Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!
WooHoo! Here comes Thanksgiving! The air is cooler where we live and I am looking forward to this holiday more than I ever have before!
We will gather at my in-laws' home this year since my mother-in-law has Alzheimer's disease and holiday gatherings are a little less confusing for her when her surroundings are familiar. The in-laws' live about 75 miles from us so my sister-in-law and I prepare as much of the food as possible ahead of time. I am always looking for recipes that hold up well even if they are prepared ahead of time and travel well.
This year, I tried a recipe for mashed potatoes that are prepared and cooked in a slow cooker. I know...the humble mashed potatoes. But this recipe for mashed potatoes (while sinfully rich) are absolutely heavenly!! I made a big batch and put some leftover mashed potatoes in smaller serving containers to put away in the freezer for future meals. I decided to share the recipe with anyone that might want to try a little different spin on this comfort food. So here it is:
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs of potatoes (red or Yukon cut into chunks work well)
1 T minced garlic (optional)
3 cubes of chicken bouillon
8oz sour cream (reduced or fat free can be substituted)
8 oz cream cheese (reduced or fat free can be substituted)
1/2 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
Transfer the potato mixture to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. 8 servings
I have used one of the portions that I had in the freezer last night and I have to say that it was just as delicious as ever!
Drew has been busy with Thanksgiving preparations too. This pie looks better than any apple pie I ever made and thanks to the "pie instructor", this pie will taste better than any apple pie I've ever tasted!! Pastry chef in the making! His instructor is Geoff who was a pastry chef! Kudos to Geoff for being so patient! Drew very proudly showed me the wheat sheaf decoration on the pie crust.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mai
We will gather at my in-laws' home this year since my mother-in-law has Alzheimer's disease and holiday gatherings are a little less confusing for her when her surroundings are familiar. The in-laws' live about 75 miles from us so my sister-in-law and I prepare as much of the food as possible ahead of time. I am always looking for recipes that hold up well even if they are prepared ahead of time and travel well.
This year, I tried a recipe for mashed potatoes that are prepared and cooked in a slow cooker. I know...the humble mashed potatoes. But this recipe for mashed potatoes (while sinfully rich) are absolutely heavenly!! I made a big batch and put some leftover mashed potatoes in smaller serving containers to put away in the freezer for future meals. I decided to share the recipe with anyone that might want to try a little different spin on this comfort food. So here it is:
Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
5 lbs of potatoes (red or Yukon cut into chunks work well)
1 T minced garlic (optional)
3 cubes of chicken bouillon
8oz sour cream (reduced or fat free can be substituted)
8 oz cream cheese (reduced or fat free can be substituted)
1/2 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes, garlic, and bouillon until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving water. In a bowl, mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved water as needed to attain desired consistency.
Transfer the potato mixture to a slow cooker, cover, and cook on Low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. 8 servings
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| Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes |
I have used one of the portions that I had in the freezer last night and I have to say that it was just as delicious as ever!
Drew has been busy with Thanksgiving preparations too. This pie looks better than any apple pie I ever made and thanks to the "pie instructor", this pie will taste better than any apple pie I've ever tasted!! Pastry chef in the making! His instructor is Geoff who was a pastry chef! Kudos to Geoff for being so patient! Drew very proudly showed me the wheat sheaf decoration on the pie crust.
 | ||
| Finishing Touch to the Apple Pie |
Mai
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Big C Word
I have spent very little time writing lately because I had not been feeling very well. However, I am getting better everyday and wanted to share what I learned from my recent health experience.
As a post menopausal grandmother, I have enjoyed very good health with no major issues. I had gained some weight over the years (post menopausal curse!) and of course I felt those little aches and pains that seem to come after a day in the garden (my medicine cabinet is well stocked with Aleve and Tylenol for this reason).
I started feeling a little less energetic and had felt "bloated" from time to time. Nothing major. After Labor Day weekend, I leaned across my kitchen counter to reach for a flower vase on the window sill and felt something "not quite right" in the left side of my abdomen that was pressing against the counter. I felt a firm spot there and decided I better find out what it is even if I had no pain. Probably a fibroid? My appointment was set up for October 8.
By the third week in September, I had gained about 10 lbs and felt bloated most of the time but still did not have any pain. I took an antacid for the first time in my life to relieve the bloating! But other than clothes that were tighter, there was no major discomfort.
That all changed during the last weekend in September when I woke up on Sunday morning with a sharp pain in my lower right abdomen that would not go away. I thought that it might be an appendicitis attack and knew that ignoring this could be a terrible mistake. I went to a walk in clinic and was sent for a CT scan right away.
The good news was that I was not having an appendicitis attack. The bad news was that I had a large tumor that seemed to have wrapped itself around my right ovary. This tumor was pushing everything else in there over to the left which was the reason I felt something on my left side. I went to my OB GYN on Monday. It was confirmed that I needed to consider a total hysterectomy but I should see a specialist first and on Wednesday I had an appointment with an OB GYN Oncologist. The "oncologist" part had me a little anxious...
Surgery was scheduled for the following Wednesday. During the week between my appointment with the OB GYN Oncologist and the surgery date I had gained another 10 lbs although I had been unable to eat very much. I never thought I would look forward to surgery but at this point, I was counting down the hours to get this tumor out before it crushed me from the inside out!
I had a total abdominal hysterectomy that went very well. I think what made me feel the worst was knowing that while I was in recovery, my husband and daughter had to hear my surgeon tell them that while the surgery went extremely well, they found ovarian cancer in my right ovary. The big "C" word. The good news is that it was contained. Of course, everything else that was removed was sent off for complete pathological tests No cancer was found. I was officially in remission and would not even need chemo therapy.
I felt that I needed to share this because I believe this experience was a message to me that I have things to do yet.
One of them is to help spread the word that ovarian cancer symptoms are so very subtle. By the time most women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it has usually gone beyond stage 1A. Very few women that are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are fortunate enough to get a good prognosis...I was one of the very lucky ones. I believe that it is only through God's grace that I was diagnosed and my treatment resulted in such a good prognosis.
There are no diagnostic methods available that are accurate and pap smears do not detect it. Symptoms are very vague and subtle. Please take some time to go to the following link and learn about ovarian cancer. Another organization with lots of information is the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Please tell your daughters, mothers, girlfriends and all the other women in your lives!
May we all have many more years of being with our families (especially those grandchildren)!
Sláinte! (Health!)
Mai
This post has been linked to the Grand Social linky on Grandma's Briefs.
As a post menopausal grandmother, I have enjoyed very good health with no major issues. I had gained some weight over the years (post menopausal curse!) and of course I felt those little aches and pains that seem to come after a day in the garden (my medicine cabinet is well stocked with Aleve and Tylenol for this reason).
I started feeling a little less energetic and had felt "bloated" from time to time. Nothing major. After Labor Day weekend, I leaned across my kitchen counter to reach for a flower vase on the window sill and felt something "not quite right" in the left side of my abdomen that was pressing against the counter. I felt a firm spot there and decided I better find out what it is even if I had no pain. Probably a fibroid? My appointment was set up for October 8.
By the third week in September, I had gained about 10 lbs and felt bloated most of the time but still did not have any pain. I took an antacid for the first time in my life to relieve the bloating! But other than clothes that were tighter, there was no major discomfort.
That all changed during the last weekend in September when I woke up on Sunday morning with a sharp pain in my lower right abdomen that would not go away. I thought that it might be an appendicitis attack and knew that ignoring this could be a terrible mistake. I went to a walk in clinic and was sent for a CT scan right away.
The good news was that I was not having an appendicitis attack. The bad news was that I had a large tumor that seemed to have wrapped itself around my right ovary. This tumor was pushing everything else in there over to the left which was the reason I felt something on my left side. I went to my OB GYN on Monday. It was confirmed that I needed to consider a total hysterectomy but I should see a specialist first and on Wednesday I had an appointment with an OB GYN Oncologist. The "oncologist" part had me a little anxious...
Surgery was scheduled for the following Wednesday. During the week between my appointment with the OB GYN Oncologist and the surgery date I had gained another 10 lbs although I had been unable to eat very much. I never thought I would look forward to surgery but at this point, I was counting down the hours to get this tumor out before it crushed me from the inside out!
I had a total abdominal hysterectomy that went very well. I think what made me feel the worst was knowing that while I was in recovery, my husband and daughter had to hear my surgeon tell them that while the surgery went extremely well, they found ovarian cancer in my right ovary. The big "C" word. The good news is that it was contained. Of course, everything else that was removed was sent off for complete pathological tests No cancer was found. I was officially in remission and would not even need chemo therapy.
I felt that I needed to share this because I believe this experience was a message to me that I have things to do yet.
One of them is to help spread the word that ovarian cancer symptoms are so very subtle. By the time most women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, it has usually gone beyond stage 1A. Very few women that are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are fortunate enough to get a good prognosis...I was one of the very lucky ones. I believe that it is only through God's grace that I was diagnosed and my treatment resulted in such a good prognosis.
There are no diagnostic methods available that are accurate and pap smears do not detect it. Symptoms are very vague and subtle. Please take some time to go to the following link and learn about ovarian cancer. Another organization with lots of information is the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Please tell your daughters, mothers, girlfriends and all the other women in your lives!
May we all have many more years of being with our families (especially those grandchildren)!
Sláinte! (Health!)
Mai
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| Ovarian Cancer Awareness Ribbon |
This post has been linked to the Grand Social linky on Grandma's Briefs.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Master Pumpkin Carver
I have still been a little under the weather and haven't had much energy for much of anything but I wanted to share this picture of my Master Pumpkin Carver.
