An Amazing Day

I wrote about her earlier in this post. Since that time, not quite three months ago, Gina has made incredible progress. Her behavior is much more self-controlled; her tantrums are nearly nonexistent. She and her teacher have moved into a different classroom, a little further from my office, where there are two other students and their teachers. She's doing great! I confess that I miss having her across the hall.

Today something amazing happened.

I went into the classroom to deliver something to one of the teachers, and Gina got up from her chair and walked over to me. I greeted her and she responded. I admired her new boots (Michael Kors!). She stood right in front of me and lifted up her arms and very clearly said, "hug." I was astounded and very carefully put my arms around her. She held her sweet face up and made eye contact, the first time ever with me, really, and held on tight. I looked at her lovely gray eyes with their luxurious lashes and the dusting of tiny freckles on her nose and said, "You are very beautiful, Gina. Do you know that?"

And then I came back to my office because I was starting to cry.