Ordinary Heroes?

They are all around us.  Unexpected, surprising...heroes.  
You hope for them, you pray for them.  And then, there they are and you kind of stand there with your mouth open in amazement.  I do, anyhow. 

Two young girls.  My girls.  These are their heroes, mine, ours.  
I'm talking about the teachers, the school principals, the aides, the special ed teams.
I'm finding these folks who are willing to go the extra mile, think outside the box...and they amaze me.
My gratitude for them is kind of unspeakable.
And some of them I've known, or thought I did, for a while, years even.
Some of them are new to me; but I'm so glad to meet them and start working with them. 

And the most important part is that these folks, the reason they are heroes??
It's that they defy the stereotypes.
I'm talking about those horror stories that are hyped in the media and played out in stupid sophomoric movies: the public school ones, the Catholic school ones.  You've all seen them, I have too.  We've been soaked in them.

And it's all too easy to buy into them, just a little bit.  Maybe I did.  Maybe I shouldn't have, but I did.  I was kind of worried about what the public schools would be like as I approached them about my girls.  What sort of things and folks would I find in searching out resources for the special needs that we have?  Would I be able to get the Catholic school, the Sisters and teachers, to step outside their comfort zone of a small private school? The kind of school with strict historic ways and boundaries?  Could those boundaries be pushed?
I didn't know.

But I can now say, that I have been delightfully surprised, thrilled with the amazing people I've been meeting and getting to know.  These are the folks who are working with my two girls, so far, who are helping us all break down some barriers and think outside the box for some great kids who don't fit the 'standard mold," if there is one.  These folks, are helping my girls get into school, get BACK into school....and to succeed.

I've homeschooled a long time. I love homeschool and always will be a proponent of it, but it's a per kid per year per circumstance decision. But homeschool isn't working for these two, now.  So, it's been hard to find the right fit.  And there will be adjusting to be done, to be sure.

But these folks, and their willingness to be open to working with my girls, with us....they are breaking stereotypes, they defy them.  They are ordinary, or actually, extraordinary, heroes.
We are so grateful, for them all:

Nora.  Right there.  Saints among us. 
Sister Peter Marie, Ms. Freeman, Sister Peter Verona, Mr. Linville, Ms. Rosenblatt, Ms. Wehby, Ms. Christy, Coach, Father Gideon at SJV....and of course, Miss Deb.

Mr. Turner, Ms. DeVore, Mr. Verner, Ms. Blair, Ms. Oglesby at RSM

 And Mrs. Swafford, Ms. Ingham, Ms. Ashley, Ms Thomas, Ms. Apple at Howard.  

You are all heroes.  Extra-ordinary folks doing an amazing job.  Breaking stereotypes, opening eyes.  Quiet ones, maybe.  But heroes in my/our eyes!
My girls are back in school again, a new start for them.

A start offered, "whatever it takes;" one done with extraordinary kindness and willingness to help.
Outside the box. 
These folks have brought huge grins and, literally, claps of happiness from my girls.
To be back in school, 'regular' school.
It means everything.