Hello again!! :)

Hello everyone!

Sorry I have not been able to blog as I had been busy like a bee in spring time!

The weekend of April 13th, we had family coming to visit us from North Carolina for the weekend, then Mom from NC stayed with us for two weeks and just went back to NC last Friday. We really enjoyed having them with us for the weekend as we went to bowling alley and played a game of bowling. The kids had blast time laughing and cheering whenever someone got strike or got most of their pins down. :) Then we came home and ordered pizza for us to chow down and chat. It was real good fun despite it being a rainy weekend! Then when the rest of the family left and Mom stayed behind, it was really wonderful to have Mom staying with us for two weeks. The kids enjoyed their Grandma, especially Ryan! :)
Tori bowling


Ryan and Rebecca posing..


Justin, don't he looks handsome with his blue hair?


Tina's turn at bowling


Ryan's turn at bowling


Brittany's turn at bowling


Bill's turn at bowling


Bucky's turn at bowling - I can tell the difference between Bill and Bucky as they have same colors of clothes on but the shoes are different. :)


Bill bowling again


Our table while we waiting for our turns. It was a perfect way to enjoy our day indoor while it was downpour raining outside and the kids were not bored! We all laughed and cheered then when our games were over, the kids went to the arcade part of the building and one game of air hockey but it was divided up in two different times because Rebecca and Ryan was playing first then Bill and Bucky started to finish their game. It was so fun and we all had wonderful time.

Bucky and Ryan took Grandma home Friday after school/work and stayed for the weekend and as I'm typing this blog, Bucky is driving home from NC. Justin, Tori and I stayed home because our car wasn't able to have 6 passengers as it's only for 5 passengers and Tennessee has Tax Free weekend so I wanted to grab the chance of buying some clothes for us all without the tax :)

Saturday morning, Sandy came and picked Justin, Tori and myself and we went to Rugged Warehouse. We were able to get Justin - two shirts, two shorts, six pairs socks, Tori - two pants, a pair of shorts and a shirt and six pairs socks, Ryan - two shirts and six pairs of socks. Then we went to Wal-Mart to buy Ryan some shorts as Rugged didn't have much shorts selections for Ryan, not have right sizes for Bucky. So we bought Ryan - three shorts and underwears, Bucky - three pants (for work) and a shirt, a pair of pants and six pairs of socks for me. I really enjoyed my day with Justin, Tori and Sandy. We enjoyed the kids being really happy and contented and being able to laugh all day long. :) Then we went to Sandy's house to print pictures for me to be able to bring to work and display.. Then came home to rest for the evening. :)



I can't wait to have my Honey home soon as the house isn't the same without my Honey and my baby Ryan. :) Thank goodness for VP so Bucky and I was able to chat through VP over the weekend!

Also wanted to say Congratulation to The Carter's on their newest Daughter, sister, granddaughter, great-granddaughter Hannah Jane Marie Carter. You can view the new addition to the family at Nurse Vicki's blog. She was born on the same day as my Gramps (Arthur Wilkinson) celebrated his 88th birthday! :) So it will always be easy to remember Hannah's birthday.

Till then, M

Happy Easter!

Hello everyone! Happy Easter!

I know all the children everywhere are excited and hyper-hunting down eggs hidden in yard, among those trees, plants, trying to be the best hidden egg! Those chocolate bunnies being broken into pieces to satisfy the sweet tooth each child has. But that's not all the Easter's about..

It's about our Christ who died and rose for our sins. We took our children to Church today after a long while of not being regular at Church. I felt real good about our visit today. I really felt that it was a perfect day for our attendance and everyone was happy to see us. It was real good visit. We went to eat at Shoney's with Mom and Dad and Robert and Sandy for our Easter luncheon.

Hope you get to celebrate Easter with family and loved ones.

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Happy Birthday to April Folks!

Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday to April Folks!
Happy Birthday to you!

April 1 - Larry Hayes - North Carolina
April 5 - Brittany Carver- North Carolina
April 5 - Craig Fields - North Carolina
April 8 - Scott Adams - Tennessee
April 10 - Fred Fleetwood - North Carolina
April 10 - Chris Barham - North Carolina
April 13 - Connie Henning - North Carolina
April 15 - Robert Bledsoe - North Carolina
April 15 - Randy Caines - North Carolina
April 16 - Michelle Gaddy - North Carolina
April 19 - Betty DeVault - Tennessee
April 20 - David Tamez - North Carolina
April 21 - Jeannie Parris - North Carolina
April 25 - Gramps Arthur Wilkinson - Tennessee
April 30 - Ronda Taylor - North Carolina

Happy Anniversary to you!

