The Keffer Crew: Back to School

Every year at Grace they ask the children to bring their backpacks to church right before school starts. Mark was able to offer a special blessing for the children. They were each given a really neat tag, encouraging them "to let their light shine" and even the big kids who were too big to sit on the chancel picked some up.

We were all ready for back to school. School supplies were purchased, new clothes were set out waiting to be put on and the lunches were packed. We were going to use the bus routes again. The kids loved riding the bus in New York so they were excited to try it here. Well, as you can see the only photo I got of them as I prepared to snap them getting off the bus is of the bus coming down the street. That's because after I snapped that shot, I went across the street, camera zoomed in on the bus door and waited along with Mark for the younger three to get off the bus. No Keffer kids got off the bus. I stepped inside the bus and the bus driver didn't know where they were. He called the bus barn and they didn't know where they were either. So he advised me to call their school and see what bus they had gotten onto and then he drove out of the neighborhood!

So, while trying not to panic. I called Mark Thomas and Ella's school. Ben is at the middle school. They didn't know what bus they had gotten on either. The secretary was going to find out and call me back. Just about then another bus drove up in front of our house. Nearly 50 minutes after the kids were supposed to be home, Ben, MT and Ella hopped off the bus.

So thankful they were home. We asked them what happened. They got on the wrong bus obviously and then when they realized it they told the bus driver. He asked where they lived and one said, "Whitley Place, no Whispering Meadows" and then MT said, "no, it's Whispering Farms". So the bus driver asked Ben what his address was and he said, "I don't know." I just laughed and laughed. I never even thought to tell the kids the new address. Since we're living with my parents it escaped me. And then to make matters worse, Mark just had our cell numbers changed so none of the kids have memorized those and Ben left his cell phone at the church the night before. Seems like I may need to give the responsible 7 year old her OWN phone and we're going to need to have a memorization clinic of all new pertinent info! Just glad they got home.

Ella drew a picture for her teacher the night before school. I was so amazed. She spelled nervous right and used the correct spelling of "there" in her last sentence. She's something else for 7!