Our sweet little Kimi started SCHOOL yesterday! Kimi is officially in Kindergarten! Yes, she is already six and a year older than her classmates; and, yes, she has an IEP and, yes, she is behind the other children in her class, developmentally...but SHE IS IN SCHOOL! Just two years ago, Kimi couldn't talk, couldn't walk - and didn't even know how to eat normally, due to being left in a crib in the "baby room" in a Chinese orphanage her entire life until February 21, 2011 - the day her life, and ours, changed forever! But yesterday, she walked into her classroom, backpack on her back, carrying her lunchbag, sat down in her little chair at a table with other children and said, "Bye, Mommy!" It was almost impossible to hold back the tears - not because she is a "Kindergartener" and growing up, but because she is a KINDERGARTENER!!!! I have to admit - when we were in China, and saw our little daughter, so detached, deathly afraid of bathing, drinking baby bottles straight down without coming up for air in about two minutes flat, unable to eat normal food, scratching what was left of her nails on dolls' eyes and water bottles held close to her face while chewing on her tongue, I knew we had our work cut out for us. But I knew in my heart that she was "in there", and said so. I also serve a BIG God! And He is the one Who orchestrated her joining our family. I knew then, and I know now that He has big plans for her, that could only be accomplished by placing her in our family! What a blessing she is!
And, yesterday, she sat with her peers... in a regular classroom! Praise God!
