Amelia Maxine

{Meet Amelia--bobbed hair, glasses, red sweat shirt}

Creative.
Determined.
Lover of learning.
Organized.
Giggly.
A dreamer.
Responsible.
Happy.
Whole Hearted.

Her fingers, long and lean, worked repeatedly like the hands of a clock on each project she would create. Tick tock. Tick tock. Ideas swirling in her head and then dancing their way onto paper through words and pictures; her dreams coming true.

At 8 years old, her crystal blue eyes watched my every move behind those covert glasses of hers. To watch her write and create was divine. Planned and prepared, Amelia wrote from her heart as if it was her very reason for living. Writing and creating was her recess; her playtime.


Crayons, pencils colored, paints, fabric remnants, yarns and the like were her mediums of craft. Thinking outside the box for illustrating thrilled her so. She took pride and perfection in mixing textures along side her dotted eyes and perfectly crossed T's.


She pushed herself with language. Wanting to make the maximum use of every adjective selection and adverb choice. Settling for verbs of mediocrity wasn't an option for Amelia Maxine.


Friendly as the day was long, I would often catch her sweet spirit giggling out of control at some silly somethings muttered from Ashley C. or Ashley H. Her laughter was loud and full, contagious and cosmic. Knowing no end once started.


2 years I was blessed with being her teacher. She experienced 3rd and 4th grade through my eyes, my words, my hands, my life.


She shared my passion for learning and creating. Perhaps this is why Amelia Maxine has always held a special place in my heart.


Amelia Maxine.
I even loved her name. Unique. Dramatic. Rhythmic.

To teach and to inspire is truly a gift and a blessing from above.

Mine and Amelia's paths crossed early in my teaching career. When Kenny was just a fun boyfriend and Eli and Casey were just dreams God had yet to slumber on His omniscient pillow of eternity.

I would teach many more after Amelia.
I would marry and move away too.

People, Places, and Timing.

Tick tock. Tick tock.

God places just so, doesn't He?

He scatters our lessons about through all that we touch; all that we see; all that we experience.

My heart remembers Amelia Maxine after all those years.

I remember her writings.
I remember her illustrations.
I remember her laughter.
Her smile.
Her happy heart.
Her surprise knock on my door on Halloween for trick-or-treats.

And it seems she remembers me too.

Having taught for 7 years before choosing to stay home when Eli was born...

...the 2009 graduating class would be my 3rd class to graduate from high school.

Having moved from the origin of my teaching career, so many years has passed in the lives of the children I taught there.

middle school science fairs
locker combinations
changing classes
field days
high school proms
drivers licenses
ACTs taken

And my life has moved on too.

marriage
babies
homemaking
business owning

But God weaves it all so well.
Tick-tock.

With a simple tug of my mailbox pull one rainy afternoon, I am instantly reminded of her heart.
Her goodness.
Her place in my life.
Amelia Maxine Steele

My first invitation to one of students' graduations from those days in another place, another time, where a Miss not a Mrs. was before my name.

Amelia thought of me. She sought out my address. In her sweet spirited canter, she pressed in and made yet another mark on my soul. Only this time the hand print was that of a young lady filled with the same determination and creative passion as those long and lean little girl fingers shared with me so long ago.

And I am honored.

I thank God to see her happy face and crystal blues sparkling with the hope of her aheadness. Her face still shines just as brightly as it did so long ago.

A package is on its way to her. I wanted to reflect her happy heart and whimsical, creative spirit in my gift to her. I wanted my hands to make something in honor of the little hands that made so much for me long ago.

Fun, happy colors festive, fresh and bright. Dramatic to the eye and rhythmic in their pattern. Just like Amelia Maxine and her name so unique.

The monogram whimsical in nature just as her creative spirit.

I enjoyed designing this gift for her. I love that it is one-of-a-kind. Just as I imagine she is today.

Grown full of beauty with so much yet to explore, so many more paths that she will cross, so much more of God's perfect timing to experience.

And so many more lives that she will touch with her happy heart and fingers long and lean.

Like the shadows cast on this bag, we each are God's light to the other. His people, His places, His timing are the rhythm we all dance to as our life makes its way onto paper through words and pictures.

Our dreams are coming true.

Thank you, Amelia for the impressions you have made on my life as your teacher. I wish you happiness and hard work. Those long and lean fingers have so much goodness to create.

Congratulations to you!

.mac
a.k.a. Miss Casey :)