Hay Happens and Hay's Happen

This book

had changed her view on Special Needs; they are people who need so much love, and she is attracted IMMEDIATELY to anyone with Down’s, Autism, ADHD, etc.
She just completed volunteering at VBS this week shadowing a 6-year old Sadie for the whole week. Tatum would come home with scratches, but she would say, “I LOVE IT!”

Here is the team!

She is a gift: Tatum has GRIT and GUMPTION and I’m proud to be her mom!

She wanted me to draw this!
So…..I did but oh boy…it was a task!

We have started to play Scrabble, my favorite game in the whole world!

This is the greatest way to teach her words AND be a but strategic.

One thing she is mastering is swimming. Hey, she’s even mastering the skill of walking on water. Jesus would be so proud.

Tot, we have so much fun together. How you are my daughter, I still pinch myself.

Tatum doesn’t give up. She is like a bulldog biting her prey relentlessly without release. Case in point:
The umbrella fell in the pool from the wind, and she was determined to get it out. She literally pulled it out and then attempted to get the weights out from the bottom.

Daddy came home and rescued Tatum (ahem..and the weights!)

They are a great team!

Later that evening, for our usual Hay Happens meeting, she presents us with some LOVE words and then the song “Reckless Love.”

Taum

Tatum labeled all the rooms. Did you know that my office is the restroom? Hmmm, I hope this is not a subliminal message.

Ok, the rest of the house…set up! She even had noises that she found on YouTube to mimic a school throughout the day. (There is the bell by the clock…the different rooms)

And her locker

And she got right to work on some writing with Rio helping her.

Isn’t that the cutest?

I just completed a class called ENRICH which was a cohort of about 6 leader, mover/shaker God fearing ladies. It was pivotal for my growth.

The last evening was about leaving a “legacy.” Do we think about this daily as we go about our life interacting with others?

We should ask these questions:

WHO IS IMPACTING YOU?

WHO ARE YOU IMPACTING?

What kind of “legacy” do you want to leave behind? A bunch of money? Accomplishments? Or character traits… Jesus traits

I looked at these questions:

As I look at the legacy I’m leaving I think of first and foremost Tatum. Is she getting from me the things that will last? What am I prioritizing for her growth? Her grades? Her neatness? OR, her walk with Christ? Her imprint that she leaves on others as she interacts with them?

For example, this week, she is volunteering at SBC SPECIAL NEEDS VBS.

The whole week, she’ll be shadowing and looking after 4-year old Sadie with Downs. Tatum’s best friend is Chris (BTW…he’s the one in the hat). She LOVES Special Needs. Her “LEGACY” is being kind and loving to these special friends. That I can be proud of as part of my legacy. Here she is with Carolyn (the leader of SM).

So, I need to be more intentional as I think about the “who’s” in my life…all of them. May I keep this in the forefront.

Psalm 112:1-3

Praise the Lord

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

Their children will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures forever.

LORD, give me back my health and bring it back stronger than ever! I want to make Hay Happen HAPPEN even stronger and better! We have a great start to carry on our traditions and to make MORE memories. We want to have a KINGDOM impact.

Keeping this SPIRIT of LIGHT alive for future generations.

AMEN.

To join Rio in the Hay home: a COCKATIEL!

She presented to Doug and me on Saturday with passion and vigor on her new iMac PowerPoint presentation.

And so, we agreed that she had to earn it with behavior and her own money. Stay tuned for July. So proud of her persuasive skills!