kids

The Gore Family
December 2008

Jacob is 10 and in 4th grade. His favorite things are "Bugs, action
figure toys, rock music and football... oh, and I mostly like to read
books."

Jacob is a great helper. He is so big and strong that I'm able to
ask him to do quite hefty chores ... a huge help to me when I'm
not feeling well. He loves to get things right ... perfect, actually
and gets quite distraught when it's not. (Like me... sigh).

At the end of last school year, his reading and comprehension
scores were at the college level... quite extraordinary. I cannot
wait to see how this great skill will be put to use.

Zoe is 3 and in Preschool. "I like my sister and I like my Jacob
and I like Luke and I like Sammy and I like Sarah and I like
Matthew and I like Little Sammy. I'm gonna share my toys and I
don't have toys in my suitcase yet. And I like playing outside and I
like going to bed and I like going to park. And I don't want to get a
dog because it might bite me ... and ... bye ..."

That pretty much sums it up. She is very, very talkative and she
loves life. Zoe's health has been a bit rocky this year but we're
hoping 2009 brings some much needed peace. She is scheduled
for some surgeries after she turns 4 this Summer ... we're hoping
that God has different plans.

Luke is 5 and in Kindergarten. "I like to play computer and play
with Sammy and Kaley and Jacob and Zoe and I like when Jacob
gets me juice and I think that's it."

We discovered that Luke has a natural gift for doing very complex
mazes ... he just "sees" it, rarely going down the wrong path. He'll
do a lot of school work he doesn't like just to get to do a maze.

Luke has had some struggles with his immune system ... allergies
and strep mostly. Hopefully he can keep his tonsils and the
medicines he's on will start helping or he'll need bi-weekly shots
starting in the spring.

Sam is 7 and in the 1st grade. He says, "I like to play legos and
play with kitty and playing with my brothers and sisters and I like
playing computer and I love playing outside and I think that's it."

Sam took very easily to math, doing quite above his grade level.
He is able to do "mental math" which will prove quite helpful for
him. Reading isn't so much fun yet ... but he tries so very hard
that we know he will eventually catch on. Sam is also one of the
kindest people you've ever met.

Sam and Luke both love to play outside ... I'm often thankful we
have tiled floors for the amount of dirt these 2 track in ... they're
both all boy for sure.

Kaley is 9 and in the 3rd grade. "I like to play with kitty and I like
to play computer and I like to make stuff. I'm good at dancing,
drawing, coloring, making clothes, making clothes for kitty and
that's it."

Kaley is quite artistic with basically any medium. She loves to
draw and paint but she can also make a dress from a piece of
fabric, make people out of pipe cleaners, etc. She also has a
natural ability with animals. We often say she's an animal
whisperer ... somehow she can make them do extraordinary
things! Crazy stuff.