"Prayerful" should be an emotion on here...that's what I've been lately. I wanna tell you about a little girl, we'll call her Wendy. Wendy is 3 years old, and started at our preschool last year. She's the only child to a rather oddly matched couple. Her mother scared me a little the first time I met her. She scares her daughter too, because she's so strict with her in the rare moments that she pays attention to her at all. The parents separated, and the mother moved several hours away, taking Wendy with her. Her dad fought tooth-and-nail to get her back, and finally succeeded. He has a medical condition that keeps him from driving, thus he has difficulty finding work, but he insisted on putting Wendy back in our preschool. He wanted her to have a good Christian upbringing and healthy childhood friendships, so he did everything he could to pay her tuition. Last year, before the separation, Wendy was quiet, withdrawn, had accidents all the time, and acted out against authority. Since she moved back with her Dad (and away from her Mom) she's friendly, happy, affectionate. She's my "Big Helper", always taking care of the other kids, making sure I'm doing my job. She tells me in the mornings when I get to work "You look so cute today!"....Wednesday night, Wendy's Dad had a seizure. He died in the hospital Thursday morning. Wendy's Grandmother wanted to keep her in the preschool at least until the end of the month, to help Wendy deal with this and have other children to interact with. But her mother instantly took her back...I'm scared for Wendy. We all are praying for her (the children too), that she knows that her Daddy is in Heaven, and that some day she'll be with him again. I pray that her mother will be responsible and loving and everything Wendy needs. I pray Wendy doesn't grow up too fast. This is the hardest part of working with kids...you do everything you can, teach them all you know, attempt to mold them into strong, Christ-minded, compassionate, independent people, but never know if you really made a difference. For most of these children, if it doesn't click now, it's okay because it can later on. They'll continue to receive this Christian, wholesome upbringing, and they have other people in their lives to continue it on. It's the few that don't have that, that rely on you to keep them safe and give them security, that really make you wonder if you're doing your job, if it's really good enough. I pray that it is. That's really all I can do now.... Okay, rambling done...and it still doesn't make me feel bettter....