Well, what a day. The world is such a brighter place with an amazing family, unbelievable friends, and a church you can fully rely on. I am so thankful! I was told today what a blessing I am to my Pastor and our church and what a great job I do for them and how thankful people are to have me there to help. (para phrasing) Not only did that warm my heart- after I let it sink in, but it made me realize something. I feel the same way about my Pastor, my church family and the role I play within the church. I feel blessed. I feel lucky to have them- so my reply to the people that have made these comments to me is, "it must be answered prayer- because everyone is so thankful to have the other in their life!" That's when you know things are meant to be. I feel so appreciated, even for the little things. I feel like a part of the team- a part of the family. I've never been a 'team player', I never got picked. I was always the odd one out. I was always picked last for teams, or had to beg for the position I got. Or I would get picked because I was a good friend of the good players- not now, it just all fits in to place. I truly believe my church loves me for me. That is such an awesome feeling. I can be me. NESHAMINY! That is huge. (no pun intended) I don't have to put on a front, I don't have to have the best of the best things for them to like me, I don't have to have the punch line for all the jokes, I don't have to know everything about the bible, or computers, I am just expected to be me and bring what my talents are to the table. Who can ask for more?
I've been working on the house today. Cleaning, packing, organizing... you name it! Get rid of what I don't need or use, throwing away what shouldn't even still be here, and packing things for 'The next chapter in my life'! (you can read more about that later!) Of course I did all this with the girls home. Jeez. One with her allergies flaring up and the other with her FRAP (Frequent Recurring Abdominal Pain) flaring up. I took them both to the doctor and all seems to be on the mend.
Lexie is doing good- almost done her year of sixth grade. I can't believe it. Next year a seventh grader. Where has time gone? She has grown two inches in the last three months! She is very close to my height. I am in awe. She is so beautiful. God surely blessed me with gorgeous kids! She has a lot going on with her stomach issues. She takes medicine for it daily but sometimes when it flares up she really has a hard time. She has a concert coming up though that she is really excited about and has invited so many people- and I am happy to say I think they are all coming. She needs that. The feeling of acceptance. The feeling of people being excited to see what she is capable of.
Lyssa had her last swimming lesson today for Group #3. Next session she'll be in group #4. They were learning how to dive in to 12' water this week. It was so cute. Took me back to when I was little. You kind of forget how you learn things... you just take for granted doing them. Like learning to ride a bike. I bet everyone who stops to think "How did I learn this" would really smile when they thought about it. Your Mom, Dad, Aunts, Uncles... someone close to you probably taught you how to ride. Now, you just know you know how to do it. So, watching Lyssa reminded me of when I was little taking swimming lessons at the local town beach. It was really neat. =)
I talked to Jay. He sounded really good. I sent him a package last Friday and he got it on Monday. I sent little things like stickers and a coloring book, a reading book (Sponge Bob of course- I AM the coolest Mom ever) , a little stuffed Webkinz puppy that his MaaMaa (my Mom) got him, and some summer clothes and shoes. He was tickled. Even said, "Thanks Momma- for everything!" WOW Then I spent a little while talking to his counselor, Kevin. He said Jay was doing okay- still a long road ahead, but he was "okay". Jay never came back to the phone, he left to go play with some friends. I was crushed. Kind of like I wanted him to cry and whine and kick his feet to talk to me, but so proud at the same time that he is adjusting so well and really enjoying what he is learning. I asked him if he'd like me to bring some home made cookies for him Friday when I go see him, of course he said yes. (that made me feel very good)
Although it is late, I wanted to write about this- this past weekend was our Reach 2008 Conference at church. It was amazing. Basically it's a workshop for churches to learn how to relate to their congregation, how to think like a big church and be ready amazing, much needed changes and how to be a network for each other. How to be there for our Pastor. How to help out in church depending on what your talents are. It was wonderful. I learned so much. There was an issue however on Saturday with the kids. Nothing big, or unexpected with kids, but none the less an issue that needed addressed. Well, for the first time this past Sunday I got to teach in the Treehouse. Basically like Sunday school for the kids...but like Emeril says- it's 'kicked up a notch'! I was so nervous. I am so new at the "church thing" I was worried I wouldn't do what was right or that I'd have kids respect me, or want to even come back when I am teaching again. Quite the contrary. The night before I prayed and prayed and prayed. They teach the kids when they pray to listen and they will hear God. Well, I was listening and he just wasn't speaking loud enough! I was so worried. What was I going to go in there to do? How was I going to make this work? Especially since we had special guests there with their children from the Conference. Amazingly enough, I woke up Sunday morning completely calm. I knew exactly what I was going to do and how I was going to do it! We were going to work on the issues at hand from the day before. Kids repeating what other kids say and telling adults and it not coming out the same way it was said at all. Plus working together as a team to get the same result, instead of fighting to get the end result individually. I was excited now for my first "class" to take place. I had kids from the age of 3 all the way to 12. You know what, they were all captivated. We had fun. We played "telephone", where the kids had to sit in a circle. One person had to think of a short sentence and whisper it to the next person and that person would whisper what they thought they heard to the next person. This continued around the circle until it got back to the person who said it originally. The kids were SHOCKED to find out how different it got back to the person who started it. It was nothing like it started. For example. I started one which was, "The pink panda wears polka dots." When it went around the circle and came back to me it was, "Marcus hates purple microphones!" I had the kids attention. All of them. They saw how much a simple sentence can change without even meaning any harm. Then I had the girls line up on one side and the boys on the other. They had to throw one piece of popcorn across to their partner on the opposite side. From across the room, naturally the popcorn didn't go far- but when the kids worked together with their partner and started to take steps closer to each other to help out they were able to catch the popcorn. Hence the lesson, working together to get to the same end result! It was such a great feeling knowing the kids understood at the end what I was trying to convey to them. We had about 15 minutes when my activities were over before the church service was over so we all sat down and went around the room and each person had to share one thing about them that they didn't think anyone else knew. The kids were so excited to share. (some a little more then others- don't worry parents, I won't say a thing! haha) Then they interacted in the discussion. Asking each other about there story. When, why, where, how... etc. It was awesome. Little kids having an actual discussion! The most rewarding part of the day, was when the parents came back to pick up their children and Kaden was in the middle of the closing prayer for us (he sounds just like his Daddy- who is the Pastor... too funny) and the kids said "Amen" looked up and saw their parents and didn't want to leave! That is a blessing! So I am excited to keep working with them. I will work in the Treehouse (Sunday school) once a month if scheduling goes right. So hopefully next time will be just as much fun.
Wow- long winded blog, but lots I wanted to share!
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