Preschool Graduate

As I am raising our girls and as they are getting older, I understand more and more why my parents would stand in the driveway with tears in their eyes as I backed out in my car to drive back to college.  I get it now.  The love is so big it hurts.  Seeing the growth and change and all that comes along with it is so exciting in some ways, but so emotional in others.  That is why last week as I was getting Kyla ready for her last morning of preschool, I could feel the emotions coming.  A chapter was closing and things are going to change.  And I see the growth happening right before my eyes.......

Two years ago....Kyla's first day of preschool (3 years old)

Last week.....Kyla's last day of preschool (5 years old)

She looks so much more like a girl and less like a toddler.  She is acting older, reacting older, thinking older.  And so that morning as I dropped Kyla off at preschool one last time, the tears started to come.  Luckily, she didn't see me and I could make it to the car to get the rest of my tears out.

Kyla on her last day with her sweet teacher (and our friend), Mrs. Garcia

Not only was there a last day, but there was a preschool graduation.  Such a sweet and special ceremony, which included caps and gowns and each child walking down the aisle to the graduation song.

My sweet girl, taking her walk

Standing tall and proud

I am sure I will have this picture up one day at her high school graduation party

With our growing girl, all graduated from preschool

We have big changes coming.....kindergarten. I am so excited for her in so many ways, but scared in my own ways, too.  The other day I was talking to Kyla about how the Bible tells us that God has good and perfect plans for her life.  I need the reminder of that promise too.....God is in control of this precious life that He has entrusted to us.  The future is a good place, because that is where God is.  Which means, God is already waiting for her at kindergarten. 

Ten Years

Yesterday my husband and I celebrated ten years of marriage.  As I write this, I really have no way to explain the joy this brings me.  The joy of spending a decade being married to him.  The emotions that come when I think about all the ten years has held....the happiness, laughter, sorrow, prayers.....all that comes with life, but sharing it with the person you love more than any other.  It is so good.  We were giddy the whole day.  As soon as I woke up yesterday morning, I was thinking about what was going on ten years ago and getting ready to get married.  And I was thinking about it, I looked over to say good morning to my husband of ten years while hearing Ashlyn sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" at the top of her lungs from her room.  Ten years.....it is so, so good.  I could go on and on about how in love I am with my husband, but I will spare you.  I will just leave it at....I am crazy about him. 

Ten years later, our family

Troy and I headed down to Indy for our anniversary dinner.  We ate at Meridian's, where we have celebrated an anniversary before.  It is so delicious and the restaurant is beautiful.  We were lucky enough that last night the weather was perfect (kind of like a day I remember 10 years ago).  So, we ate outside on their gorgeous patio.

At dinner last night we were talking about many of our memories from the last ten years.  It is so rich....all that God has brought into our life....the places, people, churches, houses, babies.  All of those things that mix together to make up ten years of life together.  My heart is full and so in love.  A new decade is here and we are so ready.

Therapy

A couple of days after we received Ashlyn's diagnosis of Down Syndrome, we found a social worker in our hospital room talking to us about things available to us.  I remember her giving us many different pamphlets and phone numbers.  I was in such a haze at that point, it was really hard to focus.  I do remember hearing the word "therapy."  She told us that Ashlyn would qualify for state funded therapy until she turned three and that the therapists would come to our house.  At the time that sounded horrible to me.  I did not want my child to need therapy.

When Ashlyn was just a couple of months old, the therapy process started.  They sent people to our home to evaluate her and then assigned us to therapists.  I remember the first times, I would watch their cars pull up to our house and I would fight back tears that all of this was happening.  Little did I know, that three years later they would be like family to us.  We were blessed with three fantastic therapists who have been in our home for a weekly basis for the past almost three years.  The bad feelings I had about the whole thing soon faded away as I saw how loving and caring they were to Ashlyn.  And I saw that they weren't just doing a job, they really wanted her to succeed.  I saw them rejoice, sometimes with their own tears, as they watched Ashlyn make gains. 

It got to the point where I didn't dread therapists coming, I looked forward to it.  And, Ashlyn did too!  She loves all of her therapists so much.  We could not have asked for three better people to help Ashlyn get off to such a great start.  And, thank goodness, we are going to continue to see each of our therapists privately or I would have been a mess saying goodbye to them when Ashlyn turned three. Please meet three people who are so special to us....

Ann - occupational therapy

Working on cutting

Ashlyn and Ann

Mandi - speech therapy

Ashlyn intently listening to Mandi.....she always loves speech time

And Mandi was so good with Kyla too, who was always with us for speech

Big love

Jim - physical therapy

Working on stepping over

Ashlyn and Jim

We really are going to miss having them in our home each week, but are just thankful they are still a part of "Team Ashlyn" as we call it.