March 11, 2009

wednesday

Today was awesome. I went on a field trip with my sister's 4th grade class to see a special performance by the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra with choreography from Imagine Ballet Company. I awoke to Becca bellowing from the answering machine down the hall, telling me to get myself out of bed, it was hilarious. We got to Sing Lum at 9, and made it just in time for the scheduled bathroom break before loading onto the buses. (100+ children using the bathroom at the same time- bad idea).

The bus ride was excitedly noisy and full- we gladly awaited our seats inside the civic, with its sparking chandelier and bright red theater seats. By this time, all of us "adults" were in shock at the hundreds of children swarming the building, but all was well once we sat and watched. The different sections of the orchestra proudly displayed their instruments, to the kids' awe. I couldn't help but stare at the dancers' feet, pas de chats, piques and wobbly (single and a half?) pirouettes. One girl was barely on her pointes, making me shudder at the thought of her rolling an ankle... but that's beside the point. The kids were enthralled with the entire ensemble; I made new friends and happily rode back, with the murmur of hungry children in a stuffy school bus and two boys kicking my seat. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

As if that wasn't wonderful enough, I picked up my cousin from school today. I waited like I was a parent, standing near the gate, scanning the mass of children for her dirty blonde head of hair. She sat in the back as I chauffered, as I took her to get an afterschool Smith's cookie. Yeah, I'm the spoiling type. We read the week's story and talked over the comprehension questions- as thoughts of my far from wonderful experience with Cana last year- came flooding back. She is a far better reader than him (hope they never read this), which reassured me. We talked about pilgrims and practiced spelling words.

My life is full of children this semester, and I couldn't be happier. Although the economy is plummeting, the housing market struggling and the world is at a loss- these days couldn't be sweeter. Whatever happens, God has a plan- right now, that seems to mean spending my days with question-filled, pencil-gripping, learning, growing children. I love this.

1 comment:

grace said...

WOW-zahs!
Such changes!
....Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?
Wish I could have been there, although I have to say I am having a deja vu moment remembering a similar story I heard recently. Buses with children showed up at the promoter's house and not the actual event. Weird. Maybe you remember hearing that too?