Life's Questions

One of my favorite benefits of homeschooling is that B is able to ask all the questions he wants as he thinks of them. We've had a lot of rain and sunshine come and go throughout recent days and I told B to look out for rainbows. He asked, "Why do rainbows appear? I mean, I know HOW they happen; but WHY do they show up?" That was a great question that led to a science discussion as well as a Biblical one (God's promise to Noah).

Divorce is becoming more prevalent in B's life because of friends and family. A couple of weeks ago he asked the hubs if we were going to break up. Breaks my heart he is aware of the issue and worries about it, but thankful he comes to us with his questions and concerns, instead of continuing to worry about it.

I was watching the show "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" the other day. Josh and Brett were in NC on business and Josh wanted to stop and see Brett's family. Brett said no b/c his family does not accept Josh. B and I had a discussion on why Brett's family would not be happy for Brett and why they do not accept Brett for who he is nor Josh. That night was the hubs' turn to put down B and evidently B brought the subject up again with the hubs. My son mulls things over for a while and then comes back with more questions. Once again, so blessed that B feels comfortable talking to both of us and that both of us are made aware of what issues the other is talking about with him.

I teach 2nd grade Sunday school at my church once a month. My students informed me recently that they are taught cursive in 2nd grade. Ooops, haven't been teaching that at home. Oh, well, something to add to the list.

B's asthma flared up in February and he had to be put back on a sterroid daily. >:o( I have not given him sterroids in a couple of years b/c he had some roid rages when he was younger and attacked me. My only complaint with the insurance plan we've had for the last 7 yrs has been that B's primary physician does not believe roid rages even exist, in anyone. So he would not offer me any alternatives to a sterroid. This time I sent the hubs with B to the doctor when he got sick. Although the doc still held the position regarding roid rages, he did offer a different sterroid and a lower dose. How come that option was never offered to me?!

Anywho, sterroids can make my already "sensitive" boy more "intense" emotionally. I.e., crying more often over little things, his Irish temper flares more frequently and he is frustrated more often. Two other side effects, though, is that he is eating more and he is cold all the time. The thing I love about kids, including mine, is that they are born with the instinct to eat only when their bodies' NEED food and they listen to their bodies when they are full. I wish I was still like that...Anywho...the sterroid "provides" extra, nervous energy and increases his appetite. Luckily, the 2 cancel each other out, so there is no weight gain; just strategizing on mom & dad's part to funnel the energy into things that don't annoy the heck out of us! ;o) He is old enough now that he is aware of what is going on in his body and is taking control of his reactions instead of just letting his body take over. It is amazing the maturity and changes in him this year!

B has been showering himself completely without any help from us (not even to adjust the water temp or dry off), he now does his own laundry and finally goes in the basement alone to play. He wants to take on so much and be more independent that we are ready for. I came downstairs to find him heating something up in the microwave one day. Although he was smart enough not to overcook it (he only put it on for 9 seconds), he needs to ask me 1st, so I can tell him what to do and watch a time or 2 to make sure he's got it. He also pulled a santoku knife out of my knife block last week b/c he wanted to cut up some fruit for himself. It's hard for the hubs and I to switch gears so fast with B's new independence.

We had a Couples' Pampered Chef party last month. We did not have a big turnout, but I completely get that. If you are going to hire a babysitter to go out, chances are you want to be alone with your spouse. But I have a small house and an even smaller kitchen, so the turn out we had allowed all the husbands to participate in the cooking with the PC consultant. Us wives just sat back, learned all about the new tools and went through the new cookbooks. :o) We had such a great time together, we're entertaining the idea of a cooking club. Not a dinner club, where each family is responsible for a course, but a cooking club, where we all bring the ingredients for an assigned course and cook it together. It would be nice to start something like that with the warmer weather here. We'll see what happens!