April 17 - Wilkinson's 64th Wedding Anniversary - Tennessee

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I discovered a blog that speaks of NCSD (North Carolina School f/t Deaf) director.. So I am going to post this because I do have concerns about ALL deaf schools.. Each school has its issues and I am concerned about Tennessee School f/t Deaf where my daughter attends. Many schools needs major shakedown and weeds out those weeds that doesn't belong in Deaf schools..

I would like to do a post about TN School f/t Deaf as I am deeply concerned for the education of our Deaf children at T.S.D. As well as their emotional well-being.

As you know, my daughter attended and still attends T.S.D. since she was 3 years old and she is now 13 year old, she only have 4 more years of high school to go through before she enters the real world with what she has learned at T.S.D.

She had rough 3 years in elementary as well as this year in middle school as a 8th grader. I am HOPING that her last 4 years as high schooler would be better and uplifting as well as positive than what she has to go through in elementary and middle school. Let me explain what occurred during those years I labelled as bad years.

She was supposed to have the teacher, Ms. Price for her 2nd grade year but the teacher went through separation from her husband and recently had a baby so she decided to leave her position and move away, her class didn't have any teacher for a whole year so she had to have several substitute teachers, one after another for a whole year. At end of that year, T.S.D. finally found someone to take the position which was Mrs. Collins for the 3rd graders (Tori's class)in Fall. Tori began her 3rd grade with Mrs. Collins but Mrs Collins discovered she was pregnant so she had to take her maternity leave after the baby was born after Christmas break which brought another 5 months of substitute teachers once again. When she moved to 4th grade the following year, she was supposed to have Mrs. Jetters, but Mrs Jetters was on medical leave and left the classes with substitute teachers once again for few months before they hired Ms. Koch from California, she was a horrible teacher and I expressed my feelings but was assured that she was a good teacher. Tori wasn't happy with the teacher and I wasn't either. When she finally moved to 5th grade and was under Mrs. Murphy. Mrs Murphy really worked hard to be able to bring the class to the level of where they should be at as a 5th grader. I was really mad and pissed off that T.S.D. actually wasted those years using substitute teachers and was not promptly hiring teachers to make sure that our children get all the education they need especially at that age in elementary school.

When Tori moved to Middle School as 6th grader, she was doing pretty good and enjoying school as much as she can until this year. The administration offices is on the same floor as middle schoolers and I felt that it brought more attention to the children from administration as a student in Tori's class was kept a close eye on and every move he made was made into a mountain from a molehill. Some behaviors was wrong on his part but some punishments that was given, has gone too far in my opinion.. I don't think deaf children should be deflated emotionally and educationally because the deaf children really do struggle comparing to hearing children. They have to work double harder to be able to be a equal. Not every deaf child has a easy ride as some other children do. It is the responsibilities of teachers, administration and staff at T.S.D. to encourage the students to strive for the best not to put them down and let them know that they amount to nothing. I have noticed that T.S.D. has many deaf employees as cottage counselors, teachers and administration but some of them are not very encouraging or standing for the Deaf pride. They bow down to the administration and become like what I call "hit the beaver".. I feel that is really shameful for those deaf children to be put in the position..

I am not very proud of putting my daughter in such a school like that but I don't want to put her in mainstream program because I feel it wouldn't benefit her very well, I feel that she would benefit greatly at Deaf school and having the deaf culture. Unfortunately she isn't getting the rich experience of deaf culture due to the fact of staff having to deflate the children's spirits and their curiosity and their independence..

I'm sure there are schools out there facing the same problems as we are facing with T.S.D. I have gone to local school board and tried to get them to assist us but I don't see any improvements.. It's no good for one family to go against big old school.. We need more families who has their children attending T.S.D. to band together and improve T.S.D. for better future..

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We are considering sending Tori to this Volleyball camp at Texas School f/t Deaf.. If your deaf child is interested, check this out..


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Prayers Needs

*Please pray for my mother, Lola Golden, who is recovering from a third stroke. For my stepfather, Mearle Swanson, who is in hospice. Please join mine and all of the families concerned and already praying. Lastly to help me strengthen my faith and for guidance about other personal needs. Thank you all, my wonderful friends. Bill Golden
*Doris Mitchell - Health and car accident, Safe trip coming to TN

*Lillian Wynn - Recovering from hand surgery

*Mary Carver - Recovering from cellulitis, job security

*Bucky Carver - Upcoming test on April 20th

*Bill & Tina Carver - Private issues, steady employment

*Hedy Garner-Taylor - Healthy pregnancy as days are getting closer to baby being born.

*Deanna Taylor - Regain her strength after being in hospital recently.

*Sandra & Robert McMillan - Private issue, employment

*Vicki Carter - Schooling

Please keep everyone in your prayers, let me know if they would like to be on prayer list.

Have a pleasant Easter and remember to celebrate our Christ's sacrifices for us..
Till then, M-