I found a doctor close to home. There is a pre-appointment screening quiz on his website. Matt did not score high on the quiz at all, so no indication of a problem. Obviously he may still have an issue and need to be seen, but I think it could be worth trying something else before taking him to a specialist. Does that make sense? In my gut, I feel like it's a skill issue not a physical or learning issue. Of course, I could be wrong. Ultimately, I just want to help him.

Thank you! Dumb question time: do I want to choose an associate or fellow?

He has no trouble decoding at all. But he does get very tired from reading. What is COVD?

After doing more thinking & searching, maybe he needs help with fluency more? I don't know. Any tried and true experiences you've had in these areas would be helpful!

There is a chance we may end up there & I've never been. What can you tell me about it?

He is a painfully slow reader. So am I. So is his dad. I see my dh struggling with it as he takes online classes through Liberty. I want to help my boy and give him tools in this area so he doesn't struggle moving up through high school and then in college. Any ideas?

I'm so very sorry. It just shreds the heart...

I grew up in NE Philly too! Morrell Park to be exact. We spent our summers in Wildwood. We go to North Wildwood now.

Considering my first trip down the shore was when I was three months old, I don't know what life would be like without going to the beach. My little island that I love so well is so dear to my heart because of the precious memories we have made there. The sun, the sand, the surf - the majesty and power of an angry, stormy ocean and the calming, soothing rhythm of the tide - the song of the seagulls, the quick steps and swooping flight of sandpipers, the glorious show of playful dolphins, the breathtaking sunrises and sunsets....I could honestly go on and on. It simply cannot be explained. You either love it or you don't.

As already mentioned, Done by The Band Perry and Goodbye to You by Scandal (from 1980-something). http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/scandal/goodbye_to_you.html

LOL! Well, I guess I'll keep plugging away and hope the marshmallow eventually morphs into gray matter. :)

Let me first say that this boy is the baby of the family and a total sweetheart who wouldn't hurt a flea. But somewhere between the age of 10 and now, his brain has turned into a marshmallow. Seriously. He used to make connections, think ahead, have insight and intuition, use deductive reasoning, etc. Now he will literally walk into a room where we're all sitting and ask questions that if he would take a minute to observe, he'd know the answer. I can't think of any specific examples right now, but it's become a habit for him to be what appears to be "mentally lazy." (I try not to answer him but help him to look for clues to the answer to his question. His father on the other hand *always* just answers him. We are working on being on the same page). Another issue is his story telling. When he talks with us, his. words. are. very. stilted. and. monotone. Listening to him tell a story is torture. You literally want to reach in his mouth and pull the words out of him. It is exhausting because it just takes so long to get to the point that you lose interest! He is my third child. He will be 15 in April. Some of this is not new for me (his father and older brother have similar habits, but not to this extent). Is there a way to help him make more connections in his brain or to develop better thinking skills? I have used thinking skills books, taught informal logic, answered his questions with questions, etc. all to no avail. There doesn't seem to be any improvement. Is he just being mentally lazy or could there be a problem?

We got about a foot overnight. Now we have rain, thunder, and lightning. We're expecting 3-6 more inches of snow tonight. My friend down the shore didn't get any snow at all, just rain last night.

My kids call me Ma & they call dh Daddy. I called my mom Mommy, Mom, and Ma - it evolved as I grew up :)

Not sure when this happened....this is the face I see when I look at him...

Sorry this picture is SO huge!! I don't know how to re-size it :/ I love it though; it was taken at City Tavern in Philly at what is reported as being George Washington's favorite seat in the restaurant.

These kids are all in their 20's.

Great ideas, thank you!! Keep 'em coming!

DH and I are taking a group of kids (erm, young adults) to the mountains for a 3 day retreat (Friday evening through Sunday morning). I need ideas for meals that I can either make ahead of time and bring with in foil tins or can make easily and inexpensively that won't require tons of prep (crock pot is an option). I am thinking we'll need dinner Friday, breakfast and dinner Saturday, and breakfast Sunday. I'm thinking lunch on Saturday could just be sandwiches and they can slap them together on their own; I'll just set everything out. PLEASE NOTE: I need to avoid baked ziti or lasagna. Chili is an obvious choice for one of the dinners, but I'm kind of in a rut and need suggestions to get my creative juices flowing. Thanks!!

A free ride to Villanova. WOW! That is awesome! All I can tell you about nursing is when I was in high school, it was all I wanted to do. I knew it early, and I took all the math and science I could. And I loved it! I started nursing school, but due to finances was unable to finish. That's my sob story. Wish I could give you more info, but I just really wanted to congratulate you on Villanova (nice job perk for your dh!).

Oh, I'm sorry! I misunderstood. As a female with leadership qualities, I feel your daughter's pain. I am with you on that doctrine, and at times, yes, it is extremely frustrating. But women's ministry has its place. And with organizations such as Lifeway and Precept, more and more women are finding their niche in ministry without stepping on the dudes' toes. What are her gifts? Where in ministry does she see herself (teaching, administration, serving, organizing)? If non-profits is where her heart is, MANY of them are almost fully staffed by women. I'm thinking about crisis pregnancy centers, battered women shelters, etc. She sounds like a very bright and capable girl with loads of potential. Times are changing. A friend of mine who is working on her second seminary degree is taking two classes this semester on women in leadership. Your daughter is at the perfect place to stretch some of that thinking and those long-standing traditions. I am not in favor of going against Scripture at all. What I question is what the Scripture is actually saying as opposed to what we have been taught to believe it says.

OK nevermind the book. I just googled career aptitude test and got a ton of free online assessments. http://www.google.com/#q=career+aptitude+&safe=active

My daughter was so undecided in her senior year. One minute she wanted to go to a 4 year university for literature, the next minute she wanted to go to a make-up school in new york city. The next thing I knew, she wanted to go for vet tech. I had her volunteer at at wildlife rehab to see if she really wanted that, if it clicked for her or turned her off. Animals are adorable until you need to dice up frozen mice to go feed the snakes. She loved it. She still hasn't enrolled in school, and I'm not sure she ever will. She took a 40 hour class and needs 100 hours as an apprentice, and she can be certified as a rehabber in Jersey. Something I did with my son when he was in love with all things NASCAR and decided he wanted to be an auto mechanic was to order an auto mechanic course from CLE. He hated it. Best hundred bucks I ever spent. Bottom line, ask her what her choices are, and see if you can find a free or relatively inexpensive way for her to 'try it on". She'll be able to at least rule out an option or two that way. If the choices are MANY, I would suggest one of the aptitude tests or career books. I'll link one if I can remember the one I bought years ago. Otherwise, I would suggest she just enroll at the local community college as an undeclared major and talk with a guidance counselor. The first 2 years are all gen ed anyway. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Congratulations!!!! How exciting!

Welp, the interview went VERY well. They were impressed with his resume and experience. They said his references, well-known higher ups in the state party organization (not elected officials), gave him glowing reviews, and they requested some writing samples. He should be hearing from them soon ("next few weeks"). I'll let you know!! :)