Laughing on Memory Lane . . .

In 2007 while we were in Liberia with Mercy Ships, every Sunday morning, three-year-old Samuel would come in to our cabin, crawl up into Matt's bunk and wake him up for church.  A lot changes in fourteen years, especially little Samuel . . .  

In Honor of Memorial Day . . .

There was a family yesterday on the south side of the road who had put out all sorts of signs/balloons/bunting to honor those who had served in the military.  In this time of chaos and disorder, it was such a wonderful thing to see! 

Happy Memorial Day!

 

Only at Sand Creek . . .

 Our last group of the included two six zippers.  They had met on-line during Covid and were now beginning to date.  He was from India and Hindu.  She was Hmong and a Christian.  On technically our fourth zip, she asked me about pursuing a relationship with him.  She zipped off and I asked him where he stood with his faith.  

He assured me that his being a Hindu was not going to be a problem.  Of course, Hindu parents approved spouses for their children, but his parents weren't like that.  I told him I was skeptical, but I didn't know them.  I shared what transpired in my life.  While both Sam and I were both definite followers of Christ, our families differed on issues and it was hard for both of us.

At the next platform, he zipped off and she asked what I thought.  I told her I would not pursue a relationship with someone of a different faith than mine.  I gave her just one example of something that had happened to me and she was shocked, hopefully shocked enough to make good and wise choices.

      

Only at Sand Creek . . .

Usually when I'm at Sand Creek, I believe that I'm there to be the light and love of Jesus to those who come to zip.  Today I had a totally different feel.  Today, I believe I was there to mentor/help/love/brainstorm/assist one of our new staff who is starting a new job in two weeks.  (She'll continue to work at SCA on weekends.)  I was able to give her feedback, encouragement and ideas for her new job.  Out of the blue, God laid it on me to bring along something I had created for team builds that she's going to use with her new staff on Wednesday.  Today, I was blessed to be a blessing!  How fun! 

Friday . . .

I brought my students in to Mrs. Bakke's room at 2:35 this afternoon and said, "I'm going to go have lunch now."  (Yup, I had a YUCK lunch schedule this year!) She stopped what she was doing, stopped the class, and said, "Do you all know this is Mrs. Zupke's (pause) I'm going to cry (longer pause with tears) last full day with us?"  The entire class looked at me, somewhat surprised, most all with love . . . Mrs. Bakke composed herself and said, "But she coming back to visit on Thursday so we can say 'Good-bye'".  

I said, "You mean party?"  

Owen said, "It's my birthday that day!"  

I said, "That means we're going to party." 

The joy in my heart . . . the confirmation in my soul . . . that I was where I needed to be as I got to love this fifth grade classroom and their wonderful teacher for ten amazing months!  To God be the glory!

Giselle

Young Gisele’s heart was broken after she endured an obstructed labor which resulted in the loss of her unborn child and the development of obstetric fistula.   For over 20 long years, Gisele lived with the pain and embarrassment of this condition. In the midst of her pain, Gisele suffered yet another loss when her husband, realizing that she would probably never have children, abandoned her.   While the nature of Gisele’s condition was terrible, her grief for her lost dream of a family haunted her. Unable to hide the strong odor of incontinence and the stigma around her condition, Gisele withdrew into a life of solitude, but she prayed that someday she might find hope.   That day arrived when she heard of a place where she might receive surgery — a hospital ship called the Africa Mercy. It was not long before she found herself sitting on a hospital bed onboard, waiting for surgery that would heal the condition that haunted her for over 20 years.

In addition to the healing she found physically, Giselle found emotional restoration in the attentive way the doctors and nurses cared for her, and in the relationships she built with the other women in the fistula ward. Obstetric fistula is typically a condition of isolation. Confined in solitude, Gisele was poisoned by her belief that her life had no value. During her time onboard, she was introduced to other women who shared similar journeys and formed a sisterhood with them that began healing her spirit.

When their recuperation was complete, the hospital threw a going-away party for Giselle and the other women in the ward. Each woman was presented with a beautiful new dress, symbolizing their restored life. On the morning of the celebration, the women gathered in the ward to do their make-up and fasten their head wraps. The room was filled with chatter, smiles, and an energy like that of a bridal party. Gisele surveyed the room of women getting ready and joyfully said, "Today is good." After the celebration was over, Gisele walked out of the hospital, down the dock, and took her first step back into society.

