My Top 7 Bible Passages to Remember When it's IEP Time ~ Guest Blogging Day

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens...

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

It's time for our daughter to transition to middle school.  More so than moving from Wisconsin to Nevada, this transition is taxing on my mental state.  I mean, I'm a substitute teacher, and I SEE the difference between elementary and middle school every day!!!  So, the fact that God has me simmering on some very comforting verses at THIS particular time has been quite helpful and has kept me CLINGING TO his promises.

Here, in no particular order, are my favorite pieces of scripture to remind me of God's love and faithfulness during IEP season and times of transition...

Continue Reading on Comfort in the Midst of Chaos...

What is YOUR Quest? ~ Guest Blogging Day

What is more, I consider everything a loss 

because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.   

I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, 

but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.  

 Phil 3: 8-9 NIV

I'm not sure if you've ever watched the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but one of my favorite parts is when they are trying to cross a bridge and there is a man drilling them with questions before they are allowed to pass.  The man standing guard always asks the person who is attempting to cross the bridge, "What is your quest?"

As parents of children with special needs, we may find ourselves engaged in a daily battle to determine our QUEST, or our PURPOSE in life.  I know that I do!  

I look at ALL there is to do around me…all of the “causes” for which I need to fight; the IEP meetings to attend, the support groups to connect with, the doctors appointments to schedule AND keep, the family and friends who need me and I them!  

Continue Reading on Comfort in the Midst of Chaos...

Sending Her Out into the World

Something I have been considering as we prepare for our relocation to Reno has been schools.  Obviously, having a child with disabilities creates a little bit more anxiety when we look at schools; how will the teachers respond to Evie?  How will the students respond?  How inclusive are the schools in Nevada? 

Then, I started getting bombarded with information about home-schooling.  I had always thought I COULDN'T home-school because Evie would lose the services that she needed like Braille and Orientation and Mobility.  However, I found out that here in WI, you can home-school your children with disabilities and the school district still will do an IEP for them (Individual Education Plan) as well as provide the services written into that plan.  Hmmmm....I started to think, 

"Maybe, just maybe..."

I also read a story written by a mother about home-schooling her daughter who was blind and had Cerebral Palsy.  I recall feeling the mother was brave, and innovative, and passionate about what she wanted for her daughter.  I thought, 

"I could do that..."

However, I then started to receive, in response to our announcement that we were going to move, the e-mails from teachers, therapists, and parents of Evie's school-mates.  I realized what a blessing Evie is to so many people.  I know she's cute, she's fun, she's always smiling at school.  I know she's inspiring.  But, I guess that actually feeling the sadness that these people expressed about "losing" their daily dose of "Evie"...that was very powerful to me.

Is it selfish of me to take that opportunity away from those who she would meet in Reno? 

I'm scared to put Evie out there. I'm scared to see her anxiety at attending a new school, meeting new people, learning new routes, and new curriculum.  I know we will have LOTS AND LOTS of tears.  I'm scared to find out that the world might not be as welcoming to Evie and her differences because they haven't known her for 6 years as her classmates have.  

But, do you see that word that just re-occurred over and over again in the previous paragraph?   

Scared.  Scared.  Scared.

Then God speaks to me through his word...

You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4

What have I to fear?  God is so great inside of Evie; God is great inside of me and Jeff.  God is greater than anything in this world.  What have we to fear?

I'm not completely ruling out home-school.  I won't shut and lock that door.  But, I have come to realize that God is moving us to Reno for a reason, and part of that reason may be that there are people there who need a daily dose of Evie.  And, Evie will need a daily dose of them! 

So, I'll be "strong and courageous" just as God has commanded me to be, and I will send our little girl out into the world to show everyone her brave, beautiful, shining face.