Trevor's week at TeenPact

Trevor ended up in the picture TP posted from Monday night.  I recognized him immediately but couldn't see enough to be positive.  He's second row back, on the aisle.

On Tuesday, Trevor received word that our state senator, Steve Newman, was requesting a personal meeting with Trevor in the senator's office that afternoon.  As part of his pre-homework, he had written a letter to Senator Newman, inviting the Senator to visit the class if he had time.

Trevor was understandably a little nervous, but he was accompanied by Peter Martin, the TeenPact CEO.  TeenPact's headquarters are in Richmond, so we've been blessed to know the Martin family.  In fact, I remember meeting one of the boys the very first time that Holly attended TP four years ago.  Mr. Martin is a favorite of Trevor's:  he specifically looked out for Trevor when Trevor was sick and came home early three years ago; and he impressed Trevor quite a bit last summer at NC by remembering both Holly's and Trevor's names (out of 600 kids).  TP runs for two weeks in Virginia, and this year, Trevor chose to go the week that Mr. Martin was scheduled to be the Class Director. So having Mr. Martin along was a wonderful encouragement.

Senator Newman spent quite a bit of time with them, inviting them to come to two different committee meetings where he casted votes, and then for a private chat in his office.

Trevor and Senator Newman

This was the photo on TP's FB page. I saw it in my feed and was thrilled!  I commented, "Hey, that's my kid!" and received this response from Peter:  "Your kid did a great job. He was respectful, polite, thanked the senator for his work, answered his questions, and represented home schooling very well. It was a pleasure to have this opportunity."  Praise God, this was just really a great and memorable experience!

Senator Newman also posted a photo on his FB page, including the comment:

Mr. Martin, Trevor, Senator Newman

"I was pleased to meet with Trevor McGowan, a constituent from Daleville, who is participating in TeenPact Virginia II this week at the Capitol and TeenPact Leadership Schools CEO Peter Martin. It is always a pleasure to talk with students who are taking an interest in their state government."

It was a really large class this year, with 60 students staying at the camp and an additional 20 staying offsite!    Trevor's not in this photo, but I'm posting it because he was there and enjoyed remembering the name of everyone in the photo.

Due to the snowstorm, the students ended up staying at the camp an extra day.  They did additional work for their class and had an epic snowball fight, with graduation postponed until the following day.  We've always made TeenPact a priority, and while the kids have always enjoyed it, Trevor, along with many of the other students, declared this the "best EVER."  A really amazing week, so thankful to be a part of this group!

TeenPact time again!

I took Trevor to Richmond yesterday for another week of TeenPact.  I snapped this when we stopped for lunch at Taco Bell.  It looks like a cologne ad; a friend commented that it looked like an album cover!

 

 

I love seeing the kids all dressed up! 

He was just a little bit nervous at first, but saw several friends right off the bat, making him very happy.  Last night, I got a text that said, "Best TP day EVER!!!!" with no further explanation.  It was good enough for me!

Now I can sit home and try not to worry about the "up to 14 inches" of snow the area is supposed to receive Wednesday night.  We're planning to pick him up on Thursday.  On a positive note, I just realized that some of the TPers stay over Thursday night for an additional day on Friday--and if we can't get there on Thursday, we won't be the only ones.  :)

National Convention (TeenPact camp)

Beautiful day to drive to make the 350-mile drive to Dayton.

The smokestacks at the Kingston Fossil Plant always take my breath away.

There's a two hour window when all campers are supposed to leave.  They are all packed and ready to go. I got this last shot of Trevor's room.  It is a bit (to say the least!) more sparse than Holly's room, but he enjoyed it. Although he started out by choosing a top bunk, before the first day ended, he moved to a bottom bunk and was very happy there.

We'd been to the overlook two years ago. Trevor had not had a chance to go yet, so we walked back over.

 

Poor kid had spent a few of the days sick with a cold, but thankfully there was a terrific medical staff that disbursed all kinds of miracle meds.  (What I truly appreciate is that not a big deal was made of it; other than giving a general permission while registering him online, they didn't make a big deal out of any of this, no phone calls to me or additional permissions required.)

Needless to say, he was back to his regular self!

The spectacular view of the Tennessee River Valley.

I'm not sure where Holly was standing when she took this, but it's quite a drop off!

 

It was a cooler and rainier week than in the past.  Holly also took this stunning photo of the camp in the mist one morning.

