Rootedness

Kara graduated from pre-school this morning. Lynn-nore and I filed in to join other parents, eventually being ushered into tiny, plastic, blue-and-red seats. (A Mr. P. sat in front of me, getting out his videocamera. His limbs irritatingly lept in the way of every photo-op!) Ogasa /OH-ga-sa/, a boy from Nigeria who joined the class late in the semester, remembered me and enthusiastically struck up a conversation. He had been at Kara's birthday party, and made the observation that "both our churches are brown." I liked him immediately, despite (or maybe because of) his maverick reputation. I told him he had a good memory. Then, standing in front of us, Mrs. Kemmer introduced the simple ceremony. Upon calling their name, each child would come up and stand beside her. Something nice would be said about each one, followed by the distribution of a little diploma and a prize. Kara's name was called first.

Kara, in khaki shorts, blue shoes and a red-polo, her hair done up behind her head in snaps of navy and white, made her way to the front. At first, she was playful - these were her friends - but the sight of the adults in the audience made her shy, and I think, too, she caught a bit of the melancholy that slips into every ceremony of life. Mrs. Kemmer put her hand on Kara's shoulder and took out a laminated piece of paper. (I was handed the camera and began a dogfight with Mr. P's instigatory elbow.) She read:

Knowledge. Kara is thirsty for knowledge. She is always interested in learning new things and is always asking good questions.
Actress. Kara is our class actress. She loves to play dress up and gives everyone names aside from their real ones.
Rootedness. Kara has a firm foundation in her faith. She has a real understanding of our Lord Jesus and certainly knows what he did for her on the cross. (Reader. I nearly lost it right there, and Lynn-nore with me.)
Achiever. (I don't remember what Mrs. Kemmer said here. I was still trying to put it together after "R".)

Afterward, we braved the rain and took Kara to Chucky Cheese. The staff - always horribly negligent - managed to lower my expectations even further by being completely invisible! Thankfully, there were some boys there near Kara's age. The three of them fell in together and disappeared howling and jostling up into the ceiling tubes. Lynn-nore wasn't feeling well. We ate lunch at home and then I went on to work. Tonight is a study night for me, maybe I'll finally get around to responding to the thread Jason and I have going on the illumination of the Holy Spirit.