Happy "Not" First Day Back to School

Yesterday was the first day back to school for the local students.  With that being the case, one of our good homeschool friends invited several of us to join she and her kids at their local pool since it wouldn't be busy.  Well, not only was it not busy, it was practically empty!  We shared this beautiful pool with one older man who was sitting in a chair drinking his coffee.  We laughed because we thought he probably assumed that it would be a perfect morning to go relax by a quiet and serene pool since all of the kids would be back in school.  But then we showed up.  :)

It was such a fun day!  The pool itself is a wonderful set up for kids of a variety of ages.  It has a sloped entrance, another entrance with wide stairs, and the size of it was huge!

We had a great start and the kids were thoroughly enjoying themselves (and so were the mamas!).  But then the clouds began looking a little gray and we began to feel a few rain drops.  We moved all of our things under a wide awning and when we heard the rumbling of thunder decided that this would be a good time to go ahead and eat lunch.  It started off going fairly well with the kids playfully screaming with the thunder and lightening and moving tables due to the roof leaking, but then it quickly turned into a major thunderstorm.  The next little bit was a blur as I had one of my kids cemented to my leg crying from fear and constantly asking how I knew we wouldn't get hit by lightening.  We finally asked one of the employees inside the club house if we could come inside.  We found a bench right inside the door and told the kids to sit quietly and wait.  The kids did amazingly well!

 
After a few minutes, realizing the storm was here to stay for a little while, this nice older gentlemen showed us a room we could let the kids hang out in while we waited.  I stepped out for a minute to take a phone call and when I came back in, it was almost completely silent!  Then I heard them singing "Doggy, doggy, where's your bone...."  The kids loved it and were having as much fun as they were swimming!  Even Ellis got a turn to be "it".

 

After the storm blew over we even had a little bit longer to swim before heading home.  It was a nice day to come home and cuddle down and even take an impromptu nap. :) 

 

 (This one thinks he doesn't need naps anymore, but every once in awhile he still drifts off)

 

 

It was a wonderful day!  We feel so blessed to have these amazing friendships for our kids and each other.  People have asked if we get lonely homeschooling, but we have so many good friends homeschooling, or in part time schools, that I rarely feel alone.  We have one another to ask questions, share prayer requests/struggles, and hang out with. 

 

I've been blessed to have some moms a little ahead of us who share advice and wisdom, and then others in our same exact shoes who can completely relate to what we're doing.  Now, I'm hoping I'll keep in mind that there are "newer" moms behind me who could use an encouraging word or a hug and a "good job mom".

 

We are a community, and one I love being a part of!