Preschool

Ive been waiting to blog until it was closer to school being out.  With this blog being about our family, it seems right to tell you about some amazing teachers in our lives.  So over the next few days I'm going to highlight a few of them.

It doesn't seem right to start anywhere then with Preschool.  We have been so fortunate to have had all three boys attend preschool at SHES.  It was just before Jonathan's 4th birthday that we learned they even had a preschool.  At this same time we changed pediatricians because our Dr. said nothing was wrong with Jonathan's ears and at a preschool screening we learned they were showing fluid.  After a 2nd opinion we learned his ears were about blown because they were so bad.  We knew he had a speech delay but had no idea his ears were the source.  That was how we started our relationship with the preschool staff.  Jonathan went 4 days a week to school and received speech services there as well.  Tracie was able to help him more than I was and could at home.

This was his very first day.  First day to ride a bus, first day to go to school.  If he was scared he didn't show it.  Jonathan learned so much in that one year.  By the end of that year we knew we had struck it good.  How lucky were we to find such an amazing teacher.  

The next year, we took Noah to the screening.  We had gotten his ears checked at the same time as Jonathan's because he wasn't talking as clear as he should either.  So with his speech delay he was going to start SHES preschool as well.  Only Noah was a little luckier  He was able to go for 2 years.  By the end of those 2 years, Noah graduated from all extra services at school.  

(Noah's first official day of Preschool.  He was so excited to get to go and be in Jonathan's old room and have the same teacher.  And he did great!)

We had 1 year with no kids preschool age and along came Caleb.  Most of you know his tendancies but probably none better than Tracie and her staff, Melissa and Liz.  The first week was solid tears and crying.  He wouldn't get on the bus so I had to take him and pick him up each day. The tears finally subsided and he would just hold onto me for dear life. Then he got brave enough to walk in with his brothers.  They were able to go in the same door and that really helped him out.  After preschool the bus brought him home and eventually we got to the point that the bus could take him to school as well.  Caleb doesn't handle change well and he really misses his Tracie on fridays when they don't have preschool.  He is always counting down the weekends to when he will get to see her again.  There have even been a few arguments between Caleb and I and some of them he won with the statement, "But Tracie said..." :)  

Jonathan and Noah being good big brothers and holding Calebs hand.

 Not quite sure about preschool and wasn't about to give a good smile.

(Caleb's 2nd day)

She has loved my three boys as her own and I am forever grateful to have found her and blessed enough for my children to attend her class.  While I am looking forward to the future for each one of the boys, I am saddened that this milestone, preschool, is leaving us.