THE BLIND SIDE

A little while back I attended something called SEPs.  It's one of those parent teacher conference things.  I often missed these in the olden days when I worked.  We went in and met Emily's teacher, who also used to teach Jared's little sister.  She is a wonderful lady.  Emily loves her.  She was doing great in math and was doing well in all her other areas, but Mrs. Pollock indicated that we needed to read a little more with her. 
"Do you have any suggestions for books?"  I asked.
Amelia Bedilia or Junie B. Jones were her suggestions. 
"Wow.  Mary didn't start reading those until she was in second grade."  I said.
Jared shook his head and Emily's teacher sort of laughed and we went on with our visit.  I don't know exactly when I noticed in big bold letters WELCOME TO SECOND GRADE! 
I seemed to have missed an entire year.  When did my baby grow up?  Well, we said our goodbyes as Jared made his usual explanation that I had hit my head or encountered some bad fumes at the pharmacy, or some excuse for my strange behavior.  I left determined to spend more time reading with my first second grader. 

We got home and started reading and I noticed something.  Emily would occasionally come to a word like rabbit and she would say something like rhinoceros.  She also kept moving the book closer and closer which didn't really work for me because I am over 40 and I need the book to be at least 2 feet away before I can make out the words.  This went on for a few weeks without me really putting the pieces together, and then one day Emily came home with a note from school.

"Dear bad parent.  Your child failed her eye test.  What is wrong with you that you didn't notice this?"  or words to that effect.  Bummer.  I didn't really see the point on spending hard earned money for glasses when she couldn't even read yet, but I took her in anyway.  After the exam the doctor said,  "Mrs. Heaton.  Your child failed her eye test.  What is wrong with you that you didn't notice this?" or words to that effect.  Emily picked out Hannah Montana glasses and we were on our way.  She was so excited.

The following Monday Jared went in and picked up her glasses and brought them home.  YIKES!!  There they were.  The tiniest glasses I had ever seen accompanied by a list of instructions on how not to destroy them.  They can't be serious.  This is Emily we're talking about.  She broke a dining room table when she was five.  All she has to do is look at something and it will break and now she has to take care of glasses?  They might as well give her a baby bird and tell her to keep it alive forever.  She was so excited when she got home and put them right on and ran out to go roller blading.  Two hours later they were still in one piece.  Amazing. 
                   
That night at reading time I noticed something else that was amazing.  She was able to read.  What a wild coincidence.  She learned to read just in time for her new glasses.  The rhinoceros changed back into a rabbit and we could both see the book because she could hold it more that two inches away now.  It's been two weeks now and the glasses are still in tact.  Every now and then I notice Emily looking at things like she is seeing them for the first time.  Glasses...$104.  New books...$24.  Snuggling with your SECOND grader in bed and reading...priceless.