ELEVATE~ Helping All God's Children Reach for the Son (AKA- Eeghad am I Ever Tired!)

I am soooooo wiped out right now, but even more....I am soooooo lovin' it, Haha!

"ELEVATE~ Helping All Gods Children Reach for the Son"

C ~ This little girl was doing something that made me laugh (wish I could remember what it was now). She kept getting in my face (playfully) and telling me not to laugh, which only made me laugh even more. Then she would tell some of other adults that I was laughing. This little girl is in love with the fact that our names are so similiar. Becasue of it, we have bonded very well.

N ~ Wow, does he EVER have energy! Can I have some of it pleeease? This little guy he's somewhere between 3 and five, (looks like he's barely three) not only did he wear me out, but he melted my heart today. He asked me "Where's your dog?", in a a sweet little voice (Alehe has an eye infection, I've had to put ointment in her eyes twice a day). During part of our sundayschool time he spent in one of our other rooms (he doesnt sit still very well, biblestory time is difficult for him). He had a great time drawing (scribbling) on the whiteboard or bouncing/rolling a giant-sized ball you normally use for yoga. He's definately a mover and a shaker.

I am SO going to bed early tonight! I cannot wait for next week to see what God has in store.

The Church of the Open Door

Revelation 3:7 - 13
(really only touched on vs 7-8)

The Church of the Open Door (Opportunity)
(the faithful church)

The POWER of an open door (faith)
Rev. 3:8 ; IICor. 2:12 ; Col. 4:2-3 ; Acts 14:27
God is the one who opens doors, pray for the doors to be opened

The PRODUCER of an open door
Rev. 3:7 ~ the one who is Holy, True
He opens, He closes
The One who is holy
Rev. 3:7 ; 1 Peter 1:15
The One who is true
Rev. 3:7 (Genuine)

The PERMANENCE of an open door
Rev. 3:7 ; 1:18 ; Isaiah 22:22
NO man can shut
NO man can open
......but God
"Lord God, help me see the open doors for witness today".

The PROBLEM with an open door
Opportunities are often disguised as problems
missed open door
I may not have seen an open door if the door was not closed
Opportunities are time sensitive
sometimes they don't come at convenient times
Opportunities are often tested by opposition
1Cor. 16:8-9
usually territory held by the enemy
Best evidence we have it is the will of God
Opportunities are usually missed because of fear
Rev. 3:8 ; IICor. 12:9 ; Gen. 11:4
I cannot do this on my own strength
(His strength is made perfect in weakness)
If God opens a door, He'll help you walk through it

Eph. 5:15 - 17
.....making the most of every opportunity

ON YOUR OWN
God ordained opportunities
Gen. 12:1-9
Esther 4 &5
Luke 18:18 - 30
John 4: 1 - 26
Acts 9:10-17
Acts 16:6-10

Open doors rarely come to us at a time when we are prepared to walk through them. Many times, we are so caught up in attending to our normal every day lives that we are a little disrupted when a truly miraculous and extraordinary moment presents itself. How has God interrupted your life in a miraculous or extraordinary way? How was His timing?
Moving to Montan when I thought I had life figured out
teaching sunday school
meeting RA
moving to CA
Skyline to Shadow Mountain when I thought I was being led to Skyline and mom said she'd go where I wanted to )
teaching Sunday school Special Needs ministry

There may be inner resistance to where God is leading you
(me falling in love with Skyline church, mom and dad going to Shadow Mountain and because I don't drive having to go there instead. Me wanting to go back to Skyline, but then the Special Needs ministry popped up.)

Sometimes God Closes a Door, Only to Open a Window

Sorting through feelings of today, trying to come up with a title to this post....this line hits me, "Sometimes the hardest things to do are in perfect sync with God's will and plan". Today was my last day with preschoolers. It was a tough decision on my part, and definately NOT easy by any sense of the word! And as I type this, 'None Compare' is playing on my computer. "Do Nnot be afraid, for help is on the way".

When I first started volunteering in schools, it was rough having to leave the dog but I wanted something to do and wanted to be with children so bad. Poor Alehe couldn't understand....she kept running to the door, somtimes with the leash in her mouth or jumping in the van... and I would have to tell her to stay. Well, lately I have been noticing that this leaving her most of the time I am gone is affect the times she DOES work with me. She is not as responsive to my commands as she needs to be. In my CCI training sessions with her and previous dogs, we were told that this could happen over time.

