Jamesey's New Adventure
Tomorrow Jamesey starts Kindergarten. We love the classroom that's been selected for him. He'll be part of a Multiple Exceptionalities classroom with a phenomenal teacher and team. This classroom curriculum emphasizes communication and skill development - both areas that we are so excited to see Jamesey grow. More than a few elements in this adventure don't match our experiences with Anna Monkey. Let's see - he'll be attending school in a neighboring district. Our district shares special needs classrooms with surrounding schools - it's a pretty smart arrangement! How else is it different? I'm pretty stuck (and not in a good way - in a kind of nervous stomach, butterflies the size of elephants kind of way) on the fact that Jamesey is non-verbal. Anna has always been a chatterbox (she comes by it honest and I'm okay with admitting that). We have always heard about all the details of the day in a very thorough accounting. I'm grieving that Jamesey's voice will be different. I'll hear about his day in notes from his teachers, through the SeeSaw app with pictures and videos, through how agitated or how calm he is when he gets into the car at the close of the school day. It's all the non-verbal cues that you look for with any child but there's not an accompanying narrative. For this mama who loves words - that's hard.
I'm thinking about all of the typical situations that you worry about with any kindergartener. How will lunch go? How about his transition to new people? Will he try new things? Will he settle in like he did to preschool? I'm also wondering - will he wear his CI's? Will he participate or will he just settle in to his favorite place on the mat? I know his teaching team is skilled and I'm super thankful for all of the experience that they collectively have. We have been so very blessed from day one with incredible teachers and therapists for Jamesey. I firmly believe that this year and all the coming years he will continue to have outstanding educators. But this is still hard.
I know I've been avoiding the reality of how big this is for him, for me, for our family. I did all the things I do when I'm overwhelmed. I made the calendar extra full. I put off shopping (totally out of character LOL). I voluntarily cleaned (REALLY OUT OF CHARACTER). I focused on all the things that were different and I was mad about. Like First Day of School Pictures (which we did take with Anna). Arguing with myself about were we even going to try to take them for Jamesey because they just weren't going to be what everyone else had? And now I'm realizing that that's part of what I'm mad about - this is one of those times when I just want what I think everyone else has...no challenges. But that's not true...everyone has challenges...it just looks different. So for now, I'm going to focus on hope and gratitude.
All the lunch boxes are packed (even David's because he insisted he needed to be able to carry snacks around). I am thankful for food to pack for my children and for the variety we can provide them with. The backpacks are ready for tomorrow. I am thankful that they can learn - in all the ways that they learn. I am thankful for all the people that will invest in them from janitors and bus drivers to teachers and principals and therapists and church and friends and family. I am thankful for all the people I know will be praying. I am hopeful about the many ways that our children will connect with new knowledge and will employ what they've already learned. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be their parent. I am hopeful for new skills, new friends, new awareness. I believe BIG THINGS will happen!
Prayers are certainly appreciated for tomorrow and the coming days. A few specific ways you can pray.
1. For the last year Jamesey has been consistently resistant to wearing his CI's leaving us to question if it's the best option for him. However, he would wear them at pre-school with less push back. Pray that we'll start to see more engagement with his CI's and the subsequent access to sound. Or that if it's not the direction we should pursue that we'll see clear direction down another path.
2. Calendars for everyone have me nervous (and we're extending a lot of grace here). Schedules seem like they'll be a well-oiled machine (seem being the operative word) but I'm confident we'll need some time to work into them. Pray that the hiccups aren't too major!
3.Love languages matter to me and I try really hard to recognize and support them inside and even outside our family. Pray that we're able to speak everyone's language over the coming days/weeks/years. :)
We are so thankful for the incredible community that surrounds our family. On a lighter note, the three pineapples in this picture made me smile because it made me think of our three rascals. Also on a lighter note, if you want a good cry give a listen to Caleb and Kelsey's album "Sing Over Me: Songs for Parents and Their Little Ones". But, really - it's amazing! But really really - oh the tears! That was the musical selection during bedtime tonight and thank heavens it was on shuffle with some of their worship albums because...well, I'm a really good crier.
