Not Just Another New School Year!

Every last day of school, I know in the back of my mind that the "next" school year is looming right around the corner. I am on "Team LOVE summer vacation". Strangely enough, there is another Team out there called "Team GET back TO school". But for me, I soak in the almost three months of not fighting with kids to get up, go to sleep, do their homework, or brush their hair. I enjoy not having to worry about getting FIVE lunchboxes ready, or making sure I have all pieces of uniforms ready to go, or having to worry about classroom drama or lost school papers. I LOVE the ease of getting up when they are awake, going to the pool, and wearing flip flops every single day. I love sprinklers in the backyard, trips to the snocone stand and most of all, I love daylight hours before I wake until just about the time I am ready to call it a day. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

The end of summer 2010 had a slightly different feel to it, however. This coming school year will not only be all the bad things that I described above, but also full of new and exciting things! I welcomed this new school year with sadness AND excitement.

Four of my children will continue to go to Immaculate Heart of Mary School. Sadly, a lot of families, and a lot of my friends children have decided to go to a different school this year, for reasons that have not been made known to me, and that is OK. They will be sorely missed, but I wish them all the luck in the world. However, I will say that I am so glad that my children are returning to this school. Having had a St. Louis City Public School experience, I can tell you that there is a LOT to be said about IHM. For our family, I love being able to walk to school. I LOVE knowing so many families there. I LOVE that it isn't such a big school. I LOVE that talking about GOD is encouraged and not against the law. I LOVE Mrs. Zambo, lol. I love the "Village" there that helps me with my children. Yes, there are plenty of things that could benefit from change. But at this time, as long as we are able to afford to continue to send our kids there, I thank the Lord. It is going to be a great year. I KNOW IT!

Now, the biggest excitement of this year is the school change for Julianne. A miracle has happened, and we are able to send this wonderful child to this fantastic school, Miriam School. After being in a classroom of 30 children for the past two years, she is now in a classroom with 9 children. NINE children who share the same struggles as she has. She is welcomed every morning with hugs and "Hello Julianne"'s. She gets to take breaks from learning to bounce on bouncy balls, dive into the ball pit, do ALL kinds of OT things. When I pick her up, she is chewing gum, and this first week, has been exhausted! This school is a dream come true. I've said it 1000 times, but I just know she is going to blossom here. This would not be possible if it weren't for some great people in this world, who believe in Julianne, and trust that she is going to be as great one day, as I know she will be.

So....here we go. School year of 10/11. I had my boy start Kindergarten. My baby baby started preschool. My oldest started 6th grade, and my sweet middle child started 4th. And Julianne...well she is officially "ungraded", and I LOVE that.

From here to Eternity...

From a very early age, I knew about death. I feel that I knew about death way too young, and way too often. And I always knew that it wasn't fair.

When I was 11, my wonderful grandma died of lung cancer. I adored my grandma, and still to this day, think of her every single day. Not fair.

When I was about 12 or so, my good friend Dawn's cousin died. She wasn't very old, 2 maybe. Christi was her name. She lived down the street from me. This was shocking and unexpected, and it set the tone in my life for the knowledge that in an instant we, or anybody we love, can die in a heartbeat. Because that is what happened with Christi. She had the flu, and then just died. Just like that. Not fair.

Shortly after that, a year or two later, my same good friend Dawn's little cousin Patrick died. He too was very little. 3 years old maybe. He went in for heart surgery, and didn't come home. It wasn't supposed to happen like that. I remember my mom telling me this news as I came home from school one day. I remember running down the street to tell my friend Theresa...and then we walked and cried...because she too knew these kids... and it wasn't fair.

Later in high school, Matt commited suicide. Matt was the brother of one of my very best friends in this whole world. He was 16. This, again, was another turning point in my life where again, it was reiterated that we, and those we love, can die in a split second. Because that is what happened. One millisecond on a trigger of a shotgun, and forever you are gone. Not fair.

Later, in my adult life, a good church friend lost her little boy after a long and horrible fight with a mean cancer. He was 5. His name was Nick. Not fair.

And people wonder why I have anxiety and fear and worry. It could have something to do with growing up in fear of people dieing. And after some thinking this morning, I believe these deaths may have also helped contribute to my subcontious need to be in control of something, hence my eating disorder beginnings in those formative years. Funny to think that the deaths of others, could somehow almost contribute to my very own death by starvation and the numerous other variations.

Yesterday somebody else went to heaven. It was my friend Heather's little boy. Carter Jay. Not fair. I know know know that there is a bigger picture to all of this. And I know that faith grows in sorror. I know that there is a reason for these things. I know that God has a plan.

But human hearts hurt.

I have this song that I absolutely love...and haven't listened to it in years. But I will dedicate this to Heather today.

For My Aunt Mary...

Just like I said I would get for you....:)

Open My eyes!

Open My Eyes! That was my prayer today at church. I know that God has a plan, and he plans things on his own time. I KNOW things *always* work out...often times, they work out in ways we could have never imagined. Good or bad, that is how it works. :)

So, our family has some things going on. Some very exciting things, and some very upsetting things. All that require some thought and planning on how to deal with.

