We are an ASL family

Greetings -

Teddy has been home 2.5 years and whenever we tell someone he is deaf they naturally say - oh so you guys sign.  I LAUGH at that comment - (cause let me be real here for a minute just like you and I  didn't learn how to speak fully in the first 2.5 years of our lives there is NO WAY NO HOW we sign)  Sure Kenneth, Tariku and I know some signs and possibly to the outside world we may even look like we know what we are doing but deep down we are 2 year olds learning a new language just like Teddy.

But yesterday something happened - something that makes me have to step out of the 2 year old babble and acknowledge we are a family that signs (and dear lord it is sooooo scary for me to say this) - Tariku has a friend that unfortunately broke her foot earlier this week and he really wanted to go check on her and take her something to cheer her up.  I checked with her mom and that was great!  When I asked what we could bring her mom said gum - so off to Publix we went for gum!!  When we were checking out Tariku noticed the cashier was hard of hearing (huge difference between that and Teddy who is deaf but that is for another post on another day!) and that she could probably sign.  So he asked if he could sign to her.  Ummmm heart now stops beating - see we have NEVER signed with anyone we don't know and who doesn't know our story - I'm scared to still sign with the people I know and here he wants to sign with a complete stranger?????

Well alright child sign away.  And sure enough he did - Hello my name Tariku - what your name?  Nice meet you (please note I did not type this incorrectly that is ASL grammar - see I told you a whole different language!!) The cashier did not miss a step and signed right back to him - my name Corrinne what your name and without missing a beat Tariku spelled his name and introduced me.  She asked me if he was deaf and I said no this is my hearing son but my deaf son was in the car with friends. (Yep I did it - not sure how correct I was) but for the first time Tariku and I both used our new language without Teddy.  I cannot tell you how proud I am of Tariku for feeling comfortable enough to step out and talk to her in that line.  Because at the end of the day we are an ASL family and it's not just to talk to Teddy! AND we are getting better every day!