Rachel's School sings for a local retirement home

Rachel and her best friend, Kate
Bradley liked this wooden duck in one of the lounges

One of the few pictures I got of Rachel...very back row

Last week, Rachel's school took a field trip (across the street) to an Assisted Living home to sing patriotic songs. The parents were given the option of having their kids ride in the church van or bus or ride with their parents. Rachel chose to ride in the church bus. Nick and I weren't sure if we were comfortable with that, but since it was literally across the road, we let her go. Thank goodness that we did...apparently riding in the church van was a very BIG DEAL to the kids. Two of Rachel's friends did not ride in the van and were very upset with their moms. I was apprehensive because I wasn't sure if Rachel would get anxious or scared about riding with her teachers and friends, but she was fine. The kids sang: Yankee Doodle, I'm in the Lord's Army, and a couple of other cute little songs that they didn't know all the words to. They also said the Pledge of Allegiance, Pledge to the Bible and Pledge to the Christian flag. The kids were adorable and did a great job. The residents all seemed to really enjoy the singing and just looking at all the kids. I even had a resident who was comfortably sitting in a nice wing-back chair try to offer me her seat. I guess I looked worse-off than she did, being pregnant and holding Bradley. I thought that was sweet and funny! Bradley was a real trooper and really enjoyed watching the kids

and clapping at the end of each song. My only complaint was that Rachel was stuck behind several tall kids in her class so I couldn't see her very well or get many pictures of her singing.