It was a really good week.  Two years ago, when Holly first went, there were just over 500 kids.  This year, 750 campers came.  That's quite a jump, considering that these are all homeschooled kids who must first attend a week long state class before they are eligible to come to NC.  It's also quite a testimony to how families value the program, as these events are expensive (to me, anyway).  It was such a blessing that Holly and Trevor had the opportunity to go to share this experience. They'd been planning and looking forward to this for the past year, and we've been considering it their last big together thing before Holly heads off to college.

Road trip to Tennessee

We are realizing this will be the Season of Long Road Trips.

We drove Holly and Trevor to Dayton, TN yesterday for a week at TeenPact camp.  This will be Holly's third and last year and Trevor's first. They've long been planning this as the last one big thing they'll do together while Holly is still home.

I was excited for Trevor to make this car trip.  Oh, it's not partcularly exciting, but it's a fun time in the car that *I* look on fondly each year.  Trevor was more than happy to have Lakota sleep on his bed for the last two nights.  Holly did not sleep. She doesn't like to get up early, so she stays up, easily (and happily) gets ready in the morning, and sleeps in the car on the way there.

Trevor loaded up the car, we piled in, and then drove in fog and rain for the first couple of hours.  Not my ideal drive.  As we crossed over the Smokies, the weather changed, and it was good.  We stopped for lunch in Knoxville and made decent time to the camp. Both Holly and Trevor had a good case of the butterflies and they checked in. The staff (all teenagers) are always so welcoming, encouraging, and friendly, remembering students from various state classes held across the country during the year.

We found Trevor's dorm-style room first.  Concrete floors, with six(?)  triple bunk beds in each room, with a large bathroom with many private showers.  Trevor grabbed the top bunk on the less crowded side of the room. The only other kid in the room at the time was a friend of Trevor's from his Virginia state class, and he greeted Trevor with, "Hey, I was hoping you'd be in my room!"  And Ryan even brought a soccer ball, the one thing Trevor'd forgotten.

We went over to Holly's much fancier lodge, because that's what the girls get.  She was found and hugged by a couple of girls who remembered her. We found Holly's room, and she was very happy to claim the same perfect bunk spot the had last year, and she was happy to find that the bottom floor was very nicely cooled. 

Robert and I got ready for the 5:15 hour drive back home.

One picture before we go!

We hit Knoxville rush hour, but we were going against the traffic.  We snacked on Pringles and cashews, and I added in Cokes and Sweetarts, while Robert ate Bit O' Honeys.  Blech!

Robert drove most of the way.  We saw a couple of trucks like this.  We couldn't figure out what they were carrying.  It's too late to be grapefruit, but these were very large to be apples or onions.

Unlike past years, there were few policemen or dead deer. We hit a fast and hard thunderstorm past Christiansburg, and the whole drive was what I'd imagine it'd be like in March.  Just a little warmer, though.

Not many plans here while they are gone. I'm working all but two days, and one of those is our anniversary.  In the meantime, and for the short term, I'll enjoy the quietness, the lack of clutter, and going to bed early.  And I'll be ready to trade that back in for our normal life before they get home.

TeenPact

On Monday, I dropped Holly and Trevor off in Richmond for TeenPact. I'm so glad they had the chance to go one last time together, especially since Trevor ended up coming home sick last year (his first time attending).

Robert and I had a quiet and quick week at home. I worked both full days that they were gone. The house stayed very clean and was almost too quiet. Actually, it was nice for a couple of days, but it would get old very fast!

Robert and I tried a new(ish) Vietnamese restaurant in town. I was asleep every night by 10pm and up each morning by 6 without my alarm. I liked going to bed early and waking up early--BUT I am glad I can stay up much later most nights with Holly and Trevor. I'll have p-l-e-n-t-y of time to sleep in about five years, and I'm sure I won't enjoy it nearly as much.

We drove up to get them on Thursday. I always enjoy the end of the TeenPact session. This was Robert's first time listening to the mock legislative session, hearing the wonderful speeches given by a handful of kids who won senate seats during the week's mock election, and watching the graduation ceremony.

So the kids went to TeenPact all dressed up, but they'd only let me take pictures -- well, they didn't let me take pictures, so I just have a few taken on the sly. From the back!

TEENPACT!!!!

