Forest Friday's

Friday was a pretty big day for a certain little man, and his mama. Almost five years have passed on our journey as mother and son, and for the most part we have been hand in hand throughout it. Yes, I have taken moments away for mama time here and there, Justin and I have gotten out for a little lunch date every once in awhile and there have been moments at home alone while Justin and Reece head out on a little adventure of their own. But when I look back Reece has not really been that far from my side in the last five years, until Friday.

For the last two years Reece and I have participated in an outdoor nature program called Oaks and Acorns. It is for children birth to age 5 and their caregivers. It is a wonderful program, and while we both really loved it, I felt Reece had outgrown the program. There is another program for homeschoolers, but the age range is six to twelve and I feel he is a little too young for this program.

So there we were stuck in the middle, too old for one and too young for the other. I shared my concerns with a few people and then like magic some wonderful ladies stepped up and created an outdoor nature program for four and five year olds. Yes! I was happy, excited and very grateful.

Forest Friday's is a half day program offered by Jumping Mouse Nature Education and this past Friday was Reece's first day. He had expressed concern leading up to it that I couldn't go with him. While I told him I wouldn't be far, he was pretty adamant that without me he wouldn't participate. Justin came along with us on Friday morning and we decided that if Reece needed someone to go along with him Justin would be it.

Well we got there and Reece jumped out of the car, saw his friends (all of the kids in the program were all friends from our Oaks and Acorns program), recognized his nature connection mentors and then headed off with them to pick apples. Justin stayed within sight, and Reece did look for him for the first little while, but after a bit Justin hung back a little further and a little further, until Reece was off exploring in the woods.

A few of us moms headed out into the woods on our own little hike and just as we were finishing came across the group in the meadow. We stood back for quite some time just watching, all very happy to see our little ones enjoying their time in nature. I was filled with such emotion in that moment to see my little man out there exploring and having fun with his mentors.

This was a very big day for Reece, and truth be told a big day for me too. We not only survived it, but we both enjoyed our time in the woods, coming together in a sharing circle at the end of the morning to share our adventures with each other.

My dream has always been to let Reece's journey unfold as it should, in his own way and in his own time. Not once have I been disappointed with this approach. He is traveling his path and I am along for the ride, feeling so very blessed to be enjoying every single moment.