February is here ? Already?!

I wanted to post this story after I told it to an old friend of mine. It's a story that makes me think about February because it happened over 14 years ago on Valentines day.

You see my friend, we'll call Mark is a police man and we went to school together and he found me on Facebook and wanted to catch up. I don't think that Facebook is really a place to get to know people - or even believe they are who they say they are. I think that once you spend time with people in person you know them. But even then you don't know what is going on in the secret world of the mind- do we? So we can only believe what we hear and do with people.

If you ask me who Iam and what I've been up to since the days of youth I can tell you
Plenty. If you ask me what I do for a living I can list numerous fofilling and prestigious career moves. Ask me where I live, and I've moved all over northern California. Ask me what makes me happy and what I do for fun, it might take me awhile to think about what that really means. Because I value people that care and sights to see, and going to events to meet friends and being entertained. But I also enjoy staying home and sharing intimate time with just one person.

If you are brave enough to ask me about the news or politics and religion , I am not going to skirt that issue either. In fact I might even tell you things that you were not expecting to hear. Granted I'm not going to open up to just anyone but I'm not shy about my beliefs or my faith.

If this is a topic that offends you then why would you ask me? If you didn't want to know the truth then maybe just avoid asking all together. Mostly if you are a person that has already made up their mind about that subject and it creates a problem, then really -don't ask me.


Inside of my head is more than I can convey. I can tell you bits a pieces of what I think you will understand but who I am is complex and largely contributed to what has taken me years to begin to understand. It's not that I'm under lock and key with an unknown code or that hard to figure out. I'm simply guided by what my heart and intuition tells me. Of course common sense is important too but it's my connection to the Holy Spirit that I listen for. Does this scare you or interest you? Does it make you uncomfortable or simply put make think I'm a looney tune?

How many times have you said to yourself I knew I should have done this!!? Or maybe I should not have? That is intuition.
. How many times have you said something about someone and had them show up right when you said it? It's thesr undeniable coincedences that convey our secret inner beliefs and thoughts. Once in awhile we are very lucky to be called to do something on behalf of the Holy Spirit. You know it because it happens without our control and the memory of its goodness never leaves us empty.

14 years ago I was working in my daughters classroom. Something I did with all my kids to stay close to them and the teachers . Parents should always show interest in their children's schooling it helps to ease the growing pains.

I was the art and sewing mom, I ran my own sewing business and knew many crafts for kids. I was a Sunday school teacher and I had my teaching assistant license which meant I was safe around Kids. That's what's important to the school keeping kids safe from adults !
The project I worked on this day was Apple dolls. This was kind of an advanced project I thought for 2nd graders and that is why I was expected to do most of the knife work, but the children were encouraged to use their hand and talk and create along with me.

My students that day would be expected to peel the skin off an apple, soak it in lemon juice and carve it a face with a knife - with my assistance. Then hang it up to dry. The rest of the clothing and such would be done later . You can imagine my thoughts about twenty seven little kids putting their hands on sticky apples and knives with lemon juice it was not really a clean test.

I was game and the first two went as I thought -slippery, messy and mostly me doing the knife work. The third child was a tiny girl who spoke very little English and I anticipated that she might not allow me to help her she seemed very afraid of something. I showed her the apple she smiles and I say peel - she frowns . Hmm ok I do that for her. I'm not yet noticing she's not showing me her hands. I hand her the apple and say yours and point to the lemon juice. She takes apple and puts her hand in the lemon juice. She just started to whimper and it was a painful soft voice no no . I look at her patiently. She holds up her hands and says very clearly OUCH.

This is where it gets Tricky. For a tiny child I had never seen such swollen and inflamed fingers. Covered in white scars and cracks some of her fingers have no nails at all. She could not stand the pain of the acid on her hands and it was clear she could not even use her hands adeptly to hold a knife . I wondered immediately what she had and the wheels in my head began to spin. This child had a contagious finger fungus and were going to all share the same craft knife and Lemon juice? I also worked closely with her if she had something it was me who would most likely get it, a horridly scary and yet secret thought. In my head I can't hurt this child and say anything but in my heart I'm terrified for her! What kind of neglect is this?

I am now in utter distain for the projective like her I don't want to use my hands for anything . I'm conscious of each child washing before and after and I continue on stoically to Finnish 27 apple heads.

I ask to stay after class to discuss in private with the teacher the subject of this child's health status. The teacher who had a very similar last name as me, assured me that her fungus was not contagious . That's not possible I explained and I was persistent about finding out. It came to me that I should be able to know for sure, without a doubt and that words weren't enough I needed proof.
My child should be safe this is not okay. The teacher was smart enough to know what I was doing but unable to help me. I contemplated this issue for several days and finally came up with, I would like to be allowed to approach the parent and ask .



Here is where it gets interesting.
And part two of this might amaze you.

What would you do??
How would you cope with this?

Does she belong in class if she's infected
Does the school have the right to protect her secret??

What if I don't do anything if she's being neglected by her parents?!

The answered questions will be here and if love to know what you would do before I tell you the real outcome.

Thanks
Liz