Sallie, School, and Daddy

From our special guest blogger: DADDY!

First of all I want to say that Sallie is loving school and that is such a blessing for us to see. She is learning and enjoying her days. She loves to go to school. I know that Cameron has already told you all that, so why am I writing this? Well, I have a perspective that is a little different. I am usually the one who takes the girls to school and then picks them up in the afternoon. I have always been scared of what would happen with Sallie in school. The first day I walked into the school in Fort Worth I knew I would never be able to leave her in something like that. Here it has been good from the start and though it was and still is hard I feel good about leaving her.

MORNINGS

In Sallie’s school they are able to go to their class at 7:50. I wait until that time to take her to her class so she does not have to go sit in the lunchroom. Her teacher wants to work toward her getting out of the car and then going to her class like most of the other students in her grade. At first I thought that would be great as well, but I am beginning to change my mind. It is not because Sallie is unable, I know she is. The first days I walked her into her class. After this I began to walk her to her door, and after this I began to walk her to the hallway and let her go. I cried the whole way home the first day I stopped at the corner and she did not look back until she got to her door. She turned, saw me watching, smiled, waved, and went into her class just like everyone else. The reason Sallie will not walk from the car to her class is because though she is able to handle it, I am NOT. I could stop at the door now and she would smile and wave goodbye, but that is not about to happen. I know she is safe, but I am not about to stop watching her all the way down her hallway as long as she will allow me to. Pray for me that she will continue to let me because I am not sure how Daddy would do if she did not.

AFTERNOONS

Since Sallie was born we have wanted her to be like and to be treated like other people. The fact is that she is different and we must realize how special she is. She acts different but that is who she is and we love her for it. On the first day of school when we picked her up she came out of the building, screamed, and ran out to me and gave me a big hug. Needless to say it did not look like any other kid coming out of school that day. She was so excited to see me and she let me know. At first I was scared that she would be looked at differently and she was, but it seems it is not in a bad way. Sallie has become a celebrity and everyone wants to tell her bye and to play with her. We have always said you could not meet Sallie and not fall in love with her wonderful attitude and spirit. The other day as she went through her daily routine of running to her daddy and giving me a great big hug where she picks up her feet off the ground and then kisses me I was thrilled.( It took me only a couple of times before I looked forward to that hug and seeing her run to me.) As I looked around I saw parents looking at us and instead of talking about it being strange or making fun I realized they were jealous. You do not know how many times I have prayed for Sallie to be “normal”. God thank you for ignoring me and doing what was best for you and my family. If she was “normal” then I would not be getting those hugs that I look so forward to, and I would not see other parents looking at me wishing they could have those hugs from their kids.

I am sorry for not being satisfied with what God has blessed me with. She is mine and I would not change her. She may be different and I may hold on more than she even wants sometimes, but she will always be her daddy’s little girl. So if they are looking because they are jealous or because they are being mean as I know will come I will proudly stand there and take my hug from may Sal.