Our Fresh Air Kid

*Destiny Stepney *

For years we have wanted to try having a Fresh Air Kid.
I had a little boy back when Elanee was 1 yr old. We had a great time. Even so, I kept worrying my way out of going for it again. A Fresh Air kid comes from NYC and stays for 2 entire weeks. Thats a long time if things are going badly. But, after Elanee spent 2 mo and Vayda spent 1 month in South Carolyna with my dear friend Lauretta I saw how an extended stay away from home can open the mind of a young person. I have come to believe that no matter how bad off or how well off you are- stepping out of your reality and emersing yourself in another's can be life changing. I think the ealier that can happen the better.

So, that is what stopped me from stopping myself again this year. We signed up and went through the possess of being interviewed and background checked, etc. Then on the second week of July we drove to Ithaca and picked up our little girl at Stewart park.

Her name was Destiny. She was 7 yrs old and she was from Brooklyn NY. This was her second time being a Fresh Air kid. It took us a few days to get adjusted but then we were off. Ms. Destiny was great. She was full of energy and made us laugh. She thought we were nuts! We dressed wierd, had a strange van (thought my driving was completely rediculous! All that waiting and being patient was just unspeakable ya know ;), our food was odd (what do you mean no McDonalds?), and no TV??? What!? She was bewildered by Maya wanting to play with Barbies and Bobble heads. It took us days to figure out that she plays group games.

We made it our business to keep her entertained and to show her our world. I took the kids to every State park within reach. They swam in the lake several times. Jody took the kids biking on Sundays. She and Maya played dress up. She showed us her hip hoppin dance moves!

I took them to a horse show in Trumansburg.

The girls painted canvases on a rainy day.

They had a long afternoon at the water park in Geneva.

We had a picnic lunch at the falls overlook.

We did normal stuff too...like make applesauce and strawberry jam. (I sent a jar home with her)

We turned gourds into bird houses.

Jody and Destiny bonded over a map of NYC! They actually found her building. Its that big!
We had a back yard camp fire.

We went to a birthday party for one of Maya's friends from baseball. It was at the pool in Seneca Falls. Destiny was at home in the pool. She said, "This is how we swim in the city". :)
The kids just chilled with ice cream cones in the back yard.