Last Thursday I was able to go on my first Colorado field trip. I have been on too many Texas ones to count. What's the big deal? Is there any difference?-- Oh yes.
Our trip was to the nearby State Park and was lead by real Park Rangers. The trip was divided into three sections-- a grass seed and drought portion, a geological hike, and a wildlife safety check-up. I learned just as much if not more than the second graders.
There is nothing like having the Park Ranger pulling out live snakes and asking the kids, "What do you do when (not if) you see a snake? What do you do when (not if) you get bitten?" She had everyone pass around a shed snake skin and also had them touch her live snake's skin so they wouldn't have the curiosity to pick up a snake they might find in the wild. Nathanael said very quickly that he had enough sense not to touch one if he found one, so he refused to touch her snake or the shed skin.
In the grass seed section, Nathanael's teacher asked our group, "When an elk walks through your yard it helps spread seeds-- name some ways it does that." I can honestly say I have never heard a sentence begin with "when an elk walks through your yard".
The hiking section was LONG and up a bluff. I thought I was getting adjusted to the altitude, but I may not be--- I was quite winded but of course the seven and eight year olds were not.
That night as I was recovering from my day, I checked my emails, and I got one from the church secretary. It was entitled, "IMPORTANT!!!". I opened it and found it to be a warning about a litter of baby foxes living in the culvert by the west entrance to the church. They tend to roam out in the evenings and have been seen crossing the street. We were being warned to drive carefully so we don't disturb or hit the foxes.
We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto. The "normal" day to day things here are not what I have ever known as "normal". I love that the schools take advantage of the beauty and resources around us for field trips. I love that baby foxes are important news. I love that we get to experience this crazy adventure and figure out the new "normal" one day at a time.
Psalm 104:24 "How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."
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