Week One Done
The first week of school is complete in a lot of places, and it was so cool to be working in the D this week. The excitement, the energy, the laughs we had this week were fun. I really thought that this would be cool from the get go, but honestly, I had no idea just how interesting and enlightening this would be. I am also finding out that I am at one of the best schools for the organization-isn't that neat.
A couple of stories from the week that will not soon leave my mind or my heart-
During middle school lunch I am getting to know a few of the boys in the lunch line, and we are talking about basketball, etc. One shows me how he shoots, and the watch he has on is about 2.5 inches in circumference, and it looks like diamonds all the way around the edge, and for the numbers, and on the arms. But it really looks like diamonds. So I say to him-That's quite a piece of bling bling you got there. And ALL of them start cracking up. I'm like-what? So Antoine tells me "Mr. Kelly, you don't say it like Bling Bling (Imagine an african american boy saying that in his best white guy voice), you say Blang Blang(Imagine that in his slang with his buddies voice). So we really enjoyed the moment together.
Another time was when I was supervising dismissal, I had my sunglasses on-they are mirrored, and two little girls were telling me how cool they are. So I lean down to their level and I ask them if they can see their reflection in the glasses, and they are inches from my face amazed at their reflection with the biggest smiles you ever saw-I won't forget their smiles soon.
And a boy in first grade was lost after school the other day, and I asked him where he was going, he said to latchkey. So I had to take him down the basement, and he just grabs my hand as we are walking. He says-"What do you do here?" I tell him I am a principal in training. He says cool. The next morning before school I saw him walk into the building, I said good morning to him, and he says "Are you the principal yet?" I laughed so hard.
And the office manager (Nairobi) and I have had a few God conversations, I think she is very strong in her faith. She even emailed me some things from Psalm 119, and I emailed her back some verses. That is pretty flipping sweet that I can do that at will and enjoy those moments with her. I have been praying for her this week as she attempts to control a lot of the chaos that goes on week one.
Also got to meet benzr's boss, and the director of schools. Got to have a conversation with both of them about nyc, and they know that my interest is there, and that was pretty cool to talk about during the first week of school. They are both really neat and it was really impressive that they were both at our school on the first day to see the opening.
Also got to watch benzr check levels of students and make decisions to help each of those kids to be successful this year. Almost cried when she told one "we are going to get you to be an excellent reader." I could see on that child's face that no one ever told that child that before. Those opportunities are going to blow my heart up as we go along, and I know in my heart that the team at our school is going to do whatever they can to make that happen for that child.
Also got asked to be a part of an assessment team that will go to Cincinatti to assess one of the schools there. How cool is that? I am going to Montgomery Inn to get me some ribs while I'm there fo sho.
Liv also got to be in the lil miss R-town thingy this week. All the kids were really cute, and liv kills me. That was fun to watch. Also got to go to the derby with the spanks again-fun abound.
So tomorrow is the first official communitas meeting in nyc, and there are already people from nyc that are going to attend. I pray that God would just show up in an incredible way and bless the team there, and the new people that come. I also pray that for the people that are still in michigan, that God would continue to lead us to follow Him and hear His voice, and know what we need to do to follow. Speaking of which, at the kiddie parade today, say MCRoomie. What a cool surprise-and he and his wife found a church they are now attending-that is an answer to prayer for sure. It has been so cool to have some conversations with him over the last few years, and to see him growing and trying to follow as God has called him to do-that is pretty cool to watch unfold. I pray that the decision he shared with me today is easy for him to work out, and that God would clearly speak to him and open the doors to the future. That doesn't even make sense, but hey, live with it for now. Maybe I'll tell you more later, maybe I won't. Especially sick mother.
OK-is that enough of a post or not? If not, go read John 9 and tell me what you see hear read feel.
PEACE and LOVE.
A couple of stories from the week that will not soon leave my mind or my heart-
During middle school lunch I am getting to know a few of the boys in the lunch line, and we are talking about basketball, etc. One shows me how he shoots, and the watch he has on is about 2.5 inches in circumference, and it looks like diamonds all the way around the edge, and for the numbers, and on the arms. But it really looks like diamonds. So I say to him-That's quite a piece of bling bling you got there. And ALL of them start cracking up. I'm like-what? So Antoine tells me "Mr. Kelly, you don't say it like Bling Bling (Imagine an african american boy saying that in his best white guy voice), you say Blang Blang(Imagine that in his slang with his buddies voice). So we really enjoyed the moment together.
Another time was when I was supervising dismissal, I had my sunglasses on-they are mirrored, and two little girls were telling me how cool they are. So I lean down to their level and I ask them if they can see their reflection in the glasses, and they are inches from my face amazed at their reflection with the biggest smiles you ever saw-I won't forget their smiles soon.
And a boy in first grade was lost after school the other day, and I asked him where he was going, he said to latchkey. So I had to take him down the basement, and he just grabs my hand as we are walking. He says-"What do you do here?" I tell him I am a principal in training. He says cool. The next morning before school I saw him walk into the building, I said good morning to him, and he says "Are you the principal yet?" I laughed so hard.
And the office manager (Nairobi) and I have had a few God conversations, I think she is very strong in her faith. She even emailed me some things from Psalm 119, and I emailed her back some verses. That is pretty flipping sweet that I can do that at will and enjoy those moments with her. I have been praying for her this week as she attempts to control a lot of the chaos that goes on week one.
Also got to meet benzr's boss, and the director of schools. Got to have a conversation with both of them about nyc, and they know that my interest is there, and that was pretty cool to talk about during the first week of school. They are both really neat and it was really impressive that they were both at our school on the first day to see the opening.
Also got to watch benzr check levels of students and make decisions to help each of those kids to be successful this year. Almost cried when she told one "we are going to get you to be an excellent reader." I could see on that child's face that no one ever told that child that before. Those opportunities are going to blow my heart up as we go along, and I know in my heart that the team at our school is going to do whatever they can to make that happen for that child.
Also got asked to be a part of an assessment team that will go to Cincinatti to assess one of the schools there. How cool is that? I am going to Montgomery Inn to get me some ribs while I'm there fo sho.
Liv also got to be in the lil miss R-town thingy this week. All the kids were really cute, and liv kills me. That was fun to watch. Also got to go to the derby with the spanks again-fun abound.
So tomorrow is the first official communitas meeting in nyc, and there are already people from nyc that are going to attend. I pray that God would just show up in an incredible way and bless the team there, and the new people that come. I also pray that for the people that are still in michigan, that God would continue to lead us to follow Him and hear His voice, and know what we need to do to follow. Speaking of which, at the kiddie parade today, say MCRoomie. What a cool surprise-and he and his wife found a church they are now attending-that is an answer to prayer for sure. It has been so cool to have some conversations with him over the last few years, and to see him growing and trying to follow as God has called him to do-that is pretty cool to watch unfold. I pray that the decision he shared with me today is easy for him to work out, and that God would clearly speak to him and open the doors to the future. That doesn't even make sense, but hey, live with it for now. Maybe I'll tell you more later, maybe I won't. Especially sick mother.
OK-is that enough of a post or not? If not, go read John 9 and tell me what you see hear read feel.
PEACE and LOVE.
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