Blooming

It's no secret that sometimes I can be a little bit of a control-freak teacher slash mama. But I'm the first to admit that I need to relax a bit. Today I took a step toward that reform, and the results were amazing. Typically when we have a homeschool field trip, the kids are handed a clipboard of activities they must complete during said field trip. So they enter the aquarium, the zoo, the whatever with a sparkle in their eyes but with a hint of a sag in their shoulders...probably the weight of the clipboard. Today for our trip to the botanical gardens, I set no agenda. I had no "Identify this..." sheets or crossword puzzles printed out. I didn't have 4 clipboards neatly sitting out on the counter for the kids to grab on the way out. We would just go and experience. Then the amazing stuff started happening. Jacob came up with the idea of taking the clipboards along, and the other kids agreed that would be an awesome idea. Who knew?

We got to Athens and enjoyed a little time at Grandma and Grandpa's prior to our field trip, and there we received a little lesson in horticulture. The kids helped Grandma harvest some tomatoes and peppers, and Grandma gave me several plant clippings to bring home and kill with my black thumb.

As we headed to the botanical gardens, I anticipated little enthusiasm. After all, this is a garden, not a science museum or the space center or Epcot; it's just a pathway surrounded by plants. But I under estimated my children. They skipped through the garden with interest and excitement, stopping every few minutes to sketch a leaf or a flower.

As we sauntered along the garden path of bright, cheery blooms and blossoms, it dawned on me that my children are also blooming. Thankfully, a love of learning is being cultivated. I'm so happy to see it because I've had a few anxious moments here and there through the last few years of homeschooling, worrying that a couple of my students (ahem) would never make the choice for learning (at least willingly). Of course, there will be more of those moments in the future, but it's a relief to see some growth!

I tried to explain to the children the significance of the Cacao Tree to me...having grown up in Cote d'Ivoire, I often saw the Cacao Tree in the landscape. Naturally, the kids really didn't care about those details. Alex did inform me, however, that this tree would require Midge Flies for pollination. I do not know anything about Midge Flies, but I learned a couple of years ago never to argue animal or science trivia with my daughter; I never win.