The new semester has started and everyone in my nest is getting back in the groove. Choir on Monday nights, algebra homework, dyslexia therapy practice, band sectionals, and graduate school web conferences among other things. Very recently, there was a hiccup in our day in/day out regular operations. My mom’s doctors stumbled upon a kidney cancer while doing a routine test of some other body part, so surprise...surgery! She’s going great, but when you meet your deductible, you go all out and Dad joined the fun by having a stroke about 5 days after mom came home from the hospital. He’s doing great too. No lingering issues that we can tell. A classmate said "maybe once your Dad is up and about you can urge to him look for great bargains at Costco, rather than at the hospital with a met deductible." I shared that with Dad who thought it was very funny, but then said, "we don't have a Costco here." Sam's Club it is then. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, we’ve been a little distracted.
Why on Earth share this information? Where am I going with this? Well, when this mom is in grad school, she clearly turns everything into some kind of educational experience. While sharing Grandma and Grandpa's hospital adventures with the kiddos, my oldest asked, "what are deductibles?" as we were driving to choir practice. We had the best conversation with back and forth questions all about insurance, deductibles, premiums, out of pocket maximums, etc. She calculated hospital bills from imaginary situations. Who knew we could have such an engaging dialogue about what I mostly consider to be a dry topic? I'm positive not everything stuck for the long term because she needs more exposure, practice and application directly to her life. But I'm also pretty sure she'll be a step ahead of the average, brand new adult one day because she asked a great question about something that was relevant and authentic to current events in her world.
Fast forward a few days and tonight was web conference night, so I gave the kiddos a few very loose instructions about prepping dinner. They did an amazing job! Salmon, roasted veggies, and cheddar biscuits were waiting for me after class. I'm one spoiled momma. I know that all the time I've let my kids experiment, bake and cook in the kitchen led to tonight's dinner. The application of their practice and learning led to tonight's dinner and it was delicious. If I'm not careful, the only time they'll invite me into my own kitchen is to clean up the mess. It would seem that lately "the one who cooked, doesn't clean" rule has been invoked. Where was that rule for the last decade, kiddos? I guess I'll gladly scrub a dish or two and know that my kiddos are pretty awesome (not that I am partial in any way). I'll also be thankful they are supporting me while I am back in school.
In the wake of all the distraction, I'm so grateful for my parents' doctors, my sister for being on call and supporting our folks while they are healing, my kiddos for keeping most of their sibling squabbles to a dull roar, my husband for crafting a hood for the fish tank to keep fish from jumping out (remember the story of Pebbles) and the cat from jumping in (ok, maybe not the whole cat went in, but definitely a whole kitty arm as she tried to special order a snack), and my neighbor who lets me come over and bounce my school ideas off of her. Time to go hug a couple of kiddos and then get to work on those dishes.
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