Today, when I went to church, I prayed to the Good Lord to "Open my eyes" to see where it is I am supposed to go with my needs, or where I am to turn or what it is I am supposed to understand.

Amazingly, while walking home, somebody drove by and stopped me. He gave me some very important good news! I told him that I had come to church praying for my eyes to be opened....and I felt this was a sign that He had heard me.

Thank you Jesus.

So, as always with me, music helps me deal with emotional things. So, while searching youtube, I found something by accident. I am going to share with ya'll.

I like it because:
a: It was the message I was praying for today.
b: I love this song.
c: I LOVE acoustic guitar.
d: The guy singing is cute and he does a great job.

It is my prayer that ALL of you reading this can OPEN your EYES to the LORD today.

As overheard in the "W" house...

The scene: Mom is rinsing strawberries and cutting the tops off of them, and placing them in a bowl for the kids to eat. Mason is standing there watching. Enter Alena with her now empty bowl that once held strawberries.

Alena: MOM!!! I asked Mason to wash off some strawberries and bring them to me, but when I started eating them, I realized he washed them with SOAP and WATER!!!!! They tasted DISGUSTING!!

Mason: NO!!! NO I didn't! I didn't use soap and water. I licked them clean.

Nothing short of a miracle...

For the past couple of years, I had been urged to check out The Miriam School. It is a school for children with learning disabilities, and children performing below their potential. For years, I looked at the website, and dreamed of being able to send Julianne to such a school. But, then I would see the cost of such a school...and quickly sigh and realize that it was never, ever going to be possible. Unless we were to win the lottery.

Well, we didn't win the Money Lottery, but we have had something even better happen.

This year, when The Miriam School had their open house, I went. I had to. This year I was faced with the very real question of "What are we going to do with Julianne next year?"

At the open house, I about died. I couldn't believe that everythig they did, everything they said, everything they utilized and believed in, was exactly what I ahd been looking for and dreaming of for year. It was, as Oprah would say, a light bulb moment. It was at that moment that I realized that Julianne HAD to go to this school.

The Miriam School Mission:

The mission of the Miriam School is to encourage children with multiple learning disabilities to recognize and successfully meet their potential.

Seriously! That is a strong statement. To be able to recognize your potential, and to successfully meet it! For children who struggle with what the rest of us take for granted, this is HUGE!!!!

Another HUGE sell for me was the fact that they actually have the time and ability to individulaize a plan for EACH child.

Students may stay at the Miriam School for three to four years to acquire the tools they need to succeed in a classroom and then transition into a public, private or parochial school with more traditional academic support. Families may also choose to stay at the Miriam School throughout the elementary and middle school years.


From their website:

We assist children with learning disabilities through:

A nurturing, structured environment that facilitates growth in the areas of academic and social skills
Small ungraded class sizes (1:10 teacher/student ratio)
Specialized occupational therapy for students exhibiting sensory and/or motor deficits
Specialized speech and language therapy for students exhibiting deficits
An individualized education plan (I.E.P.) tailored to each child's unique needs and strengths
An 8:1 ratio full-day Early Childhood Special Education Program serving students beginning at age four
Art, music and physical education classes which enhance self-esteem and creativity
Open communication between parents and faculty
Professional faculty consisting of certified Special Education Teachers, Registered Occupational Therapists and Licensed Speech and Language Pathologists
Extended Day Care
Advocacy and Support Services
Transition Services

I will admit something bad here. I am ashamed to have even thought it. ... Not everybody can go to this school. You have to at least have a low normal IQ. Juilanne went and spent an entire day there in April to see if she would be a candidate to go to their school. I am ashamed to admit that I was worried that she might not qualify to go there....or, in my own thought, maybe she isn't "smart enough". :( Guilt forever be with me for thinking that.

So...here is the miracle part.

Somehow, we were granted a HUGE tuition reduction. We are still left with a substantial amount, but it is an amount that we can imagine somehow making it work. We still haven't ironed out all the kinks, and we have small fires burning to help us with this...but we did it!!

WE OFFICIALLY SIGNED HER UP!!!! Contract was dropped off today. It's official.

Today, is the beginning of what I KNOW will be a very beautiful and awesome start to Julianne's future.

And I owe a big thank you to Laura Rose, Julianne's speech therapist from The Walker Scottish Rite Clinic. She has been my light in this dark tunnel called special needs. Thank you Laura.

Snapped from my car today!
The Front of the school:


The Back of the school, or as Audrey calls it, the park.

It's not a diary for God's sake...

If you decide to have a blog, it is because you want people to know what you are typing, or saying, or thinking, or doing.

So then if you get all mad that people are reading your blog, and then you decide to delete it, maybe what you really want is a diary.

Just sayin'.

I have a blog to share what I feel is important, or funny, or silly. If I don't want the world to read it, I don't share it. :)

Happy Blogging Bloggers.