Ellie: One Year Later

I wrote this post one year ago today. That was a tough thing to write. When I wrote that, we were still in a very hard place with Ellie. We had some hope, but I was skeptical. Daily life was still very unpredictable with our girl. I prayed, and I waited to BE AMAZED.

We started weekly OT (Occupational Therapy) right about the time I wrote that post. We continued it through the summer. Every week I learned something new. I learned how much her Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) affected every aspect of her life. I learned what a midline was, and why the fact that she couldn't cross hers, was very significant. I learned why she struggled with stairs, handwriting, crowds of people, clothes, noises, riding in the car, and much, much more.

She worked hard through the summer, and we started seeing the benefits of therapy after a couple of months. We learned a lot about our girl, and how her brain works. I wasn't AMAZED yet, but I was more and more hopeful. Ellie started second grade, and I was humbled and blessed that she was able to start OT at school, as well as continue with her private therapy. That's when the changes really started making themselves visible to me.

In one year she really has become a new child. She's been an Honor Role student, and, as her teacher said, an "Asset to her class"! We've recently gone to having our private OT every other week, and that's working out well. The plan is to continue that for a few more months, and she'll continue to receive OT at school for awhile.

On our Mini-Vacation, Ellie did awesome! I was so proud of her, she handled crowds, noises, car rides, like a pro! She was helpful, sweet, and happy most of the time. We had a couple of moments when she got a little overwhelmed, but she was able to get through it, which is amazing. A year ago I was dragging a kicking and screaming girl out of a restaurant, now she is able to talk to me, tell me what she needs, and as a result, calm herself down. WOW!

They were right, I have been AMAZED. Thank you God! My prayers have been answered, my fears have been dismissed. We've been blessed with an incredible teacher this year, and a school that acted quickly to help our girl. We were blessed with an extension from our insurance that allowed Ellie to continue her private therapy, which has been Wonderful. As I look back, I can see God's hand guiding us along, and clearing the path for us. I am so proud of Ellie's hard work. She's learning a lot about herself, and I know God will use these experiences of hers for something really AMAZING someday!

I can't wait to see how she grows in this next year! I am so excited to see what's next for our AMAZING girl!