Wishing You a Good School Transition

As a stay-at-home homeschooling mother, I take my quiet time, or my super-productive time, when I can get it. There's always more than enough to do, so a break from the children and the noise is usually a working break, rarely a true do-nothing break. Sometimes having any break means staying home from things like the church picnic on a hot and humid day, so the whole house can get cleaned in one full swoop, or the homeschooling schedule can be designed or tweaked.

So last Sunday, I stayed home with one child while the rest of the family went to the church picnic. Maybe you know that moms and dads don't always agree on safety rules? Well, that includes climbing trees around here. I think without a spotter, and without sticking to lower branches, it's just too dangerous. Husband feels otherwise because as a child he climbed trees plenty and never fell.

One of my children decided I needed a ride in an ambulance to make my mothering life complete. I can't give details because said child thinks accidents are embarrassing, but suffice it to say we have a little more stress on our hands now. After many, many tests, the child is mostly but not totally out of the woods after a concussion and an overnight hospital stay. We go back in two weeks to hopefully lose the neck brace and on that note if you say a quick prayer I would appreciate it.

Hopefully you don't disappear for good, because I really like you guys. Have a good transition back to school! 

Mom's Boys: A List

You know you're raising boys when...

... you wake up to find a monarch caterpillar in your face, because your son went outside for just a second to check on his garden, and just had to show you the first monarch caterpillar of the season. They're awfully pretty, yes, but my face. I just can't take creepy crawlies in my face, no matter how vivid the colors. God did choose beautiful, vivid colors for so many creepy crawlies, I freely admit.

...your nerves are rattled by your son's baby corn snake that keeps getting out of the tank. It was last found in Daddy's sock draw, and you wonder how your nerves will handle it when it's up to five- or six-feet long and still getting away. He's okay looking now, but oh my, he's getting fatter and longer fast. And those frozen pinky mice will soon be real live furry mice and oh my, why did I ever say yes?

...your son, anxious to make his own money, thinks of breeding feed crickets one year, and snakes the next. That's right mom. Keep saying no and reminding him that he can work in a pet store the day he turns 16, and in the meantime he can mow lawns.

...you hear one of your boys exclaiming over an interesting-looking beetle he brought inside to show off. While you put on your make-up, you listen with mild amusement, until you catch a glimpse of it, and say..."Could that be a June beetle!?" The thought of it getting away from the kids and buzzing by your head as you read by the lamp at night, sends shudders down your spine, so you tell them to take it outside ASAP, because the buzz of June beetles has always given you the creepiest creeps.

...your kitchen counter regularly displays two or three small bug containers, one of which, today, has a loose lid that you notice at night when you finally have time to clear off the cluttered counter. Is that how the tiny inch worm got into the pan that is drying on the counter? All boys being asleep, you sigh deeply and put the pan outside the front door to be dealt with in the morning.

...your two boys and your husband go to the park in the late, humid, hot afternoon, returning right at dinnertime. After you're all seated together at the table, your five-year-old daughter suddenly says, "What's that smell?" To which you reply with a twinkle and a wink, "boys in summertime."

...your boy gets out of the shower and you walk by and shout..."Did you wash your...?" And he says oh and has to get right back in.

Don't get me wrong, I couldn't do without these boys and I'm so proud of them!

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