I pressed into one of the preschools abotu the issue, and it sorta fell flat. I wrote a note to the volunteer coordinator at this same school and started the ball rolling looking into other classrooms at that same school or inthe same district. Another classroom, this time second graders, came available and said no prob. I am already a volunteer TA for a first graded class, and so not doing the preschool would open up opportunity in that class to bring Alehe, and they are excited. Why, the past two weeeks kiddos come up to me "when do you get to bring your dog?" And they ask me all sorts of questions about her. Friday is my first day with Alehe in both classrooms.

My last day in the preschool was difficult. My heart felt heavy, I LOVED these kids! They in turn LOVED me! (and so did the teachers). I felt like God was closing yet anbother door I thought He had led me to walk through. When I got home, I listened to a song RA had posted to his Facebook page yesterday. I don't always listen to them becasue I have all of them on CD :D ,but felt led to do so this time. "None Compare' played, and God spoke. "Do not be afraid, for Help is on the way".
God is totally in control!



After that and I started singing the chorus to yet another RA song, 'Take My Will'



Take My Will
Make it Your own
I'm on my knees, I'm letting go
Seeking more of Youu
and finding less of me , and now I'm free\
So take my will
And let Your kingdom come
Let Your Will be done

What A Day!!! :D

Wednesday was the frst morning in at least three weeks that I had been to JUMP Preschool. After so many times as a volunteeer to see if I liked it, they require a background check before you return. It could take weeks for this to go through (ugh!). The director said she would call me when this happened.
Weeks go by and I haven't heard anything, but I resist the urge to call. She said she would call me when everything was okay'd. One day last week I finally went with the urge and called her office. She was glad I finally called as she had erased the message on the answering machine that had my phone number. Besides, the background check came back a-okay after only one week. Was I ready to start that Wednesday? HECK YEAH!!!!!
Immediately upon my arrival into one of the classrooms one little boy rushed right over to me (kind of a hop/jog sorta) and gave me a great big bear hug! Three more children from another class also did the same. I was so glad that they remebered who I was!!!
There were only three two-year-olds in their class today. 2 of the two years olds were actually interested in me, and cracked me up! (The third being sick and sleeping on teh couch). One of the little girsl was blabbering away, abotu what you had no idea as you could not understadn a WORD of what she said!!! (Oh how i WISH I could!) And LAUGH!!! Oh I love hearing the laughter of children. I would laugh at what they did which made them laugh....which made ME laugh even harder! AT onbe poin you hear me saying "alright!" as I was LOVING teh interaction with them. Before you know it, I had a little copycat. "AWIIIGH!", two-year-olds version of "ALRIIIGHT!") And both of them would not stop smiling at me :D the entire time I was with them.
My mother, cousin and I are in a new biblestudy - Beth Moore's study on Esther, "It's Tough Being a Woman". We missed the first three weeks of it, but last night being our first and I was rivetted. I got sooooooo much out of it! I took notes like a mad woman, along with filling in the information in our workbooks. Afteward, i got to thinking, "If this is how its going to be every week, I am in for the ride of my life!!!" I LOVED it!

Journey

God has been taking me on an interesting journey these past few months since being back here in Southern California. Looking back on life since May, its been unbelievable the things that have transpired. From utter confusion as to where my life was going , loud protests as to where life was taking me adn where I thought it should BE going, I now find myself falling on my face in total surrender, asking Him to lead the way.
Even though I have not had success at finding a place of my own yet, life at my cousins has been great, and God has met me there too. We've been a tremendous encouragement to eachother. She's been helping me find things to do; volunteering at various preschools, getting involved in the singles group at church, I help watch her three-year-old neice, and we watch my 2nd cousin play football on Friday nights at my alma mater, Granite Hills High School (GO EAGLES!!!)
SKyline Wesleyan church is where I am going on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. I have visited in times past; a childhood frind invited me to her wednesday night childrens ministry, we would watch the Livign Christmas Tree put on by the Skyline choir. Even thougth it is a Wesleyan denomination, I have found it similiar to Christiam Life Center, an Assemblies of God (what i was born andraised in). I have visited churches I went to in the past, even the one I was born and raised in, but diddnt feel either was for me anymore. As the Good Lord wills, I long to become moreinvolved in the childrens ministry, possibly the choir sonewhere down the road. The Wednesday night singles group is going through a 'Boundaries' book series. When I first started, the topic/book was 'Boundaries in Dating'. Wasn't sure what to think of it at first. After all not having ever dated (except maybe a blind date set up by two mutual friends, Awekward!) I wasnt quite sure if it was something God had for me. Now we seem to have put that aside and are going through the first book of teh series 'Boundaries'. I am getting more from this one, although I wouldnt mind continuing with the other one too (sheepish grin). The pastors messages have been a true blessing in this season. One series was on Story, while now He's preaching on the Covenant.
Identity. its a word that has been sticking in my mind for some time now. I guess I have been rying to find out who I am. Since three years ago when my world was turned upside down by numerous circumstances and so may people trying to tell me what they saw best for me---and getting frustrated in the process, hurting people along the way because i could not adequately describe what was going on in my head, so it came out in anger and confusion instead. Gods grace is truly amazing. I have been truly leaning on Him for strength a I get through this rollercoaster of a season I find myslef in. And little blessings are popping up everywhere! Communication with family members has been fairly smooth (whoa!, it could still use some work, but its a growing process. A Montana friend (if your reading this you know who you are, a HUGE THANKYOU!!!) gave me an encouraging word about identity, and it has blessed me immeasurably. I go back and read his fb comment often :).