His Scout pack had a pumpkin carving tonight and he got 4th place! I can't wait to see him in his costume this weekend!
Mai
Mai
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The Cub Scout
It's been a while since I've posted! I am still a bit under the weather but I am recuperating and hopefully I will feel up to writing about this adventure soon.
Meantime, I thought I would share some photos of our new Cub Scout!
I have to admit that Drew wasn't terribly enthusiastic about joining Cub Scouts. He was very indifferent to the idea but this was because he had no idea about what Cub Scouts was about. The only thing he knew about the Cub Scouts was that they served hot dogs at his school's Family Hot Dog Lunch day which he thought was neat. This was a good sign since he does really like to be at the active end of events.
So, I took him to an open house held by the local Scout Pack. He was so ready to join by the end of the evening!
The first weekend in October was the Pack overnight family camp. My daughter is in a relationship with a terrific guy that volunteered to take Drew on this camp out and they both had a blast!
Of course, that night was the coldest night of the season with temperatures dipping to freezing with a little sleet and snow. But they went well prepared and they played, hiked, ate by campfire and slept in a tent.
He has been studying his Scout Handbook and is eager to earn his Bobcat Badge. He's excited about being a Cub Scout and we are all pleased that he is now participating in an activity that teaches values in addition to having fun. Who knows! Maybe we will have an Eagle Scout in our family someday!
Mai
Meantime, I thought I would share some photos of our new Cub Scout!
I have to admit that Drew wasn't terribly enthusiastic about joining Cub Scouts. He was very indifferent to the idea but this was because he had no idea about what Cub Scouts was about. The only thing he knew about the Cub Scouts was that they served hot dogs at his school's Family Hot Dog Lunch day which he thought was neat. This was a good sign since he does really like to be at the active end of events.
So, I took him to an open house held by the local Scout Pack. He was so ready to join by the end of the evening!
The first weekend in October was the Pack overnight family camp. My daughter is in a relationship with a terrific guy that volunteered to take Drew on this camp out and they both had a blast!
Of course, that night was the coldest night of the season with temperatures dipping to freezing with a little sleet and snow. But they went well prepared and they played, hiked, ate by campfire and slept in a tent.
He has been studying his Scout Handbook and is eager to earn his Bobcat Badge. He's excited about being a Cub Scout and we are all pleased that he is now participating in an activity that teaches values in addition to having fun. Who knows! Maybe we will have an Eagle Scout in our family someday!
Mai
Monday, October 1, 2012
Drew's POV on Fall
I have been a little under weather lately and haven't gotten around to doing much of anything but I sent Drew off with the camera for his point of view on fall. I really enjoy seeing his POV with a camera. Hope you will enjoy them too!
Mai
Mai
Friday, September 21, 2012
Name That Candy Bar!
I had so much fun taking this quiz that I wanted to be sure to share it! This quiz was on Grandparents.com and it is a quiz to see how well you identify candy bars.
I went through the quiz and got 9 out of 10 correct! I think that score was a dead giveaway that I am a chocoholic. Actually, any sweets are a weakness for me. Heaven help me if I ever become a diabetic!
I do practice moderation though...but I do tend to binge on occasion...like when someone gives me a box of dark chocolate covered cherries and I eat ALL of them in one sitting. There's only 10 little pieces in those boxes, aren't there? Okay, I am ashamed....
I called Drew over to my side and asked him if he wanted to take the quiz. "Sure!" he said with an air of confidence. I GAVE him the first 2 answers! Then, he was on his own. He ended up with 4 out of ten correct and I lean towards the other 2 answers he got correct were lucky guesses because he made all his selections with a question when he took the quiz (Butterfinger? Snickers?). If it were not a multiple choice quiz, I don't think he would have been able to even come up with the names of any of the candy bars.
This is a good thing! Good for him! I feel that the times that I would "sneak" a piece of candy or chocolate behind my office door so he wouldn't see me eating candy is paying off. Ouch! My halo is on too tight again.
Hope you enjoy the candy bar quiz !!
Mai
I went through the quiz and got 9 out of 10 correct! I think that score was a dead giveaway that I am a chocoholic. Actually, any sweets are a weakness for me. Heaven help me if I ever become a diabetic!
I do practice moderation though...but I do tend to binge on occasion...like when someone gives me a box of dark chocolate covered cherries and I eat ALL of them in one sitting. There's only 10 little pieces in those boxes, aren't there? Okay, I am ashamed....
I called Drew over to my side and asked him if he wanted to take the quiz. "Sure!" he said with an air of confidence. I GAVE him the first 2 answers! Then, he was on his own. He ended up with 4 out of ten correct and I lean towards the other 2 answers he got correct were lucky guesses because he made all his selections with a question when he took the quiz (Butterfinger? Snickers?). If it were not a multiple choice quiz, I don't think he would have been able to even come up with the names of any of the candy bars.
This is a good thing! Good for him! I feel that the times that I would "sneak" a piece of candy or chocolate behind my office door so he wouldn't see me eating candy is paying off. Ouch! My halo is on too tight again.
Hope you enjoy the candy bar quiz !!
Mai
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Food Rules
I like to try to read our local newspaper online as often as possible. Maybe I don't particularly enjoy reading the news for the same reason I don't like watching the news on TV...not enough good news. Sigh.
However, I went to the Milwaukee Journal online tonight and read a very interesting story from Mukwonago about some students that boycotted the school lunches to voice their objections to the new federal school lunch rules. In case you are interested, here's the link to the story.
I am aware that this is not the first time the federal government has set rules and guidelines for school lunch programs. Personally, I think that ketchup should never have been considered a serving of vegetable ( I believe this was the case quite a number of years ago). So some good can come from guidelines. But shouldn't common sense have told us that ketchup doesn't count as a serving of vegetables?
So, it seems that the school lunch program has to consist of healthier food choices, a lot less fat and "age aligned calorie intake". Wait a minute. Age aligned calorie intake? Seriously? For some reason, a scene from Oliver Twist flashed through my mind where Oliver Twist, with an empty bowl in his hands, asks for more food. Okay, it's not that drastic but my mind seems to work in mysterious ways sometimes.
Drew is not a large kid. However, there are kids his age that are larger than him. And I don't mean larger than him because of obesity...there are kids that are bigger than him! We all know how kids seem to grow in spurts (and sometimes sputters). Therefore, it's not uncommon to see a fourth grader that is bigger than a sixth grader. So how will this "alignment of calories" work for them? Drew's school also sent notices home that said every child taking a school lunch will need to take 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/4 cup of fruit. The notice also said that the children are not required to eat the veggies and fruit but they must take them. I don't know if this is required in all schools but I can't help but wonder how much is going to the trash containers. Drew is pretty good about eating a variety of food but I know kids that flatly refuse to even have vegetables or fruits on their plate (yep! Some of them are relatives!).
I may seem naive about this. In the end, I think that the new guidelines are really well intended but I think that good nutrition really needs to start at home. Maybe more PE time would have been a better solution? I packed a lunch for Drew tonight. I hope it passes muster! ;-)
Mai
However, I went to the Milwaukee Journal online tonight and read a very interesting story from Mukwonago about some students that boycotted the school lunches to voice their objections to the new federal school lunch rules. In case you are interested, here's the link to the story.
I am aware that this is not the first time the federal government has set rules and guidelines for school lunch programs. Personally, I think that ketchup should never have been considered a serving of vegetable ( I believe this was the case quite a number of years ago). So some good can come from guidelines. But shouldn't common sense have told us that ketchup doesn't count as a serving of vegetables?
So, it seems that the school lunch program has to consist of healthier food choices, a lot less fat and "age aligned calorie intake". Wait a minute. Age aligned calorie intake? Seriously? For some reason, a scene from Oliver Twist flashed through my mind where Oliver Twist, with an empty bowl in his hands, asks for more food. Okay, it's not that drastic but my mind seems to work in mysterious ways sometimes.
Drew is not a large kid. However, there are kids his age that are larger than him. And I don't mean larger than him because of obesity...there are kids that are bigger than him! We all know how kids seem to grow in spurts (and sometimes sputters). Therefore, it's not uncommon to see a fourth grader that is bigger than a sixth grader. So how will this "alignment of calories" work for them? Drew's school also sent notices home that said every child taking a school lunch will need to take 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/4 cup of fruit. The notice also said that the children are not required to eat the veggies and fruit but they must take them. I don't know if this is required in all schools but I can't help but wonder how much is going to the trash containers. Drew is pretty good about eating a variety of food but I know kids that flatly refuse to even have vegetables or fruits on their plate (yep! Some of them are relatives!).
I may seem naive about this. In the end, I think that the new guidelines are really well intended but I think that good nutrition really needs to start at home. Maybe more PE time would have been a better solution? I packed a lunch for Drew tonight. I hope it passes muster! ;-)
Mai
Friday, September 14, 2012
Math and Mai
My daughter has taken some vacation time this week. Therefore, I am on "vacation" from caring for Drew after school. I guess this is a good thing since it gives me the chance to cross off a few things from my "things to do list". It's amazing how many other "must deal with this right now" things crop up when I am trying to tackle the regular "things to do" list. I feel like I have spent a lot of time doing a lot of things that my Mother would term "busy for nothing".
One of the things I still hope to spend some time doing this week is learning "new math". Has anyone else noticed the difference in how math is taught today? Or is it just me?
Making sure that Drew gets his homework done is a caretaker's duty I take very seriously. There are times that his math homework really stumps me though. Math has never been a strong point for me. But elementary math is not a problem. That is, until Drew started bringing home math homework. There are a few times that I have looked at his math homework sheet and had no idea what he was supposed to do. Thank goodness that he knew exactly what he was supposed to do.
