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Health & Fitness

Not Your Usual School Bus Stop

School is back in full swing. Did you know that at least three elementry school busses come through the heart of down town Mercer Island every morning and afternoon?

My stomach was tied up in a huge knot — I was about to put my kids on a school bus for the first time on the first day of school. I couldn't help but notice the obvious, that the bus stop was at one of the .

I realize there are busier places in other cities with school bus stops. It was just the fact that I'd driven my kids every single day of school before that. I was impressed by the fact that the 's Transportation Supervisor, Todd Kelsay, had called us personally, the day before, to be sure we had all the necessary details. I had spoken with him last year, whenever my son was going on the bus with a friend for a play-date. He was always super helpful and comforting. I'm glad he's there, doing this job. 

We walked down the street to the bus stop at 27th and 77th, right by the little bronze statues of the kids reading a book, an appropriate place for a bus stop. My kids were decked out in their first day of school attire, holding their backpacks. I wondered if I was loosing my mind because I felt so nervous. They both had been on the bus for field trips and an occasional play-date in the past but this was the first time I was putting them on the bus to go to school with the expectation that they'd get back home at the end of the day.There were other parents and kids already standing around, waiting for the bus. After talking to them, some were headed to , others to or schools. I had no idea that there were three school buses that came through downtown.

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The big yellow school bus pulled up next to us. Our kids hugged and kissed us goodbye and loaded on the bus. We could see them though the windows, finding a seat next to eachother, managing their backpacks in their laps. We could see their little faces in the window as they waved to us. The bus drove off. That knot in my stomach turned into a pit in my stomach. My husband and I got in the car and drove to the school to meet them on the other end to help them to class, just for the first day.

At the end of the day the teachers helped them on the bus. I waited impatiently at the bus stop at 27th and 77th. I sat there, with that pit in my stomach, next to the little bronze statues. I took pictures and I finally discovered that the bronze kids were looking at a book about ABC's.

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It's been nearly a month since that first day of school. My kids are doing great getting to and from school on the bus. My life is so much easier, not having to deal with the hectic drop off and pick up traffic at school. The only issue causing me grief is the busy, frantic drivers, driving through the intersection of 27th and 77th. My kids and I cross the street at the same time as the amazing teacher and students of beloved . We have had drivers yell at us because they feel they are waiting too long for the school bus to drop the kids off and for us to cross the street. We've even had a car try to pass on the right, where our kids are getting off the bus. Thankfully, Todd and his staff are on top of doing what they can to make the school bus system as safe as possible. We just need all those drivers out there to pay attention. We have a walkable downtown with kids of all ages walking home from school. Speaking of bus stop, there's my calendar reminder. It's time to walk to the bus stop to get the kids.

Please drive carefully.

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