Anyway, we walked to the bus stop, where about 12-15 other children and their mothers were waiting. While waiting for the bus to arrive, she complained from time to time about her belly hurting, and cried several times, saying she didn't want to go to school. April reassured her that it was because she was scared, that it was okay to be scared, but tried to tell her that everything would be okay, going over and over again that she would have fun, etc. etc. etc. Blah, blah, blah!! It would work for awhile, she'd smile, let us take a picture. Then we'd start all over again. The bus was about 20 minutes late, and when it did she really panicked. She began to cry and said she wasn't going on the bus. All the others had boarded and it was her turn. She chickened out big-time, so April decided perhaps it would go better if she took her to school, then she could ride the bus home.
That worked! April said she was fine. When they got to school, someone dressed as a penguin greeted them and someone else came and offered to walk Jayna to her room. She cheerfully gave Mommy goodbye, and walked away smiling. April had a hard time with all of this. She said she cried all the way from the bus stop to the school, then again as she left the school. I'm not sure if these first days of school are hardest on the kids or on the mommies (and grandmas). But we all made it!! When we met her at the bus stop after school, she hopped off the bus smiling and said she had a good day --- and would ride the bus tomorrow. I guess that remains to be seen. But she makes friends easily and enjoys playing with them, so I'm sure it won't be as hard now that she's already been on the bus.
Waiting for the bus
Goodbye, Kaylee.
Now it's her turn. (She's crying, saying she doesn't want to get on.)
THE DAY'S OVER --- SHE'S HOME!!
One happy little girl -- she made it through her first day!
All smiles!
We went to the cabin to work on Tuesday. Since school was starting Wednesday, we decided to take Jayna with us for one last day at camp. We took her bicycle along, and she enjoyed the day playing at the playground, riding her bike and playing at the stream just behind the cabin.
Jayna enjoys the stream!
View of the back side of the cabin, looking up from the stream. There was no window on the back wall of the living room, so we put one in. What a view it has!
The view from our living room window. Gorgeous!!
The back "yard" -- a nice place for a picnic table, and relaxation!
I finished painting the kitchen (salmon white), but decided to wait to lay the vinyl until we finish the living room and bedroom. There's a lot of drywall compound needed on the ceilings, so that means a lot of dust and dirt yet! UGH! I have mini-blinds and curtains to put up, but will wait until the dust has settled. (Perhaps until spring, since our warm days this year are limited, and they'd just get dirty over the winter anyway.)
4 comments:
Poor Jayna. I feel for her. That big yellow bus would look scary to a little on, I think. And if she didn't know any of the kids, she probably felt like she was stepping off into the unknown. Maybe after she makes some friends it will get easier. We'll pray it does. It's hard to see your kids cry and you don't want to force them to do something that they are afraid to do. Oh the joys of parenting :-)
Love the cabin! It is looking very cute. Can't wait to see more pictures. You'll soon have it fixed up like a second home. Don't know when I'll ever see it in person, but hopefully sometime I can.
I had forgotten that Jayna was to start school! Poor kid! I kind of teared up just reading it and I don't even have any kids yet!!! I'm sure it was super hard for April, Joel and you! But, as they always do, they get through it! Tell Jayna good job for us! We miss you all!!
Good luck to Jayna.
Milestones! I'm glad to see that Jayna survived hers! When Nate was one, we would try to leave him in the church nursery. He cried and cried until he gave himself a nose bleed. THEN the attendants decided to come looking for us. None of my kids have ever cared where we left them and who we left them with, so that was new to me. I didn't want to coddle him, but I didn't want to be callused, either! He still doesn't want to be in Sunday School or Jr. church. He would rather sit in big church with us, which is ok with me.
Where does the time go? They grow up so fast. :-)
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