The annual TeenPact State Class in Virginia took place a few weeks ago! Holly went back as a returning student, which meant she had additional homework (two essays, one pro, one con, on entitlements). This was Trevor's first year going up for the whole week. This was the first year that Virginia had two separate week-long sessions, each of which had about 50 attendees, plus another dozen staffers.

Trevor's friend Kurt also came along. We all rode up together, dropping stuff off at the boy scout camp prior to heading into Richmond for lunch (Q-Doba!) and then meeting at the conference area near the Capitol.



It was nice for Holly and Trevor to know much more what to expect this time around. The ultra-conservative dress code was a non-issue this year; Holly knew ahead of time what outfits she would wear. Trevor and Kurt raided the closet of Kurt's big brothers' outgrown clothes to take their pick of suits. Really, such a blessing, as Trevor was gifted with two suits and a practically new pair of dress shoes. Too funny that he's 5'9" and still getting hand-me-downs!


Unfortunately, Trevor came down with a cold that he'd been trying to fight. He wasn't feeling well late Tuesday and threw up Wednesday morning (typical of him). We texted back and forth all day, trying to decide to make the three hour drive, or seeing if he could stick it out. Robert ended up driving out to get him; poor kid fell asleep within minutes of hitting the interstate and slept the entire way home. While it was a disappointment that he couldn't finish out the week, it was definitely the best decision.

Judy and I drove back up on Thursday, stopping to pick up the kids' luggage before meeting them in Richmond.

See Sozy-the-bear on Holly's bunk? He goes everywhere with her--even Peru. Seriously.

We stopped for lunch at a fabulous little Greek restaurant, where I had falafel. I haven't had this since we lived in Denver ten years ago! Oh.my.goodness. Heaven on a plate. I replicated it at home and will have to post the recipe.

The afternoon program included a demonstration of the mock legislature for which TeenPact is famous, along with several amazing speeches written by students who'd won mock elections during the week. It's so encouraging to watch these kids in action and to know that they are the next generation to lead our country.

Holly, of course, had a great week and is planning to attend a few events this year that are open only to alumni. Trevor enjoyed himself too but is looking forward to next year when he can go again. We love TeenPact. It's one of those extras that isn't cheap, but it's well worth doing whatever we can to make sure the kids can participate.

Return trip to Tennessee

We practically flew back to Tennessee to pick up Holly after a week at camp. We made the entire trip in under 12 hours. Most of the drive was easy.

Except when it was foggy . . .



Things we saw:

An enormous cross

Two, actually.
Their size fascinated me; I wished to take a picture
with something at the base to get a better perspective of size.

The Tennessee River

The view from the bridge.
This is going toward the town of Dayton,
and I'm thinking that Holly's camp was
at the top of that dark hill in the center of the photo.

The spectacular view from the camp.
I didn't bring my camera from the car,
so I took this from the camp website.

As expected, she had a great time at TeenPact.

But I'm glad to have her home too.

Memorable drive

We had a 350 mile drive to get Holly to the TeenPact National Convention. Trevor spent the night at a friend's house, and we left the house at 6:50 in the morning.

[photo removed]

The only time we see the sunrise is when we are out early in the car.

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Holly: Are those miniature cows?

Robert: No, the grass is just tall.
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At Holly's request, we stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch. At least I knew she'd be getting one last meal for the week. We figured it might be the last meat she eats for six days.

The camp in Dayton, TN is beautiful, huge. We checked Holly in and then found the lodge where the girls are staying.


Rooms are preassigned. I think there were six bunkbeds and two double beds in each room. Holly chose the bed at the top corner by the window. Holly was very happy to notice that her room list included not only a girl she knew from Richmond, but also that she had the same room mom as before! At first, I was amazed with how TeenPact worked that out, how much effort they must have put into each kid, making sure their assignments were good. Then I realized God's a whole lot bigger than that, and it was effortless to Him.


And each room has its own bathroom. Newly tiled, two showers, three sinks, and lots of electric outlets.


They have a full schedule, and I can't imagine they'll be spending much time in the lodge family room. For click-and-drag 360 view photos, see here.


We dropped Holly off, and plugged HOME into my GPS. We really were out in the middle of nowhere.


We made a couple of quick stops on the way home for gas and to spend Kohl's cash that I'd earned the week before.

