The World is a Classroom!

 As a homeschooling family, we have learned to use everything as a teachable moment. There have been days we have done a full day of school without my boys even realizing it. When I would take them to the zoo, we would bring a chart with us that we had made at home. We would graph how many of the animals had four legs, how many had two, how many had wings, and how many had fur. We would compare their natural habitats. We would discuss which animals were our favorite and why. The next day we would draw pictures and write about our favorite part of our day at the zoo.  One made the comment one day, “Mom, we didn’t do school yesterday.” Then I pointed out all of the things we had learned.  I took them again and they were in the middle school years. Their first question to me was “Why didn’t we make a chart?” I always carry a notebook with me so we each made a chart of something we wanted to compare.  I was surprised that as old as they were, they still wanted to do that. That was a fun memory for them that they wanted to recreate.

When we have gone on vacation, we try to hit some educational places, not letting them know that they are actually doing school. If they knew that, they probably would not enjoy it as much.  We have gone to museums and toured coal mines. He have gone to the ocean. Something always intrigues us enough to google more information on it.   The world is a classroom!

I was pleased to find out that some of our activities can count as speech or drama hours in high school if there are a certain number of hours spent doing it.  Every year my boys have participated in speaking parts in the Last Days of Jesus pageant that our little town performs. My boys have played various roles and have been in it since they were able to walk. The last few years they have both been the thieves on the cross. My youngest has his whole Last Days acting career planned out stating that when he is done being the thief, he will play the role of Peter and then will play the role of Jesus. My son helped one of the actors who played Jesus in the past with his lines so already has an advantage.

Another activity we are involved in is civil war re-enacting. Yes, we are nerds like that, but you know, my kids have learned so much history doing that! Our specific unit has been a ministry geared towards youth. Last year we had 35 people in our unit; only about 10 of them were adults. We join 400 to 600 other re-enactors to perform battles for the public and then stay in character as people wander through our camps to hear about the history of that war. The kids in our unit learn discipline as they are in charge of certain tasks. They are each in charge of cleaning their own guns after a battle. They chop wood, start the fire, do their own dishes. They learn manners and etiquette such as standing when a lady walks into camp and learning how to properly escort a young lady to the ball. We usually get up to the site on Friday night and they are in charge of setting up all the tents and getting a fire pit dug and hauling water. For the next two to three days, they are living in the 1860s. We usually come home on Mondays after they have torn all the tents down and repacked the trailer. Going up, the van full of kids are usually pretty noisy and rambunctious. Coming back is much more subdued…and stinky. 

Build memories with you children! Make school fun! Find out what they want to learn about and then have a blast studying with them!

God's Amazing Creatures

God's creatures are amazing to me...except when you find a bat in the sink or a mouse in the washing machine.  Yes, these have both happened to me personally. Years ago, I worked in Rapid City, South Dakota for a psychiatrist. The offices were set up in an old, two story, brick house. Since I was the receptionist, I was usually the first one to open up in the morning. My first duty was to make coffee in the break room.  I put a new filter in and filled it with grounds.   I took the pot over to the sink and went to turn on the water when I realized someone had left the filter and coffee grounds from the day before in the drain. A bit disgusted, I started to reach down to grab it but leaped backwards when I saw a tiny claw emerge from the drain next to what I thought was the filter. In fact, it was a bat and I was not a happy camper!  Thank goodness, one of the doctors came in immediately after the incident and asked if I was okay. I pointed to the sink, still trying to get my heebie jeebies under control. He approached the sink and I loudly informed him that there was a bat. He said, "There is no bat in the....there's a bat in the sink!" He quickly found a towel and covered it then placed a large jar over it. We called animal control because who else would you call? They politely informed us that they did not handle bats. After a brief go around and losing that battle our only option was to take it outside ourselves.  I say 'our' to make me sound brave, but I actually had nothing to do with that part AT ALL. No thank you!

