My son, Vincent likes cheese. He will eat a cheese sandwich every day. I would love to say that I am the mom that gets up early, makes a wholesome breakfast - with all of the food groups represented, and packs a nice well balanced lunch for the kids every day... but I don't. It's just not possible, for me anyway. Even when I get up at 6am (the bus leaves at 8:30), I still find myself racing against the clock to stuff a bag of goldfish and a thermos of water into their snack bags as we plead with the bus driver for "one more minute!". My time in the morning gets sucked up into a blurred memory of backpacks, socks and pleading for 3 boys to get their shoes on. So it is not often that I get the chance to make Vince his beloved cheese sandwich. He has to tough it out and "buy" lunch. There is always money in his account and plenty of selections for him to choose from... but no cheese sandwich! You see, the cheese sandwich is reserved for the children that forgot their lunch money - or ran out - or for families that just can't afford the lunch. How ironic - he wants the cheese - but has to run out of money before the cafeteria will give him the sandwich.
Now Vince is like an old soul. He gets along better with adults than he does with kids. On Valentine's day, when I asked him who he wanted to send a valentine to he rattled off a list of teachers and staff - but no kids. He just relates better to the adults. He is good at it and he knows how to use his big puppy dog eyes to get what he wants. This is where Miss Tammy comes in. Miss Tammy is everywhere in our elementary school. She is there to help the kids with lunch, she is there to help the staff with projects, she is there! She loves my son and many other children at Paumanok. She is like the mom of the school. Somehow, someway, Vince has cast a spell on Miss Tammy. When he goes to lunch and decides that he doesn't like the selection of food, he finds Miss Tammy and she gets him the cheese sandwich! She works that lunch crew to custom make Vincent's lunch to just the way he likes it. And he has her happy to do it!
Every-time I go into the school - I bump into Miss Tammy and get to hear about the funny things Vince said and did that day. Recently he asked her to come with us on our trip to Disney. She was thrilled - but after checking her schedule realized that she couldn't take the days off from work. After all, who would help the other cheese loving, cash carrying students?
I am so thankful for Miss Tammy (and so many others at Paumanok). Sending your child off to school can be a scary thing for a parent. You worry that the people your kids will be spending 6 hours a day with may have some wacky view of the world - and possibly not hold the same values that you do. You worry about the influence the other kids may have on your child - will he follow the crowd into trouble??? How will I know how he handles all of these things.... I'll tell you how... by getting to know Miss Tammy.
I am sure that Miss Tammy does not know this (she will after she reads this!) - but I prayed for her. That's right - I prayed for her over and over again. I prayed that my children would be cared for by people who love them. I prayed that the adults that they shared their 6 hours a day with would be kind and compassionate. I prayed that they would help my children navigate through the sometimes confusing elementary circuit. I prayed! From the time I have had to leave my kids in the care of others - whether it was pre-school, a playdate, elementary school or even a club - I have prayed for the adults that they would meet. I am so thankful to God for putting people like Miss Tammy in our lives. She is a true answer to a simple prayer from a mom. It is amazing to pray and see the answer God has for you - especially when it is just what you wanted.
Thank you, God for sending Miss Tammy and all of the others who have loved my children.
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