Drew and I would spend a little time everyday doing "homework" during his summer break. I noticed that he struggled with some simple addition and subtraction. He clearly understood the concept of addition and subtraction. He just seemed to have a problem putting the concept into action to solve the problem. So, I carefully explained the role of the "tens " and the "ones". I even brought out the old flash cards. He did so-so to okay after this.
After a little investigating, I found out that his class uses something called a number grid for mathematics. A number grid?! What is a number grid?! Quick search and I find this:
I printed one of these and had Drew practice some math problems the next day. Zip! He's finished and all the answers are correct. I also learned about something called a "number line".
I am open to new teaching concepts. I must admit that I don't always agree with all the concepts. My worry is that I could end up totally confusing my grandson when I, out of total ignorance, am assuming that he is learning his lessons the same way that I learned my lessons.
So, I will insist that his teachers share their teaching methods and will persist in learning these new methods so I can help Drew if necessary. I have to confess that I feel ancient at times. I had a young kindergarten teacher look at me as though I were archaic when I asked her what "sight words" were. This was not a term that I knew from my time (a long, long time ago according to Drew and his kindergarten teacher!) ;-)
I should write a blog about the school I attended in my elementary years in the future. It might be a valuable history of ancient teaching methods! LOL!!!
Mai
One of the things I still hope to spend some time doing this week is learning "new math". Has anyone else noticed the difference in how math is taught today? Or is it just me?
Making sure that Drew gets his homework done is a caretaker's duty I take very seriously. There are times that his math homework really stumps me though. Math has never been a strong point for me. But elementary math is not a problem. That is, until Drew started bringing home math homework. There are a few times that I have looked at his math homework sheet and had no idea what he was supposed to do. Thank goodness that he knew exactly what he was supposed to do.
Drew and I would spend a little time everyday doing "homework" during his summer break. I noticed that he struggled with some simple addition and subtraction. He clearly understood the concept of addition and subtraction. He just seemed to have a problem putting the concept into action to solve the problem. So, I carefully explained the role of the "tens " and the "ones". I even brought out the old flash cards. He did so-so to okay after this.
After a little investigating, I found out that his class uses something called a number grid for mathematics. A number grid?! What is a number grid?! Quick search and I find this:
 |
| Number Grid |
I printed one of these and had Drew practice some math problems the next day. Zip! He's finished and all the answers are correct. I also learned about something called a "number line".
 |
| Number Line |
I am open to new teaching concepts. I must admit that I don't always agree with all the concepts. My worry is that I could end up totally confusing my grandson when I, out of total ignorance, am assuming that he is learning his lessons the same way that I learned my lessons.
So, I will insist that his teachers share their teaching methods and will persist in learning these new methods so I can help Drew if necessary. I have to confess that I feel ancient at times. I had a young kindergarten teacher look at me as though I were archaic when I asked her what "sight words" were. This was not a term that I knew from my time (a long, long time ago according to Drew and his kindergarten teacher!) ;-)
I should write a blog about the school I attended in my elementary years in the future. It might be a valuable history of ancient teaching methods! LOL!!!
Mai
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The Bittersweet Week
Labor Day weekend has ended and Tuesday rolled in on a bittersweet note for us.
Drew started his first day of the new school year as a second grader. He was so excited! We made sure everything was ready on Monday night. New backpack, new jeans, new sneakers, new lunch box and trusty old scooter were lined up with care ready for Tuesday morning. Mom walked him to school and a new adventure begins!
Haba and Mai's day started with taking our pet terrier/chihuahua mix, Kirby, to the veterinarian. Cataracts, hearing loss, inability to walk more than 3 steps without falling and the inability to get back up made us realize that Kirby was having more bad days than good days and it was time to let him go to a better place. We got to hold him close and say goodbye to him as he slipped off to a place without any bad days. We have had him for over 18 years and he is now with his litter mate brother, Napoleon, that we said good bye to last year. It will take some time to get used to not having a dog sharing our home with us and we miss him terribly but I like to think that Kirby and Napoleon now are in a place where they have their "terrier energy" and all their days are good days.
When I picked Drew up after school on Tuesday, I found him with the biggest smile and sweating so much that his hair was plastered all over his forehead with his face flushed pink. It was a warm day but I was wondering what he had been doing to show such exertion! Then I noticed his classmates were all showing similar signs of exertion. I quickly found out that PE class is held as the last class of the day on Tuesday and Friday this year. I like the fact that on these days I will be picking up a grandson that has already burned off some of that seven year old energy before coming home.
I decided that this year I would try asking him about his day in school in a more "creative" way. Instead of the usual "what did you do today at school?" or "what did you learn today?" (which gets the usual answer of "not much" or "you know, the usual") I would ask him more specific questions. So, I asked him if something funny happened at school today. It worked. He told me about how a classmate made everyone laugh when he waved very energetically to everyone while they were lined up in the hallway. Then he told me about the class library, the class "folder system", that he had "homework" for his Mom (a sheet she needed to fill out) and that he played a really fun game in PE called "toilet tag". I understand that it is a variation freeze tag and he really had me laughing with his dramatization.
I did tell Drew about the loss of our pet, Kirby, later that evening. I was determined not to cry in front of him when relaying this news to him but, I failed. Of course, Drew was very attached to Kirby and we had talked to him over the summer about how Kirby would probably be joining Napoleon soon since he was so very old and tired.
His eyes welled up with tears and he tilted his face up to try to keep the tears from falling. He left the room and I could hear him mumbling "where did my Mom put the kleenex?". He was back in a few seconds with a handful of toilet paper and proceeded to wipe my tears and give me a hug. He spent the next hour bringing out Lego sets and some games. I realized that he was trying to distract me from feeling sorrow when he asked "Mai? Am I helping you to forget about what happened this morning?". I had to laugh and tell him that "yes, you are indeed helping me. Thank you Drew.".
So, a bittersweet day passed. We miss our pet and we miss having Drew around all day with us. And Drew has reconfirmed what I already knew...there is a very wise, old soul that dwells within the body of my seven year old grandson.
Drew started his first day of the new school year as a second grader. He was so excited! We made sure everything was ready on Monday night. New backpack, new jeans, new sneakers, new lunch box and trusty old scooter were lined up with care ready for Tuesday morning. Mom walked him to school and a new adventure begins!
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| Mom and Drew first day of second grade! |
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| Our 18 year old Kirby |
I decided that this year I would try asking him about his day in school in a more "creative" way. Instead of the usual "what did you do today at school?" or "what did you learn today?" (which gets the usual answer of "not much" or "you know, the usual") I would ask him more specific questions. So, I asked him if something funny happened at school today. It worked. He told me about how a classmate made everyone laugh when he waved very energetically to everyone while they were lined up in the hallway. Then he told me about the class library, the class "folder system", that he had "homework" for his Mom (a sheet she needed to fill out) and that he played a really fun game in PE called "toilet tag". I understand that it is a variation freeze tag and he really had me laughing with his dramatization.
I did tell Drew about the loss of our pet, Kirby, later that evening. I was determined not to cry in front of him when relaying this news to him but, I failed. Of course, Drew was very attached to Kirby and we had talked to him over the summer about how Kirby would probably be joining Napoleon soon since he was so very old and tired.
His eyes welled up with tears and he tilted his face up to try to keep the tears from falling. He left the room and I could hear him mumbling "where did my Mom put the kleenex?". He was back in a few seconds with a handful of toilet paper and proceeded to wipe my tears and give me a hug. He spent the next hour bringing out Lego sets and some games. I realized that he was trying to distract me from feeling sorrow when he asked "Mai? Am I helping you to forget about what happened this morning?". I had to laugh and tell him that "yes, you are indeed helping me. Thank you Drew.".
So, a bittersweet day passed. We miss our pet and we miss having Drew around all day with us. And Drew has reconfirmed what I already knew...there is a very wise, old soul that dwells within the body of my seven year old grandson.
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| Drew and Kirby |
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Hope everyone is having a last Hoorah! for the summer!
We are trying to get a few of our many, many ongoing projects done (or at least closer to done!) this weekend. Haba is busy working on the growbeds in the greenhouse. Thank goodness it is breezy and cool today! It gets really hard to work for long outdoors when it's in the 90+ degree range.
Drew and I started working on the "winter quarters" for the hens (and rooster). The young hens we got this past June seem to not waste any time running out of the coop in the morning and head straight for the barn. So, we decided that we will create a winter coop for them in the barn. Still have some work to do but we still have a little time before winter...right?
We don't know if the three "queen" hens will go in the barn with them though. They are rather set in their ways. Guess they are entitled to their old coop but I hope they will winter in the barn too.
We are still building our nesting boxes for the young hens. We decided to use plastic pails that can be washed out easily. We mounted three of them to an old workbench and we will have to go to the bakery to get some more pails to complete the "Egg Factory". We'll keep you posted on our progress! Meantime, here are some pictures!
We are trying to get a few of our many, many ongoing projects done (or at least closer to done!) this weekend. Haba is busy working on the growbeds in the greenhouse. Thank goodness it is breezy and cool today! It gets really hard to work for long outdoors when it's in the 90+ degree range.
Drew and I started working on the "winter quarters" for the hens (and rooster). The young hens we got this past June seem to not waste any time running out of the coop in the morning and head straight for the barn. So, we decided that we will create a winter coop for them in the barn. Still have some work to do but we still have a little time before winter...right?
We don't know if the three "queen" hens will go in the barn with them though. They are rather set in their ways. Guess they are entitled to their old coop but I hope they will winter in the barn too.