Earlier in the day, while driving through Damascus, VA, we realized this was an area that had been hit with a tornado last month. Trees were left standing like toothpicks, houses were missing roofs, walls, or partially collapsed. Debris was strewn about, and billboards torn away. It was quite sobering, and I was able to get a picture on the way home.


End of the day totals:

25 policemen in Virginia. Many had cars pulled over, but the traffic was close to the speed limit.

3 policemen in Tennessee. We stayed 10mph over the limit, but 98% of other cars passed us like we were standing still.

6 dead deer

3 live deer

Cheapest gas $3.48/gal.

1 kid gone for the week

2 rather tired parents

As planned/hoped, we were off the interstate before dark. We picked up Trevor and were home shortly after 9pm. I'm ready to do this again in a few more days, and it won't be as intimidating this time.

Trevor's turn

Before Holly agreed to go to TeenPact, I'd already signed Trevor up for a one day class aimed at 8-12 year olds. While I didn't give him the option of not attending, he was eager to participate. He also had homework to bring to class: a few memorized verses, a mock bill, and copies of letters he'd sent to state lawmakers.

Logistically, it was a challenge for me, between Holly's class ending Thursday, Trevor's class beginning early Friday, figuring what to do with Holly while I was at class with Trevor all day (an adult had to be present with the kids), and I was reluctant to make that three hour drive each way two days in a row.

So we stayed overnight at the hotel, leaving Holly behind in the morning.

Trevor's class began the same way at the other class, with a get-to-know-you activity (lots of these pics to follow).


The session began with with two songs, one silly, where the kids jumped up and down almost as fast as they could.


They broke into pre-arranged committees, and we went to the Capitol to prayer walk. I'm very thankful for the great weather we had. It was chilly, in the 30s, but the sun was warm, and there was no rain or snow.


I found a mom to watch out for Trevor if necessary, and I raced back to the hotel to pick up Holly just before check out time. We missed the kids going up individually to the front of the room to read their bills (which were then assigned to committees depending on topics). Shortly after we returned, the kids broke for lunch, which we ate in the building cafeteria.

When lunch was done, the kids split up into their committees, where they discussed and voted on the bills to which they'd been assigned. The program did a terrific job with age-appropriate activities keeping the kids engaged and moving around a lot. The next exercise was a scavenger hunt back at the Capitol. Each student was given a list of two dozen questions to find or answer with their family: What color are the curtains in the Delegates' meeting room? Find a picture of Pocahontas. Who laid the cornerstone at the Capitol building? What is next to the statue of Edgar Allen Poe? Holly was a huge help here, as she knew, or knew where to find, many of the answers.

The new public entrance to the Capitol, part of a

27,000 sf underground addition built in the last decade.
I also learned it's only one of eleven U.S. capitols without a dome.

When we returned to the meeting room, the kids participated in a mock legislature, the same way that Holly's class had. They were given a sheet of paper with protocol written out, and some of the kids who'd attended previously were familiar with the process. They voted on bills they'd written for their homework, including allowing penguins free meals in fancy restaurants, and a bowl of ice cream for any child who makes their bed in the morning. Everything went very smoothly (and hilariously!), and most were not shy at all about joining right in.

Closing

We left for home, and with all the leftovers of the food I'd packed for Holly, there was no need to stop on the way home. It was a great end to an exciting week. Not surprisingly at all, Trevor can't wait to join Holly next year for the four day class.

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Growing up, I had four years of California state history. I can't say that's served me particularly well, as I haven't lived in California in 30 years. Virginia history is a little different in the way it ties into our country's history as a whole.

The Capitol building was designed by Thomas Jefferson, with then-Governor Patrick Henry laying the cornerstone.

The Virginia House of Delegates is a direct successor to the House of Burgesses, which first met in Jamestown in 1619, making it the oldest legislature in the Western hemisphere.

Richmond served as the Capitol of Confederacy, and following its fall on April 3, 1865, President Lincoln toured the Capitol on April 4. He was assassinated a week later.

So fascinating to me, and what a privilege for my kids to have this particular opportunity to see our state government in action.

The end of Holly's week in Richmond

Trevor and I drove up on Thursday, which was the last day of Holly's class. We stopped at the camp to pick up her luggage. This was what was left of the door decorations created by the girls in Holly's cabin.


The students were at Richmond again for the day, but left everything packed, ready for parents to pick up belongings. A few were staying one more night for an optional public speaking class on Friday.

After driving all morning, Trevor and I stopped for lunch before going to the Capitol. To my relief, parking was a cinch again. I worry about those little details.

