The other day I opened Sophie’s school backpack and noticed she had a new set of folders — shiny, carefully labeled with each of her classes and in her favorite themes, kittens and nail polish. Her aide did it. She didn’t ask, or make a big deal out of it. She just did it, knowing Sophie would love it. And she did. Me, too.

A small kindness. There have been many, so far, as Sophie’s stuck a toe into junior high, a time and place typically considered the worst kind of viper pit. Not for Sophie, not so far. I get that we’re only two months in; there’s plenty of time left for problems, and we’ve had a few bumps so far. But not what I expected, certainly not what I feared.

My biggest fear, after safety, was friendship. Would Sophie wander around alone (with her adult shadow) — head down in that typical Down syndrome stance, with (horror) her thumb in her mouth? Would anyone talk to her? Would she make a real friend? I got an inkling things would be okay even before the first day of school, when we walked into the office to drop some paperwork off with the nurse and a kid I’ve never seen called out, “Hi Sophie!”

Even at a new, strange place, people know Sophie. And on the few occasions I’ve been on campus, it’s been the same. Kids and adults know her, seek her out, if only to say hello.

And beyond hello? It’s going more slowly, understandably. Sophie does still eat lunch every day with an old friend from elementary school who also happens to have Down syndrome. But a note came home the other day from a new girlfriend looking for a playdate. And I hear there’s a boy in Sophie’s art class who carefully arranges all of her materials each day so they are ready when she arrives.

A small kindness, and one I hope I didn’t end after Sophie proposed marriage to this boy.

Sophie has attended her first school dance, performed in her first junior high choir concert and later this month she’ll try out for cheer. The school has started a Best Buddies program; in a couple weeks she’ll be matched with her buddy. Sophie’s teachers report that she pays attention in class (probably not all the time) and raises her hand to answer questions posed to the group. She got a C on a recent science test that she took with no modifications. She still struggles in math.

This school has embraced my little girl. I called with a concern the other day, and I received a call back before day’s end from not just one administrator, but a group: the principal, vice principal, school psychologist and sixth grade team leader. The matter was quickly resolved, and I thanked them (profusely) for being so responsive, and so welcoming to Sophie.

“She’s already taught us so much,” one of them said with a happy sigh.

For her part, Sophie is still not so sure about junior high. Every morning, it’s a struggle to get her into her uniform and into the car, and when we drive past the turn off for the other neighborhood junior high — the one her best friend and most of her former classmates attend — she tells me, “I want to go to Sarah’s school.”

When we pull up to Sophie’s school, her sweet aide comes right to the car to get her. But she doesn’t want to get out. Sticks her thumb in her mouth, puts her head down, mutters that she’s tired. Junior high is really hard. I imagine the energy it takes Sophie to wind up and get going, to keep her thumb out of her mouth, her head up. Some days, kitten folders just aren’t going to be enough of a motivator.

After I drop her off I drive to the gym, and I will admit that I, too, have trouble getting out of the car to start my own day.

I hope sixth grade gets easier for Sophie, but really, I have to admit that she’s got it pretty good, hit the middle school jackpot. How do I explain to her that I’ve never encountered a kid — special needs or not — having such a good junior high experience?

For now I’ll focus on the small kindnesses, and hope that someday Sophie can, too.