Storybook Farm

This semester I was forced to help in a weekly service learning location for my foundations of education class. I chose the one that said something about special needs children, photography, and horses. It sounded interesting enough, so I chose it. 

Storybook Farm. 

Nothing really what I expected. So many days I hated it. 30 minute drive: one way. 4.5 hours every Tuesday. Kicked, hit, or had rocks thrown at by kids. Grouchy parents, rude siblings, violent horses. 

But today it clicked. 

One of the children I worked with on this blustery Tuesday had ridden horses at Storybook for several years. He didn't need an arm-over-thigh hold so I just got to walk beside him and talk to him as he was riding. Really sweet little boy. But all he had ever done on a horse was walk, so today we got to let him experience trotting. The smile he got from the five seconds of quick walking lit up his entire face, which in turn lit up my and the leader's face. I feel like that is how God feels when we experience joy in something so wonderful that He initiated for us. How beautiful is that??

I also got to talk to his grandmother and a few other parents these past couple weeks. They would say things about how it had been a rough week or how grateful they were for this hour of relaxation for them or how much their child loved coming here. We got to breathe life into the tired parents in addition to helping these children work through mental and physical disabilities. 

And I mean, over the course of the whole semester there were some very awesome moments. I got to make some new, super sweet friends. Got to let a miniature cow for the FIRST TIME. #inlove And just overall get to love on the children. I've learned a lot about special needs children and how to react in certain situations. My heart goes out to these children and I have a new respect for special education teachers. And that hour drive has been good meditation and mind-clearing time. Always something good. God knows what He's doing. 

<3jen