Eleven years ago, there was a birth announcement in the newspaper. And the Parents As Teachers teacher latched onto it. She knew my in-laws from church and could connect the family tree. The only folks I knew were the ones I had married into, which wasn't a very big support network for a new mom.
Miss Janet chased us all over town - between sleeping at the 'rents house, remodeling a bathroom and rebuilding a nursery from the mess, here, there and yonder. She finally got a house visit amidst the craziness.
Eleven years ago, Evan and I crossed a doorway and went to our first playgroup. We didn't go to many when he was tiny.
Ten years ago, we went to the Methodist church in town. And I found my childhood roots all over again.
Ten years ago, we went back to the playgroups, as Evan was a bit more able to play. And I met the lady who had a story in the paper about the two girls they brought home from the Ukraine. And her friend who had a boy in the church nursery a bit (ok, a year) older than Evan. And the lady with four blonde daughters, the youngest still in a pumpkin seat, and brought her two nephews to playgroup. All of whom were at the church and the playgroups. One of the part-time PAT teachers was also a familiar face from church. Another of the part-timers later babysat both boys. And as Evan aged out of PAT and moved on to pre-kdg, along came Colby to put me back in the PAT mix with a new group of parents.
Ten years ago, I really did put down roots - at school and at church. What was originally an awfully small cornfield has now become my cornfield. And while I wonder what they are missing by being in a town small enough to have to share a high school (my graduating class was 500!) to graduate a class of 100, I am sure the tradeoffs are worth it in family and community support.
Thank you, TE and SM, for helping us to raise these boys.
Evan at a pumpkin picking field trip with pre-k, 2006.
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