Tuesday, March 2

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.

9 comments:

  1. This might be my all time favorite post! Love that boy!

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  2. What a great new adventure for him. I totally know what you mean about sending them, Jax has yet to go, maybe when his lungs are strong enough. I would be a puddly mess too!

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  3. I love watching Bugg come off the school bus. Such a sweet lil' boy.

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  4. What an adorable boy and family you have. I seen your comment on another friends blog and thought your pic. looked like you might live in Utah. Anyways we have a special little guy as well and live in Utah. My Tyson has glasses also. It has been a bit of a nightmare and I was wondering where you were able to find small ones. He got them when he was 6 months and now is 9 months we are yet to find one that fit. Any suggestions? Do you live in Logan?

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  5. We love our little Bugg at school and I feel so blessed - COMPLETELY blessed to have him in my classroom! He brightens our days!

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  6. As is customary, you have reduced me to a puddly mess. What a precious boy.

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  7. Oh you got my heart on that one! I'm sitting here totally crying. He is so adorable. I love that your heart felt right and that school has been a positive experience for him.

    Thanks for reaching out to me. I enjoyed looking over your blog and plan to follow. I hope you check back in with us as well. Us mom's need to stick together and share or sorrows and successes.

    Nicole

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  8. So glad to have "found" your blog! We have our transition meeting for our grandson coming up at the end of the month. Our "village" (family) who all help our son to raise our grandson, Lorenzo have mixed feelings about his going to preschool in the fall when he turns 3! So your repost really hits home for us!Thanks for sharing!

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  9. You have NO Idea how glad I am that you referred us back to this post and that I read it and saw the pictures. Chloe starts preschool in just a couple weeks. MY THREE year old PRECIOUS BABY girl. On a BUS. Without ME. In her WHEELCHAIR. It sounds like a nightmare, but just like you, everyone keeps telling me (and internally, I know) that she will love it, enjoy it, excel, as she bursts with potential. And so I'm going to do it. But my heart is already breaking and I'm 2nd guessing myself. Somehow it was healing for me to read this post, though, and know my thoughts and feelings are normal and that you survived this and so can I. I loved seeing the pictures of Bugg getting on the bus and sitting on the bus. They scare me too. I can't imagine letting Chloe on that thing.... it looks so big and scary. But I'm glad I saw the pix. Wow. I'm rambling. And crying. Anyway, thanks. xo

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