The Last First

Being a stay-at-home mom affords me the privilege of getting to attend some of my kids' school activities. Now that our youngest is in preschool, I can get to some of these activities ON TIME and without any other kids in tow! It is a weird feeling.

On Monday I was lucky enough to ride the bus with my preschooler over to the local pumpkin patch! Then it hit me: this is our family's last first field trip. *sniffle*sniffle* Better take full advantage of it!!

Riding the bus with the children, teachers, and parents, it's easy to feel pretty old. I was probably the oldest parent on the bus. I was 35 when we had Wynne, so I guess that's about right. But here's the really scary/sad thing: two of Wynne's classmates have dads who played on Mark's football team not too long ago!! Now THAT makes me feel old.

I looked around at the other parents and wanted to tell them, "Don't be bored. Try to smile. This means so much to your child! This is their FIRST field trip! Savor every minute of it!!" But I don't think people would appreciate me waxing philosophical on a preschool bus trip. I mean, we were only driving about 10 miles down the road. No big deal, right?

Well, when you realize that your kids are growing as tall as you, and eating more than you, and know how to use technology better than you, and have to remind you of things that happened a month ago--every last first is a pretty darn big deal.

It's a big deal to feed the llama!

It's a big deal to ring the bell!

It's a big deal to ride on a hay wagon! (Especially with good friends like Sydney and Ava!)

It's a big deal to pick out your very own pumpkin! (With Nicholas Terry Peacock!)

It's a big deal to get your class picture taken!

It's a big deal to try out an old corn sheller and see the kernels drop off, one by one!

It's a big deal to run your fingers through the golden-orange kernels!

It's a big deal to count UP to 10 and watch the air cannon launch a pumpkin several yards into the air!

It's a big deal to burn off your morning snack of graham crackers and chocolate milk!

It's a big deal to roll down the hill!

It's a big deal to be able to look at your baby and see her growing up before your very eyes.

Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God. --Psalm 90:2