"in God's way..."

I overhead this conversation last week as we were walking back to our classroom...

"Mrs. T, is kind of like my stepmom."
"Nuh-uh, she is not!"
"Yes she is!"
"No she isn't! Mrs. Thomas, you're not his stepmom are you?!?!?!"
"Yes she is... aren't you Mrs. T?"

I just grinned, and said something about how I wasn't really his stepmom, but at school I am kind of like a mom who looks out for them all, takes care of them, and loves them all very much.

Then my little man looked up and asked me, "Mrs. T, can you be my sister?"
I replied, "D, I can be whatever you want me to be."
"See, she is my sister!"
"Mrs. Thomas is NOT your sister!"
"Well, aren't you really my sister in God's way, kind of???"
"Yes, D, in God's way, I am kind of your sister." :)

pause... silence as he thought...

"Mrs. T, can I call you sis?"
"D, you sure can."

And since then, I have been a combination of Mrs. T and "Sis," to which I have been replying, "Bro" and we both smile. :)