The Wheels on the bus go round & round...

(the whole gang at the Corn Maze yesterday)

Earlier this month, my kids brought home a paper from school stating that they were both going on a field trip to the Corn Maze on the same day! How often does that happen? "Wonderful!", I thought! "I can kill two birds with one stone and spend the day with both of them!!" I made the necessary arrangements with the teachers and all was good. I checked into the school early Monday morning, lunchbox in hand and ready for the day. When I checked in with Jonathan's teacher, I was only assigned to be with Jonathan, but when I checked in with Lydia's teacher, I was not only assigned Lydia, but another little boy as well. "Okay," I thought, "I can handle this! It's only one more kid, I can handle that." Then I remembered the last time that I chaperoned and the other child that I was assigned had difficulty obeying. I quickly said a prayer.

All was good as we loaded the bus, but as we loaded, I noticed that we were running out of seats. Naturally both of my kids wanted to sit with me, and I couldn't leave the other child to sit by himself in a seat, so we all piled into one bus seat. How many of you have been on a bus recently? Either my butt doubled, or the seats are smaller!! (I blame new bus seat designs). I didn't think we were going far, but I also had never been to this particular Corn Maze. I decided that we could all ride in one seat for a short ride.

After about 30 minutes and still on the interstate with no Corn Maze in sight, I began to wonder where this thing was at. All three kids were getting restless in our little seat and started asking questions. "When are we going to be there?" they asked. I honestly didn't know, but knew if they didn't stop this bus soon, I was going to throw up. We arrived to the Corn Maze 1 hour and 15 minutes from the time we left the school. "Thank God!!" I said another quick prayer...

Yea!! We arrived!! As we unloaded the 3 buses that caravaned up there, I began to realize that it was not only the 4 Kindergarten classes and the 3 First grade classes, but also the 3 Preschool classes, teachers and parents that are with us! I was surrounded in this wonderful world of little people...all around me...on their morning cereal sugar rush...:)

I have to give credit to the owners of the Corn Maze for keeping us all together and entertained! We didn't loose one kid through the Hay Ride, the pet farm, the pumpkin patch, the corn maze and the 4 wheeler train ride. Oh! Did I mention that the teacher forgot her camera and I was also dubbed photographer for this trip?! By the end of all those activities, I was carrying three coats, three sacks each with a pumpkin, goard, and Indian Corn.

I unloaded at the bus and grabbed our lunch as the kids took a ride on the 4 wheeler train. Nothing was said about lunch, but I decide to feed my kids and in the meantime, caught a bee in my lunchbox. The picnic tables were in front of a playground, so the kids went to play as soon as they were done eating. All was good until I lost my own daughter!!!!! She decided (after 30 minutes of me looking for her) that she won hide and seek. (I didn't know we were playing, but OKAY!!!)

FINALLY! It is time to go home!! We all pile back into our little seat and head home. After a LOUD performance of Lydia singing 'Superstar' (written by Tracee Davidson), I asked the kids what they liked the best and they replied in unison, "THE PLAYGROUND!!"

"Oh, brother!" I thought!! I could have saved the gas and took them all to the park to play for 2 hours and had my OWN seat to sit in...

But then I realize that a small inconvienence like sitting in a small seat for 1 hour and 15 minutes with your kids, enjoying the moment, making memories, getting to know their friends and hearing their conversations, it is all worth it. I found myself saying another little prayer...Lord, give me more moments like these...

Janice Conyers