Things Change...

Yesterday I accompanied Jack and his class of adorable 1st graders to the Honeysuckle Hill Farm in Springfield TN. This is a great learning farm, and we were headed there this year to release the baby chicks that were visiting in his classroom. (Side note: The class observed duck eggs for 30+ days in an incubator until the floods came and power was knocked out at the school. The duck eggs must have cooled, which was very detrimental to the ducks. Hence the appearance of the chicks.) The chicks were turned over to Farmer Jeff, and everyone was excited to see the chicks in their new home (which was like Disney World to them, noted Ella on the bus ride.) Jack was excited to have me ride the bus with him but really didn't want me to sit with him! We learned all about photosynthesis and brought home crowder pea seeds in a necklace that we are cultivating now. As we walked around the farm, I remembered that in the Fall of Kindergarten we had also come to this farm and our experience had been a little different. He was so anxious for days about riding the bus (told us he wouldn't...but in the end, he did) and finally declared that he would only be a 'field trip bus rider'. This year he rode the bus home nearly every day from school and happily got on the bus for all of the field trips.

There was also a tube slide, and last year he was unable to make it down alone. It took me climbing the ladder, offering lots of coaxing, and the promise of being 'caught' at the bottomo by his assistant Kindergarten teacher. This year he went off and played happily and was disappointed when the short play time was up. Jack even reminded me that Mrs. Haber had caught him last year at the slide when he was scared.

We had a great field trip day. I didn't 'need' to be there...I was attending just like the other chaperoning moms. I saw a couple of sweet boys who WERE struggling with aspects of attending the field trip, and my heart went out to them.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from yesterday...

Jack and his BFF Elita

Jack, Mommy & Mrs. Stark on the hayride

He did ask for me to sit with him on the way home!

But today was a little different. A strong thunderstorm rolled in right at dismissal time at school. It was absolutely pouring down with major (and close) lightening! Even though Jack exhibits no fear of storms or lightning at home, Jack got upset at the thought of riding the bus home in the rain. I received a call from Jack's teacher shortly after dismissal time letting me know that Jack had gotten pretty upset so she had told him it was ok to be a car rider today. So, Jack stayed at school with his teacher until Grandpa was able to pick him up (I was home with sleeping Tyler and Grandpa was on his way over to our house anyway.) We didn't talk about it much when he got home, but he was back to his old self and ready for the weekend!

Things change. The tide keeps moving. The improvements from last year are noticeable and measureable, even if we still have little bumps in the road like today's dismissal.

The Rains Came Down...

and the floods came up! In true Old Testament fashion, our community has been rocked to its core this past week. 5 days ago, the rain began and by the time it was over 2 days later, many Nashvillians were left devastated amidst a natural disaster of epic proportions. Today, school is still closed. Roads are impassable and the town has pulled together to help those in need. Here's an awesome video that sums it all up...it is truly something we will never forget. We were ever so fortunate to be spared any damage, but many that we know lost much, if not everything...
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