They're not so bad after all...

I thought when I would start the school year, I would look at my 3 foot tall kids and wish I could trade them in for 10 year olds, but I was wrong.  I went up to the 4th grade classroom the other day, and they passed me in the hall and they seemed so large and big and it made me thankful for my little people. I'm fitting into preschool quite well.

Raef might wish I had a different job as songs like "Who is my Preschool Friend" (sung to the tune of farmer in the dell) are running over and over in my head and I sing them to him as we fall asleep. But, this job brings a lot of joy and laughter that comes with this age.  I can't even keep track of all of the things kids have said just this week. One little girl was explaining to me that she got the "Sweet and Sassy" haircut last week, with sparkles who also keeps telling me that I forget to get the puppets out.  Another little boy told me he was special because he had a nightlight. And another 3 year old said, "Mrs. Chenery I have a secret for you, and he leaned over to my ear and said, "Your the best teacher ever."

Although, those stories are often shadowed by the kid who pooped his pants (it was in a pull up so I wasn't going to clean that up, that's not in my contract), my consistent crier who will burst into tears over not being able to replicate the design on his shirt to his picture, or simply taking his glue away at clean up time.  Or, a little guy, after I asked him to stop jumping in puddles, replied, "I quit school, I want my old teacher back, and I'm running away." Sorry, too bad. You're not pushing me over buddy.

The part I love the most though, is sharing simple truths about Jesus with my kids. How they can be strong like eagles or over hearing them sing "This is the Day that the Lord has made" after we have sung it a few times in class. Or, when I pray for a kid to have a successful day -- and he does. It's such a sweet time to watch the Lord show up too.

I am so encouraged by the teachers around me, one even popped in, who has been there for 20 years, and said, "I'm so glad that your here, your such a great fit to our school and it feels like you've been here a long time." Which really means a lot when you're the new kids on the block (not like the early 90s band) I'm blessed to be on a team of teachers who really care about the community of the school. It makes such a difference.

Well, I'll be here to update again -- I'm not pretending that I won't have hard days -- but the Lord has been good so far and I think he knew what he was doing giving me this new job that I was hesitant to take.