memories

My daughter read my blog entry over my shoulder the other day as I typed, and said she, 'never thought someone like [me] would have a blog.'  I asked her what she meant 'like me' and she couldn't explain, so I'm not sure if she thinks it's cool, or odd, but her next observation made me happy.   She proceeded to read aloud, dramatically emphasizing each word - btw, I can never belittle the dramatics... she gets that from me and I love it!  But as she read, chuckling, she said it sounded like a book.  And that was my 'aha!'  That's what I was going for so I'd succeeded... at least to a 10 year old who is dramatic. :)   She read it like a suspense novel and we both had a good laugh.

It's how I've been helping her with her homework too.  Studying colonial America, I'm hoping by interjecting some realism and humor, she'll relate to it better than I did in school, and remember not only the history with a smile, but our times together as well.  

Sir Walter Raleigh initially unsuccessful left the colony he'd set up to return to Europe for funding to continue exploring.  He returns to find England fighting with Spain.  So we joked in Spanish (which she's also learning).  He then sends John White back in a 2nd attempt, which begged the question - if he was so determined, why did he send John White in his stead?   John White returns 2 years later! [a long time to wait on this end, we commented] and finds no colony... just "CROATOANS" written on a sign posted on tree.  So it remains a mystery. But should it, we joked?  Raleigh clearly knew what he was doing sending someone else... so Raleigh's wife was probably nagging the whole time how Walt was a chicken.  And before White got back, these Croatoans might have eaten the colonists, or convinced them they had food so, to go with them... or was it all a dream by either explorer since after months on a ship, tossing in the waves, hungry and tired, what would you "see" when you hit land, legs and brain still bobbing as if on sea?  In jesting with my 10 year old, it made her think outside the box....and that's all I'm hoping to instill.

Being home with them after school these days has been the best thing that's happened to me in the past year.  My life changes with work, and my present ability to explore other opportunities and interests, as well as continue to fail at cleaning up my house, have been liberating.  Writing more in my blog, continuing to create stories & attempt to polish them in further progress, possibly exhibit my photography... how exciting!  I'm creating and the world is my oyster.  But the extra time I've had with my kids has been a priceless gift.  It's certainly informing my search for the next thing in my life... how to maintain some light fun and laughter in our days, so the memories are ones they'll hold forever with smiles.