We are still building our nesting boxes for the young hens. We decided to use plastic pails that can be washed out easily. We mounted three of them to an old workbench and we will have to go to the bakery to get some more pails to complete the "Egg Factory". We'll keep you posted on our progress! Meantime, here are some pictures!
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| Drew's sign for the hens |
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| The Egg Factory! |
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| The hens checking out the construction site. |
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| They love free ranging! |
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Learning To Ride!
Drew never learned to ride a bicycle...until now.
A very good friend of his Mom was kind enough to coach him one evening after they purchased a new bike at WalMart along with a helmet.
They started out in front of their home on the sidewalk. Watching the phone video of him wiggling all over on his new bike was so funny! There were a couple of times that he started to tip but was "caught" just in time.
A little tilt to the left and a tilt to the right....
And 30 minutes later behind his school...
Amazing how quickly kids can learn!
I told him that we should go looking for my old bike in the barn. I think it's somewhere in there. The last time I saw it was about 10 years ago.
Drew has reservations though. He just can't see me riding a bicycle. You see, I am too old. I couldn't possibly remember how to ride a bicycle after 10 years.
Drew, we shall see if I am too old. We shall see....
Mai
They started out in front of their home on the sidewalk. Watching the phone video of him wiggling all over on his new bike was so funny! There were a couple of times that he started to tip but was "caught" just in time.
Drew has reservations though. He just can't see me riding a bicycle. You see, I am too old. I couldn't possibly remember how to ride a bicycle after 10 years.
Drew, we shall see if I am too old. We shall see....
Mai
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Decorating Drew's Walls
I don't manage my time very well. At least it seems that way now.
I remember hearing my elders go on and on about how the older they get, the faster time seems to fly by. Is this what is happening? I'm getting old? Noooo!
I'm just not as organized as I used to be though. So I decided to analyze this situation a little.
I started with "the list". I made this list of the things I needed to try to accomplish that day. I used to be a person that ran around with a Day Runner all the time and had my days planned by the hour. I somehow managed to put checks by each of those accomplishments too!
My lists now almost never get checks by each "to do" entry on my list.There are always "carry overs" into the next day (and sometimes the day after the next day and the day after that day and on and on....). Where did I lose my organizational skills?!
Well, one of the projects that had been on my list for the summer was to finish Drew's walls. We did it! Finally! Well, maybe not all the walls. We took so long at completing this project that there have been several changes to the original plans. So, instead of all walls depicting dinosaurs, it will be 2 walls depicting dinosaurs, 1 wall featuring a safari scene and 1 wall featuring a farm scene. I wonder how long it will take to complete the rest of the walls? Hopefully before he gets his driver's license!
Finishing his walls has been fun though. Haba drew chalk outlines of trees, clouds and a volcano with a lava flow. Drew and I painted the outlines and applied the wall decals. And here is the "grand finis".
That was great fun Drew! And you're my favorite artist.
Mai
I remember hearing my elders go on and on about how the older they get, the faster time seems to fly by. Is this what is happening? I'm getting old? Noooo!
I'm just not as organized as I used to be though. So I decided to analyze this situation a little.
I started with "the list". I made this list of the things I needed to try to accomplish that day. I used to be a person that ran around with a Day Runner all the time and had my days planned by the hour. I somehow managed to put checks by each of those accomplishments too!
My lists now almost never get checks by each "to do" entry on my list.There are always "carry overs" into the next day (and sometimes the day after the next day and the day after that day and on and on....). Where did I lose my organizational skills?!
Well, one of the projects that had been on my list for the summer was to finish Drew's walls. We did it! Finally! Well, maybe not all the walls. We took so long at completing this project that there have been several changes to the original plans. So, instead of all walls depicting dinosaurs, it will be 2 walls depicting dinosaurs, 1 wall featuring a safari scene and 1 wall featuring a farm scene. I wonder how long it will take to complete the rest of the walls? Hopefully before he gets his driver's license!
Finishing his walls has been fun though. Haba drew chalk outlines of trees, clouds and a volcano with a lava flow. Drew and I painted the outlines and applied the wall decals. And here is the "grand finis".
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| Drew's masterpiece volcano scene |
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| Prehistoric chaos! |
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| His clouds are better than mine... |
Mai
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Day Four and I'm Getting Better At This...
Day four of Day Camp! I woke up to a spectacular lightening and thunder show. After coffee, I rustled Drew out of bed. Unlike his mother, Drew is a breeze to wake up in the morning. I have only known one time that he woke up without a smile. His mother was the exact opposite! I used to tell her that payback will be coming her way when she becomes a mother...I guess that payback isn't coming her way yet.
I realized that his rain jacket is at his home so we borrowed Haba's rain poncho.
Drew: "What is that?"
Me: "A rain poncho!"
Drew: "Looks weird."
Me: "It's like a tent, don't you think? It'll keep you dry."
Silence from Drew but giving the poncho the stink eye.
Me: "Try it...you won't get drenched!"
It came down to his feet! He looked like a billowing, walking tent! I didn't laugh! Brownie point for me!
Out we went into the pouring rain to get to the minivan. Of course he's walking down our very narrow garden path towards the gate and the driveway very slowly because now it seems so very cool that he's staying completely dry in the pouring rain. I am behind him...no poncho.
We enjoyed the spectacular lightening show during the drive to the Day Camp bus pick up point. Counselor is standing in the rain holding on to his Day Runner, checking campers in while balancing an umbrella. Rather neat umbrella I might add. It had characters from the movie "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs" on it. When the umbrella gets wet (and trust me...it was wet) all these images of food magically appear. I think I want an umbrella that shows images of cats and dogs that appear when it gets wet.
Got home and crossed off a few more "things I must do because they need to be done but mostly I need to keep busy to adjust to not having Drew around all the time list". Tomatoes are canned, a few pints of bread and butter pickles are canned, two loads of laundry are done, water tested in the basement aquaponics system, emails checked and replied to, started (as in still not completed) filling out various forms for PCI DSS Compliancy (has it been a year already?), health insurance (has it been a year already?), license plate renewal (has it been a year already?) and filled out a questionnaire for "Federal Jury Duty" (never had to do this before).
I got a little sidetracked (is this the same as distracted?). There was a very interesting article about how dark chocolate may lower your blood pressure. In case you're interested, here's the article: http://fox6now.com/2012/08/16/dark-chocolate-may-lower-blood-pressure/. The only disappointing part of this article was that they specify "eating a little dark chocolate each day may be good for you..." with the word "little" being the letdown. I also read that dark chocolate is believed to help ease depression by releasing serotonin. Yes, I am a chocoholic.
I checked into another volunteer opportunity to start in September when Drew is back to school. I will have to start driving down to my daughter's and Drew's home to pick him up after school and care for him until his Mom's shift is over. So, I thought "why not find a volunteer opportunity that I can really learn something from?" I think I will volunteer at Growing Power in Milwaukee and perhaps I can learn how to take our little aquaponics system to the next level. It's on my way to his school too!
Of course I will continue with the our Meals on Wheels Wednesday delivery. I did meal deliveries yesterday sans camper Drew. He was sorely missed by the seniors on our route. I was inundated with inquiries about Drew's absence. The quieter ones would just peer behind me to see if he was hiding. I finished delivering in record time. Seems that conversations are a bit shorter when Drew is not around.
So, the days go by. Guess I can learn to get used to not having him around all the time after all. Hmmm, where did I put the rest of that dark chocolate bar.
I realized that his rain jacket is at his home so we borrowed Haba's rain poncho.
Drew: "What is that?"
Me: "A rain poncho!"
Drew: "Looks weird."
Me: "It's like a tent, don't you think? It'll keep you dry."
Silence from Drew but giving the poncho the stink eye.
Me: "Try it...you won't get drenched!"
It came down to his feet! He looked like a billowing, walking tent! I didn't laugh! Brownie point for me!
Out we went into the pouring rain to get to the minivan. Of course he's walking down our very narrow garden path towards the gate and the driveway very slowly because now it seems so very cool that he's staying completely dry in the pouring rain. I am behind him...no poncho.
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| Drew's Rain Poncho |
We enjoyed the spectacular lightening show during the drive to the Day Camp bus pick up point. Counselor is standing in the rain holding on to his Day Runner, checking campers in while balancing an umbrella. Rather neat umbrella I might add. It had characters from the movie "Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs" on it. When the umbrella gets wet (and trust me...it was wet) all these images of food magically appear. I think I want an umbrella that shows images of cats and dogs that appear when it gets wet.
Got home and crossed off a few more "things I must do because they need to be done but mostly I need to keep busy to adjust to not having Drew around all the time list". Tomatoes are canned, a few pints of bread and butter pickles are canned, two loads of laundry are done, water tested in the basement aquaponics system, emails checked and replied to, started (as in still not completed) filling out various forms for PCI DSS Compliancy (has it been a year already?), health insurance (has it been a year already?), license plate renewal (has it been a year already?) and filled out a questionnaire for "Federal Jury Duty" (never had to do this before).
I got a little sidetracked (is this the same as distracted?). There was a very interesting article about how dark chocolate may lower your blood pressure. In case you're interested, here's the article: http://fox6now.com/2012/08/16/dark-chocolate-may-lower-blood-pressure/. The only disappointing part of this article was that they specify "eating a little dark chocolate each day may be good for you..." with the word "little" being the letdown. I also read that dark chocolate is believed to help ease depression by releasing serotonin. Yes, I am a chocoholic.
