Monday morning, the kids were all getting ready to walk out the door for school, when Heather started to empty her backpack on one of the couches. I came over to see what she was doing and she looked up at me and beamed and said, "My desk had all these papers in it and I wanted to clean it up so I brought them home!"

She then wandered off to pack her lunch, leaving the small pile of papers sitting of the edge of the couch. I started to pick them up and stack them, intending to throw them away as soon as the door closed behind her and she could no longer object, when one paper caught my eye.

It was a request by her teacher for permission to test Heather for the Gifted Program at school. I filled it out and gave it to her to give back to her teacher so she can be officially tested.

Heather didn't even know what it was. I explained. I don't think she realizes it even yet, but I am excited. Not that her teacher had recognized her amazing intellect, although I am glad for that. But Heather has struggled for so many years with her reading. I know that she has felt stupid on many different occasions as this skill seemed out of her grasp. By requesting this testing, her teacher has told her that she thinks Heather is smart. Heather might not realize exactly what it means if she does get into the special program, but the boost to her self esteem was immediate and that is what is important. I really don't care if she 'passes' or not. She won't spend this year thinking she is stupid and that is what counts.