I really appreciate all your comments on my last post.  This blog site is such a blessing!  It is so good to know I have so many other homeschool moms out there who are/or will experience the same things my family and I experience.  I get so much from the support, helpful tips, links to refer to, etc., from all of you.  If no one has told you today, let it be heard here first - you are greatly appreciated!  So, the next time one of your little darlings refuses to _____________ (fill in the blank) or makes an unkind comment about what's for dinner, remember that callmekate appreciates you and then smile!  :)

Now, the funny part ... sort of.  Here's the scene:  11 y.o. son is sitting, reading about chickens and asks mom (me) which is made first, the inside of the egg or the shell.  We discuss this issue and then he brings up the subject of fertilization.  More questions are asked.  Since this is a family site, suffice it to say I had to explain the idea of mating in a little more detail (well, he did ask).  Very little detail - we were talking chickens, after all.  Of course, dad was no where around (thanks, bucko!)  Well, how would my husband know what we were talking about?  Anyway, my son's response was, "Oh ... really?"  Brief silence followed, then we launched into more chicken/egg discussion (safe territory)!  I was amazed that I kept my cool (though I did look around to make sure we were alone).  Since writing the last post, I have been praying even more about how to answer the delicate questions of life and then God hands me a start with chickens!  What a sense of humor our Lord has!  I don't know whether to laugh or cry.  Later, I told my husband what happened and he thought I said the right things.  We'll let our son process this information and I'm sure he'll be asking more questions at some point - at least, I hope he will.  I'd hate for this discussion to end with the personal habits of chickens!  I won't let him process this for too long, however.  I know the Lord loves my son and wants the best for him, I just need to be up for the task.  I did ask my son not to discuss mating with his younger sibs and he agreed and said that we should wait until they are old enough to understand!  This child was born old, he's always wanted to be an adult and in some ways, he's more mature than I am.  So, now we've taken the first big step and, you know, it wasn't so bad.  With the Lord's help, all things are possible, are they not?  I'm so thankful when parenting experiences come in little steps, not giant leaps.