Ok, so since the last time I sat down to blog, the entire blog website has changed and I had to figure out how to work it again! Haha...I really need to get on here more. Oh well. Such is life with 4 small ones running around. I'm sure most of you reading can say AMEN! :)
Anyway, things here in the Ingold tribe have been great! God is good! Ryan is definitely progressing and Mommy is feeling less and less pressure! We have figured out that Ryan's memory is AMAZING! We are starting a new homeschool program called Classical Conversations (for those that don't know, this curriculum is based on the Classical method of teaching through memorization first to build on harder concepts later). Ryan has already taken to it like a fish to water! We have the CDs for the first cycle of lessons and he loves it! I started playing the Presidents of the United States song mostly because I didn't memorize the Presidents myself and wanted to!! :) Ryan picked it up in 2 days!!!! He knew the song better than I did! It made Ben and I so proud. I just love that we are figuring his brain out little by little and what we are finding is astounding! He may not appear to be involved, but oh is he ever! I can't wait to see where this journey takes us.
Ryan is still slow in his speech and social interactions, but to think back even a year ago, he has grown leaps and bounds! Every morning, I have Ryan say "Good Morning" to Gracie, Olivia and Josiah (many times he does this on his own already). And I make him tell me what he wants for breakfast in a complete sentence. It's slow-going, but day by day I can see Ryan's eyes twinkling with joy. He is an amazing young man FULL of potential; potential we have not even begun to touch the surface of yet! And that's exciting! It's still discouraging when we compare Ryan to "normal functioning" children his age. Especially when we have a hard day...that's when questions and doubts pop up. When those doubts and questions start to run rampant, I have to remind myself that God is not done with Ryan or Ben and I! We can't focus on what we see here and now. The bigger picture is what God sees and He knows so much more than we could ever think! I am glad He knows what He's doing. And I have to remember that God CHOSE to give Ryan to Ben and I. Ryan is NO ACCIDENT. God knew Ben and I were the only parents for the job of taking care of Ryan. I take that responsibility with great weight!
I would like to take this time to thank all of you that work with Ryan and are not giving up on him. I know it's hard to put yourself out there for a child that doesn't respond normally. Please know that he is trying and he WANTS your attention and love. Thanks for being a hero to a boy who will never forget your face!
God Bless!
Oh believe me Nicole, he does get it! We have had Ryan in our preschool class at church and that boy pays attention (even when he isn't looking!). We feel blessed to have him around but more importantly, we are blessed to have the Ingolds in general! Keep up the good fight and do not grow weary in doing good my friend!
ReplyDeleteI was going to say the same as Meica! Ryan is a very sweet fellow. Plus I don't think there's a kid in existance that "responds normally." :-)
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