Wednesday night, Andy was closing up The Sports Authority and something was wrong with the alarm system. They couldn't get anyone to fix it till the next morning; which meant Andy could not leave the store until it was working. So he got to pull out the cots and sleeping bags and have a sleepover in the store. Since he was there all night he didn't have to go into work on Thursday-and this gave me an opportunity to substitute.
I got to go to the special ed preschool and it was so much fun being back in with those kids that I love teaching so much! I think Andy really enjoyed his day with our kids as well. They played games, watched a movie, and they all even had a nap. (Something that never happens to me!) After Subbing it was visiting teaching then an enrichment meeting and then to Andy's basketball game.
Friday morning I got the opportunity to go sub again. This time in the severe special ed class at an elementary school. I got to take a girl that was unable to speak or to really control her body to her regular 4th grade class. Every second I was with her I realized how incredible independent and intelligent this little girl was. She would sign to me and if I didn't understand she would kind of act it out in a way that I would. I opened the door to the library for her and she immediately closed it and then worked very hard to open it herself and then hold it open for me to walk through it.
In the class they were reading scripts and acting out plays. I loved how the teacher included her and gave her a part even though most people would think it was something she couldn't do. I kind of kept my distance and let the little girl blend in with her class without me standing right next to her. At one point she was kind of stretching which doesn't look like normal stretching, more like flailing arms. The boys next to her kind of scooted further away and were snickering. Just then a girl got up from a group of her friends and sat next to this little girl, put her arm around her and said "can I sit by you." And then continued to talk to her and to laugh at the play together. I felt like an idiot because I almost started crying right then and there. I was only in this class for half a day, but saw so many wonderful things and enjoyed every minute!
I have such love for these special little spirits that come in these not so perfect bodies. I think these special kids are so good they are not here to be tested, they have already passed, they are just here to test us.
I hope so much that someday that will be Maddie in her elementary class that gets up from her giggling friends and makes life a little bit easier on these special spirits!
Just some pictures from today-
Maddie licking the beater after making cookies-
Maddie taught Garen how to climb into his crib (nothing good can come of this new skill!)-
4 comments:
That is such a sweet story Em. Thanks for sharing that. That seems to be so true, that they are here to test us. Maddi is such a sweet girl, with such a sweet sweet mom and dad, I know that will be her in that class someday! That picture of Maddi licking the batter off looks so much like you, I thought it was after a glimpse of the pic, then I noticed you weren't that small :0). Garen and Maddi are getting so big!!
That is such a cute story!! I told it in my primary class today because we talked about how everyone is a child of God no matter what they look like. It was the one time during the listen where all the kids were really looking at me and listening. So thanks for sharing that story.
I think I taught the same lesson that Sara did in primary today. I wish I would have read your blog last night, so I could have used that story too. Thanks for sharing. What a great story.
-Jen
Dad and I were really touched by your experience in the school. After working for five years with special needs children in kindergarten, I would come home and feel that I was working with angels each day. So when the hectic days unfold with your own children, you can think of these extra challenges those families have and it is easier to handle your own set of daily difficulties. You are right about the test in this life being our treatment of those who appear to imperfect, but in the eternal sense are more perfect than we are in spirit.
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