Although
2019 has been filled with many tremendous accomplishments, I must admit, I am
not at all sorry to see it go. And the 20s are roaring in, with so many new
beginnings for us this year, our theme is one of transition-finding the same
amid the change.
Speaking of our theme, Evelyn takes the cake
with transitioning from private to public school AND starting middle school! In
true Evelyn fashion, she is bemused by my assumption that this would be
difficult and shrugs off questions with a “Mom” (spoken with two syllables and
sometimes an eye roll!) She loves school, her teachers love her, and right now
she is busily working on her research project-bomb sniffing rats. Ugh. Anyway,
a starring role in Seussical the Musical over the summer, performing with our
studio’s dance team, spraining (not breaking!) her arm, and taking up the oboe
for band class round out Evelyn’s year. Transition? What transition?!
Not to be out done, Cecilia also made the switch to public
school. This has been such a great (and long time coming) decision for our
family. But I was a little worried as to how my introverted, slightly anxious,
and all the way feisty middle child would handle such a big step. Not to
minimize how hard she worked to adjust to a new school, but I was so relieved
at the apparent ease in which she jumped in and made new friends, mastered a different
school environment, and maintained a good attitude! She loves her new teacher,
has added acro classes to her dance repertoire, and is just one inch short of
being able to do splits on both her right and left legs! But most importantly,
Cici is thriving, less anxious in a more supportive environment, and is comfortable
with her ability to be herself in new situations.
Now,
if you really want to hear how Max’s kindergarten transition has gone, you
should probably have a MA in psychology and also buy me a stiff drink. But in
lieu of that happening, I’ll see if I can sum it up for you. Awful. Awful. Want
more? Okay…specialists, lawyers, principal’s office, six IEP meetings,
countless calls and emails, never-ending sleepless nights, tears, tears, tears.
And through it all we are continually blessed by the beautiful people who
surround Max and love on him through his trauma, through his varying abilities.
They believe that he can be more than who his past tries to trap him into
being, and they call him to grow toward a future of hope, love, and strength. Max is actually the most perfect picture of
how we all handle transitions. We might make it look prettier on the outside,
but on the inside, we are often a mess too. But if we persist, if we fight, and
if we show one ounce of the determination that Max uses each and every day, we
can overcome more than we know.
Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
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