1st days....

Just 5 lunches!!!! ahhhhh

Just 5 back packs(not that isn't a dead animal)

Well, we all made it back to school safely. I wish I could say on time. Oh well! The girls were happy to be back in their classes with friends and teachers. Corbin goes back tomorrow. But the big news is Savannah starting a new school today. This school is specifically for hearing impaired children before entering Kinder. Our old school was as well, however this school is 5 days a week and all day. It was tough to let her go. I have very mixed emotions on the idea. But I think(I know) she needs more. She is thriving when we let her. I cried of course dropping her off. But thankfully my side kick, Bubba was there to love on me.

Last night I was up thinking a lot about this step. This change. Are we changing too fast? I always do better when I can jot it down.. so this is what I had:

So, I found this post on my blog from last January... a year ago

"Pray for Savannah to blossom in this environment.

Pray for her to be able to communicate any and every need or want or emotion, so that we all know!Please pray, if you are ever wondering what to pray for us, pray that we have peace in the choices we are making. I thought choosing a school for my other kids was stressful. That was small potatoes.:)So, pray for peace in our decisions.Pray for us to have our eyes open so we can see the progress or see that another change is needed."

Here I am requesting that same prayer! Man, some things never change. As most of you know we have been looking into schools for our sweet Nana Jane. Well, we have an opportunity after a meeting today for Savannah to attend an Early Childhood deaf ed program. The school is only for kids 3-5(not Kindergarten yet). So it is completely geared to this age group. Typical kids and kids with special needs attend this school. The reason we looked into this particular program is that it is one of only 2 we know of that offer a program in the area specifically for hearing impaired kids. Who would have thought that would be so difficult to find. But it is. This school has 2 different type of classes. 1. TOTAL COMMUNICATION for hearing impaired kids. This class teaches signing, oral communication and pictures and gestures. The other is 2. Oral Communication class. This class does not use sign and only the gestures you or I would use with one another(like waving, come here.. that type of everyday stuff). Well, Savannah will be in a class with 10 kids, a teacher an aid and a speech therapist. All the kids are 3 years old. 1 is typical(not hearing impaired..a peer model). The other kids are hearing impaired. Some have words and some do not yet. The school is 8:15-2:15 M-F. This is why we started looking at this school. Our other school that we have attended for a year, Hearing School of the Southwest, is only 3 1/2 days a week. We really felt like Savannah needed 5 days. Now, I am not sold on the 8-2 part, but they assured me she would thrive and as the mother I could also modify that time frame. I have never been one to send my kids off this early! Corbin still only goes to school 2 days a week! I guess I know too well that once kindergarten starts, they are gone! I will be a mess come college! Anyway, the program seems to be the cream of the crop. The cherry on top of the sundae. People come from lots of areas to try and get in it. So we shall see. We have 30 days for them to evaluate Savannah and see what adjustments they feel are needed based on what previous recommendations were. And which class she fits best in, Oral or Total. At the same time, it gives us 30 days to decide if we feel like this is the place for her or not. So, I have packed her lunch, folded her nap mat, packed her back pack and of course set out the cutest hot pink skirt for her to wear tomorrow. My head tells me this is right. My prayers seem to be answered with doors opening and doors closing. Savannah has been doing things that tell me, she gets it..she needs more..But my heart hurts because I have to give up so much of that 3 year old time with her. My heart hurts because in that length of a day so many things will happen and she doesn't have words to tell me, good or bad. My heart hurts because this move means we are leaving Ms. Kelly, Ms. Luella and Ms. Shirley who love Savannah. Who I trust beyond trust with her and now I have to start all over with trusting people(and that doesn't come easy for me with my kids!)But I keep telling myself this is why we are going to try this school...so she can tell me someday that someone helped her.. or that some little boy pulled her pig tails. So I ask you pray for the above, just like a year ago. I also ask that you pray for her teacher, Mrs. Adams. She seems very sweet and a good teacher. Pray for her to be able to understand Savannah's needs and give her wisdom and strength. I really appreciate the prayers....

Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.