A good friend recently asked my son, Noah, to share one good thing about his school day. Noah, who’s in kindergarten, replied, “I can tell you 10 good things. I love Covenant!” My 5 year old is right.

The richness Covenant brings has enhanced not just his life, but the lives of our whole family. One of the most remarkable aspects has been the kinship with other families, faculty and staff.

One day Noah left his fleece at school. Going to his classroom to fetch it, I learned from his teacher that all week he’d been asking for prayers for an upcoming flight I was to take. Only in talking with her did I realize his level of sweet concern.

Twice a month I volunteer during the grammar school lunchtime, helping kids open stubborn juice boxes and cleaning occasional spills. The bigger picture, though, is that it’s been a time of friendship: observing Noah as he forms new bonds with classmates, and for me, making a new friend in the other mom who volunteers.

Friday mornings I sometimes bring my three-year-old to the chapel service, attended by all of the students and faculty. What joy it is to worship with children. The golden lilt of their voices stays with me the rest of the day.

In Covenant, in its daily routines, its people and its Christ-loving mission, Noah belongs to something vibrant and life-changing. The rest of us—his parents and his sister—aren’t just idle observers; we’re part of it, too. After living in Naperville for five years, at last it feels like home, thanks in large part to the community we have in this school.