Bus Ride or Bust

We began day two of our new school adventure with fresh excitement. The girls woke bright and early for a chance to ride the bus to school. We had promises of no tears today, and were prayed up, over, and beyond for a better day than yesterday.

Hopers was only a little excited.

Noodle dressed up for the occasion.


We drove them down to the bus stop where our neighborhood meets the main road.  All of the parents were sitting in their cars. One boy waited at the corner.  His name is... um, something.  He's in fourth grade, like Noodle.  The girls trotted over to join him.  (Note Hopers' all-important Zhu-Zhu Pets backpack that she just had to have.) 

Time passed.

Thirty minutes passed.

Confusion set in.  Another mom called the bus authorities and discovered that the whole fleet was off to a late start because of the highschool.  Teenagers.

We decided to just drive the girls to school.

The world ended.

Noodle stomped her way to the car, as Hopers followed with teary questions. "But why does the bus have to be late? Where is it?"

"Why is school so hard??" Noodle pouted.

We promised they would have plenty more chances for bus rides, including coming home on it today.   It took a while, but their fears calmed as they hopped out of the van and waved goodbye to us.

That afternoon, the bus arrived back at the stop right on time.  I saw my darlings in their blue and brown outfits appear...

...and come barrelling toward us.

Today was, apparently, a good day.

Noodle didn't cry.  She had fun. She got special permission to go to the media center during recess to read books with a few other kids because of the heat.  She thought it was funny that during lunch, the girls in her class sat at one table, and the boys sat at another. Her favorite part of the day was riding the bus.

Hopers loved her day, too.  She raised her hand during P.E. and the coach gave her a high-five instead of talking--she thought that was so silly.  Her favorite part of the day was going to the media center and checking out a book about spiders.  (She got the book read to her three times this evening by both parents and her uncle Mark.  Sneaky girl!)