One final note, those poppers I made for biblestudy a few days ago? Yeah, HUGE hit! At least eight comments.
Pictures soon!

A Giant Leap of Faith ---

There was a flier in Sunday's church bulletin. Upon reading it during our meet and greet I immediately filled it out without giving it a second thought. At the conclusion of second service I went straight to the imformation booth to turn it in. Leaving the sanctuary and heading to my van I thought to myself, "What did I just do!?"
I had just signed up to be a teacher in KidZone, Christian Life Center's children's Sunday school. It is set up so there are more than one teacher in a classroom, and so teachers rotate on who would give the lesson for each week. A lesson for November would be in the mail shortly. I am so excited!
Noel called me on my cellphone as I was leaving Wal Mart. I only had a few things I needed to pick up. She and I are in christmas choir rehearsals together and she has heard me talk about my job woes and my enthusiasm for working with young children. I had marked on the sheet of paper the spot for the intern, and she persuaded me to forgo the internship part and be a lead teacher instead. I tried to start out as a helper and work my way into the lead teacher, but she felt this was a God thing of my getting involved and her thinking of me. I decided to take a giant leap of faith and accepted the challenge.
What is God up to, if anything, I am beginning wonder. The job prospects in the secular jobmarket are proving to be futile (although I haven't given up hope just yet). Even some of the volunteer opporunities have been limited it seems although I am volunteering now at the Missoula Boys and Girls club (it's okay, not a blast, but it's okay). What is interesting is while at chi Alpha one evening we had a Missoinary speak that night and on the table were books to give away. The Title? "Out of the Comfort Zone".
My first teaching experience ever was shortly after moving to Montana, when both my mother and I were talked into becomeing Missionettes teachers. That was when I felt lead to pursue it as a profession. Then I became involved in a fourth/fifth grade classroom grading papers, helping with seatwork, and prep work for some of those lessons. I became even more interested in education.
I became interested in doing therapy dog work with Alehe, and that didn't even last very long. I think I went to the hospital maybe twice, if even that. There was just no room for me at the time I thought it would be most convenient.
I couldn't help but wonder if God is not more involved in this trouble with finding work, paid or otherwise, and if He isn't preparing me for something else. Would gettin involved in KidZone have come up had I not gotten involved in either Community Hospital's Pet therapy program or Boys and Girls Club?


Now I've got a Carman Song stuck in my head -
Taking a step, taking a step of faith
Walking out on, the Promises God made
Taking a giant, leap in the air
Stepping out on nothing to find something there
Telling the doubt to wait (echo: wait wait wait)
Taking a step of faith

God, renewing my confidence in teaching young children?

Divine Encouragement

In the past couple of weeks I have been on the job hunt again, this time with a different agency than one I had been previously working with. VR sent me to see someone over at the WORC center, out of Community Hospital. I did another round of vocational testing to see where my strengths and weaknesses lie. For starters they sent in teh mail two career assesments that I was to do before coming in for a brief meeting and doing two more in their office. Results? NOT what I wanted to hear!!! I scored my highest in secretarial values/interests. I came away from the experience discouraged, confused....

I have been going to both the Saturday night service at CLC as well as Sunday morning's second service. I wanted to check out the Sat. night service to hear the new associate pastor, Jim Hicks. He has spoken in the Sunday morning service a few times and I really enjoyed his preaching. I was able to find a ride from a young woman who frequents chi Alpha. :D I am now able to make it on Sunday mornings too, as one of the Nightingale aides on weekends has enough time scheduled to get me there and back. What is neat, one of them likes going to CLC now, as she had said she was looking for somewhere to go. I got the idea to go to both servicecs, that way I may help oout in the childrens church for something to do adn beause i love children, to beef up the resume' with more experience.

