Feeling Fruity

Is this not the cutest thing ever???

Today, my wonderful room parents continued Teacher Appreciation Week with the "Fruit" of the Spirit. She brought in this cute basket full of all sorts of fruit and the kids brought in fruit to help fill it up. Then, they all wore a picture of a piece of fruit pinned to their shirt with the name of the "fruit" that their teacher shows them. So precious, and so very thought provoking. For I wasn't feeling very "fruity" this morning. It was getting ready to rain, I overslept, I missed my babies already. The kids came in wild and wooly. I tell you, though, when the kid who tries your patience the most is walking around with an orange that says, "My teacher shows me patience," it makes you think twice before responding. When you look out at eighteen little talking, wiggling, giggling bodies and some of them have apples with the word JOY jumping out at you, you tend to try to be joyful. Sometimes...many times...I let my circumstances interfere with my joy. With my fruit. Human...yes. But that's not an excuse. What an awesome responsibility I have been given in planting the seeds of faith in these little people. In cultivating those seeds so that they grow into "fruit." Is the fruit of the spirit--love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control--evident in me? What do those little eyes see when they look at me? Is my fruit ripe and inviting, or stale and rotting? I am quite sure that they simply thought they were giving me a basket full of fruit with a cute Biblical theme tied into it. They didn't have any way of knowing that they changed the direction of my day, of my thinking, or the prayer of my heart today.

Speaking of my heart....

My sweet sweet Hannah. Who gobbled up two bananas and an apple as soon as I got this in the door. Who declared to me at dinner tonight, "I don't like these noodles that you make mommy. I only like Kay Kay's." Never mind that "my" noodles were the delicious chicken alfredo that one of my parents made for me so I didn't have to cook tonight (note to those with school aged children: BEST IDEA EVER) and Kay Kay's noodles are Top Ramen. The same little one who comes running to me when I get to Kay Kay's and does everything she can to distract me from her sister, just wanting my full attention at the moment. The one who makes me laugh every day with quotes such as these: "Hey! We are watching TV and the people on the TV are watching us!"

love her. LOVE HER. LOVE HER.