Thursday, August 21, 2014

welcome to atlanta where the players play

we're here.
 the most dreadful parts of moving are completed. 
i was stressing BIG TIME about getting the kids ready for school. the house we chose to rent we specifically chose because it was located near the best rated school we could find. i don't love this house, i just wanted school to be an easy homerun. we arrived in georgia friday morning and school started the following tuesday, august 5th, so i had to scramble to get the kids registered ASAP. i showed up at our zoned school with my giant shoe box of school paperwork and IEP info and birth certificates underarm, looking like death warmed over and the kids looked and acted like unloved street urchins and i felt like we were treated accordingly. it was a struggle and we left with scarlett possibly registered at our zoned school and the uncertainty that reagan could not be placed there because they did not accommodate autistic students, but "they would let me know" his potential school. needless to say, i went home and cried a lot and then made about 213,412 phone calls trying to figure out where reagan would be going to school. school districts love crazy phone calls from concerned parents on incoming students right before school starts. by tuesday morning, i still hadn't heard any updates, so i loaded up the kids and thomas and i took them to the local school because we were going to have kids in school THAT DAY, come hell or high water or thomas's imposing lawyer stare. 

the only reason i could find any of our first day of school stuff is because i did all my school supply and back to school clothes shopping before we moved and i packed all first day of school stuff in its own box and i never let it out of my sight. scarlett and reagan put together their outfits themselves. 


at the school, they put scarlett in a classroom and she had to sit at a side table until a desk could be located for her. she was so brave and i could tell it was hard for her to go to this new classroom full of strange faces and not even have her name on the door or have a space set aside for her.
then the rest of us went to the library and waited until reagan was sorted. thomas made prolonged, imposing eye contact with administrators and reagan worked on math problems that i wrote down on scrap paper i had in my purse, which he was surprisingly compliant about. blythe opened reagan's lunch and ate it. i tried to remain positive but i was feeling streeeessssss about reagan. we had been assured that gwinnett county is great for special education, i just hadn't seen it yet. 
after about 90 minutes of waiting and feigned patience, reagan had a school assignment! and it wasn't the one we were at! we headed home to repack reagan another lunch and headed over to reagan's assigned school. once we got there, i was met at the front office by the assistant principal and the autism specialist for the 3rd graders! 
reagan was placed in a mainstream 3rd grade classroom that includes 6 other autistic students! there is always at least 1 paraprofessional in the classroom during instruction time to assist with learning and whatnot. PLUS, they have an autism resource classroom just down the hall for one on one schoolwork help, social therapy, occupational therapy and decompression(2 trampolines!). tender mercies of the Lord. i was so relieved to find that reagan would be in a great school situation. 
the next issue was getting scarlett reassigned to the same school as reagan so that i would only have to worry about one school drop off and pick up and never worry i would not make it in time. atlanta traffic is no joke even out in the ultra suburbs where we live. 
poor lamb, i went back to her school, had her withdrawn and listened to her bawl her face off about having to have 2 first days of school. imagine the anxiety of having to be brave another day at another brand new school when everyone else already had their first day anxieties the day before! she pulled through though. 
and she really liked her 2nd day of school outfit so i think that helped a lot. i know new clothes really help me feel better.


i was worried that blythe would miss buddy and sissy too much while they are gone at school but she doesn't seem bothered at all by their disappearance. in fact, she seems downright pleased to have me all to herself and not have to deal with the big kids constantly bothering her and playing jokes on her.

and no one changes the channel on her when she watches her favorite shows.

each new day is a new chance to defy death.

final notes-
scarlett has a new neighborhood friend with whom she can be weird. 

and blythe had the MOST EPIC tantrum/meltdown at the local kroger. it involved kicking me in the stomach, stripping off her dress multiple times and running away and hiding.

Yo, Yo.. Yo..Yo, Yo,
Welcome to Atlanta where the playas play
And we ride on them things like every day
Big beats, hit streets, see gangsta's roamin'
And parties dont stop til' eight in the mornin'

10 comments:

Lindsey said...

Wow, what a whirlwind! I would have bawled every second. You are a wonderful mother, I loved Scar's 2nd day outfit as well, and Blythe is hilarious. Reagan will do so well at that school - I'm so excited for you guys! Love and miss you!

Julie said...

Oh poor Scarlett, bless her heart. Day 2 outfit is SUPER cute.
LOVE the pics of Blythe. Looks like she's right at home and up to her usual tricks.
So glad school is so awesome for Reagan. He deserves awesome.

Emily C said...

LOOOOVE Scarlett's 2nd day outfit too!! And the smile to go with it!

SOOOOO happy you found a school that is a good fit for Reagan!!

And that picture of Blythe chillaxin while watching tv is my lifetime dream. you.go.girl!

love ya lots. even in the dirty dirty.

Sarah Beck said...

You get mom of the year award!!! which should count for the next 10 years. And my heart just went out to S when I read this :( brave girl!

Sarah Beck said...

and great to hear that R got an awesome school!!!

sarah said...

You're such a good mommy to fight for what your kids need! I love that Reagan got placed in what sounds to be an awesome school for him. That's what you worked hard to do, right?! More proof that God watches over us and gives us what we need--- though at times we have to work hard to get it. :) Hope your kids have a great school year!

Melissa said...

Your kids rock and their mother is pretty awesome too. Lots of truth in this: New clothes always make me feel better and have you downloaded the Kroger app for awesome digital coupons, easy refill prescriptions, etc.?Pretty much my fav, since buying cheap food is my current favorite hobby. I'm glad hubby could come help wrestle the alligators with you, sounds like you needed it. So glad it all worked out.

Jessica said...

i was getting a panic attack just READING about enrolling your kids in school. moving is THE. WOOOOOOORST. i am so happy for you that you found an awesome school for reagan and that scarlett is able to go as well. i wish i were there to help out with all the unpacking! seriously, give me a call if you need a shoulder to cry on about moving. i will be HIGHLY sympathetic.

lrbodine said...

New schools and moving are so hard! Sounds like a perfect fit for Reagan! How is Scarlet doing? Is the school hopefully not too far away?

Good luck getting settled in Atlanta! I think you win the award for the most moving since you got married (especially since you are not even in the military!)

HJolley said...

I'm pretty sure that June and Blythe are kindred spirits. Glad everything worked out with the school situation!