This week Thursday is my Friday, and TGIF! It has been a productive but long four days at work, so I'm glad to have tomorrow off work and head to Kansas City in the afternoon.
Right now Jace is in the bathtub with a Scotch pad from the kitchen, scrubbing off the coat of paint that he gathered while working with his dad today at the Missouri Hotel shelter for the United Way Day of Caring. I thought it was very cool that his dad took him, and Jace sounded like he had a good day. I think it was a little bit of an eye-opener for him; he learned that not everyone lives as comfortably as we do, and that there are ways we can help those around us that aren't as fortunate.
He and I are getting ready to go to a class at the hospital tonight, called "In Charge at Home". It is a class for kids ages 9-12 who are ready to start staying by themselves at home for short periods of time. We offer it through The Women's Center, and it taught by one of my nurses. Of course I'm familiar with the curriculum, and have seen the powerpoint, etc. But tonight I'll be there as a parent, not as the director, and am anxious to sit throught the class and see how Jace likes it and what he will learn from the two-hour program.
Of course Jace already thinks he's quite ready to stay home by himself for extended periods of time. Before summer started this year he announced to me one afternoon that he wouldn't need to go to the Cox summer program, that he was old enough to stay home by himself. Obviously he and I didn't see eye to eye on that, but I do think he is old enough and has enough maturity to be alone for brief periods of time. This class tonight will help reinforce for him and me both as to what things are "musts" when he is home alone.
This time tomorrow night Dave and I will be with friends Garry and Heather at Sandstone Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs, KS, getting ready to see our favorite fellow, Jack Johnson, in concert! Not sure what Sandstone is actually called now, I think it has some new name of a company attached to it; but it is definitely my favorite place to see a concert. There really isn't a bad seat in the house; I've seen five or six concerts there and always choose to go there rather than the big Riverport (or whatever that is named now!) Amphitheatre in St. Louis. Dave's bringing his friend's little grill, and we'll tailgate before the concert, too.
While we're in KC I'll also be spending time with my youngest brother, Thom, who is finishing up his degree in Urban Development at UMKC.
I'll have plenty of pictures of the weekend, I'm so looking forward to it! Time now to head to Jace's class.
