flashback: FLYING

a repost from 8/31/09

Three years ago, when Bugg was just ONE month old, he started the Early Intervention program. Our weeks were full of therapy appointments in our home. As I started discovering the whole "special needs" world and talking to other parents, I learned about the TRANSITION. This would happen when Bugg turned three, and would no longer receive in-home therapies, but be sent to school - a SPECIAL pre-school, if we wanted.

I thought, "no way!" Send my boy to school at age THREE?! NOT him. Nope, not for us. And as the day got nearer and nearer, Bugg's therapists became more and more encouraging to send him. So I went along with all the meetings and paperwork and such, thinking in the back of my mind, "nope, nope, nope."

Other parents have told me how much their special children blossomed and progressed once they started the special pre-school. And I kept hearing, "It'll be such a nice break for you." A break? I don't need a break! I'm good. I'm keeping him home with me!

But then a funny thing happened. I prayed. My husband & I prayed our hearts out to know if sending Bugg to school would be a good thing or not. And my eyes saw something new. I didn't see a helpless handicapped child. I saw a little boy with potential! He is ready to see new things, too, I realized. New faces, sounds, toys, experiences, friends.

And then the whole school-thing became EXCITING and ADVENTUROUS! We met the most amaaaaaaaazing people that would be working with our Bugg. As if they were born to be his teachers! The love and attention that that lil' kiddo will get at his new pre-school is really humbling. I'm so grateful. Sooooooooooo happy and grateful. And just durn excited to see what this boy is going to learn and experience!

Dropping him off at pre-school today was natural and calm and just felt so right! A blessing and reassurance that this is a very good TRANSITION.

Had you told me three years ago that I'd be sticking my kid in a wheelchair to go on a bus to go to a special school, I would've broke down and bawled. And now, here we are, and I'm bawling, alright. But in a good way. He is growing up and has such great and wonderful opportunities to progress and learn and be happy and LOVED.

We waited so anxiously at the window, watching for his special bus to come up the hill. We were all so proud of him. My heart has broken a thousand times over, for the loss of a typical son. But I was so proud of our Wyskii. And my heart is healing as he seems to tell me, "Look, Mom! I'm a big boy now!"

Of course, the whole neighborhood must know about this dear boy to be celebrated!

Rewarded with choco pudding.

This girl, oh, this GIRL! You know what she said to me? We had just dropped Bugg off at his classroom and I was doing great, no tears, no worries. She said, "I was almost gonna cry when we walked in there." I said, "How come?" And she said, "'Cause I didn't want to leave my special brother." Blllaaaaaaa-aaaa-aaaah. Well, I'm pretty much a puddley mess right now, too. But today was realllllly good. For him. For me. For our family. This Bugg is ready to fly.