids are having a good summer. So far, we have taken them to Sea World in Aurora, Ohio (near Akron), the Pro Football Hall of Fame (in Canton), and to the Columbus Zoo.  On Saturday, we are taking them to Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio; I know the kids will enjoy that!

While Hal and the children ride the rides, I can stay with our youngest, Zachariah (four) and entertain him.  I can even take him on some of the milder rides (the merry-go-round or the train), so that way he doesn't feel left out from the fun.  We will be able to get on first because Zacky is in a wheelchair; he is severely disabled.  We will also get to park close to the park's entrance, which is another advantage.

Doctors continue to be cautious about Zachy.  He may never walk or talk, but he may be able to learn at his own pace.  I am sure he will; he seems to be a very smart little guy.  He knows faces and people, he can recognize certain sounds, he loves bright colors or noise/images flashing on the tv or computer screen, and he can tell you how he is feeling with his eyes and facial expressions.

Don't tell me my child cannot learn because let me tell you something: he CAN.  And he WILL.

I'm gonna prove those stupid doctors wrong; God has many plans for my son!  I am relying on God to help him and to help me on the worst days (such as when Zacky ends up in the hospital with another respiratory infection or pneumonia)!

A few weeks ago for the Fourth of July, we took the kids to see the parade and the fireworks; they had a ball.  Zacky cooed and laughed and giggled the entire time; he loved the fire trucks and police cars blowing their siren-song, and the fireworks were a smash hit with him.  All throughout the fireworks display he laughed like there was no tomorrow; he was really enjoying himself!

Well, I am going to meet up with some of the other home school parents and have a picnic at the park not far from our home; I am getting tired of staying indoors, and I know the kids want to burn off some excess energy: they are getting bored and restless.  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Hattie Dale Ackerman saying so long and God bless!

~Hattie Dale.  :)

~To be continued.~