Proof!

Ok, I'd like to first say that I am not making fun of Alabamians...this is just an observation. When the kids started school back in the fall, I noticed some of the little children without shoes. That in itself wasn't necessarily a big deal but at the time it was very cold outside. My first reaction was isn't it too cold to be bare footed? Well since that time I have come to learn that shoes are optional here. Jonathan even tells me that his boss walks around the office without his shoes (but atleast he has socks on...or so I hope). And I heard another person in my office comment that you only wear shoes 10% of the time.

So here's the proof that I not making this up or even exaggerating: 

Item 1:

Matthew had a field trip this week and the note that came home before the trip specifically stated that the kids had to wear shoes! And the day of the trip one little girl still came to school without shoes. I couldn't help but get into a conversation with Matthew's teacher about this...she's from Brooklyn, NY. (I've been dying to find out why she ended up in Montgomery, AL.) Anyway you can imagine what she thought of the whole shoe philosophy...and after talking to her I learned that it actually was a philosophy. Apparently there is a doctor here that says the children should go without shoes...for the development of the feet...ok fine but what about "Roebees" or socks??

 Item 2:

Cameron's class picture...NO SHOES...and my kid got put in the background, I guess first of all because he was wearing shoes (Notice the 3 kids with shoes were banned to the back row), and because he wasn't wearing a "jon-jon" outfit of whatever they're called. Will we ever fit in here??? In a way, I hope not!