Teacher Palesa

sometimes it's fun when you know someone to try and picture them in their professional career. What must they be like at work? Does my friend the doctor tell the same lame jokes in his office that he does around his living room? How does my favorite hobbyfarmer look all dressed up in a tie acting the part of a professional all week? What would it be like to watch my girlfriend in a broadway play and see her as someone totally different than I know her to be?

Well, from a life-time of darting under the radar- being a mom and a backup vocalist and a helper in classrooms, shelter and centers around the world... and the girl behind the camera - I find myself up in front for a season. Actually doing a job that has a title. I am an art teacher. It's only for a few weeks. I've been getting the first graders of Kingsway School ready to paint on canvases that will be auctioned off at a big gala affair in July. This week we used paints for the first time. Oooooh. Beautiful. Messy. Enlightening. Darling. Messy.

I actually wondered... what I must look like as a teacher? I've never been a teacher before, and the thought is kind of curious to me - so since I had my friend, Morne, along with me for the afternoon - I asked him to take a picture of me being a teacher so I could see for myself.

And there you go.

boys

So, I was in Zandspruit a few weeks ago, and I glance across the street to see this little cluster of seventh grade boys just hanging out waiting to catch my eye. You know the way 7th grade boys hang back even though they really want to be a part of what is going on. Too cute, but I'd never tell them they are still too cute. They want to be "sick" - which is apparently something good. Sometimes I think "sick" is good too, because it means I get to stay in bed all day and nap and drink hot tea. But I don't' think that's what they mean.

Anyway, I walk over to say hello and after all the greetings,

they say "We want to come to your house"

Now, what in the world would they want to come over for? There's a pool in the house we are staying in now, and I've had them over for swim classes before. I know they loved that, but it's winter here and much too cold to swim. "We just want to visit" says one and another chimes in with "And while we are visiting, we want to sleep over." HA!! I could just die with how fabulously adorable that is.

I'm looking at these photos now and remembering I need to plan that night with their families because really, how many more years, or even months until these 7th grade boys are too "sick" to have relationship with an American missionary - (or adults even).

One of the many moments like this that I'm glad for the relationships we've spent ourselves on here.