 

Thankful Thursday!

 It's a sad statement when the greatest thing you can find to be thankful for in the entire day is the fact that when you dropped the carton of eighteen eggs, only six broke!

But stay tuned . . . Friday's coming!

Not Quite . . .

Eden, an energetic go-getter in Mrs. Lockie's second grade class, and her two table mates in the lunchroom, Betty and Amelia, decided that in the ten minutes we spent together each day, I was going to learn everyone in their class' name.  We added a table a week and I thought I had them.

Today I went into Mrs. Lockie's classroom and had everyone stand up.  If I got their name right, they had to sit down.  I missed four.  I felt bad, but it was hat day and I didn't get to see everyone's hair.  Not to mention, they have to wear masks in the classroom, but not in the lunchroom.  I might have had better luck had I been able to see their faces! 

My Secret Garden

Imagine my surprise yesterday while weeding my hosta beds when I found this sweet lily of the valley, my own secret garden . . . 

 

Pop Quiz!

Here's the question I asked Micah yesterday:

Which is faster:  calling the IRS or calling Health Partners Nurse Line on a weekend?

In my experience, calling the IRS, by two whole minutes!

Matt was diagnosed with strep throat on Thursday and never get better. He went to urgent care on Saturday and got a different prescription and kept getting worse, so I called the Nurse Line yesterday.  She was a great help once I was finally able to talk to her, but the wait was a bit long . . .

Matt is on the mend today and feeling much better.

IRS Phone Wait Time:  59 minutes

Nurse Line Wait Time:  62 minutes

 

Only at Sand Creek . . .

It was such an ordinary day at Sand Creek today that it almost seems worthless to write about.  I mean, we did have three birthday groups - one fifty, one sixteen and a fourteen - without a single piece of cake to share, and my first set of triplets . . .

So maybe the exciting news is the stuff that's behind the scenes . . . like our new staff Maddie's last name is actually "Margo" which I personally think is a pretty cool first name; the Sand Creek owner has begun a new business and will not be joining us out on the course this year so we're making some changes that we as staff like. Nothing regarding policies, but more where equipment is stored and how.  We've come up with some new stuff for team builds and we're all rather excited!

BONUS DAY!

After working or volunteering the past eleven days straight, I can not tell you how happy I was to run into neighbor Nancy at the Y this morning where she said to me, "We don't have to work today."  Sure enough, ISD 194 schools were closed due to a threat.  No one was allowed into the buildings.  My iPad was in my space inaccessible, giving me a much needed day off before I go to work at Sand Creek tomorrow.  

So what did I do on my day off, besides laundry?  I helped neighbor Nancy walk her dog at noon and then spent a good chunk of my day working on stuff for Sand Creek that would have never gotten done otherwise!

 

Thankful Thursday!

Today I've been having what we called a "private pity party" in college, feeling a bit sorry for myself.  I'm also angry and I'm working toward determination.  I had a DEXA scan last week.  (DEXA stands for “dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry."   It is a type of medical imaging test. It uses very low levels of x-rays to measure how dense your bones are.). I had because, as you know, I have PMR (polymyalgia rheumatica) and have been on prednisone off, but mostly on, since 2018, or was it 2017?  Anyway, the results showed that the bone loss in my lower spine has doubled as a result of being on prednisone.  Doubled!!!  Private.Pity.Party.  

Fortunately, reality is it doubled from 0.9% bone loss to 1.8% bone loss in less than two years.  I'm not considered at risk for anything bad happening until I'm at a 20% bone loss and we're not going to let that happen.  Nope, I'm . . .

• Currently weaning off of Prednisone (currently at 4 mg, hoping to be totally off of it by July 1, 
• Adding more calcium to my diet,
• Doing more weight bearing exercises.

Which leaves me thankful for my doctor and a new rheumatologist who are going to take good care of me!  Doubly thankful that this is a little blip on the big radar of life, no where near the challenges others are facing.  Thankful that I can pray for those whose challenges are so much more than mine.

A Fond Farewell . . .

I bid a fond farewell today to my internist who is retiring.  He has served me so very well these past thirty years!  We were more than just doctor/patient as our paths crossed on the soccer field and in the swimming pool.  We were friends and I will greatly miss him!   

One, Two, Three - OUT!

