For many different reasons this has been an emotional week for me. Work has been particularly demanding but the main focus of my emotion has been with Daniel.
This week Daniel visited his school which he starts in September. Part of me is really excited for him and the other absolutely terrified, he's in a class with no one he yet knows ( his other friends all were put in the other class) and yet he seems quite content about the whole thing..he is definitely ready to go!
On the flip side of this Daniel leaves pre school tomorrow. We have had various things happening over this week to mark the occasion...personally Marc took him for a treat to the cinema to se How to train a dragon 2 on Tuesday. Wednesday the pre school leavers were taken to Bluewater for Burger King lunch and a Build a Bear party which was such a wonderful sight to witness the group altogether excited and choosing their bear, names etc and then today they had their leavers presentation with so gas, bears, certificates, cards and cakes! Tomorrow all is left is the party and then Daniel will no longer be part of the Little saint family.
It was a difficult decision 2 years ago what to do about pre school for Dan. We hadn't been in the area yet a year when we chose and all we could go on were the Ofsted reports and how it felt to us visiting. I have to say I feel the right choice was made, the staff have been so wonderful with Daniel, they are caring and kind and generally lovely people. Daniel's confidence has soured from a shy and timid wall flower to a child who went off today with his friends making everyone laugh and cried when he had to come home. Thankfully Ofsted again have acknowledged how good the pre school is but we too have found it a real blessing and will miss our morning drop offs in Hoo.
Tomorrow work intervenes again so I can't collect Daniel for his last day for which I am sad...but I would probably be an emotional wreck ...so will leave the tears to Marc instead :)
Thursday 17 July 2014
Wednesday 2 July 2014
Quality Time
It has been a very strange week, Marc is away on a lay pioneer training residential course so I am home alone juggling work and Daniel..my folks as always have been fab but it is still a strain...I absolutely hate being home alone...I have never actually lived alone and therefore do not like being alone...obviously I have Dan here but that kind of makes it worse as every noise and creak makes me anxious! ( maybe something to do with the last time I recall being left home alone we were burgled!)
With still having work to juggle and Dan I made a promise to him that today after pre school we would do something together that was a bit different to the norm..his choice..Go to see the secret war tunnels at Dover Castle!
I desperately tried to dissuade him from the idea as its a bit of a drive but it was all he wanted to do so this afternoon we trekked down the A2 to Dover.
Despite a hot sticky car journey we had a lovely afternoon, it was pretty quiet and so we had the chance to see everything again ( we have been several times before!) The secret tunnels were a gamble though as they are very dark and loud and once you are in there is no getting out until the tour is over. First off he chose the hospital tunnels and he struggled with the loudness of the mock bombs and the flickering lights but impressed the guide by choosing to walk up the huge spiral staircase rather than take the lift! (stubborn like his mum!) After a look around the castle and the grounds we decided to brave the rest of the tunnels which was a much longer tour...after the initial anxiety he was engrossed...he was constantly asking questions about how and why the war started, which were the good soldiers and which were the ones trying to hurt us and was fascinated by the Dunkirk landings.
Daniel is fascinated by castles and the history behind them already at 4 and it was so lovely to see the concern and passion in his face and the eagerness to know more.
Not that long ago on days like today I would have spent the afternoon feeling totally guilty, worrying about al the things I should be doing I haven't, stressing about the late night that will be needed to catch up and feeling generally anxious about what people will think about me sneaking off on a work day! But today I felt elated, happy to have the chance to spend some quality time with Dan doing something a little bit special that he truly loved and also very aware that in a matter of weeks afternoons like this just wont be possible as school will have taken over.
So tonight I am cramming in pastoral calls, sermons and 101 0ther things and tomorrow we are back in the madness of parish life but this afternoon we made special memories and I don't feel guilty one little bit :)
With still having work to juggle and Dan I made a promise to him that today after pre school we would do something together that was a bit different to the norm..his choice..Go to see the secret war tunnels at Dover Castle!
I desperately tried to dissuade him from the idea as its a bit of a drive but it was all he wanted to do so this afternoon we trekked down the A2 to Dover.
Despite a hot sticky car journey we had a lovely afternoon, it was pretty quiet and so we had the chance to see everything again ( we have been several times before!) The secret tunnels were a gamble though as they are very dark and loud and once you are in there is no getting out until the tour is over. First off he chose the hospital tunnels and he struggled with the loudness of the mock bombs and the flickering lights but impressed the guide by choosing to walk up the huge spiral staircase rather than take the lift! (stubborn like his mum!) After a look around the castle and the grounds we decided to brave the rest of the tunnels which was a much longer tour...after the initial anxiety he was engrossed...he was constantly asking questions about how and why the war started, which were the good soldiers and which were the ones trying to hurt us and was fascinated by the Dunkirk landings.
Daniel is fascinated by castles and the history behind them already at 4 and it was so lovely to see the concern and passion in his face and the eagerness to know more.
Not that long ago on days like today I would have spent the afternoon feeling totally guilty, worrying about al the things I should be doing I haven't, stressing about the late night that will be needed to catch up and feeling generally anxious about what people will think about me sneaking off on a work day! But today I felt elated, happy to have the chance to spend some quality time with Dan doing something a little bit special that he truly loved and also very aware that in a matter of weeks afternoons like this just wont be possible as school will have taken over.
So tonight I am cramming in pastoral calls, sermons and 101 0ther things and tomorrow we are back in the madness of parish life but this afternoon we made special memories and I don't feel guilty one little bit :)
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