After I picked sweetLove up from school, we turned on Sid the Science Kid...
they were talking about rainbows.
So...
"Why do sometimes it rains momma...
and the sun comes out...
but our rainbows don't come?"
I don't know love.
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I talked to my dad the other day.
He has started his sign language class.
He kind of started laughing a little and proceeded to tell me a story...
...sis, I listened to this lady as she proceeded to educate the class on the issue of parents with deaf children. They are lazy. They take the easy way out and implant their children instead of learning how to communicate with them through sign language.
...sis, I sat there and tried to talk myself out of saying anything but I just couldn't.
This is the part that cracked me up!
My dad is probably one of the most laid back men you will ever meet.
He's quiet.
People and opinions of others...don't phase him.
It is a quality I wish I had inherited.
So, when he told me he raised his hand I couldn't wait to hear what came out.
...sis I wasn't rude. I just told her that is not always the case. That my grandson was born deaf. My daughter and son-in-law have looked into cochlear implants and they are also learning to sign. Either way, it's a hard decision. But the reality is we live in a hearing world. Some opportunities will be limited to him if they choose not to follow-through with an implant. I have no doubt he will be successful regardless. But the one thing that my daughter keeps saying to me is...
"daddy, what if we choose not to implant him and down the road he asks us WHY DIDN'T YOU AT LEAST TRY?"
I can assure you...
making the decision to let a stranger drill a hole in my kids head,
and insert a foreign object...has not been an easy decision.
It is not "an easy way out."
Countless hours of therapy will be required.
It's not magic.
My son will not come out of surgery and just be able to hear.
We have to teach him to hear, to speak.
His brain has to be trained to understand an electrical signal.
Oh...and since my dad is in the class, learning to sign
obviously it is very important for us to learn to speak his language too.
Because it will be HIS language.
He is deaf.
We are giving him an opportunity to learn to hear and speak.
Maybe it works...maybe it doesn't.
But as parents, that is the best we can do right?
Give our kids opportunities.
Monday is the big day.
I am at peace with our decision.
I am fearful.
But, I am a mom.
I was in sweetLove's room this evening saying our prayers
and our littleLover walked in carrying his pillow pet.
He signed to us.
Bed.
I Love U.
Waved bye bye.
Blew us kisses.
Walked out of sissy's room and I watched as his shadowed turned into his bedroom.
I can't even imagine what his life will entail.
At 2 years old, his spirit is somewhat indescribable.
It's different.
Watching it unfold will be much like a rainbow that emerges after a soft rain.
You know..the one that you can barely see.
Until the sun shines a little brighter and then all of a sudden...
you can't miss it or control the smile that comes over your face!
And I will be able to explain to sweetLove that not everyone will see it.
To some it won't be visible.
But to our eyes...
it will be a remarkable reminder of God's promises!
I don't know love.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I talked to my dad the other day.
He has started his sign language class.
He kind of started laughing a little and proceeded to tell me a story...
...sis, I listened to this lady as she proceeded to educate the class on the issue of parents with deaf children. They are lazy. They take the easy way out and implant their children instead of learning how to communicate with them through sign language.
...sis, I sat there and tried to talk myself out of saying anything but I just couldn't.
This is the part that cracked me up!
My dad is probably one of the most laid back men you will ever meet.
He's quiet.
People and opinions of others...don't phase him.
It is a quality I wish I had inherited.
So, when he told me he raised his hand I couldn't wait to hear what came out.
...sis I wasn't rude. I just told her that is not always the case. That my grandson was born deaf. My daughter and son-in-law have looked into cochlear implants and they are also learning to sign. Either way, it's a hard decision. But the reality is we live in a hearing world. Some opportunities will be limited to him if they choose not to follow-through with an implant. I have no doubt he will be successful regardless. But the one thing that my daughter keeps saying to me is...
"daddy, what if we choose not to implant him and down the road he asks us WHY DIDN'T YOU AT LEAST TRY?"
I can assure you...
making the decision to let a stranger drill a hole in my kids head,
and insert a foreign object...has not been an easy decision.
It is not "an easy way out."
Countless hours of therapy will be required.
It's not magic.
My son will not come out of surgery and just be able to hear.
We have to teach him to hear, to speak.
His brain has to be trained to understand an electrical signal.
Oh...and since my dad is in the class, learning to sign
obviously it is very important for us to learn to speak his language too.
Because it will be HIS language.
He is deaf.
We are giving him an opportunity to learn to hear and speak.
Maybe it works...maybe it doesn't.
But as parents, that is the best we can do right?
Give our kids opportunities.
Monday is the big day.
I am at peace with our decision.
I am fearful.
But, I am a mom.
I was in sweetLove's room this evening saying our prayers
and our littleLover walked in carrying his pillow pet.
He signed to us.
Bed.
I Love U.
Waved bye bye.
Blew us kisses.
Walked out of sissy's room and I watched as his shadowed turned into his bedroom.
I can't even imagine what his life will entail.
At 2 years old, his spirit is somewhat indescribable.
It's different.
Watching it unfold will be much like a rainbow that emerges after a soft rain.
You know..the one that you can barely see.
Until the sun shines a little brighter and then all of a sudden...
you can't miss it or control the smile that comes over your face!
And I will be able to explain to sweetLove that not everyone will see it.
To some it won't be visible.
But to our eyes...
it will be a remarkable reminder of God's promises!
Beautiful post! You couldn't have said any of it better. We can't wait to hear how the surgery goes and will be keeping y'all and the doctors in our prayers.
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