Charlotte started at a new preschool this fall, and she’s going three days a week. She has “school” for three hours in the mornings and then she takes electives in the afternoons, with different teachers. When we were registering her last spring, Ryan and I chose Drama as one of her electives, because, #charnado.

Charlotte has Drama every Friday, but every single day she asks me if she gets to go to Drama that day. And she does love the class, but really what she loves is her teacher. She told me the other day, “My favorite people are Grammie and Ms. N___.” And since Charlotte and her Grammie are pretty much soul-mates, that’s about the highest compliment a teacher can get.

I credit Ms. N for finally getting Charlotte potty-trained. She still has the occasional accident, but I would say she is 90% reliable now. She had several accidents at school during the first few weeks, one in Ms. N’s class. Frustrated, I told her that she wouldn’t be able to go back to Drama if she had any more accidents at school. Maybe not the best or most honest tactic, but it worked. She hasn’t had a single accident at school since then.

Wednesday morning, the day after the election, I walked Charlotte into chapel at school and Ms. N greeted us and asked how we were. “Pretty heartbroken” was my reply. Tears filled her eyes and she hugged me and told me she was the same. We talked for a little bit and I told her how much Charlotte loves her and also asked if she would mind talking to her about her relationship with Grayson. She is still struggling with being kind to and about him, and I figured her teacher might have a different influence on her than I have.

Ms. N did talk to Charlotte, as well as her whole class, about being kind to other kids who need extra help and are different. She talked to the class about her own special needs child who is now in Heaven, and Charlotte and I had a good discussion about Heaven on the way home from school. We discussed how some day when Grayson is in Heaven his body will work and he will be able to walk and talk.

At the end of a long week where it’s been a stretch to see much good in our country, I’m so thankful for a teacher who is literally changing the life of my little girl. Teachers don’t get paid much and they don’t always get a lot of credit, but they are powerful.

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I just have to share this funny little Drama story. The class is putting on a Christmas play and the kids all got to choose what part they want to play and there was a note sent home about bringing their costume and learning their 1 line.

Our conversation in the car:

Me: Charlotte, I’m so excited about your Christmas play. What are you going to be?

C: An ANGEL!!!! And I have to get wings, and a costume, and I want to get lots of GLITTER!!!

(Greeeaaaat)

Me: Ok, well we can do that but we also need to practice your line. Do you know what you have to say in the play?

C: (totally confidently): NO ROOM AT THE INN!

Ummmm….we may need to double check that script. Ha ha!

#lifewithcharnado