 

And just like that, there were three of us that went down as we finished giving blood over at Trinity today!  Just like dominoes, one right after the other.  Fortunately, I was the first one to slowly "snap" back ...

Mariama

 

Ever since the day she was born, 17-year-old Mariama has had a cyst over her right eye. Although relatively small in size, the growth has had a significant impact on her self-esteem as she often endured hurtful remarks from others. While she was able to hide from the world, she could not truly escape her reality.

“It makes me sad whenever I look at myself in the mirror,” she said.  Mariama was not the only one suffering from the growth. Her father, Thekheye, was pained to see his daughter struggle from her condition.   “As I stood in the hospital and saw that Mariama had been born with a growth over her eye, sadness and confusion overtook my life,” he said.  Wanting to do everything possible to help his daughter, Thekheye tried to find a way for her to be healed. However, without a job, there was little he was able to do. Thankfully, after nearly two decades, Mariama finally had a chance for healing after Thekheye heard about Mercy Ships.  “I am so thankful for Mercy Ships,” he said. “Knowing that the ship could heal my daughter gave me hope.”  Following her surgery, she was able to look in the mirror with renewed confidence and was overwhelmed with joy. Today, she reveals the confident smile of a 17-year-old girl who dreams of attending university. The surgery she received on the Africa Mercy has allowed her to see the world in a new way — a way full of hope.

Cousin Phyllis and the Fam

 Here's Sam's cousin Phyllis and her family at the zip line this morning:

Charles, Jason, Phyllis and Evan

Extra Face Masks?

Now that the mask mandate has been lifted, here's another use for your extra masks - just in case you wear the absolute wrong shoes to zip in!

 

Only at Sand Creek . . .

Can your new co-worker actually be named "Mattie Margo"!

Can all four staff working today have attended the same college in Mankato, formerly Mankato State University, the name my co-workers still use, now known as the University of Minnesota in Mankato!

Can three of the staff have the same major!  My degree was "Recreation, Parks and Community Education"; their's is "Recreation, Parks and Leisure Studies".

Can you have so much fun working that you all want to work together again next weekend!  We started off with Sam's cousin Phyllis and her family from California.  We made a special zip time just for them before the guys head back home at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning.  They were followed by a bridal party, a couple of couples and seven family groups.  We had a blast!  And the tips were amazing . . .

Really?!?

This is one for the books!  I was notified that two of my posts - "A Belated Happy Birthday to Sam" and "A Belated Happy Mother's Day" - went AGAINST Blogger's Community Guidelines.  I checked out those guidelines and found out they could take action against me for adult content (it was Sam's birthday!), child sexual abuse and exploitation (Micah did make the cakes!), dangerous and illegal activities (overeating?), harassment, bullying and threats (nope!), hate speech (happy?), impersonation or misrepresentation of identity, malware and similar malicious content, misleading content and more.  

You'll be glad to know that those posts were re-evaluated and reinstated.  Part of me is very glad that posts on Blogger are evaluated.  The other part of me says, "Really?!?  You've got to be kidding me!  These two posts?"

Happy Belated Birthday, Sam!

 We celebrated Sam's birthday on Monday with this cheesecake dessert:

Happy Belated Mother's Day!

 This was my Mother's Day cake from Micah and it was as good as it looks!

Back at Sand Creek!

I'll be back at Sand Creek tomorrow working with two of my favorite guys, Ethan and Jake.  I'm excited to start a new year after only working one time last year, thanks to Covid.  We'll be "mask ready" zipping and doing different elements.  Sadly, the high ropes course is closed due to construction which I had really wanted to try this year with my two bionic knees.  I'm not at all sad that we won't have to do any high ropes rescues! 

Prettiest Cupcake of the Day!

Mrs. Hegg's class had crazy hair day today and she had some winners!  It was fun to see them all at lunch.  The one that captured my "mother-of-a-baker's" heart was this one:

Wouldn't want to eat it, but it sure was cute!

  

A Tale of Two Students

 I was asked to work with Boy A yesterday because he had only gotten a 60% on his last two "Quiz Whiz" tests and Aimee knew he was far more capable than that!  He pouted when she told him, he pouted all the way to my room, and then he failed to do anything.  So I told him I was texting Mrs. Bakke to let her know his choice.  He had just started to work quite begrudgingly when she came in to check on him.  He finally finished his "Quiz Whiz" and returned to classroom.  I found out later that he left the room angrily and disappeared for about fifteen minutes, which of course only brought more consequences.

