We continue to keep plugging along with remote learning here at the Cranston house. There’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears (and that’s not figuratively speaking) and one Covid scare but we are making the best of it. We owe most of our success with it to Savannah. Not sure how we would do this without her!

Now that we’ve got this routine somewhat figured out, it’s time for it to change again. Time for the next phase for some of us. I have so many emotions about these coming changes but I strongly believe these changes need to happen and all who are involved are ready.

I’ll dedicate another post to what the next phases entail for Alyssa, Joe and I. This post is focusing on Courtney’s next phase. Starting Monday, Courtney gets to go into school for 2 hours once a week. Like the rest of the world, Courtney left school on March 13th, 2020 and has not stepped foot in her school building since. Learning did not stop. Her teachers, therapists and caregivers have busted their butts to keep it going not only during the spring, but summer also. Just the thought of her seeing her teacher again makes me cry. I only wish I was the one dropping her off on Monday so I can give the biggest air hug ever to her amazing teacher.

See, it’s not only about what she has done since last spring for Courtney to make sure she is still making progress. It’s about what she is about to do for Courtney. Courtney is not wearing a mask yet. She will tolerate it for a couple minutes but then that is it. I go from being so excited that she finally gets to spend some face to face time with her teacher to questioning if I’m a horrible person for sending her when she can not follow school procedures. This is so hard as a special needs mom and a special needs teacher. The schools that started off remote are starting to open up for the most vulnerable students. Students with the most severe needs. Yet it’s these students who struggle the most with the mask wearing. Let’s just say, I cry a lot these days.

So how are they doing this safely with Courtney? I got a social story from Courtney’s teacher. It is a story showing Courtney a picture of her teacher without a mask or anything. The next page shows her with her mask on. Then the next page she adds her face shield. The next page she adds a gown that a surgeon would wear and the last picture she adds the gloves. She sent this story so she doesn’t scare Courtney. When she e-mailed me this story, she said, “Be nice, they are not the most flattering pictures! But you got to do what you got to do, right?” With tears in my eyes, I replied back, “You look like an amazing teacher who is ready to welcome my little girl, who is unable to follow guidelines, with open arms and I couldn’t be more grateful!”

So to Courtney’s school team, thank you for all you are doing. There are not enough words to explain how much you mean to us. Stay safe!