Mixed Nuts: Trying to Understand

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Trying to Understand

Today - is Chinese New Year. Gong Xi Fa Cai in Mandarin, and Gong Hey Fat Choy in Cantonese.

This is our 3rd Chinese New Year with Cainan. I cannot believe he has been home for almost 4 years!

As many of you know, Cainan has not had an easy time with learning. He struggles on a daily basis with his speech, his ability to understand questions, and his ability to follow a conversation.

To say it is frustrating for all of us would be putting it mildly. Cainan has a hard time remembering things from minute to minute, let alone day to day. It took us almost a whole year to teach him the alphabet.

He doesn't always answer questions correctly - basic things he should know the answer to. He loses his focus easily and can't remember what we asked him to do.

What does all of this mean? We aren't sure. That is what we are trying to understand. Mat and I feel at a loss of how to help him. He was in Birth to Three, but missed being in special education from ages 3-5 by 2 points. 2. We have spent the last year and a half trying our best to help him.

But we just don't know what else to do at this point. I am actually very glad he will be starting Kindergarten soon, so that he can get the help he needs to succeed. But Mat and I also wish we had more strategies to understand how to help him be more successful.

Cainan is the sweetest, most loving kid. He can be extremely funny and insightful at times. Tonight I caught him singing "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" after his bath. It was the cutest thing ever. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful kid.

But with all of our worries with Finley, I just don't want Cainan's needs to get looked over. With he and Finley both going to Kindergarten next year, and the school so worried about Finley, I need them to take a look at Cainan too.

Our little man is so special. When I think about how great the last 3 1/2 years with him have been, I can't imagine not having him in our lives. As his mom, I want the best for him. I want to make his life as easy as possible. But it is a challenge, and we are still a work in progress.

Cainan - happy Chinese New Year little man. We love you more than words can say.