Bears IEP was today. 2 hours of sitting in a room with her teacher and the SPED teacher hashing out her specific needs. 2 hours debating what was a true disability and what was just hampered by her language deficit. 2 hours figuring out what was grade level expectation and what was a work in progress. 2 hours of school officials who were honestly vested in MY Bear and HER needs and HOW they could help. It was NOT 2 hours of them trying to slip Bear through a loophole so they didn't have to provide services. It was NOT 2 hours of a principal saying how she was too young to accurately test and how the district couldn't be held liable for providing services for unreliable test scores. Been there done that in another district... THIS district actually likes kids and wants them to succeed. Go figure. Point being, I am so grateful and thankful and on-my-knees-appreciative for my Bears teacher, principal, and SPED services, for the district and their policies, for their budget.

My little banana bear and her freckles will be something special when she's all grown up. She already is...