3 years Ago Today

Three years ago today, New Year's Eve, was when we found out that Amelia had bilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Many have shared this experience...the day that changes your life. If you have not yet you will have one of these days. The day after you wake up and for a moment you say, "Did I dream that"? Then the tears come because you know that it was not a dream, it is your new reality. This year many have lost loved ones and many have fell in love. Many have had new babies and many have lost their babies. And that is life, and that's how it's suppose to be. Happiness sometimes gets interupted, but blessings come out of the bad. Three years ago today, I sat in a doctor's office chair holding my 3 month old baby Amelia and was told that she had hearing loss. Among many fears and concerns, one of the things that bothered me the most was the thought of Amelia sitting in silence..being in a silent world. It felt like there was a bridge between us..or a road block. Things you normally do to connect with your baby like sing or tell nursery rhymes seemed pointless because she was not hearing them. Silence descended upon me. A few weeks ago, the shooting tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary changed the lives of many parents and even a nation. It really shook me. I was a teacher, my husband is an administrator, and I have a first grader so the story became so personal and relatable. The concept I struggled with the most was that those kids died alone and laid there afterwards...in silence. Yes, I said that word again...SILENCE. Below is my post from facebook and in it is a lesson I wanted to share in this blog for my kids to read one day. It's a reminder that in your most silent struggles, God is with you. "Amelia sat on my lap in church today and kept saying, "Where is Jesus? and Is he coming down now?" The preacher told of a Christmas story of an orphan boy who put 2 babies in the manager scene b/c he got that Jesus would never abandon him. Since Friday, I really have been struggling. I have been tormented with thoughts about those kids dying alone...those kids dying scared and then their bodies lying in that classroom for a whole day after alone. It hit me at church today that those kids were not alone in their final moments...God was with them. I believe that, I am glad that I realized that today and for the first time since Friday I feel like I can breathe some peace." Three years ago today, my life changed...my baby was silent, but this morning Amelia woke me up and said, "mommy my left foot hurts." She talked! She's doing great! Today someone's life and reality will forever change, but just know that out of the silent darkness comes a singing light. -Scarlett Giles- p.s. pic of Amelia at hamm center atl speech school breakfast with santa performance