A Visit

This made my teacher's heart happy - and I just had to share.

Last Saturday, my hub-bub and I took our neighbors to this breakfast fundraiser deal for a local children's group. We ate and talked and blah, blah, blah. The guys went to go sign us up for some raffle things, and my neighbor and I were just visiting. And then this elf - really, he was dressed like an elf - came up and asked {those words I'm sure every teacher dreads}: do you know who I am?  At least I was quick thinking - I asked him: Tell me your name. And as soon as he did, I remembered. He was in my very first class of 2nd graders. He'd shot up a foot - I think literally. 

We talked about where he was going to school and what he was doing and so on - I sometimes feel a bit awkward with these situations, because I'm not sure what to say. I don't have a natural gift of gab :)

As we were driving home, my neighbor said: you sure could see the respect and {yes I think she said} love that boy has for you. 

I'm so glad she was there to put things in perspective for me. For one thing, my first year - for crying out loud - I can remember crazy and chaotic and this boy {and some others} were a little mischievous. 

This whole conversation helped with where I'm at today. I try hard to use a calm, quiet voice. I only raise my voice to say: hey when they get pretty loud and that does a pretty good job of quieting them. I try hard to see things from their point of view and to ask, and really mean, why did you do that? so I can grasp the situation.

So thank you little friend - you've encouraged me and I bet you didn't even know it!

As it's this wonderful season of Christmas, who can you take a moment to encourage?