Miracles happen – Primary school is out!

After the month I have had I can truly confirm that miracles happen.

This was the season when the last of our children attended primary school for the last time. That’s a miracle in itself. How did that happen? How did we get to the place where primary school comes to an end? It happened too fast! I remember the first day of reception class like it was yesterday and now we are preparing for Nae-Nae to start the first day of secondary school and JJ is approaching year 10 to commence GCSEs, like what???

I must say a few months ago I dreaded this last term. Not because I’m not ready for Nae-Nae to leave primary school but because of all the things that happen in the last term. In history the last term, the summer term is always the worse for us as a family. Well close to Autumn term that can be as bad at times. The summer term is when everything that is comfortable is removed and the anxiety levels at home are high and i’m usually too far away at work to be around to help. That is the first miracle. I was made redundant from my main job so I had the flexibility to be around as much as possible and it was definitely a good place to be, especially with the thing I now hate most of all happens… Yes SPORTS DAY!!!

I used to love sports day as a child but I dislike it now because it’s hard for Nae. She doesn’t do competitive things well because she doesn’t like the fact that there are winners and losers. Any place after 1st, 2nd 3rd is a loss to her. No matter how many times we explain its not about winning it about taking part, she’s not hearing it. Why would she? Those that take part don’t all get ‘champion’ medals and stickers. In our culture we celebrate those top positions. Go and tell all the England football supporters it’s not about getting out of the group it’s just about playing… Hmmm! Nae-Nae doesn’t buy it either.

My only solution for that day was to pray for rain lol! It was dry to start with and sports day begun. Nae-Nae came 3rd in her first race which was ok. Then the second race commenced and the anxiety built up which slowed her down so she got 4th! Then came the whirlwind… Not from the skies, from Nae-Nae. I had to run round and help comfort her before she exploded. I managed to get her to help her calm down and prepare for her final race which I was dreading to be honest. The rage in which she was in, if she didn’t get 1st, 2nd or 3rd, someone I feared that someone might get hurt and it wouldn’t be her. I had flashbacks to last year. If you haven’t read that blog about sports day in 2015 you may want to now and then come back here.

I walked slowly back to my seat and was greeted by parents who were equally concerned. Well they looked concerned for me and Nae-Nae anyway. They noticed that the storm was brewing. Then a miracle happened… My prayers were answered and the heavens opened with heavy rain all of a sudden. The Lord must have had mercy on me and knew my heart just couldn’t take anymore. The deputy head came to the microphone and announced that unfortunately, for health and safety reasons the rest of the sports day had to be cancelled. In my head I cheered. Unfortunately for who? Not I!! I thanked God for the rain lol. I’ve never been so happy to see rain!!!

A week or so later, the school continued sports day but during the school day and didn’t invite parents to watch. We knew nothing about it until it was done. I think that was good for me because I don’t think my heart could have taken anymore and I didn’t have the chance to panic. Nevertheless, Nae-Nae surprised everyone and won her race with a big lead apparently. The thing is, I knew she had the potential to be faster but anxiety and panic slows her down. I think the pressure of the audience impacts this greatly but without it she can be herself which is like road runner. When I saw her run in sports day I even said to myself when I’m chasing after her she’s never that slow. I can’t catch her sometimes. It’s very interesting! Something to work on together.

Outside of school during this month Nae-Nae showed us again and again, miracles happen. For the past 6-7 years Nae-Nae has been having 1:1 swimming lessons. Nae-Nae will never put her head under water though. She’s so clever that she trained herself to swim really well with her chin touching the water but everything else on her face remained dry. She really feared going under water even though she saw other children doing it and they didn’t drown. She would make her teacher do it too but as for her she was exempt. She was so funny with it too.

However one day this month something happened. With the usual coaching she didn’t resist. Normally she would love or scream at the thought of it. That day was different. She moaned but she complied and OMG!! She put her whole head under 3 times! The following week I bought her new googles and nose pegs and she swam with her head under water and then the next week she was fetching swimming rings from the bottom of the pool. This was truly a miracle! It was like a different child had emerged. She told me how fun it was to swim under water. I never thought I would hear her say that! Anything is possible when we believe.

Then SATs results came out and seriously with all the reports about how hard it was I was a little worried for her. Her greatest fear was having to re-sit the exams in secondary school. I feared that too as our summer holiday will be affected! Its going to be a tough summer as it is with a court case regarding my late step son. So to be honest we needed a break. God answered! Nae-Nae smashed her test and passed all of them! No re-sits necessary!!! If there were ever any doubters they were silenced! She was in her lane and with the right support from school and home she could achieve anything and she wowed us all! I even had to tell her off when she pointed out to one of her friends that the mark that friend got wasn’t a pass mark even though her parents made her believe it was. I probably would have done the same just to get through the summer lol. Nae-Nae was so proud of herself though and so she should be.

The last week of term came. I thought Nae-Nae would be a wreck but nah she was a cool as a cucumber. She smashed her school play as usual. That’s where she loves to be, on the stage. The leavers service came and she was all smiles. All her friends and some of the parents were in tears but we were so happy. Happy because it was an absolute miracle that she made it this far and watching her reach for the stars was just mind blowing. She had already started to exercise great levels of maturity. She told me she was sad to leave but there’s no need to cry because her future is more important and she’s looking forward to being even better. Oh yes I gave her a big hug at that. We had the same with JJ but somehow we forgot about it because it seemed so far away and he is a walking miracle so we sometimes forget he has additional needs.

During the leavers service we found a sweet on the table that read “Miracles happen.” That said it all! I actually think the good Lord above strategically placed it where we were sitting. Nae-Nae picked it up in her hand, smiled at me, hugged me and ate it!

What a year we’ve had! For MrJK to be able to smile even though his boy was brutally murdered less than a year ago was a miracle. The fact I was able to smile even though it’s been one of the hardest years of my life dealing with my grief, the grief of the family and being made redundant not completely knowing what will happen next and then everything that comes with raising a family with additional needs in the midst of that is a miracle. JJ has been able to smile in the midst of everything around him became he too has blasted his education and flying in the skies. My other step children are flying too even with everything they deal with day to day. Miracles happen!

Looking back on the years when both Nae-Nae and JJ started school with limited language and a limited ability to access the national curriculum due to their needs and now I have two primary school leavers who can not only access the NC they can achieve great results, how can I believe anything other than – Miracles happen!

We thank God!

Peace and love

MrsJK