thanks ann

jane has this friend named ann.
ann helps jane with her words.
we were pretty scared about a year ago, because jane didn’t talk!
she clearly heard what we were saying, recognized music, and could respond to the things that we said- but she didn’t say a word.
we were afraid and worried that she was autistic, deaf, or something-
I think we were afraid to find out.

one morning, jane and I were at barnes and noble playing with a train.
there was another girl about jane’s age who was chatting and chatting-
I couldn’t help it, I said to her mom
“wow! she can really speak well!”
her mom said “yeah- she talks like crazy. is your daughter having speech issues?”
“I don’t know…” I said.
her face changed. “write this down” she said
she told me all about her son who went through this program and learned to speak to the point where the program became unnecessary.

we called the number.
Janie was tested, and she qualified for the help- and for the last year, we have had weekly visits from ann. ann is amazing.
jane did not like strange adults- we were a little skeptical, but jane fell in love with ann.
ann taught Janie to communicate with sign language,
how to blow air out of her lungs, how to take turns, and how to ask questions.
and she does it all with games, and toys and whistles and bubbles.
jane lights up when we tell her that ann is coming over.

today, Deanna and jane went to get tested again to see how Janie is doing and to see if they still need to have visits from ann.
turns out, she no longer qualifies for help!
she communicates too well to get help from ann!
wow!

this isn’t that big of a surprise for me-
but I guess I didn’t stop to see just how far she has come and how fast.
we were watching an old movie of jane and she was playing with toys and not making a sound. at the time, this was perfectly normal, but watching it now its weird; because she doesn't do ANYTHING without talking!
now, when we sit down to read stories, Janie often reads the ENTIRE story to ME!
whether she is reading it or has it memorized, she can say ALL of the words in some pretty long books. she also has so much more conflidence. she feels the freedom to be friendly and to initiate conversation. she is less frustrated, because she can say what she is thinking. just the other day, we were at the park and she went up to a little boy about her size and said, "what's going on? what's going on? go down the slide! what's going on?"

and best of all, we get to talk to each other.
conversations with jane are so cool.
thanks ann!
thanks God-
I almost forgot how silent she was.

“say to those with fearful hearts,
“be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
he is coming to save you.”
and when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind
and unplug the ears of the deaf.
the lame will leap like a deer,
and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!”
-isaiah 35
(the message)