First day of school

Lucia started at the Anchor Center, a school for blind and visually impaired young children, on Wednesday.  It was very special and exciting!   Our little Light has lots of lights to look at, many objects to feel, and lots of new friends to share the experiences with.  The Anchor Center is remarkably less than 2 miles from our house, and I've driven past it several times in that last few years.  I remember thinking how neat, beautiful actually, the school looked.  I don't imagine that I hoped to have the need to go there, but I do remember thinking that it seemed like a very special place.  I had the urge to visit it someday and see what went on inside...  Going there on Monday for Lu's evaluation, it felt right.  I felt like we were just where we were intended.  I felt at ease and truly excited for my daughter and the road she was about to embark at the Anchor Center.
The infant program (age 2 and under) is Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:30-11AM and we are free to go as much as we like!  Wednesday was our first day and we learned quite a bit.  We learned how to hold her little hand on ours to introduce new objects, where we can go if we need to feed or rest, who teaches what and in which rooms, and we learned about other newly enrolled babies and a bit about their story.  One little boy has a syndrome with chromosome 13, another boy has hydrocephalus (water on the brain), and another, a little girl, was born prematurely at just 26 weeks and has brain damage from bleeding on her brain.  It was beyond sad to hear just a little of her condition.  Days of not sleeping, only crying for 4-5 days.  4-5 days straight, and the mom not knowing why.., being a single parent, young, alone and desperate.    I felt so lucky to have our little Lu looking around, moving her arms and legs, sharing her little noises...so blessed.
I hope and pray, so much, that Lucia will be stimulated and inspired by the Anchor Center, and I think she will.  I hope the same for the other children there, especially that little girl.  As a parent you will do anything, anything possible to give your child the world...and when you feel helpless, I can't imagine a worse feeling.  Maybe with all the help and support we've been given with Lucia we can help that mom in some way, even a small way of some kind...we'll get to know the families more each week.  We're so grateful for the Anchor Center, our proximity is truly a mighty blessing, and I feel that they make dreams come true.  Even if those dreams are just to teach your child to reach, or hold an object, or communicate , or not to be upset, or smile...having your child light up with happiness is the best feeling in the world.  The Center is there for those reasons and the women that work there exude happiness and love.

Little Lu in the 'little room'

little room with a little bird

some of her little classmates and their moms

manuel and lu

lubird reflecting on her first day of school!

Thank you Mike and Nicole Raiff for your generous donation to PKS Kids!!! Thank you Marvin Fete for purchasing another Lucia Light T, thank you Truly McCabe for new pj's, thank you mom for Lubirds' beautiful new blanket, and thank you Anchor Center for being there to help children find their light!  We can't wait to go back next week..