First Day of School for Miss Sneha!!!!!!

Proverbs 23:18There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.





They said in India that it couldn't be done and here we are. Sneha is in 1st grade officially! I think the first day is always harder on the parents than the child. I did not know that so much therapy is possible in a 1/2 day. Since she does not speak and has never been to a formal learning environment so the day was challenging, but the staff was very prepared. They thought that she had a great first day. I have to say for a small town school I am very impressed. In one half of a day she practiced coloring, listening to stories, play therapy, flash cards, recess, lunch time(her favorite-she loves to eat), and new signs for better communication. The good thing is that she will in addition to school work she will learn activities of daily living activities. When a chid comes from total isolation from living on basically one floor of a building every skill that we take for granted has to be learned. The other good news is that she has a one on one paraprofessional in addition to all the teachers. The staff is aware that she tries to engage, and they are very well prepared for redirection. The hardest challenge at home is just having the time to sit one on one and keep someone that doesn't crave learning to make them want to. After one month they will even have a special bus to pick her up so mom doesn't have to drive her to and from every day. Yeah!!!



Elijah went back to school after a week off after surgery. He is doing very well and we are so glad to have this behind us. He asked the urologist if he would have to repeat the circumcision every two years. Thank goodness, no way!! Everyone got a good laugh out of this. Comparing his first day of school to hers is totally different. Elijah is very eager to learn and can't take in enough. He always strives to do better and more. The difference was Elijah had a very loving foster family in China for 5 1/2 years as compared to probable street life for 3 years with Sneha and then orphanage life. The pieces of Sneha's life and past trauma come out in bits her and there. My heart breaks for her loss and sadness. Eventually God will heal her hurt as he has healed Elijah's broken heart. The Lord answers our prayers and hears our cries!



“In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”- Psalm 118:5-6