Field Trip Day

I must admit, I felt slightly apprehensive about our class field trip to the aquarium today. As we wheeled out of the parking lot on the yellow dog, my thoughts drifted to my own bus driving days....well almost. When I went to A&M I needed to get a job. I saw an ad posted for bus drivers needed to drive the campus buses. I could do that, I thought coyly. I didn't get the green light on the hiring process. Needless to say, one too many curb checks is probably not the best policy for employment. It was probably for the best. No telling how many thousands of dollars I would have racked up in repairs needed after I parked that haus at the bus barn.

The kids shocked me today with their excellent behavior. This was the only opportunity that some of those kids will get to see things like that. The aquarium is really nice. They have a wonderful dolphin show with a backdrop of the bay. The bird show presented lots of rare hawks and different animals from the African safari. The look in their eyes said it all. My soul warmed to see their faces and hear their conversations so enthralled with learning about everything. Life may be full of speed bumps called adversity and road blocks called conflict, but it's also filled with green lights of simple life-affirming moments such as this that help us realize just how lucky we are to be a part of God's kingdom. I am so thankful for my parents and their undying devotion to make our childhood as special as possible. Thankfully, and regretfully because Wade has now seen this footage, almost our entire childhood was documented by a huge RCA shoulder mount video camera. We always took fun family vacations. We could rival the Griswold's for sure! Whether it was camping at Big Bend, driving to Calsbad Caverns, or just going to the river to fish with my grandparents- we always had fun and spent wholesome family time together. That time is irreplaceable to me. So much of the rat race of today replaces that special time. I aspire to the same greatness with our own family someday.

Here's to the little everyday experiences that make our lives a little more colorful, and the memories that spun the framework of our hearts. May we cherish those memories and not forget to thank those incredible people in our lives that shaped us into who we are today.