I'm thinking about all of the typical situations that you worry about with any kindergartener. How will lunch go? How about his transition to new people? Will he try new things? Will he settle in like he did to preschool? I'm also wondering - will he wear his CI's? Will he participate or will he just settle in to his favorite place on the mat? I know his teaching team is skilled and I'm super thankful for all of the experience that they collectively have. We have been so very blessed from day one with incredible teachers and therapists for Jamesey. I firmly believe that this year and all the coming years he will continue to have outstanding educators. But this is still hard.
I know I've been avoiding the reality of how big this is for him, for me, for our family. I did all the things I do when I'm overwhelmed. I made the calendar extra full. I put off shopping (totally out of character LOL). I voluntarily cleaned (REALLY OUT OF CHARACTER). I focused on all the things that were different and I was mad about. Like First Day of School Pictures (which we did take with Anna). Arguing with myself about were we even going to try to take them for Jamesey because they just weren't going to be what everyone else had? And now I'm realizing that that's part of what I'm mad about - this is one of those times when I just want what I think everyone else has...no challenges. But that's not true...everyone has challenges...it just looks different. So for now, I'm going to focus on hope and gratitude.
All the lunch boxes are packed (even David's because he insisted he needed to be able to carry snacks around). I am thankful for food to pack for my children and for the variety we can provide them with. The backpacks are ready for tomorrow. I am thankful that they can learn - in all the ways that they learn. I am thankful for all the people that will invest in them from janitors and bus drivers to teachers and principals and therapists and church and friends and family. I am thankful for all the people I know will be praying. I am hopeful about the many ways that our children will connect with new knowledge and will employ what they've already learned. I'm thankful for the opportunity to be their parent. I am hopeful for new skills, new friends, new awareness. I believe BIG THINGS will happen!
Prayers are certainly appreciated for tomorrow and the coming days. A few specific ways you can pray.
1. For the last year Jamesey has been consistently resistant to wearing his CI's leaving us to question if it's the best option for him. However, he would wear them at pre-school with less push back. Pray that we'll start to see more engagement with his CI's and the subsequent access to sound. Or that if it's not the direction we should pursue that we'll see clear direction down another path.
2. Calendars for everyone have me nervous (and we're extending a lot of grace here). Schedules seem like they'll be a well-oiled machine (seem being the operative word) but I'm confident we'll need some time to work into them. Pray that the hiccups aren't too major!
3.Love languages matter to me and I try really hard to recognize and support them inside and even outside our family. Pray that we're able to speak everyone's language over the coming days/weeks/years. :)
We are so thankful for the incredible community that surrounds our family. On a lighter note, the three pineapples in this picture made me smile because it made me think of our three rascals. Also on a lighter note, if you want a good cry give a listen to Caleb and Kelsey's album "Sing Over Me: Songs for Parents and Their Little Ones". But, really - it's amazing! But really really - oh the tears! That was the musical selection during bedtime tonight and thank heavens it was on shuffle with some of their worship albums because...well, I'm a really good crier.
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ReplyDeleteOh sweet mommy of Jamesey... I cry with you and celebrate with you. I wonder if Jamesey might also be agitated getting in the car if he had a really great day at school and doesn't want to go home. (Not likely at the beginning since I expect he will be tired in the transition, but maybe one day. Wouldn't that be cool?) I wonder if reasoning with sound requires filtering one more bit of sensory information. When he wants no CI at home, he might be exerting control to filter out one source of sensation, less to process, so much calmer. I know and trust this teacher and the way she manages that classroom. What a blessing that he is in that school and especially in that classroom! The intensity of your love is evident and I know Jamesey feels that! We look forward to celebrating his progress and joy this year.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what adventures you and David will have this year? Sometimes siblings of kids with special needs must consistently flex so the family meets priorities of the sibling with needs. This is David's year to be the priority sometimes and that is precious for now and for the long term. I await those hilarious posts!