Good-bye Kiddie Car

Tomorrow is Thomas' last day at Kiddie Car. I can't believe it! He went to preschool kicking and screaming for months on end. But he is leaving as a confident kid who says he can't wait to go to kindergarten. His teacher told me yesterday that he is such a pleaser and always snaps right to attention whenever she catches him misbehaving. Wow! And he was amazing at his End of the Year Show. He has never performed well in front of people because of his stage fright. He'll do it with people he knows and trusts, but never otherwise. Not anymore! He marched right up on stage and sang his heart out! He made funny faces at everyone and did all the motions with the songs. I sat there with tears in my eyes. I was so proud of him. He is coming into his own and it is just great to watch it happen. Do you ever feel like your kids grow more quickly than you can keep up with them? Or you think you know them and find out they have matured without you knowing it? Wow. It's just so great. I think this will be the first of many, watching Thomas on stage.

Ok-do you mind if I brag a little more about my kids? Nolan has been playing some amazing baseball! He's been connecting with the ball and running fast to the bases. He had a double on Saturday (I think Chris told you, Nolan said it was the first in his career!) and got 5 kids out. He just really pays attention. He just loves it and it seems to love him too. He tells me he's going to be a baseball player when he grows up, and write his own books in the off season. Sounds good to me.

On Saturday, we went on a family hike to Christman Sanctuary. It is a beautiful place for a short hike, and only 20 minutes away. It was a farm, and when the farmer (Christman) retired, he planted trees on his land and let nature take over. He became a poet and wrote poems about the land. Here's one:

I remember when I stood
Filled with wonder in a wood
And saw two birds that built a nest,
And one had roses on its breast.

--W. W. Christman

I just love the idea of returning the land back to the earth, and yet he grew from being a farmer to a poet because of it. Anyway, the best part of the hike was it led to a 30 foot waterfall. The rocks surrounding it were shale, and shale breaks off with clean lines. So the landscape was all this secondary growth hardwoods and pines and then this harshness of the shale and waterfall cascading from it. It was something you would see on the travel channel but it's 20 minutes from our house. (Although we won't know anymore about the travel channel because we got rid of our cable today--sob!!) Absolutely beautiful, and a great respite from the chaos of school ending. And, Thomas found a crayfish claw and held 2 frogs--how brave! He's becoming a real bug and dirt kid. We had our lunch at the waterfall and hiked back to the car. A great family day that didn't cost one cent.

On Sunday I had coffee with my good friends Marlene and Karen. Marlene and I were supposed to go on a hike of our own but it was too hot and a threat of thunderstorms. So we met for 3 hours at Starbucks! We could have kept going but other errands called to us. I've been friends with these women for over 7 years. We were all just moms at home with babies. Now one is working and we all have kids in school. One has moved away and come back. I had a falling out with another and we've somehow become close again. We seem to be more busy than we used to be and don't get to connect like we used to, but it's great when we do.

Wow, I'm really rambling. Sorry readers. I even have more ramblings but I'll rest your eyes for now.