My students are so funny!

One of the activities we use in the classroom during playtime is a cottage. The cottage is a glorified dollhouse boys and girls can play with. The cottage looks like a little house with acessories such as wooden furniture, cloth blankets and pillows, little people, and one little baby. When the students play with the baby, they always put the baby under the girl's shirt to show she is pregnant. It's hiliarious!! They are so intrigued by the fact that I am pregnant and have a baby in my tummy. They ask millions of questions a day about the baby's growth, personality, or habits. the answers I have given them to these questions, are the sayings they use when having pretend with converstation with the dolls. It is just a joy to watch!

Another aspect of my life my students are intrigued by is my marriage. There is not a day that goes by that someone does not ask a question about relationships, marriage, or just about "Mr. Birdwell" (aka Tim). Mr. Birdwell is a daily topic. :) I love that God lets me be a part of sharing with them what a godly relationship and marriage look like. I share with them when you love someone with God's love you desire to serve them, use kind words with them, and respect them. One day one student asked me "How do you know what type of food Mr. Birdwell likes?" I told them when you love someone you learn that person's likes and dislikes. This question actually make me sad because this is not what this student sees at home. A funny question a student asked one day was, "What do you call Mr. Birdwell at home?" I knew what they were getting at so I said "Honey". Of course they giggled and moved on. Later that day during our free time when they were playing with the cottage, the "pregnant doll" (girl with baby under her shirt) and the man doll were calling each other "Honey".



I love the influence I have on these students but also feel the weight of responsibility I have to present a clear understanding of who God is and who He is in my life. They are watching my every action, listening to my every word, and finding security in knowing I love them regardless of their behavior or any circumstance. They desire to be loved just as they are.

God has really used this time with these students to teach me about parenting, discipling in love, how to share Christ's saving grace with children, and how to break down scripture for them. I know it's ultimately the Holy Spirit who changes their hearts, but it's awesome to be a vessel and to be a part of God's plan in these childrens' lives.

As the day approaches for Tim and I to have our little girl in our arms, I am thankful for how God has been preparing us for this bundle of joy. In 2 1/2 weeks she will be entrusted to us from the Lord for a short time. I pray we continually rely upon His grace and truth to guide us as we raise our own child in understanding the Lord and the world around her.