Update to Closure: Juliet is EXCEPTIONAL

Since I've written my blogpiece "Closure" about my trials and tribulations with Juliet, several things have happened that I just have to mention:

*many people have reached out and made comments such as "this is exactly what I've gone through with my child" or "this has inspired me to seek evaluations for my child." Knowing this has made me feel ridiculous- that my miserable experience can help one or two people by knowing that they are not alone makes me sharing my experience all worth while.

*at Juliet's follow up appointment for her crooked ass feet (ahem, pronated, flat feet, where we were getting her refitted for her orthotics, partially due to the fact that she has severe bunions) her therapist mentioned that she could see in the future that Juliet would be a future neuroscientist or engineer while Scarlet, who is goofy and running around and silly, would be less serious in school. Imagine that? Juliet, the terrible child, the "bad kid" is now seen as the serious, studious, smart child. It makes me shiver with happiness. It also makes me fear that Scarlet is on the same road that Juliet was on. Makes me wonder...

*Juliet was admitted to the Enrichment Math Class at school. They didn't admit her last year because they ran a battery of tests on her not using her accommodations required on her 504, so she didn't "make it", but since she received a 100% on her state test with NO enrichment, they see her potential and accepted her anyway.  Things are going her way. I couldn't be more proud of her.

I went to a conference in grad school called The Twice Exceptional Student  many years ago, but never truly understood it. It made little sense to me. Gifted, yet with disabilities? Yet, now it makes sense. Deep sense. And it makes me so proud. My girl has her flaws, has her quirks, has her "disabilities." Yet she kicks ass harder than so many more kids that fit the "normal" standards in her school, kids that "fit the mold", kids that "pass the tests" for "gifted and talented". Yet when it really counts, out in the real world, it is she that IS gifted and talented.

My daughter is special. My daughter is exceptional.