Monday, April 13, 2009

First Day of School!!!

Dear Owen,

Today was your first day of school. It was a very emotional day for me, full of feelings of all kinds. I cried the entire drive there. I was worried that you would be frightened, I was worried you would think you weren't coming back home, I was worried that the day would be too long for you. But most of all I was overcome by the significance of this day. This day, it was the day I worked so long and hard for. It was the day that represented the culmination of everything I wanted to give you. We gave you a family, we gave you love, and we gave you the comfort of all your basic needs being met. Today was the beginning of new hope. It was the beginning of you receiving all the help you need so that you can reach you fullest potential. It was a silent promise fulfilled....a promise to your birth mother....a promise that I would give you everything I could, a promise that I would not only love you, but get you the help you need to make the most of your life. I would give you the life she couldn't give you, and make her sacrifice worth the pain of letting you go. Now, you have your wings, and I am going to love watching you fly.


Love, Mama


Today our little guy started school. He did GREAT!! I decided it would be best if I drove him there and let him take the bus home. We arrived at the school a little early and were greeted by his teacher. She brought us back to his classroom and Owen immediately began to play with some toys. There are only 4 kids in his class! There is also an aide in the room with the teacher. Looks like he'll be getting a lot of attention!! I was very comforted by the fact that his teacher is also an adoptive mom. I knew he was in good hands and with someone who would be very sensitive to the life Owen lived before we brought him home. What a blessing. In addition to getting a wonderful teacher, he also ended up with Speech Pathologist I was hoping he would have. I heard wonderful things about her and I was really hoping that he'd end up in her caring and knowledgeable hands.


The day seems to have gone pretty smoothly. I received a phone call at lunch time from his teacher saying that he was doing well. Later, when he arrived home, there was a note from her saying that the rest of the day went well and he had a great first day. The only issue he had was that he would not let them take out his hearing aids at nap time! I laughed, thinking what must have been going through his mind. He loves his hearing aids, so I can see him not handing them over to someone he barely knows!


I worried about his bus ride home and couldn't wait for him to get here so that he could see that home was the buses destination! I can't even think about how frightened he probably was not knowing where he was going. I felt terrible that there was no way to communicate to him that he would be going to school, and then later, coming back home. He got off the bus looking a little tired from his long stressful day--nothing a little Easter candy couldn't fix!! He perked up in no time! In his backpack was his notebook, filled with pictures of all the things he did throughout the day. His big smile in the pictures was definitely a comfort :) I am so grateful that we have access to such a wonderful school for him. There are so many hearing impaired children who don't live close enough to a school for the deaf and don't get such an opportunity. I know this is a wonderful place for him :)

All ready to go!




Owen's classroom
He looks very comfortable!
Here comes the bus!
He's home :)






Ella, who decided the house was so quiet she'd just stay in he P.J.'s and relax all day, was very happy to see Little Brother when he finally got home!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

He's come such a long way & it's only the beginning.
Laura

Lisa said...

I am so glad that Owen had a great first 2 days. He is a trooper!!! and very cute too.
lol
lisa

Joanne said...

GREAT! I'm so happy he is doing so well ~ what a little man you have there :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting these beautiful entries. He is one lucky little guy, and truly amazing, too.
Joanne C.

Rebecca Lily said...

You must be SO proud of your sweet boy!! Look at how brave he was, going to school, on the BUS even!! What a precious little man. He does look very confidant and comfortable. And I love that panda backpack. :)

If you want a new family photo in your header, just email it over and I'll switch them pics out for you. :)

xo
Rebecca

Cheri said...

So glad I found your blog! We are adopting a little boy who is deaf also. He will be seven this coming January. How old is your son?

So glad Owen did great his first day of school. I too would be a mess. He is so handsome.

Melissa said...

Hi Cheri,

I tried to find your email address on your profile and blog, but couldn't. So I hop you come back and read this! Owen was three in March. Congratulations on your new son!!!

I think I'll go and leave a comments on your blog as well just in case you don't check back here!

Melissa