Here is the surprise I promised many weeks ago but I had to ask my mom first. My mom and I wrote an article, hoping to get it published in the christian magazine "Guideposts." Thus far we have not been successful but we are proud of our work. We wrote it in the Summer of 2010 and titled it, "Pass it on." Please read it and leave me a comment with your honest opinion. Hope you enjoy it.
1981 - Susan (my mom): I couldn't believe I was sitting in a full blown staffing for my verbal, strong-willed, delightful seven year old. I was a trained special education teacher, so I was familiar with the educational vocabulary, which should have helped. But it didn't. It wasn't like Amy's first grade teacher hadn't warned me that she was having trouble learning, especially in math, but to be confronted by five professional educators, in one capacity or another, all there to try to help my daughter was more daunting than comforting. I started praying......2008 - Amy: Jay, my high energy little boy, began struggling with learning in first grade. I wasn't fully aware of his deficits until one day early in the school year when I volunteered in his first grade class and had the opportunity to hear other children reading. I was stunned to hear most of the other first graders reading with such fluency. After that day there was no denying Jay was struggling, and I knew, based on my own experiences, school would continue to be a challenge for him. I followed my mother's example and started praying.......
1987 - Susan: I am exhausted and sometimes I wonder if anything I am doing really helps. I just keep hoping it will get easier, not harder. How is it possible that Amy failed that history test? I work with her before every test, a habit we formed years ago. She knew the material backwards and forwards the night before the test and came home the next day with a smile, saying she knew she had earned an A. And then the test was returned with a D or an F, while her friends, who had barely cracked a book, came home with A's. On one occasion Amy disappointedly brought home a C on a test she had spent hours studying for. When I tried to make her feel better by telling her a C was an average score, she turned on me like a viper and hissed, "I don't want to be average!" 2009 - Amy: Jay started second grade with an enthusiastic teacher, but he had a rough start. One day as I was going through his school folder I discovered a note from his teacher informing parents the students would be participating in a math challenge. Math scores would be posted on a wall chart, hopefully showing individual steady improvement for each child. I was apprehensive, but I prayed Jay would be successful. Weeks went by and Jay's scores were not improving. I knew Jay felt like giving up. As his mother I felt his every disappointment. I finally understood how my mother felt during those tough elementary school years. I continued to pray daily for and with Jay. Slowly his scores improved.
1994 - Susan: Amy meets Mike, her "one and only" and my first impression is positive! By this time Amy is finishing up her second year of college. She started at a community college, and I think I got my message across - "It's not where you start that really counts, it's where you finish!" She was headed into a four-year university the following fall. And then Mike entered her world. Everything was great, except for one little concern in my "mother's heart." Mike had learning issues - I knew the minute I saw his writing. What if they got married and had children, especially boys, since data has proven boys have more learning problems than girls? A habit, long established, kicks in - I prayed.
2010 - Amy: I was working late one afternoon when my phone rang. It was Jay's second grade teacher. I knew Jay had a math test that day, but I was puzzled about why she was calling me. My husband, Mike, who is as patient as the day is long, had worked with Jay the night before. By the time they were done going over the material, both father and son were all smiles. They were confident Jay was prepared for the exam. Jay's teacher explained to me that when Jay had turned in his test he was certain he got an A. But when she checked it, he had missed every problem. My heart sank. I was very familiar with the overwhelming sense of frustration Jay felt when he learned he had failed the exam he was sure he had passed. At that moment I prayed my son wouldn't let this one incident overshadow all of his hard work, and I prayed the Lord would help me be the kind of mom to Jay that my mother was to me, my biggest fan and my greatest advocate.
1996 - Susan: As I watched Amy clicking across the atrium in her high heels and red dress at her new place of employment, my heart soared. She had landed a summer job, with a promise of a full time job with benefits after college graduation. I wanted to do a happy dance! God is so good, steady and true. The doors that Amy and I couldn't open, He did.
2010 - Amy: One evening Jay came home and announced there was going to be a talent show at school. He said he wanted to play his guitar. I didn't even think when I blurted out, "Well you're just not that good at it yet, Jay." I couldn't believe I had chosen my words so carelessly. Jay questioned himself constantly, and I had just made it worse by making him believe he wasn't any good at the guitar. My words stung him, and he ran to his room. I knew Jay had great potential with his guitar, but he hadn't had one single lesson. Once I talked with Jay about the meaning behind my words and I apologized, we agreed we would get him signed up for lessons. God has given Jay many gifts, and I'm learning through the school of hard knocks that it's good to find an outlet for him, something that doesn't pertain to school, that he can feel good about. When second grade came to an end, Jay was able to see the results of all his hard work. Mike and I sat in a conference room surrounded by his teacher, the principal, a social worker and his Title I teacher. I was soaking it all in, watching my eight year old boy detail his second grade accomplishments to all of us. I wasn't kidding myself. The challenges Jay faces are far from over, but it was a little piece of glory for him to bask in, and I was thankful.
2010 - Susan: Hard work is what it's all about; that and God. Amy and Mike have turned into two of the most outstanding - not even close to average - parents I know. I believe God has used their learning issues to make them even better parents and people, just as He promises in Romans 8:28, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose," the verse I have held on to through the good times and bad. God's word plus hard work - Passed on.
We go to the water park every year for Jay's birthday. This year was a little different because my sister wasn't able to go and then we had to put the trip off for Jay's finger to heal. I wish I could say we had a ball but the truth is, it was a big disappointment - for a variety of reasons. First off, Nick got sick around lunch time on Saturday. He spiked a fever. Then it was almost too cold to swim. If you were completely submerged in the water, you were fine but once you got out of the water, it was freezing. We only swam for about 1 1/2 hours - not nearly worth the money you spent to go. The picture above is of the boys next to the big, giant snowman in the lobby.
We were headed out for a nice dinner on Saturday night - as we felt like once we got some Motrin in Nick he'd be good to go - but on the drive to dinner he started crying and really complaining so we picked up Jimmy John's and ate in our hotel room - As you can see from the picture that once we got back to our room the Motrin kicked in and Nick was his old self.
Happy Birthday, Jay.......6 weeks later. Guess it's better late than never. 
You wouldn't know Nick was even sick from this picture. It was bizarre. He just ran a fever and that was it and all day today, he's been fine - of course (now that we aren't at the water park today). 
Daddy Giraffe had to join us on this trip. I was just glad Nick didn't insist that he come to the pool with us because trust me, he's been known to make an appearance at Nick's swim lessons - in his own seat.
We ate breakfast at Starved Rock this morning. It was really good and truthfully the only bright spot in the trip. Better luck next year! 
