A lady at a church I was attending began giving me the creeps. Every Sunday, she would saddle up next to me and inquire quite intensely about what programs I had signed Ruby up for. And, every Sunday, I would politely reply that we are working with her from home, using books and other adults who had knowledge of her condition. At one evening event, things got pretty heated because as much as I tried to change the subject, she got more animated and aggressive. I suppose she felt she had a stake in Ruby’s development; after all, she works for the school district, and I was just the mother, not an “expert”.

“Well,” I replied at one gathering, feigning interest. “Could you tell me what kinds of things Ruby would be doing there?”

“She would get complete attention and get lots of opportunities to play!”

“So…..you’re saying that there would be no difference, except that it wouldn’t be her family doing these things…?”

(looking at me hard) “She would get speech therapy.”

“Speech? You mean like my 7 year old gets, whom we’ve contracted privately?”

“Yes! But it would be free! And she’d get to ride the bus four times a week!” (side note to those trying to sell public schooling to homeschoolers: the bus is not a perk, and nothing is “free”).

“Hmmm. You know, at this point we are not only working on tongue control, but she is babbling nonstop. She’s just the same right now as our other babies. I see no reason to send my Ruby away from her home.”

“YOUR Ruby?” she scoffed.

At this point I was mentally recalling the young man I socked when I was a teen because I was ready for a repeat. Praise God for HIS self-controlling Spirit!

“Yes. Our Ruby. And, you know that’s not we’re all about. We HOMEschool.”

So, yes, Ruby is homeschooled. I’m not about to try to foresee the future and guess what kinds of care she will get later on, but right now, today, by God’s grace, we are keeping her home.

She has lots of activities to do, and none of them are too hard for any of us to do with her. The challenge is in working them into our everyday routines and schedule, which, of course, would be true about any new addition to the family whether it be baby or animal or activity.

Here is Ruby learning how to use her “pincher” fingers to eat (rather than her whole hand). We cut off the tips of orphan (that is, non matching) baby socks so that she can only use her two fingers.

She is doing well! Here, for your interest, is more of Ruby’s homework assignments. I am writing these down “in English” so you’ll understand them, but know that some are a bit more involved than what it sounds like:

Thank you as always for your prayers and support.