1st Day of School

The excitement level around our house has been pretty high as we headed into the first day of school. We went back-to-school shopping and found just the perfect first-day-of school outfits as well as all the items on the school supply lists. We loaded backpacks and made lunches. We went to bed early, got up early, and sent Hannah into the wild world of middle school. Yikes. She has survived 3 days and has only locked herself out of her locker one time. She says changing classes is fun, and likes all of her teachers. Sydney found her line-up spot just fine, and was only a little scared. She really likes her new teacher, and says she reminds her of Grammy. Today she could not find her lunch box, and after checking all around the school, she found it near last year's classroom. Whoops.

Last Friday, we decided that riding bikes to school would be a great way to conserve fuel. Hannah rode off with a neighbor in her grade, and I jogged with Sydney as she rode her bike to school. That was a nice morning jog. Then, in the afternoon, I had to jog back to school and jog home with her. That may have been more jogging than I was interested in. The school is nearly 2 miles away.

So as I was jogging home with Sydney on Friday, I was expecting Hannah to pass us. When we got home, there was a message from the school, she had fallen and hurt her hand. Poor Hannah. Her tire got caught in the bit of dirt between the grass and the sidewalk, just in front of the school. Her had swelled and bruised immediately. It is just a bad sprain, but it looks terrible, even her palm is bruised. Maybe riding bikes is not such a good idea.

Hannah caught a ride with the neighbor girl this morning, but Sydney rode her bike again, and I jogged. Sydney's best friend rode her bike to school, too, and her mom jogged with her, so we jogged home together. It was very fun. I hope the weather stays nice for a while so that we can keep this up.

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We have been watching and reading about the hurricane. I just cannot believe the destruction and suffering. It has seemed far from here, but some time this week about 600 survivors will be coming to Rapid City. They will be housed (for a start) at Camp Rapid - a National Guard base. Camp Rapid is right next door to our chapel. So it is close to home, now. There will be about 1000 all together housed here in SD. I wonder what they think about coming to South Dakota. South seems to connotate southern, warm, less North. But South Dakota is just one state away from Canada. It gets really cold here. There is often snow before Halloween.

I haven't heard about volunteer opportunities, but I would like to do something. Are you doing anything to help where you are?