Af-een

For a year and a half Fig has been receiving speech therapy twice a week. He has verbal apraxia. Here is an explanation from the Apraxic-Kids website:

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder. For reasons not yet fully understood, children with apraxia of speech have great difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the tongue, lips, jaw and palate that are necessary for intelligible speech.

He qualifies for services provided by the State of NC until the age of three. Fig will be three on Monday. Today was his last day with his speech therapist, Miss Af-een. Translation: Mrs. Kathleen. There is no way to adequately thank her for all that she has done. This is the best we could do. This and a three year olds hug.

Dear Kathleen

We want to thank you for your investment and hard work with our little Fig. We have enjoyed our year and a half with you and will never forget you and your sweet family.

With all of our children, we dream and hope for perfection. We imagined a journey for each of them that is smooth, without pain or trials or challenges; a life of happiness, success and no struggles. Thank heavens we don't get all we ask for or dream of. In the absence of struggles, trials and challenges we would miss the biggest blessings God has planned for us. Kathleen, you are one of those blessings. I would not have chosen verbal apraxia for Fig, but PRAISE GOD that He created him the way He did. We have so much to be thankful for. I appreciate every word that he speaks. I savor the sound of his voice. I treasure the sweetness of his singing. All in ways I wouldn't unless he had this delay. I am especially grateful to have known you.

We all prayed for you even before we knew you - even before your were assigned to us. We prayed for a "good fit". We prayed for someone who would love Fig. We prayed for someone professional, knowledgeable, and exceedingly capable. We prayed for someone friendly... for someone nice and someone FUN! We experienced Ephesians 3:20 God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. You are more than we could "dream up." We are thankful for you and your commitment to the children you work with.

I know that you have many more children that you see weekly - many more that you have seen in the years before meeting Fig, and there are many more to come. But you have made us feel special and loved, as if we were your only client. We will never forget you and the miracle God has done through you in Fig's life!

We love you,

Karen