I checked into another volunteer opportunity to start in September when Drew is back to school. I will have to start driving down to my daughter's and Drew's home to pick him up after school and care for him until his Mom's shift is over. So, I thought "why not find a volunteer opportunity that I can really learn something from?" I think I will volunteer at Growing Power in Milwaukee and perhaps I can learn how to take our little aquaponics system to the next level. It's on my way to his school too!
Of course I will continue with the our Meals on Wheels Wednesday delivery. I did meal deliveries yesterday sans camper Drew. He was sorely missed by the seniors on our route. I was inundated with inquiries about Drew's absence. The quieter ones would just peer behind me to see if he was hiding. I finished delivering in record time. Seems that conversations are a bit shorter when Drew is not around.
So, the days go by. Guess I can learn to get used to not having him around all the time after all. Hmmm, where did I put the rest of that dark chocolate bar.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
DayCamp and AWOL Backpacks
Well, here we are! Day three of Drew at Day Camp! We are surviving!
I intentionally left some unfinished tasks last week so I could stay busy this week.
I probably should not have left quite so many tasks since I forgot to leave a little consideration for "Murphy's Law" of "If anything can go wrong, it will". Not a big deal....most were really something of an inconvenience or minor challenge. And the silver lining in the cloud here is that the days have been going by very quickly.
Drew's words for Day Camp is simply "Awesome". I am so glad he is enjoying his experience. It's so nice to have him playing with other kids. There was one minor occurrence yesterday though. Drew's rendition of "Murphy's Law" in action".
He was ready to catch the 7:45AM bus to Day Camp at the middle school parking lot with his backpack of all the necessary items strapped to his back. Swimming trunks and towel, jeans and long sleeve shirt, boots for pony riding, bug spray and lunch. All set! Check in with the counselor standing by the bus and sign the sheet, brief hug, check in with the counselor on the bus, stow the backpack under the seat, buckle the seat belt and off they go. I understand they make one more pickup before they reach their final destination at the camp.
The day flew by and there I was, back at the middle school parking lot at 5:30PM to pick up the happy camper. Before he is allowed off the bus, I have to show ID and sign the sheet again. Security is very tight but I really do appreciate this. When I sign the sheet, The counselor will hand me a "report" that tells me what he did that day, how he felt that day (very cute way of reporting this with emoticons that are circled to express "Happy, Silly, Sad, Tired, Mischievous, Excited, Frustrated, Worried, Sick or Feisty") and some space for "additional information".
The counselor was quick to explain that Drew had forgotten his backpack on the bus that morning. Ah, yes. Drew and his seven year old boy attention span of approximately 7 minutes unless it's something that he's really interested in and then it's about 30 minutes. I think I actually read that young children's attention span on average is about a minute for each year of their age. Drew can live up to this claim at times...
He hops off the bus at camp and realizes about a minute after the bus has left that his backpack was still on the bus! Panic! He told the counselor about his dilemma and they called the bus company to report that there was a backpack left on the bus. He got a little tearful when they went to the pool for their swim session and there he was with no swimming trunks. Not to worry! They came up with a pair of clean trunks and a towel for him. Problem solved! Lunch time came and he has no lunch.The staff came up with a sandwich and chips for him! Problem solved (even if he did have to remove the tomato slices from the sandwich)! Pony riding session came along in the afternoon and no boots! Extra boots are available and he got to wear a pair of "snakeskin" boots that he thought were really cool (but he was sure that I would not have even wanted to touch them since I am not a fan of snakes and he knows it!). I thank the camp staff for all their help at getting him through the little trials of the day.
Sometime during the day, the bus company called back to tell the camp staff that there was no backpack left on the bus. So, Drew got this news and he worried. He knew he had his backpack on the bus! The staff then told him that he had probably thought he had his backpack on the bus but he had probably left it at home or in my minivan. Under the "additional information" section of the daily camp report I received at pick up was the brief phrase "Drew forgot his backpack today. We fed him, however, please make sure he has it. Otherwise, he was wonderful today. Very happy. Before we went to the pool, Drew started to cry because of forgetting his backpack" The Happy, Silly, Sad and Excited emoticons were circled.
The counselor was trying to rapidly explain that Drew got through the day just fine and the camp staff had called the bus company and the bus company had said there was no backpack left on the bus and when he boarded the bus at the end of the day, what should be under his seat? His backpack! Oh my! Thank goodness this is just a backpack and not a small child that fell asleep on the school bus that you hear about on the news! I thanked the counselor, gathered my grandson and his backpack and we climbed into the minivan for our trek home. While crossing the parking lot, Drew was mumbling "they didn't believe me". When we were driving home, we had a talk about what happened.
It was interesting to find out that while he was distressed that he forgot his backpack, his bigger cause of distress was the fact that the counselors did not believe him when he knew and had insisted that he had it on the bus. He had reluctantly agreed with them that it must have been left in the mini van or at home.
Hmmmm. Lesson learned for Drew. This incident caused some inconveniences that were remedied with the help of the camp staff (thank you again camp staff!). I'll bet he does better at tracking his backpack to avoid these types of inconveniences in the future! See Drew...there are people that will help you if you just ask for help when you need it.
Lesson learned for Mai. Listen carefully to what the young ones are saying. The missing backpack was a minor issue. Not as minor an issue is that Drew's faith in his counselors declined a little today because they wouldn't believe him. I think it may have been better if the staff left the focus on getting him through the day without all his things in his backpack. I don't believe they were trying to intentionally drive a point home to him by telling him that "he must have left it in the mini van or at home because the bus company said there was no backpack left on the bus" but I don't think it was a necessary for them to voice this conclusion to him. Maybe just a "Your backpack seems to be temporarily AWOL! Don't worry! We have a solution!" would have sufficed. And perhaps a call to me to let me know that Drew came to camp sans backpack?
Kids will be kids. It's just a backpack that was left on a bus because of a little over exuberance about getting to camp and some carelessness of a seven year old. But what if he were trying to tell a grown up that he was being bullied or worse. What if he were told that he must be wrong because the people he claims are bullying him said that they were not bullying him? What if he decides it's not worth telling someone about a situation because they "wouldn't believe me".
As one of the adults in my young grandson's life, I must be very careful to listen and not assume a conclusion too easily. I could have said the same things that the counselors told Drew. I am not immune to this pitfall. While a child can be unintentionally or intentionally wrong, I think that adults may be guiltier of this more than we realize.
When he was off to camp this morning, he was clutching his backpack as if it were his life. He also felt the need to remind me at least ten times that "this is Wednesday which means it's our day to deliver meals to the elderly. Don't forget to get the meals and deliver them Mai.". Thanks for the tenth reminder Drew! Meals got delivered and everyone wanted to know where you were. And by the way Drew, thanks for the lesson. It was a good one.
I intentionally left some unfinished tasks last week so I could stay busy this week.
I probably should not have left quite so many tasks since I forgot to leave a little consideration for "Murphy's Law" of "If anything can go wrong, it will". Not a big deal....most were really something of an inconvenience or minor challenge. And the silver lining in the cloud here is that the days have been going by very quickly.
Drew's words for Day Camp is simply "Awesome". I am so glad he is enjoying his experience. It's so nice to have him playing with other kids. There was one minor occurrence yesterday though. Drew's rendition of "Murphy's Law" in action".
He was ready to catch the 7:45AM bus to Day Camp at the middle school parking lot with his backpack of all the necessary items strapped to his back. Swimming trunks and towel, jeans and long sleeve shirt, boots for pony riding, bug spray and lunch. All set! Check in with the counselor standing by the bus and sign the sheet, brief hug, check in with the counselor on the bus, stow the backpack under the seat, buckle the seat belt and off they go. I understand they make one more pickup before they reach their final destination at the camp.
The day flew by and there I was, back at the middle school parking lot at 5:30PM to pick up the happy camper. Before he is allowed off the bus, I have to show ID and sign the sheet again. Security is very tight but I really do appreciate this. When I sign the sheet, The counselor will hand me a "report" that tells me what he did that day, how he felt that day (very cute way of reporting this with emoticons that are circled to express "Happy, Silly, Sad, Tired, Mischievous, Excited, Frustrated, Worried, Sick or Feisty") and some space for "additional information".
The counselor was quick to explain that Drew had forgotten his backpack on the bus that morning. Ah, yes. Drew and his seven year old boy attention span of approximately 7 minutes unless it's something that he's really interested in and then it's about 30 minutes. I think I actually read that young children's attention span on average is about a minute for each year of their age. Drew can live up to this claim at times...
He hops off the bus at camp and realizes about a minute after the bus has left that his backpack was still on the bus! Panic! He told the counselor about his dilemma and they called the bus company to report that there was a backpack left on the bus. He got a little tearful when they went to the pool for their swim session and there he was with no swimming trunks. Not to worry! They came up with a pair of clean trunks and a towel for him. Problem solved! Lunch time came and he has no lunch.The staff came up with a sandwich and chips for him! Problem solved (even if he did have to remove the tomato slices from the sandwich)! Pony riding session came along in the afternoon and no boots! Extra boots are available and he got to wear a pair of "snakeskin" boots that he thought were really cool (but he was sure that I would not have even wanted to touch them since I am not a fan of snakes and he knows it!). I thank the camp staff for all their help at getting him through the little trials of the day.
Sometime during the day, the bus company called back to tell the camp staff that there was no backpack left on the bus. So, Drew got this news and he worried. He knew he had his backpack on the bus! The staff then told him that he had probably thought he had his backpack on the bus but he had probably left it at home or in my minivan. Under the "additional information" section of the daily camp report I received at pick up was the brief phrase "Drew forgot his backpack today. We fed him, however, please make sure he has it. Otherwise, he was wonderful today. Very happy. Before we went to the pool, Drew started to cry because of forgetting his backpack" The Happy, Silly, Sad and Excited emoticons were circled.
