The Star Student

Wednesday has traditionally been a day for lunch with the girls.  This is one of the only normal things that I have done in the last several months.  So after a quick lunch with a good friend...sadly with the absence of the other brunette---who had much more exciting things to do...I picked up Aaron to go to Abram's preschool classroom.  Aaron has been working four hours a day and it has been going well.  He is determined to get back to "normal" as soon as possible.  But the words of the doctors will forever hang over our heads, "It takes about a year and a half to heal." A year and a half, not three months. If his rehab doctor had his way Aaron would be off for another three months.  But he finagled the surgeon and returned to work.

Next week he moves up to six hours and I will return to work.  I am excited to see how that goes but very nervous.  I miss my co-workers and my patients but I feel that my place is at home right now.  Standing by my man.  We will see how that goes.  He very rarely complains about anything.  Only when I beat it out of him.  But pain and frustration have their own faces that are easy to see.  Usually I am here to man handle the boys and tend to our house, laundry, and food but returning to work is going to alter our lives yet again.  Luckily, even though our hospital is crazy busy right now, I was able to cut back to begin with. 

Anyway, Abram was Star Student this week which was very exciting for him.  He was line leader, calender helper, and provided an afternoon treat for the other students.  Grandma Pat spent the morning in his classroom (she wanted to eat lunch with Noah but he notified us all that he is too old for that now) and ate lunch with him and the other preschoolers.  Then, Aaron and I planned to surprise him and spend part of the afternoon with him. 

Grandma Pat with Abram and little Noah playing a game at preschool.  Notice the principal in the background.  He was just stopping by to see how everything was going to visit with the preschoolers.  Oh, how I love small town schools!

Watching the children play is very...well...interesting.  The girls fighting playing with the plastic food.  The little boy, Blake, interrupting their kitchen with a phone call from a fireman because their house is burning down.  Then Lily "called the cops" because Lexi "did not put the blender back in the right spot."  It was pretty brutal.  Tempers flared and then simmered.  In a blink of an eye, they continued to play without missing a beat. 

Abram and some of his friends from preschool.

Abram generally played by himself.  He meandered around with a hot-pink, satin purse and a few pieces of plastic food in tow.  I thought Aaron would have intervened with some sort of a manly comment like, "Boys do not carry around purses" or "Put the purse away now" or something along those lines.  But, Aaron just quietly stood and watched, smiling a secretive smile to himself.  It made me wonder if he toted around a satin, bright pink purse when he was a young lad.

The star student is line leader!  How exciting!

Abram and his best bud, "Little Noah."  This kid is amazing!  He stood by Abram's side the first few turbulent months of preschool...cheering him up and just simply being his friend. 

Then clean up time rolled around.  I was astonished to watch Abram put the toys away, with out objection, when his teacher asked him to.  She did not have to prod at the children or bribe them or negotiate with them.  With one simple command, "Pick up the toys" accompanied by a short clean up song and the kids worked.  Amazing.  It was like Snow White and her little dwarfs.  I asked Abram to pick up his toys this morning and his pitched a fit.  Kicking and screaming.  Full on Jack Hammer fit.  Lily the second.  Where was Snow White with her beautiful singing voice?  Where were those dwarfs and their good work ethic?  It was more like the Exorcism than a classic cartoon.

But school has really changed him for the better.  Maybe it is a combination of age, maturity, and just being in a different environment with a set schedule by someone who is not momma.  I feel very blessed to have such a wonderful preschool to send him to.  Small town schools are a priceless commodity that is becoming more and more scarce.  In saying that, I think that I need to count some blessings...

51.  A kind God.
52.  Two amazing little boys.
53.  Aaron.  Keeping good faith even though the road is bumpy.
54.  A good job to return to.
55.  A caring community that continues to send us cards, thoughts, and prayers.
56.  Our church calling a new pastor and the pastor accepting.
57.  Supper with a few friends and relatives.  Even though there were a few awkward silences, it was a lot of fun.
58.  Spring.  One of my favorite times.
59.  A grandma willing to take our crabby kids overnight so Aaron and I could have a night together.  Just momma and dad time.
60.  A church down the road from us, of which we are not members and do not even attend their church, sending a generous gift our way.