Lord, thanks for the sign...

My partner in all crimes legal tells me that sometimes God sends you a sign when you really need it. She sometimes has this Erykah Badu kinda spirituality going and sometimes I listen. Today, I realized that this is true. It must be, because I was on my way out the door this morning. I had planned on just how many ways I was gonna tell these folk to kiss my Black Ass as I walked up out this camp. I had even considered learning how to say it in Japanese just because I thought it would have a kick to it.

So this morning I am called into the AP's office. As I walked over there I immediately began doing what I always do when she called me over: trying to figure out just what I did that would get me fired.

This time was different. There was a table full of people with papers all looking really serious. AW DAYUMN!! I have done some stuff this time. I just new I was out the door. Then I realized that I did not know the child sitting at the end of the table. "OK...this is good." I thought, because you just can't get in trouble over a child you don't know.

Turns out I am getting a new student. This child is special. He is 6 years old and have never attended school before. The reason is because they never thought he would live to be six. Cedric has been in the hospital since he was a baby and has had 5 organs transplanted. FIVE!! Can you even imagine being that young and going through all that. He has always had a feeding tube. He had to go to therapy to learn how to chew and swallow. Can you imagine?!! He still wears a backpack that connects to a tube in his stomach so that he can eat. He has to have a nurse with him at all times. And he is only allowed school for 3 hours a day. And he WANTS TO COME.
So, I got to thinking...all the things that bother me really aren't all that serious. Think of how strong this child is. At this age he has beaten the odds. He should not even be alive and he wants to come to learn and be with other children. He was so excited about starting school. I took him on a little tour of the school and the class so that he could get out of that stuffy room for a bit. He told me all about being at home and being in the hospital and how he could not wait to get started. When we went to my class to meet the other kids, he squeezed me hand. HARD!! I never thought about how frightened he must be. Even with the fright, he wanted to start today. When I told him he could not start until next week, his face softened. "I'll see you then and I'll be ready."

So I guess I need to be ready,too.