Playing Together

Friday was such a gorgeous day all the Early Ed classes at my school decided to go on the playground at the end of the day.

One of my little guys with Autism (who does NOT play with other kids) brought me a basketball to play catch.  We were having lots of fun when I noticed a little guy with Autism from another class wanting to join in (he also does NOT play with other kids).

I asked my little one if we could all play together.  "NO!"

"Well let's try." I said and threw the ball to the other boy.  "Now throw to him."  I encouraged.  Next thing I knew the two of them were playing catch together all by themselves and smiling like crazy!!

I almost cried.

When I told my guy's mom he played catch with another child she was floored and so excited!

Despite the insane-ness, I love my job.

Makes it Worthwhile

I had one of those "it's all worthwhile now" moments at school today.
It was a pretty crazy day as it was the first time all the kids were in the classroom together. My afternoon class has 3 children with autism in it so it gets pretty busy and stressful at times. At the end of the day one child with autism got picked up by mom. She was the last to go so we were chatting with mom a bit. The little girl was very anxious to leave so mom asked her why she was in such a hurry to go.
"I miss my mommy daddy. But now I happy, I have back."
Wow! Myself and my EA nearly cried. If you know anything about autism you know what a profound moment this was!

Tales from Sunday School

So I'm playing a game with a few 4/5 yr old boys Sun morning when one looks up at me:
Boy: "Did you know my daddy is hot stuff?"
Me: "Is that what your mommy says?"
Boy: "Yeah, my daddy is hot stuff!"

We made sock puppets this weekend & I told them to decorate them however they wanted. One little girl was showing me hers when she was done. She had coloured the whole thing black & put red glitter-glue for 'lips'.
Me: Is your puppet a person or an animal?
Girl: She's a woman cuz she has lickstick!
Me: Oh.
Girl: She's just a hairy woman. That's why I coloured her all. I wanted her to be a hairy woman.

New Chapter

So we get possession of our new (but old) house today!!
I'm super excited, totally worried & pretty stressed out....normal for new home-buyers I'm told.
This may sound silly to some, but oh well...
I feel like this is the beginning of an exciting, crazy new chapter for Nato & me.
It's like our real, grown-up lives are starting now with the house, my first teaching contract, Nato's promotion a few months ago.
A LOT has been happening this summer, good stuff, but still a lot.
Even though we've been married 3 1/2 years now, and they've been busy, crazy, wonderful years...it still feels like NOW life is really starting.
So, here we go life, we're ready for you! (I hope!)

Sad?

So this afternoon Naestra started crying for absolutely no reason.  So we were all pretty much ignoring her but Alarielle pipes up:

"Don't cry Naestra because it will make Jesus sad!"

Whatever you say, baby!

Something's Fishy!

So my sis has a Jesus fish tatoo on her shoulder that's totally cool. She's had it for years now.
She was wearing a tank top the other day, sitting on the floor by Naestra.
N: Mommy, what's on your shoulder?
Krii: I don't know, what's on my shoulder?
N: I fink it's Marlin.
Krii: Marlin?
N: (Excited now) Yeah, it's Marlin on your shoulder!

So her tatoo is officially named Marlin. Love it!

God Talks

It still amazes me that God chooses to speak to us & in particular to me.  Seriously, who am I that the God of the galaxy speaks personally & directly to me?

Well, He answered that. 

 "You are a warrior princess.  Fiercesome & beautiful as I made you."

Wow.

I know that answer was not just for me, but for every little girl, every young woman, every lady of God.  That answer was for You too.

But was does His answer mean for us?  It means that we are not to be wilting wallflowers for God.  It means that in whatever way, in whatever place He has put us, we are to rise up & make war for God's kingdom, our kingdom.  We are NOT to accept the way things are or what the lies tell us about the way things "must be".  We have a responsibility to FIGHT!  To engage in purposeful prayer, to witness to those brought our way despite our fears, to delve into our Maker's word & to seek His face.

"Fiercesome" is not a light word.  Think about what that implies.  It means that the sight of us is to strike fear into the very hearts of our enemies!  That's huge when you consider how powerful our Enemy is in this fallen world.

God is saying that His presence & strength in us is to be so present, so viable that the Enemy is stricken at the sight of us!  That is a HUGE calling!

He must have a lot of faith in us to place such a massive calling on us.  The God of the universe has faith in, believes in, US.  You & me.  There are days I don't think my house plants should have much faith in me.  Yet the creator of the stars does.

He says, "I am glorious & righteous & fiercely in love with you."

That means YOU.