Field Trip with the first graders

I went on Payten's first grade field trip yesterday to the Asheboro Zoo, and while I was there I had a few revelations:

1. I have a totally new appreciation for teachers, especially for kids in that age range-- WHEWW
2. Payten has a couple of exceptionally challenged kids that join her class, and she was so sweet to them yesterday, she was quick to include them in what she was doing, and when one climbed to the top of one of the play things in the park-- she just clapped and encouraged them-- I was so proud of how she treated her friends --
3. Take teachers out of their teaching environment, and it is interesting what you learn about them....
4. Hwy 601 to 49 is really the best route to take-- the Zoo was really easy to get to like that
5. Playgrounds in the zoo are way more entertaining to first graders than the animals
6. I will always chaperon-- I saw a couple of parents lose kids for a minute-- NOT GOOD
7. You really don't get in trouble if you sneak and get your little group of kids-- Dippin' Dots
8. AND finally the most shocking revelation is that Payten's first grade teacher seems to like me more than her kindergarten teacher did-- See ---Last year when I chaperoned at the circus-- her K teacher made me responsible for Payten and a little girl named Fernanda who barely spoke English --which would be fine if I knew any Spanish but since I took French as my foreign language little Fernanda and I had a hard time communicating-- she just kinda looked at me when I would ask her questions-- I finally learned that when she was asking for more Candy Cane, she really wanted Cotton Candy-- and that was near the end of the Circus that I figured that out-- this year her first grade teacher made me responsible for Payten and Payten's little friend Jordyn who was cute as bugs and gave me love all day long---hmmmm--Mindy I don't think you are going to live this one down