A Diagnosis

Isn't that just the sweetest face???  OK, so maybe I am just a tad bit biased.  Of course I do think there are several other people that would agree with me.  I took this picture last week when we went to Zoo Atlanta for a Ellis Institute of Higher Learning field trip.  We had a great time.  Who doesn't have fun at the zoo????

I just love this little girl. I'm so thankful God has given her to us.
As the lead (and only) teacher at Ellis Institute for Higher Learning (aka our homeschool), Rebekah and I were struggling in school.  We spent so much of our 'school' time frustrated at each other and at the work.  I thought a lot of it is because of all the stress and changes going on in our lives right now, her stubbornness, my stubbornness, or her just being strong-willed or lazy.  I was ready to put her on that big yellow bus and let the "professionals" have a crack at her.  Instead I started praying and researching. I looked at different curricula.  I read blogs, learned about right-brain learning, and even started investigating ADD.  I tried vitamin supplements.  We worked harder.  Nothing was working.  I was at my wits end.  I cried out to my Heavenly Father asking and pleading for understanding and help.  He's so faithful. He began showing me the term "dyslexia".

Cotton picked at the William Harris House

This week we took her to a private Educational Consultant to have her tested.  I sat there as my baby struggled to read and write words.  The only relief for me was that she was doing this for someone else.  It wasn't just for Mommy!  Then came the consultation after all the testing was over.  Bekah was dyslexic- at this point not a surprise to me.  But the next part was a surprise.  She wasn't just dyslexic, but she was severely dyslexic.  That threw me for a loop.  I'm not sure why because I had seen her struggle so much. Finally, I had an answer to all of her struggles! Of course that meant now we had to figure out what to do with all of this information.  What's our next step?  How do we help her, so she can become all that God created her to be?

Of course we have a bit of a time constraint right now.  In just two months we will be on our way to Papua New Guinea.  In just about 5 weeks, we will be leaving Atlanta to spend our last couple of weeks in Florida with family.  Not to mention we still have to pack, move, say goodbye, and finish our support team. Don't forget that this also tends to be the busiest time of year for anyone with the holidays rapidly approaching!  STRESS!!!!  I'm learning that if I'm not in the Word of our Father daily and moment by moment surrendering each one of these impossibilities to Him, I become completely overwhelmed by all that I feel is on me.

My fashionista! 

I am so thankful we serve a God who is sovereign and none of this is a surprise to Him! He reminded me that He alone knit Bekah together when she was in my womb and knew each and everyone of her days before I even knew she was to be the newest addition to our family.  (Psalm 139)  He has plans for her that are great and beyond anything I can imagine. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)  What an encouragement!!!

One of the great things he had already orchestrated was private sessions with an educational consultant that specializes with kids with dyslexia and special needs.  We aren't just taking her to classes and leaving her, but I will be in the sessions.  I'll be able to learn new techniques to help Bekah be successful in school and in life!  I will get lessons, too! We are able to do some intense sessions between now and when we leave.  Only God could orchestrate this!  It's not a coincidence!

Admittedly the practical side of me thinks I'm a bit nuts trying to do three hour sessions twice a week for the next 5 weeks while I'm trying to pack, move, rent out our house, and everything else.  We have seen God prove Himself faithful time and time again during our life.  He immediately reminded me He will provided for ALL of my needs through His riches in Christ Jesus.  (Phil 4:19).

She was sleeping holding her baby doll as we drove home.

We are so grateful that we were able to catch this early.  So many kids go undiagnosed or aren't diagnosed with dyslexia until they are older and their self-confidence is almost destroyed.  Bekah was beginning to get to the point of where she wasn't liking school because it was too hard.  She was ready to just give up, at least inside.  Does she understand what all of this means?  I'm not sure.  We pray that God will give her the amount of understanding she needs now.  She will begin classes next week (yes, the week of Thanksgiving) that are going to "help make reading and math easier for her to learn."  I'm excited!  She's not quite sure what to think.

We covet your prayers during this time.  It is going to be a tough five weeks for all of us.  Please pray for us to have patience, wisdom, and to be able to discern our priorities over the next few weeks.  Sometimes we get so overwhelmed that we get our priorities out of order.  I would really like to just crawl up with some good books on dyslexia and learn all I can, but I know that I also have to balance doing school with Andrew, packing, saying goodbye, field trips, selling our furniture, shipping our items, renting out our house, and everything else that is going on.

If you see me on the verge of tears, please understand.  These are tears of joy, relief, and excitement to see what God is going to do in our family.  We thought we had seen so many miracles and times of His provision.  Apparently we get to see more!  That is exciting!