Saying Goodbye

Today was Nadia's final speech therapy meeting. We went to the zoo, which should have been super fun. But I am stuck in a blue mood because I am going to miss Tuesday speech.



We've gotten to know Nadia's speech therapist, Maria, over the past 9 months. She is a wonderful person and I am happy to say that I consider her a friend. And that is one reason why it is harder for me to close this chapter. The other reason is Nadia.



Poor Nadia. I feel so sad for her, because I don't think she understands that Maria won't be coming over anymore. At least a few times a week, Nadia asks, "Maria comes?" When she would learn that Maria would be arriving soon, she would sometimes dance and skip around the living room, saying, "Maria come! Maria come!" I wonder how many times Nadia will ask about Maria in the next few weeks. I wonder about how puzzling it will be to her and that confusion will be a little heartbreaking for me. It was Nadia's special time and we won't forget it.



It's because of Maria that Nadia can tell me she loves me. Maria started the tradition of "beep, beep" (honking the car horn) whenever someone gets in the car and leaves after visiting us. Maria made the craziness of my household even more fun. She appreciated that I didn't care if we made brownies in the living room. She didn't mind our cat's tendency to become an off-the-wall batting assailant. She laughed with us at the insanity of some of the girls on the Bachelor, after we learned that she and Paul and I all watched the show.



At any rate, I am so thankful. And I should be thankful for this bit of melancholy because it reminds me of the friendships formed and the growth in Nadia that are direct results of speech therapy. So, I'll be thankful and try to shake off this feeling and pray that Nadia will always have her special memories of Maria and the fun they had together. Thank you, Lord, thank you ever so much!!