Pastor Hicks talked about wisdom in one of his sermons a few weeks ago, and it just so happened I wasn't there that saturday but I caught it online.
Romans 8:26 -
Partnership with the Holy Spirit
He helps us with our weaknesses
Don't run from your weaknesses
(Paul, I boast in my weaknesses)
Holy Spirit came to him when he was at least trying to do something
God will show up in the circumstances
Holy Spirit is with you
"Go and I will be with you
(Go do what you can find to do)
whatever your hand finds to do, do it. I will be with you
God comes to us at our point of weakness.
Looking beyond our weakness, and to the vastness of God
Dont be afraid of your weaknesses

A few points toward the end really hit home.

Holy Spirit came to him (Paul) whe he was at least trying to do something
I have been frustrated because I thought I knew exactly what God wanted me to do. When the preschool things felt as though it was slipping away, I became discouraged. That may not have been the whole picture. God can work through these little bumps in the road, after all, these may be part of His plan also. Something to prepare me for what's further ahead.
"Go and I will be with you"
(Go do what you can find to do)
whatever your hand finds to do, do it. I will be with you
Looking beyond our weakness, and to the vastness of God


I had been foolishly afraid. Afraid that VR would be steering me in a direction where God did not want me to go. These past couple of days I havae been putting out my resume' with volunteer applications at different places around town. I wrote a post earlier about volunteering @ Community Hospital with Alehe doing pet therapy adn the afternoons, which would work best for me, are already taken. Grrrr. So I have put in volunteer apps. at Easter Seals Growing Place (an inclusive Preschool), Valley Christian School, and will soon be putting one in @ Paxson Elementary and possibly the YMCA. I may even swing by Missoula County Public Schools on Monday and see what they hve available. Now it's up to God to open the doors. Valley Christian might be a bit iffy as there were access issues...stairs! But the principal said he and his staff would pray about what to do with me.

I've Got Another Job Interview!

SJ from Jobs just called me a few minutes ago a\nd said she hax just set up a job interview with Cuddle Bugs daycare/preschool. She was so excited abot it she had to call me on her cell phone rather than wait to call me from her office when she returned.

I have driven by that place numerous times going to FC, the doctor, etc., and it didn't look accessible as there was a giant step. But I was assured that there was a cement ramp in the back of the building.

Driving by it all the time I had this feeling that it would be cool to work there, just becaus eI liked the name so mjuch. SJ has a good feelign abotu the place. She liked the people who worked there.

OH YES, and they were fine with me bringing Alehe. YAY!


UPDATE:
The interview went better than expected. I was hardly nervous at all(I guess thsi seminar is helping :)). The place looks relatively small from the outside, but like my house, once you go inside you are amazed at the space. She asked me maybe four main questions adn a bit of info about previous experience. She even said it looked like I had a lot of experience from my resume (most people are discouraged by the lack of experience i have had). I shall hear back within the week.

Meanwhile, we are looking into a few more options.

Two Sticks and Three Rocks

This is what I found when I cleaned out my backpack today. That'll teach me to leave my backpack open when I'm around the two-year-olds at recess.

Adventures in Preschool VI :T-shirt Sayings

I cannot believe how many preschoolers in my class come to school with the cutest and most hilarious sayings on their shirts.

I do all my own stunts
I tried to be good, but I got bored
If you think I'm cute, you should see my grandpa
I'm definately up to something
I didnt do it, you didnt see me do it, I wanna speak to my grandpa
(seen on the t-shirt of a two-year-old) Warning: Two-year-old

Adventures in Preschool V: Tag, Tantrums

Gym? Who needs a stinkin' gym when you gots thirty or so preschoolers , your out on the playground, and three of them sucker you into a game of 'Tag'. "Oh my aching back!" Okay, so its more like "Oh, my aching arms!" I wouldnt have traded that moment for anything.

My day started off a bit crummy when a few of the little monsters had difficulty listening to my directions. Then, during center time, one child threw a royal kaniption fit when I asked him to pick up a toy on teh floor and put it away. "But HE had it first!" (pointing to another child playing with him)I knew he did but i saw this other boy wtih it after him. Each time he told me the other boy had it first, he got louder and more frustrated to a point where his face was beet red and the large vein was popping otu of his neck. I got to a point wher the other boy was there still adn I asked him to do it. I was stuck. Thankfully, he put it away without any trouble at all, and so I tried to talk to the other boy to diffuse the situation. Meanwhile he is by the wall under a table sulking.

