one week in April, we had 3 field trips lined up all in a row...literally - one day, right after the other!
the first 2 were all-day trips...Jaden & the 4th grade classrooms headed to Jamestown on Tuesday...then Gabrielle & the 2nd graders hit the National Zoo on Wednesday...thankfully, Corinn's Thursday 1st grade field trip was just to a local greenhouse - not sure we would have had energy for much else
Curtis & i both went along with Jaden to Jamestown...we opted to drive instead of riding the charter bus (& paying $25/each)...it was nice - we had plenty of room to spread out, snacks & drinks at our disposal, Jaden even got to watch whatever movies he wanted - instead of what the rest of the bus was watching
the day was perfect...sunny, with mild temps...the river had a great breeze blowing off of it...Jaden was in love with the ships, & just about everything else there was to see...the trip couldn't have gone any better...
that is, until we were on our way out...
we were headed to the building up front...you sort of have to go thru it to get out to the parking lot...well, we were almost there & Jaden notices a boardwalk that he hadn't had a chance to check out yet...it sort of spreads out over the marshy area, & has signs talking about the different plants & wildlife found there...it looked like just a big deck to me - so i tell him to go check it out & come right back...i stand on the main path, at the entrance to the boardwalk, waiting for him to return
after a few minutes, i start to look around to check on him...no Jaden...i start out towards the deck, then suddenly realize that the boardwalk isn't just a deck - it actually goes somewhere!
i send Curtis walking down the path in the same direction, & i start down the boardwalk...we meet up at the other end - but no Jaden in between!
i immediately assume he's followed that boardwalk out to the other end (where Curt & i just met up), & then continued out into the park, looking for us (instead of turning around like i wish he had done!)...we split up & start looking...peeking in the nearby huts & calling out his name...we circle the park & find nothing...i head down to the ships (Jaden's favorite area) & start doing a scan...it's there that i run into his homeroom teacher & alert him...he immediately calls the principal on his cell (who's also on the trip) & starts calling the other teachers...he instructs me to go back & search the park again, while he looks in all the nooks & crannies of the 3 ships
Curtis & i stay in touch via our cell phones...but no Jaden...we probably circled the entire park about 7 times...our calls for Jaden turn into frantic screams & i notice folks are now staring...i'm running through my head the whole "what would i do if i were Jaden?" question, & then it hits me...he knows we were about to leave...maybe he's trying to head to the car!
i start towards the front building again, & run into Jaden's Science teacher...i explain to her that i suspect he's trying to get to the car & she offers to head that way instead...again sending me back into the park
at this point, i'm drenched in sweat! tears are starting to form, & i'm feeling like i'm on the verge of panic...Curtis' fear comes across more as anger...he's frantically searching, with the meanest scowl on his face i've ever seen! together, we look like a fighting couple - him, with his pissed off face, & me in tears...now, i can look back & laugh at it...boy, what the other park visitors must have been thinking! ~lol~
as i'm rounding the park for what must be the 10th time, i spot Jaden's homeroom teacher again...he gives me a shrug as if to say "nothing yet" & i totally lose it! i can't hold back any more - the tears turn into sobs, & i feel as though i'm about to pass out...i start looking for the nearest tour guide...it's past the point of just involving school staff on our hunt...i'm ready to lock this place down!
no sooner than i start to walk away, Jaden's teacher shouts "Mrs. Skates!" & i turn around...he's on the phone & is nodding his head...i can tell by his face that Jaden's been found...WHEW! i've never felt such relief in my LIFE!
sure enough, Jaden did exactly what i suspected he would...he was trying to find his way out, & in the process, ran into a parent/son combo that he knows at the front building (THANK YOU Jarrod's mom!!!)...he asked them if they'd seen his parents, & she knew to help him out
when we were finally reunited, he looked scared...he said that he didn't cry during the whole ordeal, but i could tell that he had...he kept apologizing over & over - but i assured him that he did just what he was supposed to do (by asking for help)...i'm glad he wasn't able to get out to the parking lot, but i was proud that he had remembered that's where we were headed - & actually tried to get there! (major step, honestly!)
Curtis drove to Jamestown, so i offered to drive home...but as soon as we hit the main highway, i felt like all the life had been sucked out of me! i was coming down from the huge adrenaline rush i had been on...that was the 1st time i've ever lost one of my kiddos...& it was the scariest (& longest!) 20 minutes of my life...i'm just SO thankful that it all ended well!!!
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the next day's trip to the zoo was another gorgeous one...Curtis went alone to chaperone this trip (& they did ride the charter bus)...we've been to the zoo a thousand times (plus Curt is from DC!), & i got to go with Jaden on his 2nd grade trip...they had one other girl in their group, & they were looking forward to a carefree day of just strolling around & checking out the animals...Curt joked that maybe he should take the dog's leash with him on this trip - just to be safe ~lol~ instead, we made sure to have a long talk with all 3 kiddos after we got home from Jamestown...just to brush up on what we should do if we ever get lost ;0)
at this point, Gabby's seasonal allergies hadn't kicked in full-force quite yet...by the end of the day, she would say her eyes were a little itchy, & we'd need to put some allergy drops in em...but she wasn't to the point of taking her daily meds yet...well, DC must have hit the pollen spurt about a week earlier than us...cause Curtis says that after less than an hour of being at the zoo, Gab's eyes were completely swollen shut!
they spent the first 1/2 hour looking for the first aid station (because of course we didn't think to send along allergy meds...duh!), then Curtis had to fill out paperwork to have the Benedryl cleared...finally, they got a dose in her...the first aid attendant told them she'd been handing out allergy meds like candy that week!
it didn't take long for the Benedryl to start working, & thankfully this didn't ruin their day...even tho you could tell that Gabby wasn't feeling 100%, they still had a blast!
the last field trip of the week was an uneventful one...i'm THRILLED to report! i had a little group of 4 to keep an eye on (including Corinn)...but we were contained to just 2 buildings...i wonder if i would have been put in charge of 4 rugrats had the 1st grade teachers known what happened on Jaden's trip just 2 days prior?! ;0)
Corinn got to sit with her BFF, Tyler, on the bus ride there...
they learned the basics about how a greenhouse works...my veggie lover was the only one that could identify the lettuce! ;0)
they even got to plant some seedlings of their very own to take home!
it was a great little trip...relaxing & beautiful...the perfect way to end our week of field trip frenzy! ;0)
xoxo,
sharon
i did the scrollwork in chocolate buttercream, & bordered each tier with a strip of chocolate fondant...i made the light teal flowers from fondant as well
i did the scrollwork in chocolate buttercream, & bordered each tier with a strip of chocolate fondant...i made the light teal flowers from fondant as well
