a Heart full of Thanks
Yesterday was a special day for Elora and I - her last speech therapy lesson. In the past year Elora has made fantastic progress, thanks in great part to the two specialists who uncovered the origin of her language development challenges. By combining physical therapy with speech therapy, they were able to help her mouth area mature and develop so that she could access its potential.
A year ago Elora was equally difficult to understand in English and in Dutch. Her pronunciation was unclear and she often paused, searching for words, or gave up mid-sentence. While she doesn’t yet have the vocabulary of a typical child her age, now she can communicate clearly and with ease. Because she is no longer struggling to use her mouth, she is picking up language quickly and in a typical manner, i.e. from everyday life. That’s why they’ve decided speech therapy is no longer necessary. They expect that Elora will continue to expand her vocabulary in both languages and even catch up with her peers in the coming years.
And do you know what is extra special? They way they went about this therapy. I got to be present for the whole thing! In their therapy model a parent is always present, to observe, to learn what helps and to give feedback about what is happening at home and school between appointments. Elora’s therapists were so kind and inclusive. They treated me like a real partner and supported me emotionally and practically as a parent during this process. Gosh, I got to learn Dutch too, as I bonus! We will both miss going.
Sponsor of the Week
Purple Stitches
Two fab modern fabric collections just in at Purple Stitches! Giucy Giuce’s Skygazing and Alison Glass’ Thicket are independent collections, but designed to work beautifully together. The collections focus on small scale designs in happy colors.
Super patchwork-friendly.
So I made these little gifts with a heart full of thanks. The hearts and colors were Elora’s idea, actually. My idea was to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies to include with the gift, along with my best chocolate chip cookie recipe. These cookies are a novelty here in The Netherlands, so that felt extra special.
I did have a little trouble with the quilting. My first idea was echo heart quilting, as on the green potholder. I didn’t love how that was coming out, so I switched things up with the yellow potholder. In the end, I’m not 100% sure which quilting treatment I like better, but that means both are nice enough. At any rate, I think the Heather Ross girls-at-play print on the back of the green potholder is perfect for our physical therapist. She’s always ready to play.
As much as I will miss Merie and Monique, I am glad that they are now free to help another child. I will certainly never take for granted when caregivers provide good care. It is a precious thing indeed. Thanks to all the good caregivers out there, making a difference in lives round the world!
