Children

I've not blogged in a while. Not purposefully, I suppose just because life has ebbs & flows. The start of a new semester & new routine often get me preoccupied.

This semester I am taking a statistics class that for once does not totally intimidate me. I'll not bore you the details, but I'll only say the prof is so great at explaining things from the "ground up" that I don't fear falling behind. At least not yet.

I am also in the throes of my first "practicum experience," where we take what we've been learning and actually hit the pavement doing it. I feel these times are the absolute best ways to learn, far better than any classroom-- no matter how "high tech" it may be.

I am assigned actual cases of children that need assessment. My first one involves a family going through the uncertainty of homelessness. Talk about reality check. I've only met with the young boy once, but I already feel the repoire is there. He already asked me, "Are you my counselor?" Although I am merely there for a battery of testing that will take several sessions, I feel building a relationship of sorts is important. Not only to validate the testing procedure, but to just let him know that someone cares. Someone has his best interest at heart. It is, after all, why I want to remain in the realm of education...despite the new "hat" I am training to wear.

I go through phases of self-doubt. Is this what I want for the years ahead? Is this the best route for my growing, young family? Does this fulfill desires of purposefulness & growth? I can only say that the path feels right, so I will travel down it. Slower now since Lyndon is priority #1. That's just it, I love working with children, but the sense of duty to nurture a child that YOU are the parent of is stronger than any I've known.

Look at this sweet face.

How can I not want to do everything in my fiber of being, every talent & gift that God has bestowed me, to try & help this precious life grow into the glory that God created? Yet I feel strongly that COMMUNITY is key. I want to nurture him. And nurture others~ cousins, nieces, nephews, children of friends, children of my city. I want to live giving myself & lending my help to any child placed in my "orbit." Erikson would deem this part of the stages of life. We hit a point when preserving & protecting posterity gives us the fullest since of purpose.