Family was expressly invited to the afternoon portion of the class, where the students participated in another mock legislative session with all of the formal meeting rules, "Will the author of this bill approach the well?" "May I ask a question of the lady in the well?" etc. It was very entertaining, both for the class and for the spectators.

This was followed by a few speeches and other closing activities, giving another chance for the students to say goodbye to the staff.


Holly, Trevor and I spent the night in a nearby quiet and large hotel. Holly professed to living on canned fruit, mashed potatoes and granola bars during the week and opted to have pizza delivered to our hotel room. We spent the evening listening to her stories of the week, interrupting only to watch American Idol. It was an early night, only better if Robert had been there, but someone needed to stay home and take care of the pets. Maybe next year!

TeenPact

There are so many things I want to both share and remember about this week. I'm pasting parts of an email I wrote about it, and I may repeat something from my last post, or my next post. The program far exceeded any expectations we had for it, and I encourage anyone who is remotely interested to check into it further.

Students are given homework in advance to bring to class, including copies of letters written to their state rep and state senator. (Keep in mind, this is a class on state government, so all info pertains to that level, not federal.) They prepare a mock bill to present at the class and are given a sample form to model. There are a few Bible verses to memorize regarding authority; vocabulary words to look up; basic state facts to memorize (governor, lieutenant governor, how many Republicans/Democrats at your state house, etc.). They read and answer questions about the governor's most recent State of the State address; and answer a few questions about three Constitutional amendments of their choosing. There is also a dress code to which the students must adhere--ties for young men (most were in suits); mid-calf or longer skirts or dresses for young ladies (no pants!). It was a bit of a pain to shop for that, but Holly later appreciated it, saying that it made them fit right in with the other women at the capitol (none of whom she saw in pants!), and that she enjoyed dressing up.

Two-thirds of the 75 kids signed up for the week stayed at the local Boy Scout camp. The other 1/3 commuted in each day. Holly commented that it was definitely to everyone's advantage to stay at the camp, that kids who just came to the day sessions were missing out on so much of the evening activities and bonding that helped make her experience what it was.

The classes were held in a conference room a few blocks from the capitol. When we arrived, there was a short get-to-know-you exercise that had the 75 kids talking to as many other classmates as possible. At first, it was very formal, lots of hand shaking and introductions, "Hello, my name is ___________. Would you sign one of my boxes?" As the kids warmed up, it became a bit more casual and loud.

They were asked to be seated and listened to a short introductory speech or two. Immediately after, each row had to approach the front of the room, and each student had to begin reading their mock bill. Just as in our capitol, as soon as the Chairman determined which committee the bill went to, he would bang the gavel, even in mid-sentence, assigning that bill to a certain committee. And then the next student would read their own bill. Some kids read just a few words; others read several lines. It was a great way to get through a potentially nerve-wracking experience, as it was short and quick, and everyone had to do it. (There were a dozen or so kids who were returning students; the majority of the class as a whole was quite outgoing.)

The students were then assigned to one of four or five committees. They broke off into their own committees and began discussing the bills that had been assigned to their particular committee. Most kids' bills went to a committee other than where they were assigned; it was totally random, as their committee assignment was predetermined, but their bill was sent to a committee depending on its topic. After discussing each bill (with the author sometimes defending it if he/she happened to be in the committee), it was voted on by the group, either passing or failing.

That was just the first afternoon. The kids went to the camp via carpool assignments arranged by the leader. They had a bit of down time, ate at the dining hall, had a 15 minute worship session. They had a brief Bible study led by Guest Director Bob Shanks, who is a lobbyist for HEAV (Virginia's homeschool association). (Each state class has a "Guest Director" who oversees the program for the week.) There were organized games designed to yet again really engage all of the kids. They retired to their cabins, and a staffer came around to each cabin to debrief what was learned during the day and to pray with each cabin in a small group. I think each cabin set their own rules for lights out; each cabin (of 4-5 girls) also had a parent chaperone.

Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with a variety of activities, including visits to the capitol and to the legislature building. There were several trips back and forth from the conference room, and I'd been forewarned to send along a lot of bandaids for blisters in those new heels! They prayer-walked at the capitol complex. They were broken up into groups of 3-4, approaching different people in the building with the intent to find lobbyists to whom they could present specific questions. There was a Constitution drill, where the students raced to find specific sections in the Constitution as quickly as possible. The kids were assigned to different political "parties," nominating and electing their own officers, spending one evening campaigning for their party, designing posters. The winners gave speeches at the end of the program.

