Ellie's First Day of Kindergarten.....an answer to prayer

Ellie and the Paradise Adventist Academy sign

Just before we left for school. She looks a bit apprehensive, don't ya think?

Cam really wanted in the pic and kept sneaking in!

Ellie on the car ride to school. She said she was a little nervous. We passed by her

old preschool and she said she wished she was going there instead. But she was also

excited and wanted to see what her new teacher would be like.

Outside Ellie's classroom

Part of Ellie's class was set up like the ocean, with a ship wheel and lots of ocean

stuff to explore. This was a shell she liked best.

Ellie, John, and Cam. We got to spend a while with her in her

new classroom on the first day.

Ellie and her new best friend Clara walking to meet the parents. She and Clara

also have the same skates, which are decorated with purple flowers

and bring them lots of smiles. Every Friday they

skate in the gym and they say to each other, "we have the same

skates!" as if it is the first time.

After school, John and I took her to get an ice cream cake and to go shopping.

She picked the cake and when asked if she wanted something written on it she said

"that you are proud of me". And we certainly are! My mom let her pick out

a toy to buy and she chose this Little Pony Vet set.

Wow, and I thought leaving her at pre-school was hard! This is everyday and for much longer! It's kinda weird to give up care of your child to others for longer periods daily when you are used to her being at home with you. She did great, though, and so did we, somehow. She made friends right away and she loves to learn so she enjoys school thoroughly! She did get into trouble one day for not paying attention in class and for talking while the teacher was talking. So, on the second warning she had to sit 'on the wall', as the kids call it, for 5 min. of her recess time. There is a one foot high wall around the play area and the kids have to sit there for a bit if they get into trouble. She did not like that. Consequently, she has not had to do it again. When I ask her periodically if she has had to sit on the wall, she will tell me, "only that one time, on the sixth day of school". She remembers it well! She is attending the Paradise Adventist Academy. This is such a blessing for us. We really wanted her to be able to attend a Christian school and this school has been in Paradise for 100 years!! It has a music and traveling athletics program so that is nice. The class sizes are nice, too. Hers is one of the biggest. There are 21 children, but two kindergarten classes. They will all come together after this year though. Ironically, Cameron's year will be the next 'boom' year. I guess they cycle and happen every so many years and are predictable as you monitor the birthing numbers from year to year. God was so faithful in providing this education. Ellie's starting at kindergarten came at a time I also wanted to cut back in providing daycare. M-F full time hours with full time kids was feeling overwhelming. I really didn't have much time with my own kids. We couldn't do anything like the library or special activities like we used to. Ellie started saying things like she wished I didn't have daycare kids. So, we just prayed about it and trusted God. I must admit that when we decided to enroll Ellie in the PAA, I was worried I'd have to stay with the full time daycare. But I really felt like cutting back was the right thing, too. So,

I prayed and ask God to help me to know what to do....and He led me to a scripture verse that clearly said He would help me and to trust in Him to provide. So, John and I agreed to trust God to provide for it all somehow. Now, being the planner I am, I assumed God would make it nice and easy and predictable. Like, He would first provide the extra income, then we'd cut back in daycare and then enroll Ellie in school. Guess that doesn't help us come to trust Him much when WE plan it all though, huh? Then we try and take the credit. So, the way it happened was like this. A little more than a week after I had been praying to cut my daycare, (about four months before Ellie was to start school) and got the scripture verse reassuring me, two of my three parents gave me notice. One stopped needing daycare. The other wanted to go to work full time and wanted to increase her hours (which I was working against) so she had to cancel. My third person was only one day a week for three hours and she wouldn't need me once summer came. My income was suddenly gone. I really had planned for it to continue at least thru the summer! So, now my prayer was granted (and fast!) about cutting daycare, but I was very worried about the 'providing' part since it didn't come first! John was a blessing and reminded me that all would be fine and God would provide. Still, I wondered if I was wrong about the scripture being from God. I asked for confirmation, so, we waited. And it was confirmed that Sunday in church. The deadline for signing Ellie up for school came and we still didn't have the provisions in place, but we had to decide; trust God to do it and sign her up, or not sign her up. So, we signed her up. And amazingly, then it all came together. John got the news of a pay increase and it was all covered except the monthly school tuition. It is not easy to find people who want part time daycare. Especially the part time I want. Often the part time is still daily. Then, a few weeks before school started, the mom I provided care for only once a week decided to go back into teaching just two days a week. Guess what the income was going to be if I watched her children? Just a tad over what the tuition was! God is good! Well, great really. So, what seemed impossible at first, (increase costs while decreasing income) worked out perfectly. Cam will be in school soon enough and I'll go back to work full time making good money, but for now, I am so blessed to be able to enjoy being with them. Not just being at home with them, but getting to help in Ellie's class, attend field trips, go to the library and other activities and have 1:1 time with my children.....all things I was missing by doing full time daycare. Anyway, wanted to share that story along with the above mentioned scripture: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:10,13 I realize some people are skeptical of people saying they got a word from God. It is sad, because so many misuse that and then people don't trust them. Also, so many think God no longer speaks to us, directly. I know this scripture was 'given by God' for two reasons: first, I asked for confirmation and exactly one week later, at church, a total stranger came and sat by me in service and said she felt she had a word from God to share with me and it was this exact scripture. (She was so relieved to see tears in my eyes and to hear me thank her saying this was a confirmation for me. She was terrified I'd think she was crazy!) And second, it came true. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow...... =)