Our little 5 year old.

5 years old.  Lucia turned 5 years old on April 26th.  We celebrated a few times, the first being with her preschool class on the 25th. We asked our good friend ole Shayla Shell to bring in her hedgehog, Mr. Ogglesby to Lucia's class and she didn't hesitate-Shaaaaay-la!   The kids loved checking out Mr. O while eating some birthday cake.

The next day, on her actual birthday, Lucia played hookie and the girls and I spent the day at the Nature and Science Museum.  We played, explored and ate some delish chocolate from the chocolate exhibit-I LOVE chocolate and Scout definitely does too, Lubird is still questionable.  

That night our little family went to a jazz bar for dinner and to give our girl something she seems to love- LIVE music!  It was a really great day and most importantly Lucia had fun!

Next on the agenda... her usual giant birthday bash.  We planned and reserved to have it at our neighborhood park but with a few feet of snow we postponed and postponed...and finally on our 3rd attempt it was a cold, cloudy Saturday, but we set up tents, a grill and treats but then came the rain- so we tore down and ended up celebrating right at home.   Thank you to everyone who came over and celebrated our girl!

A moment at the chilly park-all cute treats and decor by my mom!

the grandmas and their lucia

Turning 5 means big changes....Kindergarten!  This was not the easiest process for our family but in the end, as of yesterday, we are excited about Lucia's next year ahead.  After several school meetings, assessments and reviews, Lu has been placed at a school called DCIS at Fairmont in a MI-S labeled class for Multi-Intensive-Severe students...for the most affected kids.  There are only a few in Denver and just writing this again reminds me how truly different and severely affected our Lu is.  I visited many schools in the past few months and really loved how this teacher and her assistants/paraprofessionals interacted with the students including dancing, singing, teaching and lots of love.  PLUS the teacher brings in her sweet service dog, a yellow lab, to class almost every day for the kids.  I can't believe our little bird will be going to school all day, every day...sniff sniff.  I'm really excited for her and for us to get to know her classmates-probably about 10 of them.

Her new teacher and service dog!

You know what,  I'm just sitting here thinking about this process. For the last 4-6 months I have been looking at schools-many options as "all kids have the right to a free and appropriate education".  I narrowed it down to 2 schools (the school team strongly suggested she be placed in a MI-S class - so I looked at those and some others). I was back and forth on so many thoughts...Fairmont seemed to have a wonderful MI-S program but it's far from our house- 30-60 minutes by bus.  Then Jason and I looked at what seemed to be a far fetched option- our neighborhood school Carson-just 5 blocks away.  We were set on this for the past 3 weeks and hoped to convince the school district the same.  We wanted Lucia to attend the typical kindergarten (they don't have a MI or MI-S there), with typical peers and receive her therapies throughout the day..  She would be with 30 kids and be included, as much as she could, with all they were doing...reading, writing and other things kindergartners do...way more than i did back eons ago in kindergarten.  Anyway, we wanted her to be a part of our community and know her neighborhood peers and them to know her.   I was totally consumed about this decision/tormented as Jason would say. I tried to weigh the pros and cons, day in and day out.  I would wake up in the morning- having dreamt about her school choice that night- for the last month or more!  I asked for feedback from other PKS parents, and I talked to both schools again and again.  Just last week I couldn't handle it, I was in tears, tears I could not control.  I honestly did not know what was best for my bird and I was sad that it had to be so hard and different for her.  How could I not know my gut feeling?!  I felt so lame, it was not supposed to be this way!  My parents had come to town for Lucia's birthday (as they do every year)  and my dad had happened to come over this day to help me with some house stuff.  I broke down to him, as I couldn't shake my emotions, and told him about my hopes and fears for Lu and her school-and how I was so uncertain of what to advocate for.  He asked some questions and then he simply said, "well you know what, we need to pray about this".   Within a couple days I knew what I wanted to do.  Oh MY GOD, I prayed about it and this was the FIRST time I felt certain about my decision.  Dad.  Thank you Dad.  Thank you God. Sometimes the most obvious things I need to pray for, I guess I sometimes don't.

A five year old little bird is flying across town for her new class.  Now Uncle Denny,  I would love to continue to tell you stories about Lucia's new class and schools and life,  for many years to come.  I pray for you and pray this brain cancer will be beat.  If you are reading this please include my dad's brother, Denny in your prayers.  He is one of the most faithful people I know.

To Fairmont Elementary, to Lu, to my dad, to my Uncle Denny and to God. We toast you.