field trip

Last Thursday Luke's class enjoyed their third and final field trip of the year. Luke certainly was not feeling his best. He went to the doctor 4 times in the past 2 weeks. I hoping for a three-copays-and-your-fourth-is-free deal, but no such luck. But I'm glad Luke was well enough to make the trip.



The kids loaded the buses Thursday morning and a bunch of us moms followed in a mini van. We had a fun ride to the Discovery Center.



A lot the activities were outside and it was a warm, sunny spring day.




Luke and friends touched a snake, a turtle, and another animal I don't remember.

We spent some time waiting for our turn and got pretty warm in the sun.

Here the kids are getting instructions on fishing for crawdads, or crayfish, or salamanders--some sort of small swimming creature. The instructor had just said, "Now you guys are fifth graders, right?" Luke thought that was hilarious.

Luke fishing. His only catch was a leaf, but he announced it proudly.


When we arrived at the Discovery Center, I found Luke standing in line crying. He wouldn't look at me. Suspicious. He was crying because he could not stand by the girls he loves in the line. This struggle has irritated me all year. I'm so tired of encouraging him to find a friend who wants to be with him, only to have him say, "NO! I don't want to!" And it really frustrated me on Thursday. But I reminded myself that he wasn't feeling just super, a field trip is very over stimulating, and sticking with his "favorite friends" is a comforting behavior for him, even if those friends don't want his company at the time. And just moments before I was talking to a mini van full of moms who've seen Luke quite a bit this year, and did not know he had "issues." I know he's doing remarkably well. But I so want him to have good, healthy friendships.

So I coped, encouraged good behavior, and tried not to let this struggle annoy me too badly. And Luke calmed down quickly, as you can see in the photos.

But Luke persisted in being close to his favorite girls. And by the end of the field trip, they were grabbing him by the hand to hurry him up the stairs so they could go down the huge tunnel slide again (a slide I'm pretty sure Luke would have been too scared to try if not trying to impress the girls).

And they wrote notes to each other in the crafty area, declaring their friendship and love. I guess sometimes persistence pays off.

His social skills will improve with time, by the grace of God. And it's not like his classmates are exactly socially mature. Luke's behavior is perhaps just a bit more intense at times. And he gets a little more emotional when things don't go his way.

After a fun day, the kids loaded into the hot bus for the drive back to school. And the exhausted moms collapsed into the minivan. We made it about 2 miles before stopping for diet cokes and chocolate.

Friday I started feeling pretty lousy myself. Perhaps I get a little cranky too when I'm sick. I went to the walk-in clinic on Friday evening because my ear felt like it might explode. I had no idea that 35 year olds got ear infections! And I sure do have sympathy for little ones with infected ears. It hurts! And I've been dizzy for days. Probably a complication of having an ear infection when you're old.

Despite challenges, kindergarten has been a wonderful year. I know every single year will have it's obstacles. But I'm so thankful for his wonderful teacher, his friends, and all he's learned. One week left. Keeping the tissues handy.