i had the dreaded IEP meeting last week for carson.  but this year something was different.  i didn't dread it at all.  this year i knew going in that no matter what, he was staying at his school.  he would be with his same friends, see the same teachers and staff, and ride the same bus with his brother and all the other kids in our neighborhood.  it wouldn't take him 6 weeks to get adjusted and have everyone get adjusted to him.  they all know him and they all love him.  when i think back to all the other IEP meetings that took place in march and all the anxiety and tears it makes me appreciate where we are even more.  it's amazing how much different it is, and by different i mean better.  we left an enormous county with endless resources and lots of money who couldn't find a way to make my child's education consistent.  a child who has special learning and physical needs.  wouldn't it make sense to keep things as consistent as possible for kids like him?  it's not rocket science, it's common sense.  but, sometimes bigger isn't always better.  we are now in a place that is smaller, much more "family" like.  they take care of their own.  and for that we are extremely grateful.  grateful that i was nudged one day last february to look into buford city schools one more time.  grateful for a husband who listened to me when i told him we had to make a change because it was not getting any better for carson to stay in the system he was in.  grateful that there are teachers and staff who love my sweet boy and see such potential in him and realize that consistency is a good thing in developing a well rounded child.  both boys are doing so well we couldn't be happier.  so i guess i should say thank you to our old system.  if you hadn't done such a poor job in making us feel like our child was just as important as every other then we would have never had the fire lit in us to make a change.  thank you for making us feel like our concerns were insignificant and pointless.  thank you for helping us see the light and what you think is important, which wasn't our child's well being and learning.  thank you for pushing us in the direction of green and gold and the buford wolves family.  we couldn't thank you more.