The Giggle Hut Blog

God really had to push me on this one.

This isn’t the typical Back to school gush post, in fact its more like I’m gushing that God has done it again!  He’s helped us over another hurdle.

Every year I’m in prayer during the month leading up to school: for the school itself, the teachers and campus staff, and the bus staff that would soon have Jonathan on their routes.  Specifically for the right people  for Jonathan and Joshua.  Well, last year was an absolute mess all the way around, but I thought I would extend grace because of how abnormal the school year was with COVID-19.  It’s safe to assume everyone was worried and stressed out, period! Totally understood.

Nonetheless when the school was back to full capacity during the end of the year, little signs here and there threw red flags up all over the place for me. Certain guidelines for Jonathan’s safety were not followed according to his IEP (Individual education plan), Social distancing was not enforced, certain teachers making rude comments and displaying bad attitudes towards myself and students, the boys coming back telling me students were walking down the halls getting in their face and saying appalling words that no 11 year old should be saying in front of teachers and get away with it. Being threatened by the Vice principal whose words later on had to be corrected. What blew my mind was that some of the staff funneled many students to the gym or their classrooms because the cafeteria was at full capacity and forcing them to skip meals. There were other things as well but I think I already illustrated well enough the type of experience we had.

I have nothing but respect and love for the educators, counselors and staff members that are there for our children every day. It’s a selfless job, and I know everyone has their bad days. I know I do!! By no means am I saying every teacher there treated people badly, and I know that every school has their issues. I need to extend some grace and understanding because I know that school is understaffed and beyond its capacity. That school is in the dead center of Alamo Ranch, which is one of the Nations fastest growing neighborhoods (I’m not kidding, look it up!).

The last few weeks have been a compilation of stress, and frustration with administrative issues encountered prior to the start of the school year, and for their first week I was feeling like I left the boys to the wolves. In my heart I knew something was about to change because spiritually it felt like a complete dead end, to be more specific it felt like God was closing the doors here. I was disappointed that I let myself walk right up to the closed door instead of being one step ahead. I say that because I had a feeling the boys would need to be moved months before and I had not acted on it. While having a conversation with my mother because of her involvement with their care, she said, “ I think the Spirit is telling you to move them.” It was tough but I knew it was right because I felt absolutely stirred up and knew that God would take care of this. I researched the school for my neighborhood and read the ratings and reviews expecting it to be better, but it was definitely not as good as their current school. Which shocked me! In that moment, God told me, “Don’t worry about that. That is what the world says, but I’m telling you to do this. I will take care of it. You ask me to direct your footsteps and I am doing so. Just trust me.” So the following school day I discharged them from that school (which was my parent’s school zone) and registered the boys with my neighborhood’s school.

The boys were so nervous in not knowing where to go and enduring another “first week at school” experience, but they were trusting of what was going on.  When we got there, the attendance lady was SO helpful and patient with us. The previous school had issues on their end transferring documents over and in fact forgot, so she got in contact with them for me and fast tracked the whole process.  We proceeded to the counselors office who was also AMAZING, he set up both boy’s classes, and actually situated the class schedule in a way that would make it easier for Jonathan to get around the campus (THIS HAS NEVER BEEN DONE FOR US BEFORE), he explained everything thoroughly, gave us a welcome packet and he decided to give the boys a tour of the campus to make them feel comfortable.  The Spec Ed campus coordinator came over right away wanting to meet us and already signed us up for bus transportation.  Jonathan’s wheelchair was stuck at the other school and had no way to get it transferred over until the specific school employees were available, so the Head Counselor took initiative on her own and drove out to the previous school with her wheelchair accessible van, and brought it over herself!!!! If we already didn’t feel blessed enough, they signed up both boys up to receive brand new laptops for school instead of the ones they had that were damaged, AND they waived the fees for Joshua’s Violin for orchestra. 

GOD IS GOOD! He has been so faithful to guide and bless us. As soon as I left I started tearing up and getting ready to ball my eyes out. I called my mom and she was elated as well that our prayers had been answered. I felt such a weight lifted off my shoulders regarding their care at school. What confirmed it more was that both boys agreed and said, “I had a way better day at this school.”

MURMURS OF THE HEART:

My revelation, thoughts, self-discovery, or insight from that still small voice.

My Stop Sign. God showed me something about the guilt I carried. Since the boys started Kindergarten, they’ve had to switch schools 5 times. Yes, 5 times. Because of the circumstances at the time the boys were moved back and forth, and it hurt me to do so. I worried about the lost connections and friends they would make, the consistency of being in one place at a time. The comparison was the memories I had as a child, growing up with the same friends since kindergarten and being completely familiar with my school year after year. I felt guilty that I could not give them a similar childhood experience, and that guilt created a stop sign in front of me when I had a green light. It created a fear that stops you in your tracks when you should be moving forward. I should not want to keep the kids at the same school because I want them to have an experience like my own. What we experience in our lives like the good, and bad do not go unnoticed. In fact they are well notated. If we believe that everything happens for a reason then we should know that God has a plan already. It’s about being willing to listen and act on it. In my case being willing to move schools because God knows whose ready and waiting to bless them on the other side. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11-14)