Miss Anna…

“The soul is healed by being with children.” – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The above quote could very easily be my life “phrase.” Whether it’s been a good day, hard day, sick day, tiring day… bring a child into the picture and my whole world is made brand new!

I have been having these days that feel like whirlwinds – you know those days that you wake up thinking, maybe just maybe I can get these few things done today, but as soon as your feet hit the ground, its like a tidal wave hits you, and everything you thought could happen is now swept out to sea, and you are flipping under the waves just trying to seek your footing so you can catch your breath, and when you do you are still coughing up salt water and have a head full of water that just might knock you back down.

Life throws these at you and it’s up to you how you manage your reaction. I’ll be honest, I have struggled. I have reacted in my human crazy nature. I have reacted in silence. I have reacted in way too many words. I have reacted in crying out to Jesus. But one way I have reacted is going back to journals and notes I have written over the years. These special items are a collection of what I wanted to remember about the children who have come into my life and blessed it beyond measure! They are moments of humor, silliness, heart lifting, life lessons taught to me by the littlest ones.

So today I will refuse to sink! I choose to not be wiped out by the waves! I choose to look into the eyes of the ones who Jesus called to himself, the ones that remind me of the face of Jesus. Some of these people are all grown up – they may remember these stories or sayings – however I won’t embarrass them by giving names, just sharing the light hearted joy that they brought to my life 😊 Some are stories, some are one-liners that I wrote down and I’m not sure what the circumstances were. Enjoy…

“I pitched a fit on accident, Miss Anna. I’m sorry.” Very much loved this charmer!

One day I was talking to a child about who had already gotten him Christmas presents, but he was telling me that he really wanted this new rescue car. I was trying to explain that if he didn’t get it for Christmas, then he could put it on his birthday list. He paused and was thinking. Then he said, “Mrs Jean will get it for me for Christmas!” (that would be my mom 😂 I don’t remember if she did- but I’m sure he got it one way or the other!)

My friend and I would keep a group of kids during a conference/retreat sessions, once a year. Some of the kids we kept every week, but about half of the kids we only saw once a year. One of the little girls came to me and said, “Why didn’t you come to my birthday party?” I simply love the innocence of kids! They would invite the whole world to their parties! I had kept her once a year for two years in a row- and she wanted to know why I wasn’t at her birthday!

I love every season of life with kids, but one season in particular is one when you tend to bite your lip and learn to restrain from laughing, this season is “learning to read.” The english language is already so cruel. Anyways, a little girl was reading a Dick and Jane story to me and she came to the name Tom-Tom, which she interpreted as, “Tom minus Tom.” Why wouldn’t she?

A little girl I was keeping had a cold, and I asked her if she was feeling sick. She said, “No I am going to throw up tomorrow!”

I did childcare at different churches in the area for Bible studies they held. One day I was babysitting a little boy at his house, who used to attend one of the churches I did childcare at, and he asked me, “Do you live at my old church?” 😂

One of my all time favorite stories: I was trying to understand what the little girl I was keeping wanted for lunch, but she was more upset that her Mommy didn’t pick her up from school, and she just wasn’t ready to be done with her broken heart. I got down on her level and said, “Sweetie, we need to figure out what you want for lunch.” She looked at me and said, “I am not a Sweetie!” 😂 And she was right- she was the most beautiful fire cracker! She knows who she is and she also knows that she set a whole group of kids straight at McDonalds one day- if a girl wants to wear a high school musical dress to McDonalds or anywhere for that matter- do not tell her she is wearing a costume! Fierce girl, you are Fierce!

I hope these brought a smile and maybe some laughter… And I encourage you to write down these moments. Go back and read them when days knock you off your feet. Remember the little ones. The simple moments.

Life Book of the Week: Can I Sit on Your Lap While You’re Pooping?, by Matthew Carroll