The counselor was trying to rapidly explain that Drew got through the day just fine and the camp staff had called the bus company and the bus company had said there was no backpack left on the bus and when he boarded the bus at the end of the day, what should be under his seat? His backpack! Oh my! Thank goodness this is just a backpack and not a small child that fell asleep on the school bus that you hear about on the news! I thanked the counselor, gathered my grandson and his backpack and we climbed into the minivan for our trek home. While crossing the parking lot, Drew was mumbling "they didn't believe me". When we were driving home, we had a talk about what happened.
It was interesting to find out that while he was distressed that he forgot his backpack, his bigger cause of distress was the fact that the counselors did not believe him when he knew and had insisted that he had it on the bus. He had reluctantly agreed with them that it must have been left in the mini van or at home.
Hmmmm. Lesson learned for Drew. This incident caused some inconveniences that were remedied with the help of the camp staff (thank you again camp staff!). I'll bet he does better at tracking his backpack to avoid these types of inconveniences in the future! See Drew...there are people that will help you if you just ask for help when you need it.
Lesson learned for Mai. Listen carefully to what the young ones are saying. The missing backpack was a minor issue. Not as minor an issue is that Drew's faith in his counselors declined a little today because they wouldn't believe him. I think it may have been better if the staff left the focus on getting him through the day without all his things in his backpack. I don't believe they were trying to intentionally drive a point home to him by telling him that "he must have left it in the mini van or at home because the bus company said there was no backpack left on the bus" but I don't think it was a necessary for them to voice this conclusion to him. Maybe just a "Your backpack seems to be temporarily AWOL! Don't worry! We have a solution!" would have sufficed. And perhaps a call to me to let me know that Drew came to camp sans backpack?
Kids will be kids. It's just a backpack that was left on a bus because of a little over exuberance about getting to camp and some carelessness of a seven year old. But what if he were trying to tell a grown up that he was being bullied or worse. What if he were told that he must be wrong because the people he claims are bullying him said that they were not bullying him? What if he decides it's not worth telling someone about a situation because they "wouldn't believe me".
As one of the adults in my young grandson's life, I must be very careful to listen and not assume a conclusion too easily. I could have said the same things that the counselors told Drew. I am not immune to this pitfall. While a child can be unintentionally or intentionally wrong, I think that adults may be guiltier of this more than we realize.
When he was off to camp this morning, he was clutching his backpack as if it were his life. He also felt the need to remind me at least ten times that "this is Wednesday which means it's our day to deliver meals to the elderly. Don't forget to get the meals and deliver them Mai.". Thanks for the tenth reminder Drew! Meals got delivered and everyone wanted to know where you were. And by the way Drew, thanks for the lesson. It was a good one.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
A Trial Period
Next week will be a trial period for me...Drew will be going off to Day camp everyday for a week.
I am so excited for him because this will be a wonderful end to summer and he will get to spend time with other kids his own age. But there is another side of me that will miss him during the day.
Since he was about 18 mos old, I have had the honor of being his caregiver while his single Mom was at work. When he started school, he spends his spring, summer and winter breaks with us which gives me a break from all the driving to and from his home to my home (not to mention savings on gasoline!). He sees his Mom on her days off from work and I cannot help but feel the silence as soon as they leave our driveway on these days. I relish the quiet for about 10 minutes and then I find both my husband and I are making remarks such as "Boy! Did it quiet around here or what?" or "Miss the little guy....".
Well, school will be starting again in a few short weeks and we will have to get used to not having him around the farm except on weekends that his Mom is working. So, maybe Day Camp will be a good thing for me. It may help me to gradually adjust to the "empty nest" syndrome.
So, what will I do next week when he is gone all day? I guess I can catch up on some work, like cleaning the basement, canning some of the tomatoes that are suddenly appearing in abundance, go to lunch with friends, and give my husband a hand at the shop. Of course there's always something to do around what we affectionately call "the high maintenance farm".
It will just be soooo quiet though. No spontaneous hugs and "Mai, I love you". No discussions on remodeling the chicken coop, how big the pumpkins are getting in his pumpkin patch, what silly Patrick said to Spongebob, what job I will have at the Zoo he will have when he grows up or how we will move all our animals to Texas when we all move there one day (Drew's idea...very big one I might add).
Well, I adjusted to his mother leaving the coop...I know the day will come when we will see Drew less and less as he grows into his teen years and then on to being an adult. This is good. This is why we are here as parents and grandparents. We are supposed to help them grow into adults that make good choices and are independent.
So, I will settle for being grateful that we have such a wonderful opportunity to help our daughter raise Drew and that we have been gifted with being able to spend so much time with him for now.
But it will be soooo quiet.....
Mai
I am so excited for him because this will be a wonderful end to summer and he will get to spend time with other kids his own age. But there is another side of me that will miss him during the day.
Since he was about 18 mos old, I have had the honor of being his caregiver while his single Mom was at work. When he started school, he spends his spring, summer and winter breaks with us which gives me a break from all the driving to and from his home to my home (not to mention savings on gasoline!). He sees his Mom on her days off from work and I cannot help but feel the silence as soon as they leave our driveway on these days. I relish the quiet for about 10 minutes and then I find both my husband and I are making remarks such as "Boy! Did it quiet around here or what?" or "Miss the little guy....".
Well, school will be starting again in a few short weeks and we will have to get used to not having him around the farm except on weekends that his Mom is working. So, maybe Day Camp will be a good thing for me. It may help me to gradually adjust to the "empty nest" syndrome.
So, what will I do next week when he is gone all day? I guess I can catch up on some work, like cleaning the basement, canning some of the tomatoes that are suddenly appearing in abundance, go to lunch with friends, and give my husband a hand at the shop. Of course there's always something to do around what we affectionately call "the high maintenance farm".
It will just be soooo quiet though. No spontaneous hugs and "Mai, I love you". No discussions on remodeling the chicken coop, how big the pumpkins are getting in his pumpkin patch, what silly Patrick said to Spongebob, what job I will have at the Zoo he will have when he grows up or how we will move all our animals to Texas when we all move there one day (Drew's idea...very big one I might add).
 |
| Feeding fruit scraps to chickens and Star |
Well, I adjusted to his mother leaving the coop...I know the day will come when we will see Drew less and less as he grows into his teen years and then on to being an adult. This is good. This is why we are here as parents and grandparents. We are supposed to help them grow into adults that make good choices and are independent.
So, I will settle for being grateful that we have such a wonderful opportunity to help our daughter raise Drew and that we have been gifted with being able to spend so much time with him for now.
But it will be soooo quiet.....
Mai
Monday, August 6, 2012
Everyday Role Models
Our Grandson, Drew, is very fortunate to have so many
positive role models in his life. One of
them is his grandfather. It has been fascinating and heartwarming to see how
they have formed a bond over the years that I know will never end. Most days are very "ordinary" and yet the time my husband spends with Drew will be "extraordinary" for both of them forever.
They spend a lot of “guy
time” together and I have even heard Drew refer to his Haba’s (grandfather)
office and garage as “the man cave”. I am not banned from these "man caves" but I only go to these areas when they need cleaning (and they always need cleaning). I have to admit that I find myself voluntarily staying out of these places most of the time.
I find it amusing and sweet that Drew will even dress according to the "dress code of the day" set by Haba. If Haba wears shorts and an old tee shirt, Drew wears shorts and an old tee shirt. If Haba wears jeans with holes in them and sneakers, Drew will wear jeans (must have holes in them!) and sneakers.
On Saturday, they went to a car swap meet where they walked
for hours around a dusty field checking out old car parts, anything related to
cars and a wide variety of “toys for boys”.
After they came home from the swap meet, they repaired our deck under “Haba’s tree”. Some
of the boards had rotted out and needed to be replaced. This is a favorite
hangout for them where they sit and watch deer or cranes in the fields, cool
off after working under the hot sun on a project, eat a meal on a balmy summer
evening or roast marshmallows in the outdoor fireplace.
 |
| Lessons on using the cordless drill |
 |
| Tearing up the rotting boards |
Sunday was a little more work on the greenhouse where Drew got a
little distracted and ended up busy putting together a bench in the greenhouse
for us to sit on. The greenhouse is one of our many “works in progress” that we
are still hoping to complete by this fall. We are planning on an aquaponics
greenhouse which Drew has taken a great interest in. He tells Haba about how he
thinks we should buy a golf cart so he can take people on tours. You would
think we have hundreds of acres instead of just three acres!
 |
| Putting in the grow beds |
 |
| Drew's bench |
At dinner, Haba tells Drew that he wants to see him eat
everything on his plate since he worked hard today and needs to eat to replenish
his energy. Yes, he did eat everything on his plate…including the green beans.
Then, a little time spent sitting under Haba’s tree on the newly
repaired deck with a little dose of goofiness.
 | |||||||
| Goofy Boys |
 |
| Goofy Grandson |
There’s popcorn, shaved ice and a movie that gives me a little quiet
time to go through some paperwork in my office. Some of the shaved ice spilled on the couch which I latter learned was cleaned up very quickly and quietly by Haba and Drew. I could tell when the movie was over from the noisy din coming from the
other end of our home when the two guys had a little “rough housing” before
heading off to bed.
Weekends definitely go by too fast! Thank goodness memories last a lot longer.