After Boy A, I worked with Boy B on his "hero poster".  His hero was "Gorge Washington, our first presAdent".  He was so thankful for my help and the time that we were able to spend together that he willingly corrected the typos I found and finished his poster on "George Washington, our first president".     

Thankful Thursday!

Cousin Bree got married at the Van Dusen Mansion in Minneapolis yesterday afternoon.  We were pre-warned that it was going to be a very short ceremony and to arrive early.  That was our game plan as we traveled up 35W until we reached Crosstown where the flashing road signs all said, "Major accident ahead."  Sure enough, brake lights were beginning to appear so we hit "Re-Center" on Google Maps and took the first exit we could.

We sent a text to Bree's mom said, "See you at the reception!" knowing that there was no way we were ever going to make it on time.  I'm thankful to say that we arrived twelve minutes before the bride was going to walk down the aisle.  We were both quite thankful to be able to use the bathroom before the ceremony!

Equally thankful was Jeanette, the bride's mother.  Her brother Don and his wife were stuck in the same traffic jam we were!  We pulled into the parking lot and walked up to the wedding site together, laughing and comparing our stories. 

It was such a joy to us to be able to see Sam's family again as we hadn't been together since Christmas Eve 2019, thanks to Covid.  We were able to spend time with Sam's aunt and uncle, cousin David and family and cousin Phyllis and family on a lovely day in a beautiful setting.

If you look close, there's a squirrel above the bride and groom!

An Early Happy Mother's Day . . .

When Confort heard the screams of her baby daughter, Gamai, a regular morning turned into a mother's nightmare. Gamai had knocked over a pot of boiling water, leading to excruciating burns across her upper body.   After a trip to the local hospital, Confort realized she could not afford any medical care beyond some ointment to treat her baby's pain.   Over the next few years, Confort watched as the complications of her daughter's burns led to contracted skin, restricting the mobility of her hands and arms. To protect her, Confort decided to keep Gamai sheltered from the outside world.   "I became very sad and angry that this was the way my daughter was going to grow up — hidden from the world," she said.

But Confort wouldn't let this be the ending of Gamai's story. When she heard the news that a Mercy Ship was coming to Guinea to provide life-changing surgery, she brought Gamai, now 4 years old, to claim her chance at a different future.   Months later, Gamai's hands and arms were free to move — and she was free to live her life outside of closed doors, without fear or pain. Her mother celebrated, saying, "I am filled with happiness that being hidden will not be Gamai's future."

Francoise lived an experience no mother should have to endure. She watched as her newborn baby, Paul Pascal, inched closer to the brink of death every day. Born with a cleft lip and palate, Paul struggled to drink milk and dropped to a dangerously low weight.   "We were so scared … we thought he would die," said Francoise. She stayed up with her newborn night after night, rocking him as he cried, desperately trying to feed him, fighting for him to survive.    When the Africa Mercy arrived in Cameroon, Francoise rushed her baby to the ship, searching for help. Baby Paul was so malnourished from his inability to eat that he was unable to receive surgery immediately. Instead, volunteers enrolled him in the Mercy Ships Infant Feeding Program which helped him gain weight.

Francoise’s fear turned to joy as her baby blossomed in front of her, his cheeks slowly filling out and his hair growing thick and healthy until he was strong enough to receive cleft lip and palate surgery.   When it came time for the ship to leave Cameroon, Francoise was celebrating a milestone she never thought she would see, her baby's first birthday.   "The Lord has changed the life of Paul and given him a new one," she shared.

Aicha was just a few months old when her mother, Fatmata, noticed the telltale signs that something was wrong with her baby's vision. By the time she started to crawl, visible cataracts had begun to show in Aicha's eyes.   For Fatmata, the grief of having a blind daughter was paired with the helplessness of being unable to afford surgery to help her. She worked in the market every day with Aicha cradled on her back, overhearing people call her daughter a witch.    Even though Fatmata was afraid of letting strangers near Aicha, she decided that her hope of healing was stronger than her fear of the unknown. She decided to bring Aicha to a Mercy Ships eye screening, where she was approved for surgery.