As far as the mouse? We live in the country, so mice are a common occurrence. However, mice in my washing machine are NOT a common occurrence.   I was doing my laundry one day and had emptied the dryer. As I was loading the clothes from the washer into the dryer, I realized that there was a clump of nylons left in the bottom of the washer. The only reason I stopped before grabbing it was because it dawned on me that I rarely wear nylons. Why would there be a pair in the laundry? I was not that far behind on my chores.  Upon closer inspection, I realized that the nylons had a tail...and a little pointy nose!  A mouse! Now it was not the fact that I had a mouse in my midst that freaked me right out but rather the fact that the ONLY way that mouse could have gotten into my washing machine was by ME putting it there.   Heebie jeebies all over again!  By the grace of God that thing did not wiggle its way through the dry clothes, up my arm and down my back. If that had been the case, I would have to be severely medicated in order to sleep at night!

So yes, God's creatures are amazing, in their own little communities and not invading my territory.   I wish that were possible sometimes. Beware of bats and mice!

The Empty Kennel

This is a bit of a sad post, but I captured a moment and seen something that I had never witnessed before.  We love animals and there is not a doubt that I get attached to them. However, I also understand that they are animals and their lifespan can be quite short, especially depending on where you live.

We live out in the country and our animals are blessed to have three acres to call their own. But there is always the one who is not satisfied with anything at all that resembles a boundary. That would be our Benji, a high-strung poodle terrier.  He entered our home and turned it upside down with his shenanigans. He discovered two new friends, Kiko (chihuahua terrier) and Royal (boxer) and he brought life into those two dogs like I had never seen before.

Royal would stand by the couch and Benji would jump on his back and onto the couch again, back and forth until the fight was on. Those dogs would chase each other around the house and wrestle on the floor til they were out of breath. Benji was like a ninja, gaining so much speed he was able to run on the back of the couch parallel to the wall! When he needed a breather, he would hide under the rocking chair, smart enough to know that Royal couldn’t reach him and there was not enough room for Kiko to invade. Just as Royal would turn his back, Benji would dart out, bite Royal’s ankle and run again. They entertained us for hours!

We have a large,  fenced in backyard in which the dogs could exercise their freedom. I know Benji looked at the fence and thought, “Fence…boundary? I will not have it! Challenge? Oh yeah!” He was wiry enough that he could wiggle himself through the square openings in the fence.  The world became his playground. We would open the door and call his name and you never knew from which direction you would see the bouncy mop coming.

One day, we called his name and he didn’t come.  We figured he was in the pasture exploring and gave him some time. We called again and no Benji.  My husband got worried and went to look for him. He opened the front door moments later and quietly said, “Have the boys get a shovel and come help me.”  We live in the country but at the bottom of our hill is an old highway. He had ventured too far and got hit by a car. I was a bit upset that the person didn’t stop. There was only one of four houses to which the pup could belong. 

My husband had laid Benji in the front yard. We all came out and had left the door open.  The other two dogs, who never come out the front door, cautiously approached the body. Kiko would sniff at his playmate and then turn towards us and whine and whimper, then go back and sniff again as if begging us to help his friend. Royal didn’t seem to have much emotion at first. We took the other dogs inside and the boys prepared a resting place for our once-feisty fellow.

We keep the dogs in their own kennels at night which sit in the kitchen. Kiko’s small one sets on the floor next to Royal’s large one. Benji’s kennel fit perfectly on top of Royal’s. I was doing dishes, still sad over the days events and glad I was in the house alone as tears kept filling my eyes, but I remained in control. That is, until I turned around and saw Royal resting his chin on top of his kennel, peering into Benji’s sleeping quarters. Then I lost it. I called Royal’s name, but he refused to move. He just stood there frozen, sniffing, and trying to process where his buddy was.  

Kiko has tried to fill the gap and get Royal to play but to no avail. It breaks my heart but it showed me that animals also have a mourning process and thoughts that consume their minds.  Go give your animals a big hug and love on them!

Kids

"Let's adopt!" my sweet husband exclaims one day.

"Are you afraid to be alone with me?" I ask.

"Well then, how about goats, what do ya say?"

"Not much difference. Are you up for the task?"

More truth in my words than I really knew

and I realized there's a reason they're called kids.

Not sure if they're hungry? They'll give you a clue. 

Cries and screams force you to answer their bids.

Up early morning, playing late at night, 

romping, exploring, escaping and such. 

Kicking and biting and trying to fight, 

but when they are sleeping, I love them so much!

And then they grow up and settle right down.

The time flies by and your heart starts to sink.

He says, "It's kinda fun having them around." 

"Do you want to adopt?" I ask with a wink.