Beautiful September

September has come in beautifully.  Temperatures are pleasantly in the 70s, the corn fields have turned golden. And the sunflowers 🌻 are in full bloom. 

Olivia Glass's mom,  Dorothy Meade, reached out this morning about dropping Olivia off at home in Allen.  She's got a sick child so she won't be working at Lil' Cubs today.  I had to tell her:

"I'm really sorry.  We actually don't physically have enough time to get to Alden and back on our route this year.  We've got students who get dropped off daily in almost every corner of the district and I have a set window between morning and afternoon preschool. Every minute we add for additional stops would make the afternoon kids late for class by that much. 

With six children of my own I understand how challenging things can be when kids get sick,  but you will need to come in and pick Olivia up today if she is not riding to Lil' Cubs.

I wish blessings of health to you and your family."

Olivia's dad was at the school waiting for her when I walked past on my way to the bus.  He was super fidgety: changing positions,  watching the class through one of the windows,  writing a message to Olivia on his vehicles dirty back window. Kaci commented that he must be on something (high on drugs). That hadn't even crossed my mind. He's a little creepy though. 

Alayna has alfalfa fields surrounding her home.  The tractor was put cutting when we drove by.  Freshly cut alfalfa is one of my favorite smells and always reminds me of home. 

We also enjoyed Alayna's ewe who was out to greet Kaci today.  

I had an intuition thought about stop arm violations just before stopping in front of Ayven's on Broadway. I was extra careful to wait for a decent gap in traffic before activating my stop arm and watched to make sure all traffic, especially oncoming,  intended to fully stop. Everyone did with no problems at all.  Sweet Ayven was distraught and in tears up on her porch but not taking any longer than usual to board. As she approached the bus I glanced out the driver's window to my left to find the white truck that had been completely stopped well in from of me creeping past the bus.  He was going slow enough that I had time to honk, point at the stop arm,  and observe his "I couldn't care less" response. I hollared at Kaci to grab his license plate number,  but by the time she register what I'd said it was too late. I need to do better at listening to those inner thoughts I have. They're promptings from the Spirit that come so gently I don't recognize or respond. 

Everyday when Jeremiah get off the bus he asks,  "Where you park your bus?"  I respond,  "I park it back there behind us." He then answers,  "Oh you park it with the other busses. Why you do that?" Then he gets off.  Every. Single. Day.

Mr. Hammer, his wife,  and their newborn baby were out for a little mid-recess walk.  Such a cute family.