School Bus

The bus stop is just around the corner.  

Every morning now we put on our shoes.  We pack the backpack.  Fill up the water bottle, put the homework in the folder.  We find Eloise's hat.  We turn off the porch light.  We say good morning to the tomatoes who are growing old and leggy in the garden.  We say goodbye to the kitties.  We are on our way.  

At the bus stop there are about 10 kids of all ages.   I thought for sure Violet would be the youngest, but she is not.  I thought for sure she would be petrified, but she is not.   

She is excited every morning.   The kids all wait, laughing, noisy, bouncing.  There are four dogs that come and wait too--a big old one, a small old one, a young pug, and a hyperactive puppy who is small now but will become larger than all of them within the year.  The dogs, naturally, are the entertainment until the bus comes lurching around the corner.    

We're getting to know all these neighbors who live within a 3 block radius of us. 

We are The school bus community.   We are the wave-goodbyers.  We are at home sitting at the table drinking our second cup of coffee when everyone else is driving to school, and we are looking at the clock thinking ok now she's arrived.  Now the first bell is ringing, she's hanging up her coat.  She's at her locker, unpacking her library book.  Now she is at her desk.   We have children who sometimes we wish were just slightly less brave.   

We hold them tight and let them go, and then we are eager as pie to see them at the end of the day.   

That is the story of the school bus.