The Big Transition

The big transition is final. Of course you have no idea what I am talking about, but let’s just say after several months of worrying it’s a done deal. It’s one of those things that you hear other parents talk about, stress about and complain about…it seems that it never works out to their liking (for the most part), or it is just downright brutal and a fight.

That’s what happens with other people. Not Ivey.

Ivey’s first IEP is official. She transitioned out of Babies Can’t Wait, thank you Ms. Becky, and merged into the Floyd County School System with a perfect landing.

If you are unfamiliar with IEP’s – go here:
www.parenttoparentofga.org/roadmap/education/educationplacement.htm

Transition is a tough process. Trust me on this one; we have done a lot of transitioning in the past three years. When Babies Can’t Wait came into our home after Ivey’s birth – there was some serious transitioning. To start with, I sat in a room full of very caring people who asked questions, gave information and evaluated my baby girl. Overwhelming doesn’t even begin to cover it. And when all was said and done the obvious was stated…she was blind, hearing impaired, could not eat, was physically challenged, and mentally challenged. The hardest part of that initial meeting was having them ‘grade’ her and compare her to some ‘standard’ for ‘normal’ children. All I remember was me wanting them to leave.

Over the three years with Babies Can’t Wait, those same women who sat in the floor of Ivey’s room that day became my friends, our family’s support and Ivey’s strongest advocates. They got the bird’s eye view of our home from inside the walls. They have witnessed many of Ivey’s truly amazing feats because they are partly responsible for her success in this world. They have cheered her on as active participants, not just the easy seats on the sidelines. Some of them even got to see me every week first thing in the morning with bed head and no coffee. So I want to thank everyone who has touched Ivey’s life through Babies Can’t Wait. You are all special angels helping special little people!

As for the new Transition in our school system, it was not quite as traumatic as the first. I know Ivey and her strengths as well as her weaknesses. A score on a piece of paper means nothing to me now. Oh, it still bares a sting, but not the punch it used to. It is what it is and must be done as part of the process. The members of the school’s transitioning team saw through those numbers too.

I can’t wait to see how Ivey blossoms this next year. Floyd County has done an excellent job to ensure a smooth transition with Ivey. So this next year Ivey is set. She will still be at First Baptist and she will attend McHenry. She will get the best of both worlds. She will have two great people working with her in class (whom I can’t wait to work with), alongside her teachers. She will be working on signing and Braille with vision and hearing teachers, there will be a little OT, PT and SLP – along with other whistles and bells. Looks like a good year for Ivey!

So thank you to everyone in Babies Can’t Wait – you did an excellent job preparing Ivey for this day. Thank you to everyone we have worked with in the Floyd County system, especially Juli, this has been such a good and exciting time for us – I can’t begin to tell you how worried we were in the beginning. And a very special thank you to Ms. Lynn, I could not have gotten through this without you!!! You are an exceptional person.

You know Ivey has really taught me so much over the past few years. I feel like I walk around in a world of metaphors. This new transition I am sure will teach me so much, but I do hope that it will still be a learning experience for us all. To be so small, Ivey has so many life lessons to teach. She truly is a miracle, and whatever her true purpose of this Earth is, I am certain that God knew just what he was doing when he put her here in our lives, and now in your lives. When you were all in my home I hope you noticed that I like butterflies. Butterflies remind me of Ivey and the quote that says, “There is nothing in a caterpillar that says it will become a butterfly.” Ivey is much like that caterpillar – we don’t know her future and there is nothing spelled out saying what that future will be, but in only a few short years she has developed into a beautiful little girl with so much potential. Potential that was not quite so evident at first. Now you have the opportunity to cultivate that potential.

How wonderful is that?

Ms. Mary working with Ivey. Ivey loves this crazy thing on her head. Honestly, Ivey really likes the craziest textures. Ms. Mary will work with Ivey at FBPS next year.

Maybe now I can get back to blogging....Got some great stuff...