A Place to Write

I got to go to Montessori House with you last week, Kaybree. I got to go into work just a little later so I decided to stick around after dropping you off and see what school is like. You showed me lots of "works." Little things like pouring water from a tiny tea pot into tiny cups or naming all the animals in the farm. The most impressive work was seeing you clean, peel and cut a carrot and then put the pieces on a tray and share them with your friends. The school really focuses on independence. You can do whatever "works" you want as long as the teacher has taught you how to do it first. If you haven't had a lesson you have to ask for it. As I watched you do the carrot work you said "This is a happy time that you are here with me." I didn't do anything that morning but follow you around and listen to you and watch you. There were so many times I wanted to take pictures but I didn't because I knew you wanted me to just be there. It was a re...

I love this new job. It's much longer hours, it takes a lot of bravery and I feel like I mess up a lot--but I love it. Wanted to write down an experience from a couple weeks ago. We had our newest batch of volunteers in for training on March 25. These people are taking time off work to sit in a classroom for 16 hours (8 each day) and hear all about how the system works--or doesn't work-- and learn all about trauma so they can help explain it to a child who has had their life turned upside down. It's such a cool experience to sit in the back of the room and look over 30-40 people and know these are people who are going to make a difference in the world. They just are. As I sat there listening to training a co-worker handed me a survey she had sent out to all of these people a week or so earlier, asking why they were interested in becoming a CASA and if they had any last-minute questions before they showed up for training. One woman's answers caught my eye. When ask...