Praise Report! "I Love Debbie Clement because She Loves Me!"

"I love Debbie Clement because she loves me." 

Can it be as simple as that? 

Love them and they will love you?

Is it really as simple as that. Is it? 

How can it be that simple?

They know when you love them...... 

even when it is just for an hour. 

I have received this piece of original art from a child that I do not know. A child I am in no way related to. A child I could not pick out of a line-up under the brightest of lights. A child in a sea a puddle of children. A child whose class I visited for an hour. 

How is that possible exactly?

Children SEE the love that is showered on them. They feel it. They know it. They sense it. They show it. That they can articulate it in kindergarten, even at the end of their kindergarten year is nothing short of a miracle to me. 

That I can come into a new classroom and share my songs and books and floogle-woogle-bugle horn and puppets and dance my polka dots into a frenzy and lavish rhythm and rhyme and affirmation and crossing the midline and sequences and patterns and the strong beat and proprioceptive choreography, only to emerge fifty-nine minutes later being loved, is nothing short of miraculous. 

And that is EXACTLY why I LUV LUV LUV working with children. Young children. Tiny children. Maturing children. Tall children. Growing children. Cynical children. Adoring children. Hyper children. Broken children. Creative children. Hurting children. Capable children. Adult children. Love them first and they will love you. 

33 Little children, I am with you a little while longer....

34 a new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." John 13:33-34

I honest-to-goodness promise you, I don't think I have ever said, "I love you little girl with the pink legs and orange arms and chartreuse hair" in the middle of an author/illustrator presentation. Honest. I haven't. Yet. She knows that I love her. I have indeed been able to convey that and she has been sufficiently receptive to grasp it. {If you look closely you will even see the evidence that we are BFFs: SERIOUSLY!} 

The children in our world expect the adults to be true. True to their word. True to their promises. Congruent. True. Honest. When they see that truth they recognize it. 

Have you ever been to church camp? 

You KNOW I like big endings!

SING-A-LONG WITH ME: 

PRAISE YE THE LORD. HALLELUJAH. 

PRAISE YE THE LORD. HALLELUJAH. 

PRAISE YE THE LORD. HALLELUJAH. 

PRAISE YE THE LORD! 

This has been an amazing week, filled with reasons to rejoice! 

Door County is pretending to thaw out. 

Look what I found! Today!

It is hard to imagine that such an image is possible on my telephone!

I have literally had something amazing happening on a daily basis. 

Today's email included an invitation to create an Artist residency in Colorado. 

Earlier in the week was a similar inquiry from South Carolina. 

My FB profile seems to be blowing up with EOY communication. 

Video snippets from far and wide.

"I love Debbie Clement because she loves me." 

Being congruent is something that even the youngest of children can SEE. 

Living out the truth. 

Walking your talk. 

Being honest. 

Following through on your responsibilities. 

It has been a good great amazing week. 

Hearing from corporations that they have PLANS that include me.

Hearing from India about a whole new concept.

Hearing from friends old and new............ 

THANK YOU HEAVENS!

I have learned that I can upload photos here directly from my phone.

How had I missed that memo? 

Am I the only one that gets sentimental over the 'personalized' cans?

I am so fortunate to have my parents at the helm! 

When these two cans rolled out of the carton I had a little moment. 

My parents are celebrating their 61st anniversary this next week. 

How amazing is that? 

SIXTY ONE YEARS!

Mom and dad. 

Now that I know I can put things here directly from my phone..... 

This little snippet is for you. 

It was created 'accidentally' on Sarah's phone. 

That's me on the BIG stage at OAEYC. 

Yes. That's Mimi in the hat and ZB Kathleen, too!

Plus my sign language interpreter. 

So many reasons to be grateful! 

YOUR support and encouragement means the world. 

The Wobble Seat adventure continues to grow!

Orders are arriving from across the country! 

Did I mention that we take Purchase Orders? 

This has been a whole new heaven-sent enterprise. 

It generates new dollars all month long. 

Our daughter Sarah made her manager's bonus last month on Younique! 

Whooop! Whooooop! 

She's figured out how to open a YouTube channel. 

She is searching for folks who can host a Virtual Younique Party.

The lip stains are crazy cool. 

As you can see from her brill-demo!!! 

If any of you teachers have time this summer it would be great to have your support. 

Of course, you can always join my team, 

which is joining her team. 

And that way you support the whole extended family.