Sometimes You Don't Always Get What you Want...And That's Okay.

Baptism reception prep is in full swing over here at the Fogg house! Once again work came and got in the way of everything I wanted to do but I was able to get almost all of the decor items finished!

We started off the morning with a little discovery, it was more of a "duh" moment. Everyone here loves crepes. We eat them whenever we get a chance. I've made them from scratch, used box mixes but have never been really happy with them So today for breakfast we decided to make pancakes from the Bisquick in a bottle mix. 

If you just add extra water, which by the way, Brian did by accident...you have the perfect tasting crepe mix. Filled with Nutella and a little powdered sugar, it was the perfect breakfast! How easy was that! 

Davis was preoccupied with reading Disney and "Lost" (her new obsession) threads on her new to her laptop so we didn't see her much of the day.

I did finish all of the lemonade glasses for the party and small miracles, I actually bought enough fabric to finish everything!

So here is where I am going to get a little wordy...so stop reading now before you are bored out of your mind...Tomorrow, Davis is being baptized by someone who was extremely important to her and someone I feel was such a positive influence in her life that he directly contributed to the person she is today. 

So let's backtrack a few years to the summer before fifth grade...I'm the parent nobody sees around the school unless there is a problem or it's time to pick Davis' teacher for next year. Well, prior to fifth grade I had a 100% positive idea of what teacher she just HAD to have the following year. I put in my request, made my opinions known, and anxiously awaiting the posting of "the list" even though I was sure I had been heard. 

I wasn't worried. 

We went down to check the list and low and behold here was her name under "Joel Fairley". WHAT? That's not who I wanted and who the heck is this Joel Fairley guy? And WHAT? Her class has twelve students? The other two classes all have around twenty-five...like normal. I was beside myself. That wasn't the teacher I selected. How dare they not listen to me? I'm the parent. I pay for this school. I may have even dropped a few expletives on the way back to the car. 

Of course, it's late on Friday and I have all weekend to stew about this. I immediately jumped on my computer and contacted everyone I knew. I was going to get to the bottom of this. Like a private investigator I was going to find out everything I could about "this guy". 

And wow, what did I find out. 

 He is a pastor. He taught school before. He is an artist. He sews. He's creative. He's an actor. He makes his own puppets and does funny voices for the kids. He was highly recommended as someone Davis would relate too. Davis was a mini Mr. Fairley. They had so many students for fifth grade- they needed an overflow class. His class had six boys and six girls. Davis was one of them. I immediately stopped my rantings and changed my way of thinking...how did we get so lucky? Her teacher is creative? She is one of twelve students? That's amazing. 

For the first time I was glad nobody listened to me.

That year, Davis really discovered her uniqueness and individuality. Mr. Fairley didn't think she was a weirdo or a goofball. He nourished her creativity. He let her be herself. He never put her down because she was different. When she made a top hat out of construction paper and wore it to school for two weeks straight- he never even batted an eye and let her wear it in class. 

That year their class theme was super heroes- a hobby of Mr. Fairleys. I watched those kids become "Fairley's Dozen". It was them against the world and those kids formed lifelong friendships. They had art shows, turned the classroom into a boat for a week before they went on their overnight boat trip, and they reenacted the American Revolution through the halls. 

But most importantly, she grew. She grew as an individual and Mr. Fairley never crushed her creative spirit- at a time when most teachers would have told her she had to conform. He nurtured it. He showed her even as an adult it's okay to be different. To be an artist. To think differently. To be the person everyone says is the "weird kid" and to be okay with that. 

After the paper top hat incident, this is when Davis really came into her love of hats. I think because Mr. Fairley made it okay. She wore a different one every day. When other girls were starting to look at hair and make-up- she wanted new beanies. 

And it was okay. 

When the school year was over he addressed his class at the assembly in one of the most touching graduation speeches I have ever heard. Then they headed back to their classroom for their final moments together- no parents allowed. Those kids clung to him, they cried, they didn't want to leave. He was more than just their teacher, he was their friend. 

It was the one and only year Mr. Fairley taught at Crossroads. He was offered a job as a pastor of his own church. But how lucky were we to have him in our lives for a year. He taught the kids, but he taught the parents too. He taught me that I may not always be right, that EVERYTHING happens for a reason, and that what I thought would be the worst thing ever turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to our daughter, Davis. 

So when Davis wanted to be baptized, she wanted it to be Mr. Fairley who did it. It will make the moment all the more special. That even three years later, she still remembered how special he was to her. I'm sure I will cry. She's grown up so much since 5th grade but deep down she is still the same- the goofball that first set foot in Mr. Fairley's class who came out the other side with a love for God, respect for others, and acceptance of herself.
And she's our goofball.
And it's okay.

I think these two picture of her starting fifth grade and then finishing it shows the confidence in herself that she gained from Mr. Fairley's influence.

So we are so excited for this next step in her life. That her family and friends will be their to support her and that Mr. Fairley will be there to help her start this next chapter in her life. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful day! 

-Tricia