Day 8: Becky & Lori & Sue & Cristee

Tonight we went to an AG Bell get together. Kind of a reunion for families with kids that are deaf or hard of hearing. We have two that fit into that camp. The children recited poetry, told stories and displayed art work. Our oldest recited a poem and displayed an art project. Two of the teachers (Becky & Lori) we worked closely with during pre-school years at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind were there with their current pre-school classes.

As you would expect, reciting poetry is extremely hard for deaf and hard of hearing pre-schoolers. Each new sound, syllable, word or phrase is a major milestone. I quickly recalled all of the hard work teaching our oldest simple words that most children pick up naturally. Working over and over on the word until they recognize it and can reproduce it well enough to recognize it as the word. Then recording it in the notebook of words. Each sound, each syllable, each word and each phrase dearly prized.

I remember the great tears of gratitude that came as I pulled away from the pre-school for the last time. There were so many who had given so much to help our oldest become ready for a mainstream classroom. Even now I find words inadequate to express the gratitude that I feel for those that loved and taught our child. There are of course others that should be mentioned but on Day 8 I am particularly grateful for Becky & Lori & Sue & Cristee. Thank you! A thousand times thank you!