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| Victoria's Pre-K End-Of-The-Year program. |
As I sat in the Pre-K classroom at Saraland Elementary School today with lots of other parents, I remember thinking, "I should've brought some tissues with me!" The little 3, 4 and 5-year-old kids started filing into the class with their cute "handprint" t-shirts on while all of us proud parents looked on. All of the kids went to their spots on the classroom rug and got ready for the "End-Of-The-Year" program to start. I sat in-between Mark and my mom and I could tell we were all beaming when Victoria was the first child called up to retrieve her printed name card from the board. She took her name card to her teacher and then she and Mrs. Moore began to spell her name out-loud together. After she finished spelling her name, she put it back on the board and took her seat. I felt so proud of how well Victoria followed her teacher's instructions. That was the first of many other activities and songs that Victoria and her class performed for their audience of family members.
Mark and I have gone into Victoria's classroom this year many times and provided a "music time" for the kids. We have gotten very attached to all of the children and have seen how much they have all progressed this year. Most of the kids in the class have special needs. Several of the children have autism and could barely speak at the beginning of the year. Some children have birth defects that have delayed their learning development. Victoria is the only child in the classroom with Down syndrome. No matter what each child struggled with at the beginning of the year, it was exciting to see how far they had all come by the end of the school year.
I think the proudest moment for me was at the end of the program when Mrs. Moore was handing out awards. Victoria didn't win an A Honor Roll or AB Honor Roll award. She didn't even win a Perfect Attendance award because she has been sick a lot this year. But, the award she did win was so special to Mark, my mom and me. She won the "Most Well Known and Most Well Loved Child at Saraland Elementary School." I know this to be true because when I walk Victoria down the hallway each morning to her class, almost every child we pass walking down that hallway says "hello" to Victoria. I hear the children comment as we pass, "She is so cute" or "I just love Victoria." Victoria takes daily walks with her aid to see the secretarial staff, principal and also the lunchroom ladies! Everyone at the school just loves her! It is in moments like today when Victoria received that award that I can almost look into the future and see her being voted Homecoming Queen in high school one day by her class. She is just that lovable and special.
What a privilege it is for me and Mark to be blessed to raise one of God's "special children." When Victoria was first born I didn't feel that way. I was questioning God back then ... wondering why "I" was having to go through what "I" was going through. I was grieving and sad that Victoria wasn't "normal." Oh how the tables have turned in my heart! I look at Victoria every day and feel blessed to have her. When I put her to bed every night, I look at her sweet face and I am genuinely thankful that I have the opportunity to live life with her. Our family life with Victoria isn't without challenges, but her sweetness makes the trip down the road of life so much easier to walk.
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