This week has been incredible. We had our first home visit for Foster Care, and most of my worries were put to rest. She was very impressed with our house and told us we were one of the most capable young couples she's ever known and is confident we will do well. It was very reassuring and we were able to ask her a lot of questions. I bought some things for my classroom at garage sales, we spent a lot of time at the pool, we are reading a TON about child abuse & proper ways to parent child with extreme trauma. We had several simple date nights of going on walks, grilling, swimming, going out for ice cream cones and just enjoying time together. So good to have energy and time to do SIMPLE, fun things together.
*On Sunday at church, I was writing in my journal -- I wrote that I was starting to be worried about being able to buy/find all of the things we need to get a room set up. We have decided to license for a 3-8 year old...and we don't know what gender/age/race we'll get. It's hard to prepare toys/clothes/bed/room for a 3 year old boy or an 8 year old girl. Kind of a large range. I feel confident that God has a specific child that is supposed to be in our home....but I get nervous preparing it all. It is amazing how the Lord is already providing things we need for the child through wonderful friends and family. It gives me confidence that He will provide the energy, etc. that we need as well!! :)
One thing that gives me MAJOR confidence about our ability to do Foster Care is working at the Center. My interactions and affection for these kids, helps me to see that in some ways Foster Care will be easy because it is EASY to love a kid who needs it so desperately. To be able to feed, clothe, talk to, LISTEN to, give experiences to a child who has so little and who has been treated so unfairly, will be incredible. I know it will be hard, but it is also very hard to see all of this and not act. I can't wait--
*I went back to volunteer this week and it was even better than last week. As I walked up to the building on Monday, kids were pouring out of their apartments and sprinting with HUGE smiles towards the center. I was greeted with smiles, hugs and stories of the weekend.
Yesterday we spent the day eating breakfast, making a fun craft-they were so cute and careful as they made the picture frame-constantly looking for affirmation from me, and then we got to go outside to pull veggies out of the community garden and ride bikes.
Most of the kiddos didn't know how to ride bikes, but it didn't stop them from trying. I spent the hour (in 100 degree weather!!) running with kids as I held the back of their seat. They were SO cute as they tried and cheered each other on. One of my girls who was in my class last year was starting to get it--so I told her I was going to let go. She confidently yelled "Ok, Mrs! DO IT!" And she went off. I was jumping up and down screaming her name--SO proud. UNTIL I realized that I didn't teach her how to pedal backwards to brake--I went chasing after her as she pulled into a big patch of grass. We both starting laughing uncontrollably. We had so much fun. I remember my dad teaching me how to ride a bike...having a bike all through my childhood. Although these kids don't have a bike and most don't have a dad to teach them....others are stepping up to teach them and they still get the great experience.
You have to realize that at this complex, the younger kids kind of wander around. When we are outside doing an activity, kids of all ages come out. Before it was time to go inside, one of the preschoolers came up to me and said very sadly, "Mrs...we ain't got no food at home. I'm SO hungry. We ain't got no food at my house." This is a family I've worked with a lot last year--his sister was in my class....but what do you say to that!? I thought for a second and hugged him before saying: "I'm so sorry--food is important and I bet your belly is hungry. Let's go inside and I'll get you some food." He ate every bit.
*We went back inside for lunch and the kids were ravenous as we gave them their food. On most kids' trays, every single crumb was gone. Although it's so good that they are fed by the center, it is so sad at how hungry they are. Nothing breaks my heart more than hungry kids.
At the pool last week, one of the 5th grade girls told me all about how much she's been reading this summer...that she already filled up the "summer reading log" from school. Because I student taught 5th grade, I have a lot of chapter books of that level. Yesterday after lunch, I let her choose one of the books. She eagerly chose and I told her once she's done reading it--if she can tell me about it (if she REALLY reads it) I'll let her keep it and come choose another. Today she told me that she's already on chapter 6. :)
After lunch, I hugged all of the kids and told them I'd see them tomorrow. One older kid said "You sure do love your students, huh?!" My response: "You know what? I love ALL of the students here. I really do." She smiled and gave me a big hug.
*Today was one of the best days I've had in a LONG time! The kids came pouring in this morning and ate their breakfast. We then got some games out--I taught 5 sweet kinder kids how to play Candyland. We played for a long time and laughed so much...they cheered for each other when something good happened. "I WON!! I'm with the candy KING...you guys can call me KING...come on-hurry up and get to the castle cuz you can hang out with me and the candy KING!!" :) The most hilarious part is that they were counting the cards they drew--"I have 13!!" "I have 13 too!" haha--not really the point...
*Then they wanted to play Yahtzee...I knew they couldn't play the real way, so I turned it into a math game--they rolled the dice and then had to count the dots on the dice and tell me how to write the number. Ex-23...A 2 and a 3. If they did it right, they got a yellow coin. They cherished those coins. "This game is SO fun--we're SO smart, huh Mrs!?"
Then we got to go mini-golfing and bowling. As the van pulled up the building, all of the kids stayed close to me. They had never done anything like it before and were a little scared. We had SO much fun as they went around mini-golfing. We started laughing as we realized the "green" was shaped like different letters-"That's a lower case, n!" "This one's a lower case r, huh Mrs!"
"I want to do this FOREVER!" I was cheering for them and suddenly I realized that they had started cheering on themselves and their ball--"Come on, girly--you can DO IT!! GET IN THAT HOLE!!" It was hilarious.
The golf course had little statues of animals. Frogs, fish, and one was an alligator. One of my girls' balls went down by the alligator and she immediately grabbed my arm in fear. Another one asked with HUGE eyes: "Is it DEAD?!" I finally convinced her it was fake. :)
*Then we went inside for bowling. I was in a lane with all of the future 1st graders. I taught each one how to do it and then we all sat down in a row on the floor as we cheered for each person. They had so much fun keeping track of whose turn it was, giving high fives, checking their score. They also took turns sitting on my lap. In school I hugged the kids a lot, but they never sat in my lap, etc. It's fun to show them a little more nurturing this summer. When it was my turn to bowl, my little posse was cheering. It really was one of the best hours of my summer. We were giggling, cuddling, and cheering for each other. So fun.
We took a bathroom break in the middle of our game, and when we came back out, one of the boys' pants were falling down. He asked me to help him button his pants and I noticed that his underwear were in shreds. All of the kids are pretty stinky and have tattered clothes...but it just hit me hard. This sweet boy (who is one of the ones who made me want to do Foster Care) has shoes that don't fit, without shoe strings, tattered clothes and even shredded underwear. So sad to see a kid you love so much have so little.
After lunch, on the way back to center, that same little boy saved me a seat in the van. He leaned on my shoulder as we drove back to the center. I put my arm around him and he scooted towards me. What I wouldn't give to be able to take him home and shower him with love and time together. He was considered one of the worst behavior kids at my school last year in Kinder and he has transformed this summer with just a small amount of time and love.
The driver of the van turned on the radio as we drove back. The kids sang along to popular songs--they knew every word. Then he turned it to the Christian station--KLove. All of the kids stopped singing and one 1st grader said: "Uh, Mr...this is WHITE people music. We don't know this." I looked out the window and started to laugh. Next time we need to listen to some LECRAE! :)
"Let's pack a suitcase for a place we have to BELIEVE to see."--Let's have hope that this world will change. Get packing--a future of hope is ahead!!
:)
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