I Got The Call....

So it is probably most parents fear to receive a call from the school telling you that your seven year old just got into an altercation with another student. You get this pit in the middle of your stomach and a lump in your throat. What happened? With who? Who started it? When did this happen? Is he hurt? On route to the University Hospital Emergency? Bleeding from the head? What's broken?
It just doesn't sit well until you find out that your child is back in class without a scratch.

Then after a brief feeling of relief you wonder about the other kid..... is he broken? Oh my goodness was the fight with a girl?

No, no. Just listen to the vice principal tell you that your son was "sobbing to the point that (he) couldn't understand what he was saying", "scared of what is no going to happen to him". Poor kid. He has never, ever been in trouble at school, he's never seen the inside of the principal's office and I don't even think he has had to sit in the hall for mischief!
According to the VP, Alex claims the other kid(who turned out to be boy, thank goodness) just came over to his posse of friends and asked who wants to fight. So Alex "presented himself" and they went at it. After talking to Alex, he claims he was defending his friends and just sticking up for himself....but really, I think he just wanted to drop the gloves, and rumble.
So did he just forget about the flashy, neon construction vests out supervising the playground? Did he know that the stricter Principal had left hours earlier to go home, sick?
Honestly, I don't know what was going through his mind when he made the decision to fight. All I can do is hope that he makes better choices when he feels angry like he did today. It's just so out of character.... kids are strange.

I love fall... when I can forget what follows it

Today I just have to write about how gorgeous it is out there. It's about 5 degrees C and there is the warmest sun filling my kitchen.


Yesterday we all went to the river to bask in this warmth and everyone agreed that it was an awesome afternoon... something we just need to go out and do more often. This really was an odd year for September/ October weather.... with freezing cold and snow coming sooner than usually and gypping us of all the fall colors and beauty. The leaves went into shock up there, waiting for the cool air to transform them. Instead we are left with dark green dead leaves hanging on with all they have left. So I completely missed taking the wonderful pictures in my backyard of the kids rolling in the yellow, orange, and red leaves.
Now that Halloween is over the flyers that litter my mailbox are filled with Christmas gift ideas, holiday decorations, and there is red and green everywhere. I am getting excited for the Christmas madness but not for snow and cold. Today is just perfect.... and I am not going to spoil it by thinking about wind chills.