I'm a bus rider!

Collin has been very excited that he gets to ride the bus to and from school. He says he is a pro at it because he got to ride it twice during pre-school. I'm pretty sure that doesn't make really make you a *pro*, but whatever!!

Waiting for the bus.

It's here!

He didn't really want to wait for a picture, hence the no smile. I think he may have been a tad bit overwhelmed.

And there goes my boy!!

It was a really strange feeling watching him drive away. I wasn't expecting to feel nervous, but I did. How do I know if he got to the school, if he went to the right class, etc. I finally had to say to myself, "Self, your kid is not the first one to take the bus, the school knows he is on there and if something goes wrong, they will let you know. " Hopefully.

Well, McKay and I were pretty excited to hear all about his second day of school and his first day riding the bus. The bus company would never give us a time that they would drop him off, so about 15 minutes after school got out we decided to head outside and wait.

and wait.

and wait.

About 1/2 hour later, the bus pulls up. I wasn't right on the street, we were sitting in the grass in some shade. But by the time I got up there, the bus was already starting to pull away...no Collin.

I thought maybe he was hiding in between two cars...no Collin.

I went into the middle of the road to flag down the bus. It turned the corner and drove away.

So, I didn't know quite what to do. I didn't have a car, so I couldn't follow the bus. Heck, I didn't even know if he was ON the bus. At first, I thought that maybe that was a Jr. High bus or something. But when another bus didn't come after a few more minutes, it became more clear that that was his bus.

I *may* have started to have a *small* panic attack!

I don't have a cell phone so I ran upstairs as fast as I could to get our phone. (Have I mentioned I live on the 3rd floor?)

No calls.

I run back down (McKay was in the stroller) to make sure the bus didn't come.

It didn't.

Well, after numerous phone calls, (one to my friend to get the number to the school, then the school, then the bus company), getting the busy signal and being put on hold, I finally am able to find out that Collin IS on the right bus and it will be there once the bus has finished all its rounds. Phew!

This time I was NOT casually sitting in the shade, but standing full on in the sun (sweating) in the middle of the street! Well, not really, but you get what I mean.

So, the door opens and out comes my boy! At first, I thought that he was crying but then I realized it was just sweat. Sick. So apparently, the bus driver asked if anyone lived here and no one said anything, so she kept on going. When I asked Collin about this, he said, "Well, I wasn't really paying attention because me and my new friend were playing this fun game that when the bus stops you have to switch seats really fast."
Wow!
Don't worry, we have now talked several times about watching for our apartments...and about picking one seat and staying there.

As we were walking home, Collin told me that he really liked riding the bus and hopes that it will take that long everyday to get home. Sheesh kid, and here I was worried about you!

I am VERY thankful that he wasn't traumatized by the whole thing and that nothing serious went wrong!

While he was at school I had made him a little treat to show him how proud I was of him riding the bus. Little did I know the drama that was about to unfold!!



P.S. Since then, we haven't had one day of a smooth, right-on-time experience. I will spare you all the details, but know this...my son has been late to school everyday! One day he was over a 1/2 hour late. And you think I know when he will be getting home...guess again!