Mai
Sunday, August 5, 2012
And a Little more on Teaching Compassion
I read an excellent article written by Susan Adcox titled "Volunteering for Kids: How Grandparents Can Help". She writes about how volunteering needs to be developed early, and how volunteering can be a wonderful opportunity for both grandparents and grandchildren. There is a section that discusses how to find and select a volunteer activity that is age appropriate also.
Not all volunteer opportunities need to be a long term commitment. Susan mentions picking up litter on a trail or a park as one of the ideas for a volunteer opportunity. I remember taking along a couple of plastic bags on our walks when my grandson was four years old and we would pick up litter that we would find along the way. He would beam when he got a "thank you" from the neighbors.
Drew and I will be mailing some cards this week to shut-ins as a follow through to Pam O'Halloran program, "The Forgotten Ones: International Card Exchange for the Elderly". I also think I will introduce this program to Drew's new teacher this fall to see if he/she would be interested in having the class write letters to shut-ins in nursing homes in the USA and overseas this year. It would be a great way to learn about volunteering, practice writing skills, learn a little geography and develop a lot of compassion!
Mai
Not all volunteer opportunities need to be a long term commitment. Susan mentions picking up litter on a trail or a park as one of the ideas for a volunteer opportunity. I remember taking along a couple of plastic bags on our walks when my grandson was four years old and we would pick up litter that we would find along the way. He would beam when he got a "thank you" from the neighbors.
Drew and I will be mailing some cards this week to shut-ins as a follow through to Pam O'Halloran program, "The Forgotten Ones: International Card Exchange for the Elderly". I also think I will introduce this program to Drew's new teacher this fall to see if he/she would be interested in having the class write letters to shut-ins in nursing homes in the USA and overseas this year. It would be a great way to learn about volunteering, practice writing skills, learn a little geography and develop a lot of compassion!
Mai
Friday, August 3, 2012
More On Teaching Compassion To Our Grandchildren
I have been following posts on Facebook written by Pam O'Halloran who started a community page on Facebook titled "The Forgotten Ones: Compassion for the Elderly". It is really a heartwarming community page that I hope everyone will visit and "like".
Recently, she posted a link to an excerpt from a short film created by Dean Kalman Lennert titled "Dear Anna Olson" that I have shared below. It is a beautiful, touching excerpt that will motivate anyone to remember the elderly with a little act of kindness.
The creator of the film was motivated to create this film by a note he found tied to a balloon in 1988 in upstate New York. It had traveled all the way from Ohio.
Pam O'Halloran has another community page on Facebook that encourages readers to send cards, letters, photos or even small gifts for the lonely and forgotten elderly around the world. I think this is another terrific project to get kids involved in. If you have been trying to think of something to do with your grandchildren that is fun, creative, generous and a character education (with a little geography lesson thrown in too!), visit "The Forgotten Ones: International Card Exchange for the Elderly". If you scroll way down the page, you will find addresses of nursing homes around the world. I am sure everyone has a nursing home or two in their community with lonely seniors that would love to get a card in the mail too.
Well, we're off to design some cards to mail out!
Mai
Recently, she posted a link to an excerpt from a short film created by Dean Kalman Lennert titled "Dear Anna Olson" that I have shared below. It is a beautiful, touching excerpt that will motivate anyone to remember the elderly with a little act of kindness.
The creator of the film was motivated to create this film by a note he found tied to a balloon in 1988 in upstate New York. It had traveled all the way from Ohio.
Pam O'Halloran has another community page on Facebook that encourages readers to send cards, letters, photos or even small gifts for the lonely and forgotten elderly around the world. I think this is another terrific project to get kids involved in. If you have been trying to think of something to do with your grandchildren that is fun, creative, generous and a character education (with a little geography lesson thrown in too!), visit "The Forgotten Ones: International Card Exchange for the Elderly". If you scroll way down the page, you will find addresses of nursing homes around the world. I am sure everyone has a nursing home or two in their community with lonely seniors that would love to get a card in the mail too.
Well, we're off to design some cards to mail out!
Mai
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Teaching Compassion To Our Grandchildren
I believe that we all hope that our grandchildren (and children) grow up to have compassion and empathy for others. I believe this is best taught when they are young through example so these values are embedded in them for life.
So, I decided that my grandson is old enough to volunteer some time to learn about compassion, empathy and community this summer. I started looking for some volunteer opportunities in May and chose our local Meals On Wheels program. For anyone that is not familiar with this program, it is a program that delivers meals to the elderly in our community Monday through Friday. They are the oldest and largest national organization composed of and representing local, community based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 State.The seniors receive complete, balanced, hot meals with a cold bag meal if requested too. There is no charge for these meals but a donation is requested monthly for those that are willing and able to donate for their meals.
The reason I chose this program is because he has a fascinating ability to relate to elderly people. The grumpiest senior citizen will return a smile to him. We also have family members that live not to near us that benefit from this wonderful program and it is our way of repaying the benefits that this program provides these family members.
Many times, we are the only contact with the outside world that these seniors have so bringing along my grandson is always met with positive reactions since many of them rarely get to interact with children. All the seniors we deliver to live alone and transportation can be very challenging for them. Therefore, getting to the grocery store can be an additional challenge. Many seniors in this situation will neglect to prepare nutritious meals for themselves due to depression that being lonely and isolated can bring on not to mention the loss of appetite that often accompanies depression. Many have special nutritional needs also that would not be met without a program like Meal On Wheels.
Volunteer deliverers are sometimes the "eyes and ears" for these seniors and may be the first ones to notice that something is not right. Recently, a volunteer noted that one of the seniors did not have air conditioning in the extreme heat that we were having. She had a window air conditioning unit but it was upstairs and she no longer used the upstairs portion of her home. This was reported, the adult son of senior was notified, and her window air conditioner was moved downstairs for her. This volunteer may have saved her life!
We are really enjoying our volunteer opportunity though and I know that my grandson is learning values that will stay with him for life. Added bonus? He gets to practice graciousness. One lady has already knitted him some slipper socks. He was absolutely gracious when she gave these wonderfully warm, wooly socks to him recently when it was 100+ degrees outside and he was thinking that it was too hot to wear anything but a pair of flip flops on his feet!
I highly endorse volunteering with your grandchild/grandchildren. I promise that you will instill positive life time values, serve the community, lend a hand to someone that really could use a hand and spend some more valuable time with your youngest generation.
Mai
This post has been linked to GRAND Social linky.
So, I decided that my grandson is old enough to volunteer some time to learn about compassion, empathy and community this summer. I started looking for some volunteer opportunities in May and chose our local Meals On Wheels program. For anyone that is not familiar with this program, it is a program that delivers meals to the elderly in our community Monday through Friday. They are the oldest and largest national organization composed of and representing local, community based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 State.The seniors receive complete, balanced, hot meals with a cold bag meal if requested too. There is no charge for these meals but a donation is requested monthly for those that are willing and able to donate for their meals.
The reason I chose this program is because he has a fascinating ability to relate to elderly people. The grumpiest senior citizen will return a smile to him. We also have family members that live not to near us that benefit from this wonderful program and it is our way of repaying the benefits that this program provides these family members.
Many times, we are the only contact with the outside world that these seniors have so bringing along my grandson is always met with positive reactions since many of them rarely get to interact with children. All the seniors we deliver to live alone and transportation can be very challenging for them. Therefore, getting to the grocery store can be an additional challenge. Many seniors in this situation will neglect to prepare nutritious meals for themselves due to depression that being lonely and isolated can bring on not to mention the loss of appetite that often accompanies depression. Many have special nutritional needs also that would not be met without a program like Meal On Wheels.
Volunteer deliverers are sometimes the "eyes and ears" for these seniors and may be the first ones to notice that something is not right. Recently, a volunteer noted that one of the seniors did not have air conditioning in the extreme heat that we were having. She had a window air conditioning unit but it was upstairs and she no longer used the upstairs portion of her home. This was reported, the adult son of senior was notified, and her window air conditioner was moved downstairs for her. This volunteer may have saved her life!
We are really enjoying our volunteer opportunity though and I know that my grandson is learning values that will stay with him for life. Added bonus? He gets to practice graciousness. One lady has already knitted him some slipper socks. He was absolutely gracious when she gave these wonderfully warm, wooly socks to him recently when it was 100+ degrees outside and he was thinking that it was too hot to wear anything but a pair of flip flops on his feet!
 | |||
| Lunch delivery! |
I highly endorse volunteering with your grandchild/grandchildren. I promise that you will instill positive life time values, serve the community, lend a hand to someone that really could use a hand and spend some more valuable time with your youngest generation.
Mai
This post has been linked to GRAND Social linky.
Learning To Swim
Do your grandchildren know how to swim?
Last year my daughter took Drew to a pool party. He watched other kids run and jump into the pool. So, naturally, he ran and jumped into the pool too. Just one little problem here. He can't swim.
Of course Mom to the rescue. She pulled him out and all was fine...well...maybe his Mom got another gray hair or two (@ my daughter - I told you about payback, didn't I?). Dear daughter was now determined to get him in swim class.
Since he spends the summer with us, we got him enrolled in the swim classes held at the Firemans Park Beach (a local swim pond). The instructors are all trained American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructors and he took two sessions of level 1 swim lessons.
Keep in mind that he is a kid that likes playing in the water but is running for a towel if a drop of water gets on his face. And yes, he is (was) one of those kids that doesn't like getting his hair washed because the water might run down his face. By the end of session 1, he could stick his face in the water and "blow bubbles". By the end of session 2, he could open his eyes under water, float and very cautiously jumped off a platform with a life jacket on. Yes! He passed level one!
