Special Day

Thanks to my Mom and help from a friend, yesterday I was able to orchestrate a wonderful Momom/son day. It has been a long time since Robby and I have done something special without bringing along other people. I loved having a special day with just him.

We began our adventures by visiting the Pennsylvania State Museum. A friend arranged for her husband, the head curator, to provide us with a private tour of the Native American artifacts. Robby was like a little sponge trying to absorb as much information as possible. He is studying Native Americans in school so this trip came at the most fortuitous time. He asked questions and offered insightful comments and observations about the artifacts he was viewing. Just as important as what he was learning, he behaved beautifully!  It is always nice when you leave an experience feeling proud of your child's behavior. 

We were supposed to visit an archaeological dig site, but unfortunately the plans did not work out.  I saw the disappointment wash across Robby's face when I had to break the bad news. Determined to continue our fun day and not wanting it to end on a sour note, I quickly developed Plan B.

I drove right past the dig site and headed to a local cavern for a tour. Robby has been asking to experience caves, and I figured that a tourist trap would be considerably cheaper than trying to spelunking on our own. (I'm not exactly the most graceful and trying to maneuver the underground without the assistance of illumination and a trained guide would be a recipe for disaster.) Robby's frown almost instantly turned into a huge smile when he realized that his dream of cave exploration was about to be realized. 

Again, I was impressed by both Robby's behavior and attentiveness to the guide. He knew more about stalagmites and stalactites than I realized. He actually knew more on the subject than I did!  Although I wasn't delighted trying to navigate the uneven, wet surfaces in the dark, I knew that my being there was making Robby happy. This was a true test of my new prosthesis and my recovery. It wasn't easy, but I was able to finish the tour without falling.  I consider that a success!

Robby missed school yesterday, but I know that the time away from the classroom was well spent.  He learned a lot more about Native Americans and was able to ask the expert his questions. He is in the process of putting together a report and poster to present to his class about his experiences. I know that he is excited to share what he learned with his friends. I'm so glad that his teachers value the education potential of experiences and that I am able to go on these adventures with him.