We moved to Naperville just before we were married in 2006. The house we found was everything we were looking for in a house and so much more. We were excited, enthusiastic, and full of hope and promise.
Besides the house being such a great find we knew we wanted to be in Naperville as well. The main reason was their school system. Our sights were set on the future, which in our minds held children. We wanted them to have a great education and were sure they would receive one in Naperville. Things looked great...a wonderful house that was affordable in a community that held a wonderful school system.
Shortly after our marriage we had our first baby (Ava) in July of 2007. Following Ava was Henry in Oct. of 2008. Ella came in June of 2010. Our road of raising a family was well under way.
In August of 2011 Ella was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2. Needless to say our lives took a dramatic turn off the road we were on and plunged us into a road much less traveled.
The few months leading up to Ella's diagnosis proved to be quite stressful. Watching her lose so many skills, not knowing what was happening, witnessing the therapy not being effective, and researching possible outcomes made life heavy.
Often we would drive past a new school that was being built by our house named, The Ann Reid Early Childhood Center. It is specifically designed for kids with special needs, although kids without special needs can and do attend. As we drove past the school our thoughts brought us to the question of whether or not Ella would be attending that particular school. We didn't know what was happening with her...we didn't know a lot of things.
Fast forward two-and-a-half years to an unseasonable warm day in January of 2013. Lindsay and I find ourselves waiting for the assistant principal of the very school we wondered about. Our Early Intervention Service Coordinator waited alongside us. The building, from the waiting area looks incredible. It's modern, open, clean, and active.
Our meeting with the Assistant Principal went quite well. She was extremely knowledgeable of her profession, the facility, and her staff. She answered all of our questions with confidence and pleasantries. The tour we took of the school reinforced its first impressions. It was obvious that the people there knew exactly what they were doing. It was obvious that the focus is solely on the needs of each one of the 400+ children that attend the school.
It's amazing how things in life come about. Driving past that school in the summer of 2011 and walking into it in the winter of 2013; looking at the decision we made in the summer of 2006 when we moved to Naperville and feeling the positive outcome of that decision. It's like we were meant to move where we did...simply amazing.
Besides the house being such a great find we knew we wanted to be in Naperville as well. The main reason was their school system. Our sights were set on the future, which in our minds held children. We wanted them to have a great education and were sure they would receive one in Naperville. Things looked great...a wonderful house that was affordable in a community that held a wonderful school system.
Shortly after our marriage we had our first baby (Ava) in July of 2007. Following Ava was Henry in Oct. of 2008. Ella came in June of 2010. Our road of raising a family was well under way.
In August of 2011 Ella was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2. Needless to say our lives took a dramatic turn off the road we were on and plunged us into a road much less traveled.
The few months leading up to Ella's diagnosis proved to be quite stressful. Watching her lose so many skills, not knowing what was happening, witnessing the therapy not being effective, and researching possible outcomes made life heavy.
Often we would drive past a new school that was being built by our house named, The Ann Reid Early Childhood Center. It is specifically designed for kids with special needs, although kids without special needs can and do attend. As we drove past the school our thoughts brought us to the question of whether or not Ella would be attending that particular school. We didn't know what was happening with her...we didn't know a lot of things.
Fast forward two-and-a-half years to an unseasonable warm day in January of 2013. Lindsay and I find ourselves waiting for the assistant principal of the very school we wondered about. Our Early Intervention Service Coordinator waited alongside us. The building, from the waiting area looks incredible. It's modern, open, clean, and active.
Our meeting with the Assistant Principal went quite well. She was extremely knowledgeable of her profession, the facility, and her staff. She answered all of our questions with confidence and pleasantries. The tour we took of the school reinforced its first impressions. It was obvious that the people there knew exactly what they were doing. It was obvious that the focus is solely on the needs of each one of the 400+ children that attend the school.
It's amazing how things in life come about. Driving past that school in the summer of 2011 and walking into it in the winter of 2013; looking at the decision we made in the summer of 2006 when we moved to Naperville and feeling the positive outcome of that decision. It's like we were meant to move where we did...simply amazing.
