the one with Koal and some fun preschool memories

While blogging The Houchin Family, 2011, I was thinking about Koal and how much he has changed. You see, "back in the day" I taught pre-school at St. Joseph School in Slaton and had Koal as one of my students. I scrapbooked (I know, I know...didn't EVERYONE?) at the time and did a "year end scrapbook" of the photos I took of each kid during the day. You know, a way to share with mom what they were doing sort of thing.

Here's Koal's layout below. I'll type what is written, just in case you can't read it form my pictures.

Koal is the son of very good friends of mine, Emily and Todd Houchin. He has an older brother, Ky, who he absolutely adores. Koal quickly stole my heart (and many others) with his original personality and charm. He has a unique way of taking something mundane, such as wearing a shirt, and putting his own personal twist on it - switching it while on his body and wearing it backwards. Yep. That's Koal! Trouble was, because he is so well loved, what Koal does, the others do, too. Once during circle time, the entire class had switched their shirts while I visited with a parent at the door. Koal simply smiled...PROUDLY!

He talked alot about Memaw and Hoot, (that one took a while for me to figure out) his grandparents and about his Dad, too. He called his Dad, Todd. I know...go figure. He LOVES farming and anytime he can, he farms with his dad. It's his favorite thing to do. He also loves the color pink. When offered a choice he always chooses pink. And I had to have lots of pink on hand because what Koal likes, the others do too. All this "popularity" played it's toll though. I think he flet smothered somedays and I had to be sure and schedule lots of "working alone" time. He needed that to release the pressure. He is such a Happy-go-Lucky little boy, yet his tender heart is just barely below his surface. I always tried to be aware of this.

• Incidents did happen though, and tears would follow. He didn't want a hug, but a pat and some talking it out. I learned a lot from Koal that year:
• You can always look at something from more than one way or direction. Even standing on your head.
• There's always an underdog that needs a friend.
• Everyone need some time alone.
• Uniqueness is definitely a blessing from above.
• and most of all? We should EMBRASS this uniqueness and be thankful for it. It makes you YOU.

Hey, Emily, you OK? Remind me to show you this scrapbook sometime. Too cute!!!