On Monday, Matt and I met with Abby's preschool teacher for a conference. She meets with all of the parents to discuss strengths and weaknesses before kindergarten (Abby has another year, but she's in a class with older students).
I couldn't stop the tears from falling when she said, "If I didn't know that Abby had concerns, I would never suspect anything." This woman has known our family for so long and she is well aware of how far Abby has come. Her words meant SO much to me.
When you have a child who you were told would be little more than a vegetable, you learn to be thankful for every milestone. You try not to compare to other kids and just celebrate as she gains skills, but you constantly Google age-appropriate skills to see where she falls. You pray from the beginning that she will have a natural love of learning and are so thankful when she does. You incorporate learning into everyday play and live a therapy lifestyle. You know you are working so hard, but you always wonder if you should be doing more. You get more creative and find activities that "kill two therapy birds with one stone!"
So many questions ran through my head as I entered that conference.
Is she participating in class?
Are the other kids be able to understand her?
Can she express herself?
Are her hearing issues getting in the way of her learning?
Is she behind on her academic skills?
Do her fine and gross motor delays cause her trouble in class?
Does she have friends?
And then you hear that this. After four years of worrying, after endless hours of therapies, after nine surgeries, after so many prayers from so many people, you hear that your child is just as typical as all of the other kids in her class. It hasn't been an easy road, but it's been worth it.
All I can say is thank you.
Abby has had a wonderful group of therapists and teachers who haven't made excuses for her. They have pushed her, cheered her on, and come up with creative ways to help her learn. They hold her to a high standard and celebrate her accomplishments. I know they are cheering for this one too! Thank you.
So many people have prayed for Abby over the years. Many have prayed specifically for her development. I don't doubt for a second that these prayers have contributed to her success! Thank you.
We have said since Abby's birth that our God is bigger than statistics. We don't need Him to prove it, yet He has once again. He has shown us in so many ways that He is with us every step of this journey. Thank you.
So thankful...today and every day.
I couldn't stop the tears from falling when she said, "If I didn't know that Abby had concerns, I would never suspect anything." This woman has known our family for so long and she is well aware of how far Abby has come. Her words meant SO much to me.
When you have a child who you were told would be little more than a vegetable, you learn to be thankful for every milestone. You try not to compare to other kids and just celebrate as she gains skills, but you constantly Google age-appropriate skills to see where she falls. You pray from the beginning that she will have a natural love of learning and are so thankful when she does. You incorporate learning into everyday play and live a therapy lifestyle. You know you are working so hard, but you always wonder if you should be doing more. You get more creative and find activities that "kill two therapy birds with one stone!"
So many questions ran through my head as I entered that conference.
Is she participating in class?
Are the other kids be able to understand her?
Can she express herself?
Are her hearing issues getting in the way of her learning?
Is she behind on her academic skills?
Do her fine and gross motor delays cause her trouble in class?
Does she have friends?
And then you hear that this. After four years of worrying, after endless hours of therapies, after nine surgeries, after so many prayers from so many people, you hear that your child is just as typical as all of the other kids in her class. It hasn't been an easy road, but it's been worth it.
All I can say is thank you.
Abby has had a wonderful group of therapists and teachers who haven't made excuses for her. They have pushed her, cheered her on, and come up with creative ways to help her learn. They hold her to a high standard and celebrate her accomplishments. I know they are cheering for this one too! Thank you.
So many people have prayed for Abby over the years. Many have prayed specifically for her development. I don't doubt for a second that these prayers have contributed to her success! Thank you.
We have said since Abby's birth that our God is bigger than statistics. We don't need Him to prove it, yet He has once again. He has shown us in so many ways that He is with us every step of this journey. Thank you.
So thankful...today and every day.
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