Unlikely

Finally! I've missed the weekly and biweekly scheduled volunteer shifts at the children's shelter and the after school program immensely over the Christmas break and then the extended vacation from volunteerism with snow days, days off of school, and other opportunities for the  organizations to givew their volunteers a day off. Last week, it was good to be back at the shelter for children who have needed an emergency removal from abusive situations, and this week saw the return to helping with homework and hanging out over at Neighbor 2 Neighbor on the east side of Pleasant Suburb.
Making the drive over, it was good to be headed back to the apartment complex where the program ministers. Pulling into a parking space, I was watching for familiar faces. Sure enough K. came across the parking lot as I got out. "Hey! What're you doin' here?!" was the greeting. "I came to hang out and help with homework. What about you?" was my response in a similarly confrontational tone. K.'s answering smile made my day. He informed me that he was glad I was there. That made two of us.
K. was reading a chapter book based on a t.v. show today. That's big improvement over last semester when he was still reading simpler stories. We talked about the book and discussed whether or not we had ever eaten, "tapenade". (I had not, but since it's made with olives I theorized that it was salty. He had not either, but he thought it sounded sweet.) Eventually, he got up and left with his friends.
I know it's good to rest. To take a break from time to time. I'm also entirely thrilled to be back to our regular routine.