Wyoming 2010

Zack is fortunate enough to have both sets of grandparents still living. (Which makes up for me who now has no grandparents still living.) After we got Caleb we wanted to introduce him to his great-grandparents. So, in March we headed up to Casper, Wyoming to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Dike.

Visits to Casper are always fun because of a number of reasons. Here are a few:

#1: Zack's Grandma always makes pies. And she expects you to eat them. Sometimes by force if you refuse.

#2: Zack's Grandma has a never-ending cookie jar.

#3: Zack's grandparents like to play cards.

#4: Did I mention the pies? And did I mention that one is always banana cream?

#5: Zack's grandparents are the kind of people you can just sit at the kitchen table with, eat your pie or cookie, and just enjoy sitting. Talking is optional, but always enjoyable.

#6: Zack's grandma is the perfect doting grandma. Taking care of you is her job, and you'd better not keep her from doing it.

We were excited to have Caleb meet these fabulous people. It appears the feeling was mutual.

Wondering if Grandma is going to let anyone else have a chance to hold the boy.

Grandpa finally has a chance to meet him. :)

It was about 10:30 at night when we got there, and Caleb had been sleeping in the car, so he wasn't so sure about things right away.

By the end of the trip he had warmed up a bit. In Zack's grandparent's kitchen, high up on the wall, there is a mirror set into a piece of wood. The mirror is kind of set far back in the wood so you can't tell it's a mirror unless you get up really close to it. From a distance it looks like an opening to a cave or something. For as long as Zack can remember his grandpa would ask him or his brother (or any of the grandkids) if they wanted to see the monkey who lived up there. Then he would lift them up until they could see their own face in the mirror. Caleb, of course, had to be part of that tradition. He looks a little surprised.

Here's a shot of everyone just sitting around talking. And here's one of the many times we played cards. Ah, vacation at it's best. I know it may sound funny, but I'm always nervous when other family members meet or interact with Caleb. Some part of me wonders if they're really going to accept him as family or if they're going to treat him differently because he's black or adopted or both. Well, I never should have doubted these people. They treat him like one of their own. They understand that family isn't all about blood and genetics. It's just about love.

The First Day of School

Monday was my first day of no school. That last time I didn't start school was 27 years ago.

To honor the occasion, Caleb and I took a walk after 8:45 just to see what things were like when you are not in school. Can I just say that they are pretty fine? Everything was cool, crisp and clear. It was a beautiful morning.

Though, while the world around me was so nice, I have to admit my mind was in the classroom. I couldn't help thinking thoughts like:

"If I were teaching right now the kids would be putting their backpacks on hooks, getting their breakfast and finding their seats."

"If I were teaching right now I think I would let the kids get acquainted with just the room before I tried to show them the whole school all before recess."

"If I were teaching right now I wish I would have thought to contact each parent and find out something special about their child to share about them in class on the first day."

But then my thoughts would go back to the beautiful morning and the little guy in the stroller I was pushing and I would just smile.

Before I knew it my walk was over and we were home.

I went inside with my newest little pupil and we cuddled on the couch awhile. Then we started the first of the days lessons:

How to drink milk from a cup.

It was a pretty successful first day, don't you think?

I think I'm going to like my class this year.