The Newsies (Minus Christian Bale)

One thing I need to remember when we have kids and these kids are old enough to be participating in functions that are led by other people, especially voluntarily, that it’s important to express your gratitude to the people who are working with your kids.

As we all know, I work with a lot of kids in my church. I’ve worked with two groups of five-year-olds — the ones I worked with last year (about 8 regulars) and the new ones I’ve worked with this year (about 14 total when they all show up) — and I also work with girls ages 8-11 (about 15 girls). In that time, I’ve worked with a huge amount of people’s kids at some point. Most people who happen to live in this city have young kids (due to a large number of younger couples in residencies or military positions) so I walk around the halls and know the majority of the kids going around because I’ve worked with them at some point this last year.

This is all voluntary work and so when I have days like yesterday when parents stop me every few steps in the hall at church to tell me how much their kids, either their younger kids or older girls or both, enjoy having me as their teacher and how much they as parents appreciate how great a job I’m doing, it really means a lot and gives me that extra boost to keep putting in the effort every week, even through the weeks that are a little more challenging. The thing is, I really do like both of these positions. I like working with these kids and forming these small relationships with them and talking to them about their weeks, but it is work and it takes a lot of preparation and patience, especially to do it well. So I can’t say how much I appreciate the appreciation of these kids’ parents.

There are parents, on the other hand, that not only don’t do that but who don’t so much as acknowledge my existence. Usually I don’t even notice since I’m so busy at church, but there are some instances where it’s particularly noticeable — for example, one family has four kids and at different points throughout the year I’ve worked with all four of these kids. Now these are especially — how shall I say it — high maintenance kids to put it gently, several of which have formed a particular attachment to me because I spend so much time and attention with them. In this case, it seems slightly offensive that I can pass their mother at any point during the day, even when talking with her children and not receive even the simplest eye contact or hello or thank you.

Anyway, I never want to be one of the latter parents. I know she’s probably tired, especially knowing her kids, but I’d like to be one of the parents who takes a couple minutes to thank the people who take time and effort away from their families and who actually do a good job fulfilling their voluntary church positions caring about my kids.

In other church news, this last week I was told that they’d like me to run an existing book club on top of my other activities. I told them I’d have to think about it mostly due to these concerns:

• They are currently reading books that are on a 5th/6th grade reading level and can be read within an hour or two. This is the reason I haven’t been attending the club as it is because I really have no interest in reading those types of books. I have no problem with them doing it of course, but if that’s they way they’d like to run the club, I don’t think I’m the person for the job. I know reading real novels takes time and attention and all that, but for a book club, I just don’t think it’s asking too much of people to spend more than an hour actually reading for it.
• I’m worried about offending people or driving them away with the types of books I choose. Of course I wouldn’t choose anything graphic or that I feel is inappropriate (no Chuck Palahniuk books, for example) but I would like to read real literature with some depth to it. For example, I think books like A Thousand Splendid Suns would be ideal. It’s about women’s rights, wartorn Afghanistan, and is just eye opening to another part of the world that I think we should all be aware of. It does deal with abuse — physical, verbal, and sexual — and I wouldn’t really call it a cheery, make-you-want-to-tip-toe-on-clouds type of novel, but I think people would actually get something meaningful out of it. But you just never know what’s going to offend people. I am without a doubt not a person who gets offended easily, so I worry a little about my judgment.

Anyway, we’ll see how it goes. I guess I’ll go to the meeting they have this week and feel it out and then decide if I want to take a stab at actually running a real book club like they’re asking me to. I’m a little nervous but at the same time, I know I could do a decent job at it if I put in the effort.

As far as pregnancy goes, all’s well. I had an appointment today and the fetal growth is right on target. I heard the heartbeat which is always a lovely sound. I still haven’t felt any movement and my nurse practitioner tried to hear for movement today, but she didn’t hear anything this morning. She told me not to worry though. Since I haven’t gained any weight though, she told me I’m one of the few lucky ones that she’s telling to eat more. I guess by 20 weeks (I’m currently 16) most women have gained at least 10-12 pounds on average, but she said she’d be happy to just see 5-7 for me since I haven’t gained any so far. I’m just glad that the fetal growth is on schedule though. Only a week and a half until my sonogram and I can’t wait! I’m dying from anticipation.