Paper Airplanes and Holden Alder

After a nice long weekend, I am into my second week of school. Even though Labor day came after just one official week of having the boys at school, I was really grateful to have an extra day off! We didn't go anywhere or do anything out of the ordinary, but it was a really nice weekend of running (did 18 on Saturday, actually felt better than the 16, and then when I finished I almost started to cry...not sure why, but my body just wanted to let a few tears out!), Brandon studying, and hanging out with Sean (who called us up and asked if he could come into town, to which we responded, "Yes, this is just the sort of thing we should do since we live close by!").

Two funny stories from the last week, the first about paper airplanes (remember, I am working with freshman boys!), and the second about a precocious, increasingly verbal little two year old named Holden.

1) We did a project in my groups with some big sheets of white paper and I had left a few sheets out while I met one-on-one with a student while the others were supposed to be doing their work. I noticed one of the boys making a paper airplane, redirected him, and continued to focus on my one-on-one conversation. I could still see the paper airplane boy out of the corner of my eye, but I decided to not give him anymore attention than I needed to. Then, all of a sudden, I noticed a look of horror on his face at the exact same time I saw his paper airplane flying toward my head. Without even thinking, my right arm flew up and I snagged the plane out of the air with an amazingly flawless swoop of my hand, and then I resumed the one-on-one. Of course, my actions did not go unnoticed or unapplauded, because after all these are 14 year old boys...and now they think I am even cooler :)

2) There are a few kids at church who are our "favorites". I know, I know, we should love them all, but if you knew a kid like Holden, you would REALLY love him and just kind of love the others :) He is the two year old son of some of our friends (who happen to be cousins with my "best friend from grad school, Meagan". And, yes, that is the full title that always goes along with her name when I talk about her to other people!) Since we've known Holden, he has been pretty talkative and he's very smart, but until now it's been difficult to get all of what he was trying to tell us. He's one of those kids who makes these astute observations that most grown people miss. And for that, his big innocent eyes, and the fact that he likes us, he has endeared himself to us. SO, in church on Sunday, Brandon, Sean, and I sat near the front of the chapel. I don't even know where Holden and his family were sitting, BUT, at some point, this little kiddo looked up, spotted where we were sitting, and said to his parents: "Look, it's two Brandons!"

Doesn't that just make you smile!