Humbled and grateful

Yesterday, I was showered with blessings from my fellow colleagues at work. As a special education teacher, I don't just belong to one department, but my students and network interfaces with the entire staff. I know everyone by name and I'm happy to report when they see me with paperwork in hand they usually don't go running. They have learned that although my student might have a special need, I got their back. I respond to emails and I like to solve problems before they become problems. I've become a valuable resource, rather than a problem they have to endure. Throughout the day, I was showered with love, tearful hugs, words of encouragement and promises of prayer and help. Aliette was given a beautiful handmade quilt for her crib and a student brought in a special present for Olivia, so she wouldn't feel left out. I was humbled by the generosity and forever grateful. I love this famous quote "It takes an entire village to raise a child." Thank you NCHS for being my village. My family thanks you for your love and generosity and I can't wait to bring Aliette to school in her new squeaky shoes.

Yesterday, I was the guest speaker for the advanced child development class. Topic: Adoption. I had a great time talking with the class about my two very different adoptions. They asked great questions and they were so attentive. After reflecting on the discussion, it was a heart felt conversation, unpracticed, unplanned, and unrehearsed. No time for power points or photo stories, visuals or manipulative's, but I don't think it detracted from the meaning. There is currently 187 million orphans world wide, all just waiting for a home and someone to love them. Maybe today, my story planted a seed that will help bring one of these children home. The plight of the Haitian orphans have opened the eyes of many Americans. Maybe it took a 7.4 earthquake to get the world to look past the color of their skin, to focus on a child. Unfortunately, racism isn't a problem of the past, it is alive and well, but maybe a natural disaster of epic proportions has helped open the minds and hearts of middle America! Only time will tell. A month ago, Haiti the world's poorest country, only 45 minutes off the coast of Florida wasn't in the nightly news. Nobody seemed to care that 75% of its children are illiterate and often a family lives on less than a dollar a day. For now, the spotlight is on this country. I pray that the passion for helping our close neighbor doesn't fizzle as time goes by, but that real change will take place and improve the quality of living for all the Haitian people. I have pledged to help rebuild the Maison de Anges orphanage and restart the school. What are you going to do?