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Click the photo above for the slideshow. Today Nadia and I were invited to the 3rd grade picnic field trip. We took our lunch and met the kids at the school. There is a very big, nice park behind the school, just a short walk away. Nadia loves to check things out and did her usual thing of walking round and round exploring. The little girls wanted her to play on the slides with them, but Nadia really wasn’t interested. She got in the toddler swing a couple times, but didn’t want to stay in there. She wanted to, “WALK! WALK!”

One little girl came up and said, “Whose your kid?” And I pointed to Nadia. She said, “Then why are you hanging out with the 3rd graders?” I told her that we came to see our friend A’Jani because I was his mentor. She said, “I want you to be my mentor too, so that I can have a friend come see me.”

I had to sort out a cookie dispute, but it all worked out. One girl saved her cookies and then close to the end she opened her mini chips ahoy and gave Nadia the first one. All of a sudden the screaming started, “I want one of those. Give me one of those!” I thought one kid was going to try and grab Nadia’s so I said, “Okay listen up. That is not the polite way to talk to your friends. Ask nicely and she may give you a cookie, but don’t yell and scream about it. She choose to save her dessert.” They all stopped to think about it and then asked the girl politely. She shared with them and then gave Nadia 3 more which led to more 8 year old drama. But everyone was polite and I complemented them all on sharing.

The funniest thing was when they all started putting sunscreen on at 11:45 and the picnic had been going on for 2 hours and was about to end. Gotta love it!

Nadia and A’Jani.

 

The girls and the abacus.

 

Nadia searching for treasures.

 

The girls going through the sticks.

 

It was so windy!

 

Eating a cookie after a hard morning’s play.

 

I want to start this by asking people to say a prayer for the Steven Curtis Chapman family who lost their daughter Maria last night. If you have not heard the story, their teenage son accidentally ran over her last night. Here is a quote from the memorial website set up for people to express their condolences. It was written by SCC’s manager and I pray that they will cling to these words: “And yet we trust in a God who was not surprised by this and because of Jesus I am certain through faith in Him we will see Maria again. - Jim Houser (Manager)” The Chapman family have three daughters from China, and through their foundation have helped and encouraged many people to adopt orphans around the globe.

I have teared up about this off and on all day. My heart just breaks for the brother and how this is going to affect him for the rest of his life. I pray for his peace. God is faithful and sovereign and though we don’t see the reasons why, He will carry them through. It’s times like these when I remind myself that God gave up his son for us and can understand the heartache of this family.

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• I am thankful for Nadia and the wonderful, sweet child that she is.
• I am thankful that she randomly smiles at people and waves and you see them perk right up.
• I am thankful for this second year with A’Jani as his mentor. He is a great kid and I am blessed to have him in my life.
• I am thankful for being invited to his class trip to the park. See photos in the next post.
• I am thankful for all the KIDS HOPE USA volunteers from my church that helped make this such an awesome year. 23 children were mentored in the program and I pray that their lives have been touched by our reaching out to help our community.
• I am thankful for the handmade card that A’Jani gave me today that said, “Love you, Miss Louanne, Mike and Nadia. Love you guys a family.” Then he had 4 hearts on the other side with our 4 names in the hearts. Too sweet!