The kids were constantly being put into different groups--committees, carpools, games, giving them the opportunity to meet and bond with as many of the other students as possible. It was further evidence of the organization and foresight that impressed me. All of the staffers were teens who'd been through the program. They fly around to lead different state classes, making it easy to maintain the high standards of each state class. (In contrast to AWANA, where one church can be well run and a church a few blocks away can be utter chaos.) It was an amazing group of young people who actively make every attempt to reach the students, draw them in, uplift and encourage, and in doing so, change lives.

Incredible week, wonderful time, terrific organization. God is at work in these kids, and it was amazing to watch it happen.

Holly goes to Richmond

Holly's in Richmond this week attending TeenPact. TeenPact is a Christian organization for homeschoolers that offers classes on state government and leadership.

She spent Sunday rushing to finish the homework she's known about for several weeks. Months, even. It was not made easier by the fact that she was sick this weekend, although that gained her a bit of sympathy from me.



In an effort to make sure she had enough food if she was hungry, or if her stomach was bothering her, we packed enough food to feed the entire camp: three kinds of granola bars, popcorn, Chex Mix, saltines, apples, craisins. That's just what I can remember.



I also sent enough medicine to stock a small pharmacy: cold meds, pain killers, vitamins, stomach meds, anti-nausea pills, and probably more.



We drove three hours to get to the Boy Scout camp where many of the kids are staying. The setting was remarkably similar to Franklin County. The camp was pretty, including a lovely dining hall; the cabins were surprisingly small--10x12 rooms with three bunkbeds, a table, 10 hooks on the wall for clothing, and a concrete floor! We dropped Holly's things off, lunched at Chic-Fil-A in Richmond, and made our way toward the Capitol.

I'm sayin' it: I was expecting something similar to Denver. I'd heard parking was "tight" in Richmond. I guess this means you can't park in front of the building. I parked around the corner (and walked past several open spots directly in front of the building).

That's my car under the red arrow;
I was standing on the pedestrian bridge of the building.

The class was two blocks away from the Capitol. At 25 floors, it is (hilariously to me!) Virginia's second tallest building.

It rather dates itself in the early 80s, do you think?

All right. Richmond is NOT Denver!

75 kids total are attending the program, with 48 filling up the camp. Most of the rest of the kids are local, commuting each day. Upon arrival, they were given an activity to encourage them to meet as many classmates as quickly as possible.



I should add that the dress code is very strict, particularly for girls--only skirts or dresses are allowed, which must cover their knees even when sitting!

At this point, I left the room to go to the bathroom. When I returned, the doors were shut, and I could hear they had started inside. Parents were allowed to stay and watch, but I preferred to wait until a break so I could say goodbye to Holly and head home. In the meantime, I walked to the Capitol complex just blocks away.

Cool statue of George Washington.

Again, that Denver thing. I was expecting a capitol building with a golden dome, one you can't miss.

Yeah, this is it.

The Governor's Mansion is in the same complex, which is pretty neat.



And a beautiful building just outside the complex (I think it was a church).


I had Holly's two letters (homework) to deliver to the General Assembly building, and when I went through the metal detector, the security guard asked me, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like Sarah Palin?"

Actually, Sarah Palin looks like me, but I didn't tell him that.

I went back to wait outside the class. The homework included writing a mock bill to present. Knowing that most of the kids would likely choose topics such as anti-abortion, homeschool rights, or lower taxes, Holly chose term limits on House Delegates and Senators. (This was easy for her once she discovered our delegate has been in office since 1962!) The kids went to the front of the room, one at a time, and read their bill, where it was sent to a different committee depending on the topic. When the committees gathered to discuss their various bills, the kids took a break. I had a very quick chance to say goodbye, and I headed home.

Three hours, ugh. I flew (figuratively speaking) home, made no stops on the way, and got there just after dark.

The students were allowed to bring cell phones for the sole purpose of contacting parents. Holly's texts last night were completely cryptic. "wats our phone number?" "will call tomorrow. ilu"

What does THAT mean? She's surviving? She hates it? She loves it?

Tonight, there was one more message that included the words, "Tday was gud.."

Okay, I can exhale now. I think.