love displayed.

brad probably thinks that he is the first boy that stole my heart.  he's not.  the first boy that that stole my heart was a little over sixteen years ago.  he has changed my life in more ways that one, and when i moved in with his family to become their nanny because god had just given their family a miracle, little did i know that my heart was about to explode with more love than i ever knew i was capable of.  

but if you've spent more than five minutes with him, you know what i mean.  you can't help but fall in love.

this week, i took my three charges, lil bit and her brudders to clarksville.  my mom was watching coach (that's my special nickname for him) over night and every days a good day when you are with coach, so we packed everyone in and headed to the gateway to the new south to see coach and my parents.

i had told the fellas on the way there that coach would be there, they think he is the coolest because he talks with his hands, they also think he is cool because he has an ipad that can talk for him.  as we were driving there, i reminded them of his special needs.  reminded them that they needed to use their manors and act like big five year old boys.  no burping at the table and the like.  i think sometimes i just talk to myself, but it makes me feel better to say these things.  so i talk and talk and talk.  and then i say, "what did i say?"  and never falis one of them after ten minutes will say, "uhhh, ms. jessica, i didn't hear you.  could you tell me that again."

awesome.

i explained to them that it might be nice if they held coach's hand when we were outside, he would like that and that helps him walk better.  to be gentle.

i explained to them, that if their were stairs, he might appreciate help and it would be kind of them to offer their hand.

 i reminded them how cool coach was and he is a good friend.

and this is what i saw over and over and over again.  love displayed time and time again.  not because their nanny that talks too much told him to, but because he wanted to, because coach is cool.

and then a water fight ensued and i asked coach if he wanted to get wet, he said yes.
and then i asked him if he wanted to participate, and he said yes.
so i told the boys not to throw water in his face, but he was game.  but to be fair, everytime they splashed him, they had to give him a cup of water and let them splash them as well.
and everytime henry was doused with water, this little fella would fill up his cup, hand it to coach and say, "okay, your turn and would stand still and let him soak him."
all i would do was secretly wipe a tear from my eye.

 but then again...

coach is cool and to be around him, it just makes you better.