From Fights to Last Days of School

Christyn

Jun 2

Well, my son Nicholas was sent to the principal's office for fighting. You read that right, Nicholas was sent to the principal for fighting. Now, I didn't start off mentioning he was a kindergartener when this happened but none-the-less my words are true.

Nicholas started kindergarten on the day Rebecca had her very first surgery in a new neighborhood and a new school where he did not know a soul. He spent his summer moving homes while his sister Rebecca was struck with a debilitating illness that prompted her and his mother to leave him as they lived in hospitals across the state. And right before school started, his sister Annabelle died. Nicholas' very FIRST day of school happened to be Rebecca's very FIRST surgery. Not exactly prime school-starting criteria.

Two weeks into his kindergarten year, I received a phone call in the hospital from the vice-principal. Nicholas was in a throw-down fight with another boy on the playground.

Bless.

Apparently, a second-round kindergartener (a 6-year-old with far more experience) had formed a club during recess. He picked different boys every day to join the club. One by one the boys in his class were chosen while Nicholas was the lone man out. So, Nicholas decided to start his own fully inclusive club and the boys from the original club started to join his. The original club leader was not too happy with this turn of events and confronted Nicholas ending in a roll-down, pull shirts off, rough and tough playground fight - old-school style. All of Nicholas' pent-up frustration from months of crises came out on that playground.

Fighting was absolutely unacceptable at Leon Springs Elementary (as well as every other school in America) and Nicholas, although not suspended, was on "probation" because this was his first infraction. But how many other infractions can you collect in just two weeks of a school history??

The next morning, Brian dressed Nicholas up in a suit, marched him into the vice-principal's office and stood beside him while Nicholas gave her a very rehearsed apology. While all of Nicholas' pent-up frustration came out on the playground, all of his pent-up sorrow came out with the vice-principal. Within minutes, the vice-principal's countenance moved from aggravation to heart-softening sympathy.

This interaction formed a very unlikely friendship between the VP and the kindergartener. From that day on, every morning before school, Nicholas went to the vice-principal's office to give a family update and pray. EVERY MORNING. And during the extra hard times, when Rebecca was struggling, Nicholas went to visit in the middle of the school day.

There is a reason why I love Leon Springs Elementary so very much. And there is a reason why Nicholas' Senior Walk through Leon Springs was extra, extra special. Thank you Lord for guiding Nicholas hand-in-hand, providing his every need from his first day of school to today's very last day of high school. Our unexpected miracle.

Below is a journal I wrote about Leon Springs over 10 years ago. The words ring truer to me now than they did when I first wrote them in January of 2023:

Every parent weighs where to send their child to school. Some of my friends home school, some co-op, some attend private schools, and some attend public school. A few years ago, Brian and I decided to send our children to public school. But before we stepped a foot inside the new school of Leon Springs Elementary, Rebecca was already in the hospital. Nicholas started his first day of kindergarten with Rebecca having her first of what is now ten pancreatic surgeries.

It was unnerving leaving my precious five-year-old son with complete strangers and yet God surrounded Nicholas with earthly angels.
I fully credit Nicholas' coping through a very difficult year to the wonderful teachers and staff. He had vice-principals pray with him and teacher upon teacher love on him. Even today, his 2nd grade teacher is his surrogate mother and makes sure his assignments are complete every week while smothering him with extra hugs and kisses when he looks sad.

Rebecca's security of attending school with a nose-tube hanging from her face and still smiling came from the preparation and guidance of incredible staff. They educated students to let them know it was okay for Rebecca to be different – that everyone was different in their own special way. A great lesson for anyone in life. There is a reason Rebecca misses attending school so very much when she is in the hospital.

Every teacher, counselor, secretary, nurse, and principal let us know they care for our family daily. And the friends made through the school are dear and so very creative in their gifts – for example the hospital Keurig machine, pictures around the hospital room with children's faces, and soft, "comfy" (as Rebecca calls it) mattress toppers.

The day before Christmas break Rebecca received a surprise visit from some beloved teachers, the vice-principal and her brother, Nicholas. They had a gift – a fantastically soft prayer blanket listing the fruits of the spirit. Every hospital visitor is encouraged to tie a knot in the blanket as they pray over her. Nicholas was thrilled to miss school and kept saying he was "skipping hooky" (a cross between skipping school and playing hooky – he was so cute we did not correct him). He declared that he was a vice-teacher for the day. Rebecca smiled for hours after the visit and the blanket is now a main stay on our hospital bed and even made the trip to Mayo.

While looking at the blanket the other night, I thought about how God has taken care of every aspect of our life. He knew that Leon Springs would be the perfect school for our precious children and their unique struggle. He also knew the hearts of the staff that would treat my children as their own. Of course, this same concept is expanded from the school to our neighbors to our friends to our church, to our family, etc. God knew our situation before we even knew a child have pancreatitis. So, I am grateful for the Leon Springs prayer blanket that rests on Rebecca and my bed each night, for it reminds me that God is taking care of the Taylor family in more ways than we will ever have the privilege to know.

Love to each of you,
C