Today I finished starting all the seeds that I have wanted to get going.  I was so excited to share this with Bug and to kind of create a little lesson out of it- thinking to myself what a wonderful mother/son thing this would be!  Well... true to kid form- he totally surprised me.  He wasn't really interested.  I wanted to talk about the seeds, how they grow, what they need, and he just wanted to ride his bike and run in the yard! LOL!  I'm sure that this won't be the last time that a "lesson" I am planning gets derailed.  I just smiled and went along my merry way. Hopefully as they poke their heads through the dirt, he'll be excited enough to listen and talk about them then.  I realized that he didn't like sticking his hands into the dirt- he's a sensory sensitive child so this was nothing new to me.  Oh well- I'm excited to see what kind of food yield we get this year!

I love plants.  I worked in a nursery as a teenager for a couple of years and learned so much.  When I first got married I had plants all over and all around my house- but as we got so involved in church, and had a child, that was left behind.  I missed it and this year I got plants for my home as well as seeds to start a garden.
Funny story-
One year that I worked at the nursery I was alone.  This was very common as it was a family run business and I worked at the satellite store in a different town.  I was out in the tree and shrub area watering when I felt a sharp pain on my ankle.  I thought I had been bitten by a snake.  I looked down and saw the bite and started walking towards the green house.  My body had a huge allergic reaction and with the second step my whole1q leg went numb and just dragged behind me.  I dropped to my knees and crawled the rest of the way to the greenhouse.  I got to the counter, pulled myself up and decided to call my mom at work.  She wasn't there, and I got her voice mail- by this time I was feeling very very weird and my whole left side was numb.  I tried to remain calm, but left a message something like this:
Mom, this is Heather.  I got bit by a snake and I need help.  In fact, I think that I might be dying.  I love you and I just wanted you to know that.  Tell Dad I love him too. 

I was crying, slurring my words and getting pretty worked up.  I hung up and called 911- by this time i had slunk onto the floor and could barely speak- I really and truly thought I was going to die.  The dispatcher had me keep the phone at my head until the ambulance got there- (like I could get up to hang it up! ) and the ambulance came.  They gave me meds right away and took me to the hospital.  turns out it was a spider bite that I had a horrible reaction to- but the meds helped and by the time my dad got the message  and got to the hospital I was feeling fine.

My mom saved that message.  She made me listen to it several times.  HOW EMBARASSING!  It was horrible.  What an awful thing to do to a mother.  ACK!  I sure hope that God doesn't "pay me back" for all those things I've done to her.  Good grief.  What a mess I am. She still "reminds" me of that day sometimes and the whole family has a good laugh.  ah well.   

Only a mother's love.......

Posted by writmm

Yesterday, I went out and planted 50 strawberry plants. Now I hadn't planned to get into a discussion of their growth, but had planned for the kids to help me. So I got out their kid sized shovel and the watering can and the strawberry plants. Jungle Princess immediately wants to dig and seconds later announces it is too hard. Game Master is not interested at all, though he loves strawberries and he managed to get a piece of dust in his eye that kept him from participating through half the planting...

So I sat there planting strawberries and wondering how I could get them involved. Ahha...inspiration, I told them that planting the strawberries made me think of the story of the Little Red Hen. We went through the whole thing, but they weren't buying it. Jungle Princess kept throwing in that the Little Red Hen was planting the wheat for her chicks...hmmm...seems she was about two steps ahead of me on this one, so much for reverse psychology!

So I planted strawberries by myself while Jungle Princess dug another hole for a pond...hmmm...the ground didn't seem to be too hard there. Game Master finally got his eye cleared out, made a half-hearted attempt at helping me, before joining his sister playing in the dirt and mud.

The snake/spider story is terrible. I am so glad you got in touch with 911 and got help! I know your family gives you a hard time about the message now, but had something happened to you, it would have been cherished!

Have a great day! Sorry I was so long winded in my commenting!

Posted by chickadee

what a terrifying experience. i'm sure everyone was glad you were able to make those calls-no matter what you said!

Posted by Redeemed

It's funny how something that "turns out" okay is hilarious, but if you would have died - nothing about it would have been funny! I was laughing so hard, when I read the words, "I love you and I just wanted you to know that. Tell Dad I love him too." Then the, "The dispatcher had me keep the phone at my head until the ambulance got there- (like I could get up to hang it up! )" This is great, I'm sure you do get a good laugh when you remember.

I should try to think of some of my most embarrassing moments and share them. Like the time I went jogging and forgot to use the bathroom before I left. I was on my way home, just hoping to make it and my nice elderly neighbor stopped me to talk, not knowing how to end the conversation - I wet my pants. I know there are plenty more, I just have to think.

Posted by writmm

We used to attend a larger church, but it was rural and we were not one of the 'in' families. My children had a lot to offer, but were rarely included...too big a pond! Now my children get to take part in the services, Katrina has sung, Jack plays the piano, and they get a lot of attention from the adults, plus they learn to interact with older adults.

Now I am off to enter your contest:)

Posted by momanna98

My son wasn't interested in helping me plant, either. I was surprised too. I thought he would love to get his hands dirty.

Posted by hskubes

I've enjoyed visiting your blog.
We are a Marine Corps family, too. We also use some Charlotte Mason, unschooling, and eclectic.

Have a blessed weekend.
~ Christina
www.homeschoolblogger.com/hskubes

Christian Military HomeSchool Mamas:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Christian_military_HS_mamas