Outside after lunch and I am by one of our climbers making sure no children plzy in teh puddles of water surrounding it (okay, so it was more like a miniature sized moat than a series of puddles). A few children were aroudn interacting with me, and all of a sudden WHACK! "TAG, YER IT!" Young B comes and thwacks me on the chest. Well, I take off after him, and three other children are soon chasing after me! I would do a good job in keeping away from them (they ARE fast little buggers), but every time I came aroudn a bend in the tryke track I had to slow down a bit to turn my wheelchair. Then I was taggged.

later in the day I received a hug from a child, for what reason I don't know. but that also made my day.

Children:A Blessing from the Lord (In more ways than one)

I came home from watching Shrek 3 with my favoritest preschooler in the world and his mom. I came away from the movie liking it more than I thought I would. The whole time I wondered what J was thinking, because there was a lot more adult humor than I thought there should have been.

It was so cute, before the movie we had time to kill as the 2:30 showing was sold out, so we went to petsmart. He wanted to push my wheelchair. When we went into the movie theatre, he wanted to push my wheelchair, even when we came out. The little stinker, when we were at the gas station afterward, he kept throwing his jacket over my head asnd laughing hysterically. then, when I wouldn't give it back, he asked his mom to tell me to give it back. She laughed. He was being serious. I LOVE to hear a child laugh. There is something God awe-ing about the experience.

When God gets me around a child, I feel like I am being spoiled rotten. Even in my work, I almost feel like I shouldn't be having so much fun. It just doesnt feel like work to me. I thoroughly enjoy what I do.

I came home from the movie and looked up child and children in the back of my Bible. Here are the verses that stuck out to me.

Proverbs 20:7
The righteous man leads a blameless life;
blessed are his children after him.

Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not turn from it.

Mark 9:36 and 37
He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

Psalm 127:3
Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

Matt 18:3
And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

19:13,14
Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

I just remembered my Strongs concordance, maybe I'll post more here later.

Adventures in Preschool IV / Other News

Just the other day one of our preschoolers brought her dad with her to class. Her dad had brought a bunch of bugs, alive and dead, for the children to look at and learn about. There were a few bugs that children could touch (like the Rhinoceros Beetle; this thing was u-u-u-gly...and huge!) and dead bugs that were preserved under glass. Some children refused to touch them, while others were downright enthralled.

Uh-oh, I think I started something. so when we are outside on the playground, it is hard for me to find a spot where I am not in the way of children when they are on the 'tricycle track" Children often run into me, by mistake. Or so I thought. I started this game where whomever runs into me with their trike, gets a visit from the 'Tickle Monster'. Now they run into me on purpose!

Lately, I have had trouble with preschoolers (and some first graders) not doing what they were told. Some run away, while others say to me they don't have to. I had a small victory with a preschooler who doesn't do what I asked. I phrased my request a bit differently. If I asked him "K, show me where this goes" then he would respond by putting it in its rightful place. If I told him to do it, I repeatedly got nothing. Now if I could just get the first graders to listen!

This week I was able to learn part of the Montana state song. Our preschoolers are singing a couple songs for a program in a few weeks, and unfortunately;y, the chorus was all the teachers could remember the tune for.

Montana, Montana
Glory of the west
Of all the states from coast to coast
You're easily the best
Montana, Montana
Where skies are always blue
M-O-N-T-A-N-A-
Montana, I love you

The last two lines the children learned sign language to. In looking up the Montana song I found other interesting facts about Montana here

Alehe's trainer was in town this week. It was a very good visit. Alehe was not due for a visit, but she was in town and asked if I wanted her to stop by. What the heck, why not? We talked about the work situation and having to leave Alehe at home. There really is nothing I can do since a co-worker is allergic, though by law I CAN have her with me. I don't want to make things miserable for anyone. After talking with her. I felt better about leaving Alehe, and I really am doing as much as I can to make sure she is not miserable. She seems like she is getting used to the idea. When I get my next dog, (that shouldn't be for another four or five years , her trainer said :D)if things haven't changed then I will crate her for a while when I go to work.

