Of every color and gender,
Starting when I was a teenager,
I wonder where you've been,
And I truly wish you well.
To the first girls I ever babysat,
The then pastors daughters,
You taught me a lot,
Including how to change a diaper.
I knew basically nothing,
But I learned to play with you,
And to be strong during dark storms,
And to just listen to you talk.
To the kids I babysat in high school,
The then church music leader's only son,
Who taught me to hate play-do,
And the kid I would later be a provider for,
You were great kids who provided
The perfect basis for what was to come.
The apartment kids, who we used to pick up
For Wednesday night church and special events,
I really wonder what happened to you.
I fear for what happened, both before I met you and after,
Because of the hard situations most of you came from,
And because of the tough road I knew you all had ahead of you.
To the kids I worked with in college,
Both in PB&J club after school hours,
And in the field work I was required to do,
I hope you had a good growing up,
And find yourself in happier places
Than you've ever known.
To the first four girls who ever became mine,
Who now range from almost age 6 to age 19,
I have loved you more than you can imagine,
And I still strive to be in your life always,
Even if it's just a little flicker,
And I don't see you for two years at a time.
To the boy I was a provider for the first summer of college,
I will never, ever forget you.
You told your mom you would marry me when you grew up,
And tried to lose me at Wyandot Lake (now Zoombezi bay).
You were smarter than you were special needs,
And I appreciate learning all I did from you.
To the five kids I nannied for my second college summer,
I will never forget any one of you,
Your close ages and precious condo,
The stories you hold and the love you gave,
Even though maybe only the oldest actually remembers me.
I enjoy seeing your faces on social media though it's been too long.
To the daycare kids, who I worked with in college,
You had my heart in ways no one else did.
You taught me so much - even as I was your teacher,
With your continual love and smiling faces,
Your lessons learned and growing stages,
They will always be something I remember,
Even among the trying discipline times.
To the kids the one year I taught -
You were a life lesson to me.
Some of you liked me and some of you didn't,
But I loved you more than the material I taught.
That is why I do not teach anymore -
In the end it was nothing to do with interacting with you,
And I remember you always,
The good and the bad.
To the space loving boy and his twin sister
Who I aided for in my mother's preschool class,
You kept me alive, and very intrigued.
You are both precious, no matter where you've since gone.
To the adopted girl and boy I babysat on and off for years,
I really tried to love and understand you,
And felt for you every time I learned of the horrible things
You had both survived and already had to deal with in your short lives.
You were not easy, but there was good reason,
And I really hope the important lessons you once learned help you now.
To the church kids -
Both when I taught Jr. Church in college with one of my best friends,
And when I later taught Jr. Church with the then new pastor's wife,
You are very special to me.
I will seriously never forgot the time I had with you,
And I really do miss the fellowship, of learning about God with you.
I honestly wonder where all of you are,
And I hope God has a special hold on you.
To the kids I nannied for - you three hold three years of my life.
I knew it would go too fast, and tried to enjoy every minute.
I just wish I had kept in contact more, been more open,
And pushed to see you outside of work.
The one time I tried you were in trouble and it didn't happen.
After the job ended I wish I contacted you both more,
And really pushed to see you all, and the precious parents too.
To the two girls with cell phones, my tries were not enough,
And you responded when you could, but now I'm not sure if I should text
Or it will just be awkward since I last heard from you
And learned the not surprising news of the split.
To the 17 months apart boy and girl I watched for that one fall -
I will not forgot your easygoing personalities and sweet smiles.
I knew you, precious girl, at one time for over half of your life -
Though not hard when you're only two months old at meeting! -
And I enjoyed watching you both grow.
To the twins I both loved and dreaded, you precious souls,
You both taught me patience and true love,
As you were a handful but loving and sweet.
I will never forget you, or your sweet parents either,
Who went to bat for me through the agency,
Before they and the agency no longer worked together,
And I lost tough with you maybe forever.
Even though I only saw you from around 19 months to 2 and 1/2,
And you probably won't remember me,
I hope and pray you find Him who has everything.
To the two girls who became my latest girls,
The children of one of my very good friends,
I hope and pray to watch you grow up.
We had a good night tonight, though you dominated my time,
Which I honestly do not really regret
(I will catch up with my friend, your mother, later;
Tonight she was fine with seeing the rest of my family.)
You are always wanted and loved.
I say a prayer for all of you,
That you would hold the hand of the One who made you,
And meet Him in this life, regardless of how it happens.
I say another prayer for all of my friends,
But I met you in innocent days,
And that will never be forgotten.
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