Oh to be a kindergartener again!

There's no doubt that I haven't loved a job more than the one I have now. It doesn't even feel like a "job" but more like I just get to play with kids all day and get paid for it. =] All the driving might be a hassle but it's totally worth it; God has really blessed me.

This morning was entertaining from the start, because Alicia came in with a scarf draped over her head that reached all the way to her shoulders, so Mark was calling her Jar-Jar. Nathan was being his usual bundle of trouble, but I think it's because he's so young and just needs some attention. He wanted to be included in our game of chutes and ladders but wanted to jump to the last 20 squares without going through any of the beginning spaces, so we just let him "win." Apparently when he wins he also expects his piece to be the only one on the winning space for the rest of the game, and if anyone so much as touches it he became extremely upset.

The Childs pre-k was just as fun as last time; they were listening to music, dancing in a circle, and playing instruments when I came in. We played hot potato, ate lunch, and watched a video about farm animals because a family will be bringing some farm animals to their school tomorrow for the elementary kids to see.

After-school we were moved to a different room for study hall because the chess club needed to use our room to meet (the popularity of the chess club absolutely astounds me). A table of sixth-grade girls won the pizza for the week for being quiet, and they had quite a time deciding what kind of pizza they wanted to get. Initially, their final decision was half feta cheese with spinach and onions and half sausage (which ping kept messing up/forgetting every time she went up to tell nick, and she plus her whole table couldn't stop laughing), but nick threatened to get them a cheese pizza if they made it too complicated. So the final verdict was just plain sausage.

Extended day the kids were incredibly rowdy because it was a rainy day and they had been cooped up inside all day, which was to be expected. Regina mentioned to me that the other day Ekansh had told the other kids he was Indian, and one of the boys said "No you're not! You don't bring your bow and arrow to school every day!" I couldn't help but laugh at that one. I played chess with Tatyana (a tiny Kindergartener with a big attitude) and she beat me in just a couple of short minutes! The rules had slipped my mind and she was supposed to be "teaching" me how to play, but neglected to mention how to win/protect my king until AFTER checkmate. How embarrassing, but at the same time amazing that these children are so brilliant. =] Her brother drew a heavy amount of red and black marker all down his arm to make it look like a nasty wound, but that's another story.

Where you lead me I will follow

It's been awhile since I've updated, and I feel like it's about time. This summer really separated me from the outside world by having no cable and very limited internet, so I never got to write on my blog. I've got a lot of things to unload; let's see how this goes.

Being apart from a community of believers this summer was so incredibly hard but also was an opportunity to test the strength of my faith. There were several times when I fell so far short of the expectations I set for myself, but at the same time I also got multiple opportunities to share my faith with people and discuss beliefs, which was awesome. Just wearing a necklace with a cross on it really changes the way many people see you, which I never realized until I spent the summer with a sampling of people from all over the world.

Something that made me really nervous was one girl who admitted to me that she knew I was a Christian and said she basically watched my every move to determine what parts of her life she should improve to live "the straight life." I am by no means perfect and although I know I don't have to be perfect I still felt a lot more pressure to be a real role model... and it made me wonder if that's the way most people feel but they just don't say it?

One guy asked me about the ichthus on my cross necklace, and another asked me about some specific stories of the Bible. The second guy said he knew I was a Christian because of the things I did/didn't say, the things I did/didn't do, and basically how he noticed I live my life. Is it really that obvious? It's kind of cool and kind of unnerving at the same time because people are watching what choices I make! Hopefully the choices I make will impact the lives of those watching me in a positive way, plus open them up to discussions of faith. =]

Probably the coolest interaction was with an international girl literally minutes before I left the park for good; she saw my necklace and asked me if I was a Christian and if I believed that the stories in the Bible are true. I got to share with her some of my thoughts and also peaked her interest about reading the Bible. Hopefully she does get to read it because she said she wanted to read the stories and practice her English. Unfortunately I did not get the chance to really talk to her in-depth about it, but I am SO glad I got to have those few minutes with her!

Now on to what's going on in my life at the moment!

I started working at my new job today with the School-Age Care Program, and needless to say it's probably one of the best jobs I've ever had. The children are amazing and hilarious and so full of life-it's almost hard to believe I used to be their size. One boy in the before-school program, Nathan, is in Kindergarten and is a bundle of energy. Workers are constantly having to tell him not to do certain things, bu at the same time we can't help but laugh at him. The honesty of a child continues to leave me in awe! Nathan went to the bathroom and came back, and when one of the girls I work with asked him if he had washed his hands, he would not give her a straight answer by both shaking and nodding his head. She told him to go back and wash his hands, and he promptly ran back to the bathroom to wash the offending hands. Older kids would have probably lied and said they had done it, but he couldn't lie to her!

I love kids so much!!

When I went to work with the pre-schoolers at lunchtime, I was definitely thrown into a completely different environment than what I am used to. They didn't even have the program in school but were in a house next to the school, so they lived in their own little world. Each of them was bursting with things to say about what was going on at home, and each of them wanted to hold my hand, get hugs, and for me to play with them and look at the things they made. One boy is only three and asked for a lot of attention, but the ladies that run the program said it was the first day he had actually eaten lunch there since he started coming to pre-k over a week ago. I was glad to be there for that important step in his life, because he has finally accepted that his parents aren't going to be able to come pick him up at any second that he wants to see them.

After school, I worked with my biggest group of the day with the most diverse age groups. A game arose about an hour and a half before the end called "the cheese touch" which is basically like tag but is a "moldy cheese touch." If you cross your fingers, you are safe from the touch but if not you better run for your life! Otherwise you are cursed with the touch and are expected to attempt to pass it on.

What surprised me the most out of the entire day was the kids' interest in chess! I had a kindergartener showing me how to play because I had forgotten how... and a couple of first and second graders helping him teach me! I'm not sure that I've ever felt so dumb before, but at the same time I'm so amazed and impressed with their intelligence! This school also offers Spanish, French, and German clubs, but the chess club is the most popular.

Lastly, I just want to say that I am really pleased with the direction that the Bible study that Trina and I are co-leading is going in. Tonight the girls really seemed to bond and get to know each other better, which makes me happy. =] They appeared to enjoy the activity of decorating sugar cookies and the brief study we covered, plus they shared a lot with each other so I'm excited to see how things go as the year progresses.

Hope I get to keep updating soon!