Dear Jude,
Last Thursday, as we waited for your bus, we
were joined by the neighbor kids who were preparing for the arrival of
their school bus. It was the first day of the 2018-2019 school
year. This would have been the year you started Kindergarten. I remember
a parent of a special needs child telling me milestones, like Kindergarten, can
be difficult.
A few weeks ago, you got on the school bus and
continued on the route. Afterwards, I sat on the front porch rocking your
brother. Minutes later, your bus drove by, heading to school. As the bus passed
our house, I saw you in the window. You were smiling and looking with delight
because you spotted our house. Instantly, I started to cry. Partly because we
never got to enjoy slow days when you were baby, like I do with your brother.
We spent most of our time fighting past illness and healing from surgeries and
procedures. Mainly I cried tears of joy because I am so very, very proud of
you. Every day, since you were 4 years old, you climb the big bus steps (with the
help of practicing in physical therapy), greet your bus driver and aides with
a smile, and ride 30 minutes to school. At school, you’ve learned and are
continuing to learn how to communicate, master self-care skills, engage with
other students, fine tune your feeding, and learn other skills that will
help you become more independent. Most importantly, you greet everyone with
your infectious smile and love of life. As a parent, I couldn’t ask for
anything more.
Though I appreciate the sentiment, that the
year you would of started Kindergarten could of been difficult, it
just isn't for us. As we stood on the driveway waiting for the bus, I
stood proudly because you are doing exactly what you were meant to do...with
that beautiful smile on your face!
Love,
Mom
Mom
