Addendum

I've been really struggling with health issues and pain/energy levels again over the last several months, so we're looking at where we need to make changes and cut back to keep things more manageable and allow me to pace myself better. We're also hoping to sell our home and move soon, hopefully to a place with acreage where we'll have more room to breathe.

The conversation with AJ was actually one small part of one in which I was partly trying to gauge whether it's important to AJ to keep any of the satins or get some back later, or if she'd be happy to just have mini satins long-term. I'm trying to figure out what's important to all of the kids right now, and which rabbits are most important to them to keep, since we are probably going to be keeping only a very few that they are able and willing to be mostly responsible for on their own.

We do have a couple of rabbit friends who have offered to take some of our stock for the time being and let us have back some of the original stock or their offspring later. I'm trying to make decisions about that right now.

We're currently looking at drastically reducing or getting out of raising rabbits for the time being, and getting back into it later when we move to a place where we can have a less energy-intensive setup and I get back on my feet healthwise.

Sweet Moments

As I was tucking AJ into bed tonight, I talked to her about whether she would want to do a meat rabbit pen for 4-H this year. I explained that she would have to choose a doe, raise a litter, feed and keep records on them carefully, and then sell them at the 4-H auction. We would let her spend a little of whatever money they brought in, but she should put the rest into a savings account.

"You can save it for college, to buy a car, or whatever you decide you want to do when you're older."

Suddenly her whole face lit up, her brown eyes glowing. "Could I save it for a mission trip?"

My heart melted. "Sure. If you wanted to save it for a mission trip someday, you could do that."

She beamed. "Then I'll do that. Maybe that's what God has enlisted me for. To be a missionary someday."

When we prayed, I thanked the Lord for her enthusiasm and her sweet heart that loves God.

She has talked about wanting to be a missionary since she was very young. I wouldn't be surprised if someday she does.

(Addendum to this post here.)

A few things that have made me smile in the last few days . . .

• Hearing AJ rhapodize enthusiastically about the beauty of pi. She is definitely her father's daughter.


• Seeing M&M delight in learning to do a bridge kickover (a gymnastics move).


• Knowing Ebee absolutely LOVES her new combination ballet/gymnastics class (even though I could do without having her ask every 10 minutes all week long if it's time to go to her class again yet).


• Seeing AJ settle back into her choir, and knowing she's enjoying it.


• Knowing that we've found activities for each of the kids that fit their personality and needs so well: priceless.


• Watching M&M taking time out of math to explain to Ebee that it's "dragon" and not "jragon" and the difference between the look and sound of the letters D and J, then seamlessly transition to explaining who Harriet Tubman was and what she did. I had difficulty bringing myself to send her back to her math.


• Ebee was so interested in Harriet Tubman and asked so many questions, that I had AJ read her a book about Harriet Tubman to practice her reading aloud for that day. I wish I had captured on video AJ's almost lyrical reading of the book, her flexible voice rising and falling with the meaning of the words, complete with an old-style Southern accent.


• That didn't exhaust Ebee's attention span, so then M&M read her a book about Abraham Lincoln. She loved it. Ebee can now sound out simple words and sentences, but she still prefers to have someone else read to her.


• Watching the girls take more responsibility for their own rabbits, and learn new skills.


• Realizing how good the kids are getting at understanding things, how helpful they are, and how much they're growing up.

She was happy with that solution . . .

but it wasn't quite what I meant.

M&M: "Mom, do I have to eat ALL my chicken to get dessert?"

Me: "At least half of it."

Ebee: "I'll eat your chicken for you, M&M!"

Sign of the Times

Ebee, practicing her handwriting with a pen on a piece of lined paper, just asked me,

"Does this paper have a password?"

5-year-old logic

Ebee: "Will you help me brush my teeth?"

Me: "Okay, but go to the bathroom first, and then I'll help you."

Ebee: "But my gums might fall out while I'm going to the bathroom if I don't brush my teeth first!"