This year, I enrolled him in level 2. He is a different kid in the water this year. There are more kids in his class this year and I think the competitive spirit in him has helped him considerably. He can be very competitive and I noticed that when they start the class with a run around the pond to warm up, he will always come around the other side of the pond in the lead. So, when the other kids dive for a ring or jump off the diving board, he is not about to be out done!
He is now able to float on his back and front and can dive for rings that are tossed into water that is about chest deep. He also can "swim" out to the platform with the assistance of a "noodle" (a long, colorful, foam tube that keeps the kids afloat while they fiercely kick towards the platform). What surprised me was when he climbed on the platform and dive bombed into the water with the noodle! After a couple of these dives, he was diving off the diving board with the noodle! Amazement! Finally, he jumped off the diving board...sans noodle! Shock and awe!! Of course, the instructors are in the water and there to help guide him back to the platform as he dog paddles like a puppy in the water for the first time. He even started to do a "twirling dive" by the end of this 45 minute class!
Okay, so we're not ready for the Olympics yet. But I have to say that if you have swim classes in your community, do enroll your grandchildren. In addition to being certified instructors, they are patient and energetic which makes swim lessons so much fun! And no one wants their precious grandchildren (or anyone's grandchild for that matter) to become a tragic statistic that we hear about in the news all too often.
And who knows? You might have an athlete participating in the Olympics! Laurels to you!
Mai
PS- Drew no longer comes out of the shower or bath with a dirty face! LOL!
Last year my daughter took Drew to a pool party. He watched other kids run and jump into the pool. So, naturally, he ran and jumped into the pool too. Just one little problem here. He can't swim.
Of course Mom to the rescue. She pulled him out and all was fine...well...maybe his Mom got another gray hair or two (@ my daughter - I told you about payback, didn't I?). Dear daughter was now determined to get him in swim class.
Since he spends the summer with us, we got him enrolled in the swim classes held at the Firemans Park Beach (a local swim pond). The instructors are all trained American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructors and he took two sessions of level 1 swim lessons.
Keep in mind that he is a kid that likes playing in the water but is running for a towel if a drop of water gets on his face. And yes, he is (was) one of those kids that doesn't like getting his hair washed because the water might run down his face. By the end of session 1, he could stick his face in the water and "blow bubbles". By the end of session 2, he could open his eyes under water, float and very cautiously jumped off a platform with a life jacket on. Yes! He passed level one!
This year, I enrolled him in level 2. He is a different kid in the water this year. There are more kids in his class this year and I think the competitive spirit in him has helped him considerably. He can be very competitive and I noticed that when they start the class with a run around the pond to warm up, he will always come around the other side of the pond in the lead. So, when the other kids dive for a ring or jump off the diving board, he is not about to be out done!
He is now able to float on his back and front and can dive for rings that are tossed into water that is about chest deep. He also can "swim" out to the platform with the assistance of a "noodle" (a long, colorful, foam tube that keeps the kids afloat while they fiercely kick towards the platform). What surprised me was when he climbed on the platform and dive bombed into the water with the noodle! After a couple of these dives, he was diving off the diving board with the noodle! Amazement! Finally, he jumped off the diving board...sans noodle! Shock and awe!! Of course, the instructors are in the water and there to help guide him back to the platform as he dog paddles like a puppy in the water for the first time. He even started to do a "twirling dive" by the end of this 45 minute class!
 |
| "Twirling Dive" |
Okay, so we're not ready for the Olympics yet. But I have to say that if you have swim classes in your community, do enroll your grandchildren. In addition to being certified instructors, they are patient and energetic which makes swim lessons so much fun! And no one wants their precious grandchildren (or anyone's grandchild for that matter) to become a tragic statistic that we hear about in the news all too often.
And who knows? You might have an athlete participating in the Olympics! Laurels to you!
Mai
PS- Drew no longer comes out of the shower or bath with a dirty face! LOL!
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Lessons On Life and Death
So how do you approach the subject of death with your grandchild?
We received news that my husband's cousin passed away after battling cancer last Friday. We attended his funeral services today. Drew attended with us. While Drew did not know this cousin, it was his first experience at a funeral.
I think I need to go back to the very first time Drew had an experience with death. I do believe in life after death. We have quite a menagerie of animals on our little 3 acre farm. At one time, we had a rescue standard bred horse, a mini donkey, a mini mule, assorted chickens, fish, 3 small dogs, a cat and three goats. I bought a miniature goat a number of years ago to keep the rescue horse company. This little goat gave birth to 2 miniature male goats. Sadly, the mother goat died when Drew was 2 years old. We buried the goat and the next time Drew was visiting, I explained to him that she had died. I did my best to explain that her body just wore out and her body just stopped working. Then I tried my best to explain that this pet goat was in a happy place now...I got a blank look from Drew. So I continued with "I'll bet Mama goat is jumping and running around waaaay up there in heaven" while pointing to the clouds. Dead silence. More silence. I thought that this monologue had ended for now and I wasn't very sure about how successful I was at explaining the wonders of death and the continuance of life after death. A full 10 minutes of silence passed. Then, Drew leaned forward and in a very quiet voice said "I know what happened to the goat...the horse ate her." I learned that Drew will grasp at logic when he cannot understand such an abstract idea. In his view, the horse was the largest creature in the barn, so his logic would dictate that the horse ate the goat...voila! No more goat. I realize now that I should not have been so hasty at burying the goat in an effort to keep him from seeing it dead.
As time went by, we would see a dead baby bird on a walk around the farm or a deer that had been hit by a car on the side of the road. More time has gone by and we have lost one little dog to congestive heart failure, the horse and another little dog to old age. I had the little dog that died of heart failure buried before Drew could see the body. Again, I was worried that he would not be ready for this. Every so often, he would look at me and very calmly say "Mai, I think you should bring Chico home now". Big mistake. I didn't allow Drew to have some kind of closure.
After this, we explained how the horse's body was just worn out and the doctor would be coming to give him some medicine that would stop his heart. We gave him the choice to view the horse's body before burial. He declined to view the horse but bought some plastic flowers and wanted to put it on the "grave".
When we had to euthanize our little dog, Napoleon, he did express that he wanted to see his body. He petted the little dog's body for a few minutes and then placed the lid for the box that the body was in back in place and walked back into the house.
I learned that he did not get traumatized for life when seeing death and it was easier for him to accept that this pet had died and would not be coming back if I allowed closure in his own terms.
When we went to the funeral today, he sat on his great grandfather's lap next to his great grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. When the pastor asked us to bow our heads in prayer, I saw Drew fold his hands and bow his head through the corner of my eye. "Good boy!" I thought to myself. Then he reached his hand out and put it on top of great grandma's hand. He held her hand through the prayer with head bowed and eyes closed. Great grandma had the most tranquil smile while they prayed.
I now understand that he also knows how to comfort others too.
We received news that my husband's cousin passed away after battling cancer last Friday. We attended his funeral services today. Drew attended with us. While Drew did not know this cousin, it was his first experience at a funeral.
I think I need to go back to the very first time Drew had an experience with death. I do believe in life after death. We have quite a menagerie of animals on our little 3 acre farm. At one time, we had a rescue standard bred horse, a mini donkey, a mini mule, assorted chickens, fish, 3 small dogs, a cat and three goats. I bought a miniature goat a number of years ago to keep the rescue horse company. This little goat gave birth to 2 miniature male goats. Sadly, the mother goat died when Drew was 2 years old. We buried the goat and the next time Drew was visiting, I explained to him that she had died. I did my best to explain that her body just wore out and her body just stopped working. Then I tried my best to explain that this pet goat was in a happy place now...I got a blank look from Drew. So I continued with "I'll bet Mama goat is jumping and running around waaaay up there in heaven" while pointing to the clouds. Dead silence. More silence. I thought that this monologue had ended for now and I wasn't very sure about how successful I was at explaining the wonders of death and the continuance of life after death. A full 10 minutes of silence passed. Then, Drew leaned forward and in a very quiet voice said "I know what happened to the goat...the horse ate her." I learned that Drew will grasp at logic when he cannot understand such an abstract idea. In his view, the horse was the largest creature in the barn, so his logic would dictate that the horse ate the goat...voila! No more goat. I realize now that I should not have been so hasty at burying the goat in an effort to keep him from seeing it dead.
As time went by, we would see a dead baby bird on a walk around the farm or a deer that had been hit by a car on the side of the road. More time has gone by and we have lost one little dog to congestive heart failure, the horse and another little dog to old age. I had the little dog that died of heart failure buried before Drew could see the body. Again, I was worried that he would not be ready for this. Every so often, he would look at me and very calmly say "Mai, I think you should bring Chico home now". Big mistake. I didn't allow Drew to have some kind of closure.
After this, we explained how the horse's body was just worn out and the doctor would be coming to give him some medicine that would stop his heart. We gave him the choice to view the horse's body before burial. He declined to view the horse but bought some plastic flowers and wanted to put it on the "grave".
When we had to euthanize our little dog, Napoleon, he did express that he wanted to see his body. He petted the little dog's body for a few minutes and then placed the lid for the box that the body was in back in place and walked back into the house.
I learned that he did not get traumatized for life when seeing death and it was easier for him to accept that this pet had died and would not be coming back if I allowed closure in his own terms.
When we went to the funeral today, he sat on his great grandfather's lap next to his great grandmother who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. When the pastor asked us to bow our heads in prayer, I saw Drew fold his hands and bow his head through the corner of my eye. "Good boy!" I thought to myself. Then he reached his hand out and put it on top of great grandma's hand. He held her hand through the prayer with head bowed and eyes closed. Great grandma had the most tranquil smile while they prayed.
I now understand that he also knows how to comfort others too.
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