Kismet

It took my boys' teacher posting to me yesterday for me to realize I had forgotten yesterday to write about a really super duper important thing! Reflections!

On Wednesday I had visit teaching scheduled with two of our sisters at 1:45 and 2:15. Our 1:45 sister wasn't there, turns out she thought I had her scheduled for 2:45. We needed to reschedule to the next day and both my companion and I thought oh sure we have nothing going Thursday afternoon.

Thursday afternoon early my companion calls and says "Oh no I just realized the reflections assembly is this afternoon at 2:00". Incidentally we rescheduled our sister for 2:00. Normally the organizer of reflections will call ahead to those children's parents who have won in their category to make sure the parents are at the assembly. Neither my companion nor I had heard anything but we wanted to go and support our children anyway.

And boy was it good we decided to go!

Turns out both my boys won for their entries! And my friends children also won many awards. It was a great assembly - much better done than any reflections assembly I've been to in the past (thanks to my boys' teacher Mrs. Warner - who rocks!).

I think it was meant to be that our visit teaching sister mistook the appointment time so we had to reschedule or else I wouldn't have talked with Malece (my companion) Thursday afternoon and never would have known about the assembly (because I had forgotten to put it on the calendar). I was happy to be there, not only because my boys won and that's always exciting, but because they participated and I was so proud of them.

Charlie in particular is not a participator. He would like to slide through life not really trying at much. Reflections makes him TRY. Of course, that's exactly what I like about it! And it's a wonderful program because it rewards him just for participating even if he doesn't win. It's a wonderful boon when he gets the joy of participating AND he wins something! The boys got trophies with their names on them even and that's a big, big deal when you're a seven year old boy!

So I'm grateful for the way things happened. And so, as a proud mom, I'll share my boys' stories with you ...

I Can Make a Difference by Making People Feel Better and Standing Up For Them
~ based on a True Story ~
by Xander Cross

One time, there was a boy named Martin who bullied me. I ran home from my bully. I heard a scream! I turned around and there was my bully getting bit by another boy.

I could have let that boy beat up Martin because maybe he deserved it. But I knew I had to stand up for him.

So I said “Leave him alone or else I'll tell the Principle.”

The boy stopped and he never bugged him again. After that, Martin and I were best friends.

I Can Make A Difference by Helping My Family

~ a True Story ~
by Charlie Cross

One day my Dad had a whole pile of gravel he needed to shovel off of our patio. My whole family helped, but my Mom and my brother gave up after a while. But I didn't give up. It was hard work, but I kept at it because I wanted to help my Dad.

My Dad has a bad heart so shoveling was hard for him. I like working with my Dad because when he is so sick and tired I just like to help. I had to shovel for three hours and it was really hot outside. I got the work done with my Dad and it felt good.

I felt very proud of myself because I accomplished something hard and my Dad needed me. He needed me so we could get the work done. My family was very proud of me and very grateful for the work I did. I can make a difference by helping my family.