Corey, Corey, Corey

It's been a while since I've aimed a blog post at my son, but it seems like now is as good a time as any. Plus, this is good news, so I've got to get while the getting's good.

Today my son finished tenth grade. Sure, the school year ended for most kids around here somewhere between two and three months ago (why is there such a spread?!?). But Corey's been doing an independent study program since starting eighth grade. He's done well, too.

I'd had him held back for various reasons in sixth grade. One of the reasons this worked was that he was barely up to my shoulder (I'm 5'7"). Imagine my chagrin when he sprouted about six inches and grew a mustache at the age of 12. No, not just a peach fuzz 'stache; a full-blown, my-grown-friends-are-jealous-and-are-you-sure-Magnum-PI-isn't-his-dad doozy.

One thing Corey has always had on his side (if only he would use his powers for good and not eevilll) is that he's smart. Very smart.

During his seventh grade year he completed seventh and eighth grades. The following year he took a more leisurely approach and completed ninth grade about seven weeks into his tenth grade year.

Surprisingly, we both lived.

Somewhere around the middle of October, he began plugging away on the current curriculum. One of the assignments was a math packet that the teacher explained was the hardest one he'd face. He added (not that Corey was listening) that all of the remaining packets are fairly easy in comparison.

Aside from his other work, that packet took nearly 10 months. It should have been done well within a few weeks. He tried everything, and I do mean everything to get out of doing it.

Don't believe me? I have the chest Xrays, neurological assessments and MRI results to prove that, no, he does not have a heart malady, seizure disorder or any other health impairment along those lines.

Ahem... I said this was good news. Got a bit off topic there. Sorry.

So last week he finally got to the part where it was time to take the test. There were three days of antics surrounding that, and ultimately, he failed. Yesterday he was all set to take it again. Naturally he left the study guide (which has to be submitted to take the test) at home.

I should mention that I was off yesterday, so I did drive it to him... 55 miles each way to make sure he wasn't getting away with anything.

Oh, I'm gonna win this one.

After a brief pep talk that excluded all the other things I was thinking, he went in and passed the freaking test.

Whoop whoop!

Here's where things get a little tricky: Corey wants to go to a traditional high school, but if his units completed don't match up with the school year in progress, he's screwed out of credit for work completed.***

The neighborhood high school starts in a few days. He still had a couple of units to complete in an earth science class or he'd have to take the semester over.

Today he passed both tests.

Tonight he got his first cell phone. He would have loved one, oh, five years ago, but he's never been in need of one.

Tomorrow we're enrolling.

Thursday he starts school. Up here. Fifty miles from my job. Seventy miles from Tom's.

He's a boy with a history of acting goofy and/or obnoxious just to get attention.

His temper can flare pretty quickly, although it generally has been under control lately.

He wants to make friends, but hasn't really mastered that aspect of life. So identifying the good'uns versus the baddies isn't a skill he's acquired.

I'm not afraid.

I'm not afraid.

Okay, I'm scared out of my mind, but I don't think he knows that.


***Oh yeah. Remember that math test he took yesterday? Well, he will be getting the one credit that comes from it, but he will still have to redo that semester. Ask me how much I care? G'head, ask me.