After Aicha's surgery, this mother's fear was replaced by complete joy as Aicha began to smile and walk around, looking up at her mother for the first time.    "She was like a new person. She was dancing and laughing," Fatmata shared. "She was sick and now she is healed. I have no words to express how happy I am."

 

"Up through the ground, came a bubbling crude . . ."

Only unlike the Beverly Hillbillies, it wasn't it wasn't black gold!

Down in Sam's fifth grade wing yesterday, they were having septic problems with the boys and girls bathrooms.  After hearing some serious clanging around during MCA testing, the workers opened the cap in Barb's classroom and sure enough, raw sewage came out!  

It ended Barb's teaching in her classroom for the week.  Hopefully, they'll lay new carpet over the weekend and she'll be back in business on Monday.  Sam - he just had an odoriferous day yesterday!  And a lonely one today as Barb spent her second day up in the media center.  

Shhh . . .

It's not official yet, and it really won't be until maybe October, but I met with my supervisor this morning and I am (officially) hired back for next year and slated once again for fifth grade!  That's the part that may not be written in stone as word has gotten out that I tutored DiffyQ (Differential Equations) in college and may be a good fit for the math opening!  Either option will have me doing the happy dance!  

Late?!?

Steven, the lifeguard, and I were laughing this morning at the Y.  I arrived for my 6:00 a.m. reserved lane time at 5:55 a.m. and I was the last one of the 6:00 a.m. reservations to arrive!  I'm five minutes early and still the last one to show up?  Go figure!

Thankful Thursday!

Last night at the Y, I was able to speak with a Muslim mom who grew up in Denmark about black child hair care.  Her daughter's hair was very much like Micah's hair.  A good ten minutes into our conversation, Fatin said she needed to sit down.  It was Ramadan, she was fasting, and she was feeling a bit woozy.  

Never one to pass up an opportunity, I started asking some questions about Ramadan and fasting.  I learned some interesting things, such as pregnant women or women who have their periods don't have to fast, BUT they do have to "make up" the fasting time they missed.  WOW.  No.Grace.  I brought that up.

Then it came out that God does so much for (us) that it is good to pay Him back for His kindness, as stated in the Koran.  WOW.  So much NOT my Bible.

I am so grateful that I am under grace.  That I don't have to do anything to earn my salvation.  I just have to love Jesus.  For that I am thankful.

Mr. Incompetent

I had a lab scheduled this morning at 7:15 a.m.  My SOP (standard operating procedure) for my labs over the past several years has been to arrive roughly ten minutes early and walk out with all the blood they needed drawn before my actual appointment time even began.  Not so this morning.

I arrived ten minutes early and was put immediately into the lab waiting area where I waited another ten minutes.  At 7:15, I was put into a blood draw space where I waited another ten minutes.  At 7:25, the phlebotomist came to draw my blood.  Knowing I was giving blood for TWO different doctors, I tried to confirm that he had what he needed to draw ALL of my blood.  He didn't.  He only had orders from one doctor.  I told him I was giving blood for two doctors.  Ten minutes later he came back with the orders that I need in JUNE.  I knew he was wrong.  I knew I was going to be late for work, but I tried.  "Those orders are for JUNE.  What I need drawn is the lab you were unable to do last week, plus the ones for Dr. Elert."

I took a deep breath.  I was the first patient of the day.  I did not need to ruin his day even though I was on my way to being late for work.  No shower or breakfast yet.  My "done-by-7:15 a.m." appointment was now past 7:35 a.m.  I smiled, I said, "Take all the blood you need.  I'm fine.  Just make sure it's for BOTH doctors."       

I got my lab results back when I got home from work.  Half of them were labeled "Updated results from 4/27".  Sigh.

Dr. Adam Wodome

A chance encounter with a Mercy Ships eye surgeon changed everything.

“I didn’t know it then, but that was the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration with Mercy Ships — one that would change my career and the lives of thousands of people.”

Dr Wodome received more than just a fresh perspective on a new medical procedure; the mentoring programme renewed his sense of purpose and potential — and transformed the way he saw his own life calling: “I began to see clearly that I had something to do there in Africa … that God had given me a role to play in the fight against cataract blindness in Togo — and that change was really possible.”

Instead of longing to live overseas, Dr Wodome became passionate about changing lives right there in Wst Africa.

