What about lunch together?

It is Tuesday and this is a "Slice of Life" (SOLS) for Two Writing Teachers.  Check out their website for lots more reflections on teaching.

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I am determined to write a "slice of life" today, having missed last week . . . and topic after topic has crossed my mind.

Last night, I thought . . .

. . .I'll share about the fun we are having with our Ezra Jack Keats author study.

Next, it was morning, I was rushing out the door to work, and I thought -
oh, that blogpost would need extensive work/time, something in short supply today. . . there's so much I want to share about this curriculum . . .

. . . I'll simply share about our special time last week when . . .

. . . we all watched Pete Seeger sing one of our favorite class songs - Inch by Inch [Garden Song]. (This was one of those rare times when all of the Big Cats were riveted, engaged, and focused, together, trying to see the small laptop screen and hear his voice through very weak speakers. It didn't seem to matter that everyone was all smushed together - everyone was happy to hear Pete Seeger. Should I also share about how choked up I got when we all sang "Inch by Inch" together, afterwards? So sweet!)

Next, the school day was underway, and our time in centers flew by as children sponge painted beautiful pictures in red, yellow, and orange; everyone's hands were covered with paint, even the floor was speckled, and I thought this is what I should share about . . .




 . . . We have really been enjoying messy process art activities over the past few weeks . . . how much children love paint, whether using brushes, rollers, sticks, sponges, spoons, straws...they cannot get enough paint! 

Next, we were outside on a short walk, to the turn-around tree, enjoying some very rare fresh air, and I thought . . .

. . . Oh, wow, I really should write about the challenges of too much indoor play . . . how this affects kids . . .

Then, it was lunch time and I was in the whirlwind of washing hands, finding seats, helping to open lunch foods, finding straws and extra spoons, racing out of the room with a couple children who simply couldn't wait one more moment to go to the bathroom, when I returned to the room to find   . . .



Hughie's Dad seated at the lunch table with Hughie and his classmates. 
Totally unexpected. 
And, totally delightful. 
Was it just my imagination, that 
the room was decidedly calmer than just a few minutes earlier, 
before I had raced the children to the bathroom?
All eyes were on this new, surprise adult. Dressed in a nice business suit, no less! 
He told me that he was in the area, 
that Hughie had a difficult goodbye this morning and 
he thought it would be a nice surprise, 
to have lunch with him.
Was this okay?
Oh, yes!
Totally unexpected.
And, totally delightful. 
He sat in a child-size chair - and it looked absolutely natural. So right.
Hughie was beaming. 
His table buddies were full of chatter, questions, and antics for Hughie's Dad.
No one rushed their lunch.
No one threw away their lunch without eating (as is sometimes the case).
All eyes were on this new, surprise adult.

So, there, that's my small slice of life today - the magic of an unexpected lunch guest.

Totally unexpected.
And, totally delightful.