Mom and dad were in town for a few days, dad's work was slow so they decided to get away. Mom shared with me something sad. Brandi, their other toy poodle was killed by a coyote. When Beau was around, they left them two alone. But without Beau "the dog who thinks he's a rottweiler" Garcon, she was easy prey. :(
Another reason for their being in town was to deliver me my bed from home. I have an electric bed (meaning I can raise the head and feet) that is good for two reasons; one, I can relieve the swelling from my feet after a long day, and two; it's is actually better for the shunt in my head if I am sleeping a bit elevated. I was bummed that my pillow top mattress cover wasn't going to fit, but with this bed, I don't need it.

Adventures in Preschool III - Jacks

Do you remember the childhood game 'Jacks', the game where you bounce a ball and pick up so many jacks before the ball bounces again? Anyway, as part of the kiddo's free time, there was a set of jacks on the table, our "manipulatives". i thought it wsa strange that there were jacks on the table and nothing else. I thought to myself'now what are the kids supposed to do with those?", but they found ways to entertain themselves. Children would line them up and count them, for one. I picked one up and spun it on its tip, watching it spin really fast before it suddenly slowed down and then suddenly stopped spinnning altogether. I did this a few more times and pretty soon, preschoolers were commenting on how cool that was . Before i knew it, I had five preschoolers around me all spinning jacks. There were different kinds too, plastic, metal, hard, soft. Some spun easier than others. For at least half an hour, I had different children at this table. One of the teachers walked by me, I turned to her and said "I think I started something". She laughed

Adventures in Preschool II

This, already my third week being a Fort Courage Employee, was a great week. I would have to say that Wednesday was by far my best day ever.

As is always the case, whenever I go outside for recess with our preschoolers, the two-year-olds come crowd around me, arguing about who's turn it is to push my wheelchair around the playground. I think I'm their favorite toy. Drew and Madison are so darn cute!

One little boy, TJ, in our preschool classroom is especially fond of me. The first day I was there, he hung around me I'm sure because of Alehe. But even now that I don't have her with me, he still hangs around me more than his daycare friends. This week he and another little boy , Seth, are having fun with me. Indoors they tie any sort of string in the spokes of my chair (Seth: I'm going to tangle you with my tangly tangles!", and the other day had three of their other friends helping them by building a block structure around my wheelchair so I couldn't go anywhere. And if I succeeded in trying to get away...they would drag my wheelchair back to where we were playing. If I got one of his toys that he stuck in the spokes of my wheels and held it up really high it was"Hey, Buster!" Now I am "Buster" to TJ whenever I do the opposite of what he wants. The entire class took a walk around the entire block and got to play in the field near the Center. TJ stuck by me the entire way up until they got to run. On the way back he was beside me once again.

I started doing more in the classroom the past few days. Unfortunately, since I am just an aide, I don't get to teach any lessons, or circle times, bummer :(. Maybe someday. Although lately I have been wondering if I will ever get to a point of being able to teach my own class, seeings how ,because of my spina bifida, my stamina isn't quite what it used to be.

Today I was setting up and cleaning up before and after snacktime and lunchtime, putting finished art projects in their cubbies, straightening mats preschoolers sit on at circle and story times, as well as the usual playing with/supervising children.

It's crazy, in the mornings when I wake up at 6:15 to get ready for work, I want to sleep more. But when it comes time to end my shift at the daycare center, I don't want to go home yet.

Time flies when you're having fun.

Adventures in Preschool

Alehe seems to be doing well with this new arrangement. She is more excitable lately when I do take her places. When I arrived home on the bus, I saw her head poking out from behind the livingroom curtain. And as I wheeled up the ramp in the garage, she started barking excitedly.
Two things crossed my mind in the last few days since working at Fort Courage. One day last week I had prayed that God would give me another "Joseph" experience. Joseph ws a little boy from my preschool internship on campus who really became attatched to me, and I to him. Well, now there is a little boy named TJ who is apparen tly attatched to my hip. He and I had a blast today, chasing eachother aroudn the playground;he on his tricycle and me in my chair. Then he got another little boy, Beckett, to join in on his game. The two of them tried to drag me off to "jail". I never could get them to tell me my offense. If I sleep through Chi Alpha tonight, you'll know why.
Another prayer of mine this past weeks was regardign my leaving Alehe at home. I knew my first day of work the children would be crowding round Alehe and I because I had the dog. Well, now that I have to leave her at home, I wasn't sure I would get the same attention. This was where God challenged me. Today, coming home from work, (I still get excited when I say that!) God showed me on the way home that with or without the dog, I was still a bit hit. YEAH! :D
I had a few children say things to me that made me laugh, but phooey if I can't remember one thing that was said.:(