 

Putting training to the test

In the years after he learned the new method for cataract surgery, Dr Wodome has lived up to his calling — although it has not been without its obstacles. Many barriers stood between him and his newfound vision for his country. Chief among these were inadequate teaching equipment, limited surgical supplies, and financially-strapped patients unable to pay for surgery.

The return of the Africa Mercy to Togo in 2012 bought a fresh wave of hope and hands-on help. Mercy Ships staff, including eye surgeon Dr Glenn Strauss, supported Dr Wodome to find creative solutions to every challenge. This included donating extensive medical equipment to increase surgical capabilities, as well as connecting him with the resources and means to begin a charity and an eye clinic. After getting his facilities off the ground and accumulating all the tools needed to perform effective surgery, Dr Wodome was ready to put the techniques he had learned on board to the test.

By 2017, Dr Wodome’s annual cataract surgeries had quadrupled and represented almost half of Togo’s total ophthalmic surgeries. He continued training other local medical professionals in the same MSICS procedure he’d learned from Mercy Ships. As of 2020, more than 30 ophthalmologists across Togo and Benin have benefited from his program.

Dr Wodome’s clinic, Clinique Ophtalmologique Lumière Divine (COLD), became the premier private clinic for cataract surgeries in the country, performing more than 750 cataract surgeries each year. In a continued spirit of humility and humanitarian care, he uses a large portion of the clinic’s profits to fund his own charity venture. By 2020, the clinic has provided free and dramatically reduced cost cataract surgeries to more than 2,000 people.

In 2021, however, Mercy Ships and Dr Wodome are partnering again to make safe, quality cataract surgery in Togo more accessible than ever before.

Strengthening surgeon training 

While Dr Wodome’s training outcomes have been largely successful, limited time and resource mean only a certain number of participants can receive training. In response to these limitations, Dr Wodome proposed to enhance the training opportunities by setting up an MSICS Teaching Institute at his NGO’s ophthalmology clinic, COLD. The program will streamline his training and give participants access to higher quality resources to both practice and perform surgery.

Through the Institute, it is Dr Wodome’s hope to see improved quality of ophthalmic care in cataract blindness, by facilitating up to 4,000 additional surgeries each year.

Mercy Ships is committed to coming alongside Dr Wodome to make this vision a reality. In order to support the program over a three-year period, we will be funding training costs for 18 participants, donating essential teaching equipment, and contributing to training remotely.

Mercy Ships medical capacity building program creates an invaluable opportunity to partner with government officials and local surgeons in the countries we visit. For more than 30 years, Mercy Ships has collaborated with some of the most driven, dedicated, and talented healthcare professionals across Africa. It is our honour to introduce you to these Heroes of Healthcare, including Togo’s leading ophthalmic surgeon – Dr Abram Wodome.

 

Leaving a lasting legacy in Togo

More than a decade has passed since Dr Wodome and Mercy Ships first worked together. Due to hands-on training and continued assistance, the MSICS method has become the standard cataract surgical procedure in Togo. Thousands of lives have been changed as a result — and the ripple effects aren’t slowing down any time soon. 

A most memorable CPR class . . .

This morning's CPR class at the Y was one for the memory books!

Memory One:  For the first ever, I had a class of random employees who were all fitness instructors!  They couldn't have been more fun - all nine of them!

Memory Two:  Gayle was in my class this morning.  We go back over forty years when she was my first aquatics director at the Brooklyn Center Community Center and we were fresh out of college.  We worked together there and for ISD 196, had our boys in swimming lessons together, and now both work at the Y part-time.  

She came in wearing a baseball cap which is something I've never seen her in before.  She confirmed aggressive breast cancer that began last August, fourteen rounds of chemotherapy and now she's starting radiation.  She was lucky.  They caught it early.  Her prognosis is very good.  While it was wonderful to catch up, it was so sad to hear her how lonely her journey has been because of Covid.  Even worse was her farewell. 

"I hope my hair is as long as yours by the end of the summer."     

Unfortunate Fortunes!

 

We had fortune cookies for lunch at school yesterday.  The kids were really excited until they realized:

• they couldn't read them, and
• they made absolutely no sense to someone their age!

Hence, the name "unfortunate fortune cookies"!  Seriously, someone could make a bundle making "fortune cookies for kids"!

My fortune:

All your hard work will soon pay off.