Pomp and Circumstance

Tomorrow is a momentous day in the Scissorhands Household.

Julian, alias Choo Choo, graduates from Pre-K. From the wonderful school he started when he was about two. So why do I keep breaking down into tears whenever I think about it? Because this is my baby and this isn't just any graduation. He is leaving the comfort of a school that is so perfect in every way. It is geared towards childen with developmental delays, although some classes are integrated, which means they are composed of typically developing peers along with children with mild delays and may have up to 20 chilren in it.

Now Julian's class - these are the kids that experience life by grabbing it strongly! There are 11 children in Julian's class - 1 teacher - the cutest guy you could ever want teaching your child because he looks like a typical twenty-something guy - kinda tall, the cool hair cut, sports playing kind of look. He's sort of shy. I would love to fix him up with my niece, but that's another story. But when you watch him with the childen, well they respond and love him. There are also four assistants. The makeup of the classes has been largely composed of boys - present class included, just two girls - Tanisha and Tianna.

And that's where the love story of our time begins - Julian and Tianna. Oh they are the cutest couple. Tianna is tall and thin - Julian average height for his age, is just a little over her shoulder. They find each other and are drawn together in all activities. Brendan (Julian's teacher) has said that they could be playing on opposite sides of the playroom but they make their way to the middle and there they hug oh so tightly. Many of the children in his class, Julian included, also have various tactile/sensory integration issues. I saw this at their Olympics last week. At the end, they were sitting together - Tianna absent mindedly stroking Julian's soft hair, Julian rubbing Tianna's braids. It's sort of an absent minded thing they do - unaware of that inner urge for touch. Sort of how Julian must run his hands along surfaces - he craves the "feeling". Then they looked at each other - and kissed, on the lips. Now that wasn't absent minded! And they laughed, and they kissed again. Then Tianna got mad about something and turned away, but they were back together before long. Of course, Mr. Scissorhands was taping with the video camera and was like "Way to go, Idaho". But they are the sweetest. I will be sure to take many pictures tomorrow of them.

You know - a child like Julian works out quite fine for me - can I ever hug my children enough? Can it ever be tight enough? The problem is loosening the grip for the next educational phase.

And more importantly, will there ever be another like Tianna?

Anyway, if you haven't done so, there's a lovely contest at Sar's the Belle's Brawl and you may just want to cast a vote G's way. Now get out of here you crazy kids and let me cry alone.