email from my mom

Hi Suz, I did not mention to you a highlight of my time with Jaden. I hope I can write it so you can receive the same thrill I did.



At bedtime the first night he wanted a book read, so I picked the first one I saw which was Max Lucado’s YOU ARE SPECIAL. It is the story of the Wemmicks, wooden people who have all been carved by the woodcarver, Eli. They are all different-short, tall, fat, skinny, big noses, etc. They give each other stars if the other person is someone who they think deserves a star. They give grey dots if the person does not meet their qualifications. Punchinello was a wooden person who always received dots even though he tried very hard to please everyone. He just could not measure up to everyone else’s expectations. One day he met a wooden girl who had no stars or dots. He wanted to be just like her. People tried to give her stars but they just fell off, they tried to put dots on her but they fell off also. She told Punchinello that those things did not matter to her. She went everyday and spent time with Eli, and encourages Punchinello to do the same thing. He goes to see Eli and Eli tells him that he is special and that he cares about him because he made him. Stars and dots only stick when one cares what others think. The important things is what Eli thinks and Eli loves him and knows he is special. When Punchinello leaves he says, “I think he means it ‘ and a dot falls off. This is where the story ends. I did not explain to Jaden what the story meant. He wanted the book read again, so I read it Thursday night. I still did not explain, but hesitated to read it thinking he would not get the meaning. When I finished the book, Jaden looked up at me, hugged himself, and with his impish grin said, “God really loves me doesn’t He.’ He got it. Without any explanation, he got it J. Have a great day. Hugs, Mom