Today Trinity started her second year of kindergarten. For some weird reason, Cambridge starts the kindergartners two days after the other grades. Now, can I just say that Trinity should be exempt from the “let the crazy die down in the halls before we introduce the young, frightened ones into the fray” rule?

Nevermind she’s a senior kindergartner in the same class as last year–she is a little sister. Of two boys. Two very athletic, engergetic, reckless boys. Two boys who think that wrestling and throwing each other into walls is a constructive way to spend their time. Do your worst older Haggerty students… you can’t scare her.

So I think she and every other Sr. K student should have started school on Tuesday with all the older kids. But whatever. They didn’t. I had to live with it. There are worse things to endure than two days with my Trinity. Right? Right.

So with two days without the boys cramping our style, we decided to have Mom and Trin Time.

Day one was uneventful. Groceries and housework. Blah! But yesterday we engaged in a little retail therapy–after she braved two shots (See?!? Really you think some rowdy 1st graders were gonna get her off her game…yeah right… you should have seen the needles! She totally could have handled a first day back with the other students…sorry…I really need to let that one go).

Shopping was so much fun. We bought a new tablecloth and on Trinity’s suggestion, matching fall-themed kitchen towels. Yay! We picked out some candles from Bath and Body Works where she boldly proclaimed about a Pumpkin Caramel Latte candle, “that’s the one, Mom!” A mother has never been so proud! She reminded me that her brother wanted a book from Urban Renewals and, “wouldn’t it be great if we surprised him with the book when he came home from school?” so a-thrift store shopping we went. Presh!

On our drive home, after listening to Willow Smith give us a play by play of her hair-ography, “I whip my hair back and forth” , Trinity asked, “Mom are we still gonna do that thing?”

As you moms know, “that thing” can be anything. Buying a new toy, inviting their friends over for a playdate, getting a puppy, kidnapping the neighbors’ cat (true story-that they wanted to-not that we kidnapped a cat…really!). A seasoned mom knows the possibilities are endless.

So with trepidation I asked, “what thing?”

Before I go on…

You’re gonna wanna grab a Klennex for this so go ahead and hit up your purse, or the bathroom for some tissue, heck if you’re in a bind grab a square of paper towel and prepare for a Hallmark moment.

Go ahead… I’ll wait.

Welcome back!

And back to the story we go…

“What thing?” I asked with suspicion.

“You know that thing where we put together care packages for the people without homes and give it to them. We need to do that because it’s going to get cold soon and they need a lot more when it gets cold…like coats and scarves, and gloves, and of course food. So are we still doing that?” said the five year old.

Sniff, sniff, waahhhhh

For those of you stubborn women who didn’t get a Klennex, I warned you.

All kidding aside, this is par for the course with Trin. She’s as sassy as she wants to be, but the sweetest thing ever. She has the capacity to be such a Plastic on the playground, but she’s thoughtful about the needs of others. She loves sparkly shoes, pink, and all things princess, but doesn’t bat an eye at giving up her dolls and play kitchen to “little girls who don’t have nice toys”. She is our diva with a heart of gold.

Which brings me to introduce next weeks’ blog series– the art of raising compassionate children.

Monday, I’ll post on some scriptures that have helped me communicate injustice and caring for the poor to my children. I’ll also include a devotional I wrote for them on Micah 6:8, that you can do with your family over dinner.

Wednesday, I’ll give you some ideas on some practical ways you can practice compassion in your everyday life that your kids will (hopefully) enjoy.

Friday, I’ll post some organizations that welcome kid volunteers and review a fabulous resource called, “The Good Fun Book” by Karen Duncan & Kate Hannigan Issa.

One of the main values of our church, New City Covenant is justice. In fact the motto included in our logo, is Jesus. Justice. Family. So, social justice and care for the poor has been a topic of a lot of conversations in our family. As we’ve included the kids in this church-planting journey, I’m humbled by the effect these conversations have had on my daughter. I’m thankful to God that he’s graced my little Diva with a compassion that has challenged our family to share the Gospel of Jesus’ great love to the lonely, seek justice and wholeness for the oppressed, and give dignity to the needy.

See you back here on Monday, but until then enjoy some first day pics of Trinity.







Vogue…strike a pose!



I’m too sassy for this bag, too sassy for this bag, so sassy it sags…





This shirt is not suppose to hang on her shoulder like that, but all day long it just “happened” to slip down. I think she’s seen too much “Shake it Up.”
Seeking Shalom,

Osheta