Today, when the bus pulled up after school, I was ready. I had a new strategy. Since Josiah apparently has been very distressed about walking off the bus and up the sidewalk, maybe he just needs a little help. I do not want to carry him. I know that’s what he wants. If he could jump into my arms or ride me piggy back up the sidewalk, he’d be very content. But he is getting bigger. He’s already too heavy for me to carry for very long. I can’t imagine starting a habit I would not be able to continue for long. Besides, how many 9 year olds do you know who are carried around by their parents?

I needed a better option. One that would appease Josiah and one that would work for me. All I needed was a short term solution. I wasn’t sure it would even work. Sometimes something works one day and not the next. But so far nothing else has fixed the problem, so this was worth a try.

Today, I was waiting on the sidewalk with Josiah’s big red wagon. He loves that wagon. Sometimes when we walk the dog, Josiah sits in the wagon and Mocha runs along beside him. He holds her leash. We pull him. Everyone is happy. I was hoping Josiah would be happy to ride in his wagon after school.

The bus driver opened the doors and smiled. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile before. I’m sure she was amused. She’s watched every day while Josiah screams his way off the bus and I struggle to help him up the sidewalk. I’m sure she figured this was just one more potential disaster. I was ready too. I braced myself for the shrieks. In my mind I was already heading to ‘Bora Bora’.

Miraculously, Josiah climbed down the steps, crawled right into the wagon and sat down. He never so much as let out a peep. In fact, he was so excited, he started bouncing in his seat. I quickly handed him his backpack. He grabbed the handle and pulled it along beside us as he rode up the sidewalk. He held on tight as we jerked up over the front stoop and into the house. He stayed seated in the foyer long enough for me to take a picture. Then he jumped out and put his backpack in the closet.

If I had only known a few days ago. If I had just thought of the wagon last week. If I had tried the wagon before, it would have saved us both so much heartache. I’m just thrilled it worked today. I’m hoping it works tomorrow. I’m hoping it works for these last 12 days of school.

Josiah’s teacher texted me this afternoon. She told me Josiah had a great day today. She wanted to know what I had done. She said he hadn’t screamed even once today. He walked right up onto the bus beautifully at dismissal time with no crying. She was amazed.

Last week Josiah had great difficulty getting on the bus at school to come home. He screamed quite a bit for his teacher. She had no idea what was bothering him. Last week Josiah screamed getting on the bus. He screamed getting off the bus. He was quiet and content while riding the bus and then screamed for hours once he got home.

I was thinking all afternoon it was the wagon that made the difference today. Apparently, I was wrong. There was no wagon at school carrying Josiah to his bus. I guess it was really Josiah who made all the difference. For some unknown reason, today he didn’t feel the need to scream. Today was a wonderful day!

A lot of people have told me they’ve been praying. I’ve been praying too. It wasn’t the wagon that made the difference today. It was God. It was you. It was all the praying. Thank you!

Please, DON’T STOP praying.