Summer is on the wall

A thank you goes out this week to the two budding artists Benjamin and Celin.  Their spring and summer theme is a happy one indeed.

Friendship is an ongoing theme at Fokusskolan in Nyköping.  The students and faculty work together on creating a conducive environment, where every person is important and have a voice to be heard. Many students escape to Fokusskolan to rise from difficulties they may have had at other schools.  That places an additional burden onto the staff, but this Christian school has divine help and many prayers.

No school is perfect.  No staff is perfect.  No faculty is perfect.  No family is perfect; however, having followed this chalkboard each week has left a significant in-print and testament, that the children are lovingly encouraged to aspire and grow at their own pace.

Fear not, you are numbered

"Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me; 

And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost." -D&C 50:41-42

"Ye are they whom my Father hath given me; ye are my friends;" -D&C 84:63

And the Father and I are one.  I am in the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you." -D&C 50:43

Fishing with a 'fish stick'

Xavier hopped off his bike as we were coming home from his great grandmother Mary-Ann's house.  We biked along side Nyköping's river when he suddenly stopped and climbed down the river bank.  I was at first impatient but decided to park my bike next to his and go down to sit with him.


-Xavier, you don't just hop down next to the water.  You can fall in.  You have to wait for me.
-Sorry mom
-What are you doing?
-I am fishing...
-Fishing?
-Yes, I am fishing.  This is my 'fish stick'.
-Oh, maybe we should go home and get some worms for the fish to eat.
-Ok... but I can fish sticks (and he reaches over to snag some bypassing sticks)

Last hockey cup for the season

This was the last hockey cup for the season. Anïas had a great time with his team mates. He has really grown to love playing this sport.

Here he stands outside the arena (in his Islander ballcap), warming up for the first game.  The kids were doing some dashes back and forth.  I took a quick picture through the chain link fence to the arena.

Pre-game warmup

Game start.  Anïas is to the far top of this picture in black.  The puck has been dropped and he moves in for a pass.

Here he is is skating backwards,

preparing to stop incoming play.

The cup ended with tired and happy kids. Playing the whole rink is new, and it is tough work skating across the whole lot.

You are good at many things

My son Anïas is a very empathetic and sensible 10 year old.  By some, he is considered childish, but to others he is viewed for what he is;  a very young, kind, helpful, caring and innocent boy.  I am proud of the fact that he prefers to play with legos, Plus Plus and sticks in the woods .

His school Fokusskolan, Nyköping gave all students grade 1 - 6th a choice of 'proud to be me' buttons (that all had positive self reinforcement messages) as a treat after a completed day of track and field.

He still has his button and it reads:

"I am good at many things.

Especially with being myself."

It takes guts, inner strength and conviction to dare to be oneself.  We can learn a lot from children like  Anïas.  How many times do we fall short in being good at being oneself, and to accept who we are,  and dare to be different in today's society?  Grownups seem to have a knack for saying one thing and being another.