Are these in English?

This week the individual reports from Emily's IEP re-evaluation have started to come in the mail.   

Reading these reports are almost like reading another language. Most of the time as I read them I am like "huh?" but I always muddle through in order to see what I can glean.  

How different this is from Emily's first evaluation and the "diagnosis" of high functioning autism was made when she was 5.  I chose not to do any research on autism or read articles about it.  My main reason being that I knew I could make this into a bigger thing than it is. You know what I mean. How many times have we had an ache or a pain and decided to innocently look it up on the internet and by the time we are done we believe we have a life threatening disease. Knowledge is good but it can also lead us in a totally wrong direction. I also didn't do this because I knew God had blessed us with Emily exactly how she was and I didn't want to try and find "reasons" why this happened to her. God made her exactly the way He intended her to be for His glory. 

Five years later times have changed. My purpose for interpreting these reports is to not only try and confirm their findings with what we experience with Emily at home but also to prepare for what we want to make sure she receives for assistance in her new IEP/ISP. 

Of course the reports are filled with tests administered, rankings, averages, etc. and to be honest it can be a little disheartening to see on paper how your child struggles but it also shows me how great God is. 

Emily has received such excellent assistance to date and even though she struggles she tries so hard to do her best and her grades have continually showed it.

A main area of struggle for Emily is her expressive speech but I have to tell you it doesn't defeat her.  As a matter of fact in her English class, they have been learning the steps to writing.  Do you know that she has decided to write a book, "McKenna and the Haunted House"? This is a girl who has difficulty forming structured sentences verbally and in written for yet she wants to write a book. Clearly she doesn't know or care what the reports say. 

As I read these reports, I get the academia of them, the ranking but I know the spirit of my daughter and I know that although things can be hard to express for her and maybe socially she can't always hold a conversation the people that do get to know her are going to have a loyal and loving and oh so creative friend.

Last week I had the opportunity to speak with the Region V Speech/Language Consultant for the school after she observed Emily in gym class. She had told me how Emily was doing some beautiful pirouettes and how she has such a connection with how her body moved in the motion.  The consultant also mentioned how she has heard of Emily's drawings and interest in design. Then she said something to me that has stayed with me and is my new thinking. She expressed how Emily is a twice exceptional child. What I took from her explanation is that Emily is an exception due to her learning disability but she is also an exception due to her creative side - twice exceptional.  She also advised to pour our efforts into those areas Emily excels so she can have confidence and fulfillment in those and that will carry over into the areas she struggles. It was one of the most positive conversations I've had with a learning specialist and I'm thankful for all the insight she gave me.

More reports will come, more will need to be deciphered but in the end when we come together to put a program into place for Emily I know the most important person is going before us and that is God. I know He will provided for Emily in a way that will bring Him the most glory. I also know that He will be with Dave and me, the principal and her teacher as we all desire the best for Emily.