Everything's A Homeschool Lesson

If you've ever been a homeschool mom, or if you've ever talked to one, you might have realized that anything and everything can be turned into a lesson. A burnt out light bulb takes on whole new meaning as the homeschooled kids need to use their deductive reasoning skills to determine where an extra lightbulb might be stored in the house. This exercise would be followed by a trip to the library in order to research the history of the lightbulb, followed by a brief stop at Walmart where you pick up lightbulbs and some craft items in order to do a science project/display using the facts the kids gleaned at the library. A short math lesson as you make change at the register, and then you're done for the day.

That would be some homeschool moms. I don't usually fall into that category. Although I try to find the lessons in life to share with my children, for the most part I stick with the curriculum. However, recently the boys got an unexpected biology lesson from life.

Our kittens, Drizzle and Dex, have turned six months old. It was time to get them spayed and neutered, respectively, and I had Joel and Paul go with me to help take them to the vet. The vet assistant was giving the cats an initial exam, and she decided to start with taking their temperature. In went the thermometer, Drizzle's eyes bulged, and she nearly took a dive off the examining table. I grabbed her and held her down, but apparently just a near proximity to the invasion of privacy made Dex nervous. His eyes bulged too, and he also tried to dive off the table.

"Hold her, Joel," I ordered. When he didn't move, I glanced over and saw him staring in horror at the thermometer sticking out of Drizzle.

"Paul, can you get Dex?" But when I turned to him, his eyes were also bulging at the sight before him.

I think it took the boys longer to recuperate than it did the cats. It didn't help when I informed them later that doctors used to take babies' temperatures the same way. Once again their eyes bulged and they stared at me in horror. "Mom, you didn't ever--"

I assured them that rectal temperatures were old school. Doctors now take temperatures with a scan across the forehead or in the ear.

"In my ear?" I could read Joel's expression. He was envisioning sticking a regular thermometer all the way into the ear. So then I went into an explanation of the thermometer used to take temperatures through the ear. Hey, look at me! I'm a homeschool mom! Whaddya know.

I found it a little harder to explain why Drizzle's surgery required staples and Dex's didn't. Back to the curriculum, I guess.

Ode to Darva

 We've had a death in the family this week. Her slide downhill was long and lingering, but then her demise was so quick at the end that I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. And I'm in mourning.

This is Darva. Yes, I name my plants. But lest you think I'm some crazy plant lady, let me assure you that I do not consider my plants to be human. I'm not someone who is one with mother earth.

On the contrary, I have a very black thumb when it comes to growing things. (Fortunately, the thumb hasn't mattered yet when it comes to growing children.) I love the look of indoor plants, but I don't do very well at keeping them alive. I forget to water them. I don't trim them when needed. I have no idea what to do with them when they outgrow whatever pot they call home.

So a year or so ago, when Sam's Club had an incredible deal, I bought some indoor plants. Big indoor plants. Hardy indoor plants. That last was especially important. And then, because I made the investment in them, I felt the need to take their care seriously. So I named my plants. It's harder to forget to water a plant that has a name. Much to my delight, Darva and Reamie seemed to thrive under my less than expert care.

And then we got the kittens. Dex and Drizzle are very sweet kittens. Sweet, energetic kittens. And they especially loved Darva. Unfortunately, Darva does not play well with others. Dex and Drizzle took turns jumping at her and pulling down her branches, one by one. Nothing seemed to work in keeping the kitties off the poor plant. Darva lost her beautiful leaves, one at a time until she had nothing but one slim green stalk sticking up from the pot.

Still I had hope. Green means life, right? It was possible for Darva to come back. At least, it was possible until Saturday when I looked in the corner and saw that Darva was gone. Pot and all she had disappeared. I frantically questioned the boys until they admitted that they'd seen Darva in the garbage can.

I was heartbroken. I never even got to say goodbye. I was also not happy with my husband, who had pronounced Darva dead and gotten rid of her without even the dignity of a decent send off. Or at least a check of her pulse. I considered tossing something of his, so that he knows how it feels. But I don't think our marriage would survive if I threw out one of his deer mounts.

So now I'm debating what to put in the corner to replace Darva. Should I go with some corner piece of furniture (there are two windows in the corner, which is why Darva thrived so well.) Or should I try another plant and hope Dex and Drizzle will learn how to behave?

It might help your decision to know that they've now turned their attention to the fake plant I have in the living room. Poor Bob already has some broken branches. We turned them to the corner to hide them, but I'm afraid it's only a matter of time.

Frantically Scrambling

Hello, blogging friends. and Blog-reading friends. And friends that just happen to be web surfing. And ... Well, whoever you are, hello.

Have you missed me?

I have all kinds of wonderfully different reasons why I have only posted once in the last seven days. Would you like to hear them? Of course you would.

1. I had nothing to say. (Sorry, I couldn't even write that with a straight face. And I know you won't be able to read it without laughing!)

2. My left index finger fell off and I couldn't type the letters, g, r, t, f, v, or b. By the time I composed a post that contained none of those letters, I got my replacement finger in the mail.

3. We had two plunger incidents at the house this past week. Need I say more?

4. I ate Oscar Mayer beef hot dogs for the first time, and I've been composing a poem in their honor. I'm almost done.

5. I have a tree in my backyard.

6. I have seven males in my house. Need I say more?

7. I've been focusing on cowboy stuff for our VBS, and cowboys don't use computers.

8. It took me three days to get pictures of my kittens to show you. Seriously. It did take three days. Those things are never still unless they're sleeping. And usually if they're sleeping, I'm sleeping too.

Aren't they just too cute for words? 

And they pose. The white one is a male and we named him Ronon Dex, after a character on Stargate Atlantis. The calico has a brown streak that looks like it's drizzled all over her, so we named her Mocha Drizzle. So we have Dex and Drizzle.

Drizzle tends to be a bit of a camera hog.

And Dex was really too tired to pose properly.

Okay, enough pictures. One more and I would have to rename this blog Crazy Cat Lady, and that's just a sad thought. 

Back to my reasons for not blogging:

9. Lid, from 2nd Cup of Coffee has suspended Random Dozen for the month of June. Not only am I devastated, but now I have to think up my own topics for blog posts on Wednesdays. I'm not sure I can handle the pressure.

10. I have seven males in my house. Did I mention that? They're time consuming, and none of them can find anything without help. Even if it's right in front of them.

I know most of you probably didn't even realize I was gone, but humor me and pretend you did. My ego is fragile.

How has your week gone?

Whoops!

I fell off the blogosphere, but it's okay. I'm up!

Indiana had a doctor's appointment the day before yesterday. He's now cleared to drive and he can take off his collar.

Of course, he's been driving for almost a week, and the collar is already off more than it's on. He rejoiced to have his freedom back, although I pointed out he's been taking that freedom already. But now it's freedom with the doctor's permission.

The doctor is stunned at how quickly Terry's recovering. The nurse also said it was amazing how well he was doing after only four weeks. I am not amazed at all because I know my Indiana.

In truth, I also know we serve an amazing God. And I thank Him for healing my husband so quickly.

We also added to the family yesterday. We got two new kittens. They were strays found by a friend of mine. They are so tiny and so cute. I would love to show pictures, but ever since I brought them home they have been hiding under my bed. There are so many shoes under there, it's hard to find the cats. But hopefully I will post pictures on Monday.

Have a great weekend!