Bella Day

Last fall the first grade went to Tiger Safari near Tuttle .  The first grade sans Bella who woke with a stomach bug that day.  We promised our own family trip there but unemployment brings money woes and the day trip kept getting pushed back and back and back.  We had honestly planned a trip in the spring but Jack was working a crazy schedule  and always seemed on call.  Ten there was the back injury.

Chaos abounds for us.  Jack is back at work but is still limping and slow going so we haven't planned any real trips yet, but Bella really needed a special day.  She has not handled everything with grace lately, but there were a few moments in the past few weeks, when she handled disappointment at least stoically if not gracefully.  Jack had Sunday off and though it was chilly, we packed the kid in the car with a cryptic "we have errands to run" and "shoe shopping. ". Instead of complaining, she just nested in the back seat and cheerfully sang along with Jack and the radio.

We had hoped she wouldn't notice we were going to Tiger Safari until we actually pulled in, but she saw a billboard about a mile out, and cleverly figured out my plan.

We braved the wind and trooped from enclosure to enclosure watching lemurs and monkeys play, tigers and lions spat, and bears chew on their toes.  Bell got to do a bit handling at the end - she says lemurs are crazy soft.

We really don't take too many days and just blow them off this way.  They are expensive, but not just in money, but in time.  Until soccer is over, we are on the go every Saturday and during the week, we barely keep our heads above water.  But sometimes, it just needs to be about us being together.  Those days of rest are important, but a day together feeds the soul.