The KZN Museum of Natural Science Research Centre

2 weeks back, Amanda(my sister-in-law), Hiram (my brother) & their 2 boys, Tracey(my sister) and her 3 kiddies and yours truely, with my 4 monkeys set off for the KZN Museum of Natural Science Research Centre.  What thrilled me the most about this trip?  2 Things. 1. Entrance is free (which goes along with my theory that Education & therefore knowledge of any kind should always be accessible and free) and 2. Since it is a Research Museum, there were bound to be rows and rows, and drawers filled with creatures being constantly researched. The 2nd point excites me alot. A LOT.

The kids all love each other, and LOVE being together - since they're all cousins, and that always gives me goosies, and makes me happy.  So I also get a thrill from just watching them interact.  The girl cousin's are generally more sedate and composed and can be trusted to ask all the questions and make all the observations.  The little boy cousins (Rogan and Jonah) made the most noise and ran around more than anything, and Noah worships his older cousins; Ethan, Warrick and Liam - to the point of cetain hero worship that I believe we will need to have a chat one day about that whole,"If your cousin's says jump off a cliff should you really???".  

There were plenty funny moments.  I laughed alot. Our guide, Lee Richards, took us all over - we saw bugs of all sizes and types, trays and trays of them pinned down and numbered and studied, and documented.  Spiders, ants, moths, bees, flies(yucko for sure - who cares how many flies there are and what type and where they were found - a fly is a fly and should always be destroyed!). 

Then we went into a very stinky room.  With floor to ceiling shelves of preserved fish, birds, insects, mammals, arachnids.  They had bottles of fruit bats, tiny baby whales (that were found in their momma's when they were killed at the old whaling station in the Bluff), lambs, baby leopards (it's mommy was killed in the early 1900's and it was sent to the museum then - I LOVE HISTORY),snakes, moles, rats, you name it - they probably have it.  It was a very stinky room.  And the kids were instructed very sternly that they were to walk in single file with their arms folded and not touch a thing!  Like that worked.  I gave up eventually and waited outside.

We headed upstairs to a secure location where the children were again instructed to not touch anything and all animals had been treated with very specific chemicals to help preserve them and protect them from happy little bugs who like to eat their flesh.  Gross.  Warrick wouldn't go inside when he heard that.  He slumped on the floor outside - paranoid that something terrible would happen to him. Jonah kept running up and down the stairs - that's Jo, he runs constantly and struggles to concentrate at times.  Noah declared after a while of standing and listening to Lee, that it smells like his room in there so he wanted out (Hiram & I almost cried with laughter - I was of course also slightly embarrassed - who wants to hear their son publically declare that he has a smelly room??? By the way - I have since entered his room many times and can state that it certainly DOES NOT smell bad).  Noah also got to show how 'obedient' he can be when Lee said:"Now, please promise me that you won't touch anything. ANYTHING". He put out his hand and stroked the closest animal fur.  All the adults in the room yelled, "No!!!".  I just smiled.

The last room we walked through was for the study of birds.  You should know by now that i LOVE birds, and may possibly one day enter the field of Ornithology.  They had some birds up on display, a couple of Maccaws, an African Fish Eagle, pigeons, a common Mynah(no longer called the Indian Mynah btw), penguins etc, and then they had endless rows of cabinets - and in those dear sweet cabinets were drawers and drawers of birds.  Lee opened one up for us to see, they were stuffed full of black eagles and fish eagles, and every type of beautiful eagle you can imagine.  Thrilling.  I did sigh a lot - I will admit.  A sigh of having found my niche in life.

The tour over, we headed over to Mac Donalds for their famous R 2.50 cones, and then had an easy drive home - Durban has become so much easier to negotiate through these days, thanks to the 2010 World Cup - nice new freeway that bypasses all the crappy parts.  Lovely.

And that, my dears, was or trip.  Good memories.

xxxx

Elder Joshua Von Brughan

I have a sweet nephew, Josh, who is on a mission for our church in England (for 2 years).  He is the one in the old photo up top with the cap on. He really is sweet - and kind, and good in every way.  Our children love him and Phoebe almost talked his ear off when they stayed with us that year - he just kept listening, so she just kept talking.  As of right now - he's fast asleep in an ICU ward in hospital after having a bicycle accident.  He hit his head on a curb and has had severe head trauma. Exact details are sketchy, and we're all far away - it's hard not being able to see him, and visit him...so he's in our prayers and constantly in our thoughts.  What a good and precious lad. 

Dish washing thoughts

Goggle girl Phoebe

When I'm standing washing the dishes every night my mind starts firing in all directions and it keeps coming back to a common thought.  My kids don't really know me.  I'm the moaning, nagging, firey mommy who yells alot and frowns a lot and is always tired.  That's not fair.  When Brod and I go away together - and it's just us - I'm really happy and keen for lots of adventures and every little thing excites me...there has to be a balance between responsible mommy Melissa & carefree wife and adventurer Melissa.  I wonder if this is a common lament amongst other mothers. It does seem unfair.  I'd like my little ones to see a happier me.  The other night I was running around the house with a little painting I'd produced a while back considering getting it framed, and where I'd hang it...I was happy and excited(aka.being me) and Sophie leans over to Brod, pats him on the arm and says,'Mom's in a good mood tonight'.  Nuts. I need to train myself to be in a good mood more often.

Update

Jo went back to school on the 19th January.  Contrary to popular belief by the rest of us, he was excited and happy to go.  In fact his 3 older siblings made such a fuss of him that morning.  All 3 walked him down to his classroom (mommy sat in the car, with the motor running), and made sure he was happy.  He has been all smiles every morning since.  It has been a pleasure.  Homeschool has been HARD.  Yes, I have not had to worry about labeling stationary, uniforms, bags, sports kits and 7am school runs - but it has been hard from an emotional and mental side.  I knew it would be.  Perhaps I should have envisioned it as being easier?  Law of attraction and deliberate intent and all that jazz. 

So, I'm working hard. HARD.  In case anyone out there thinks I've taken an easy lazy path.  This has been anything but.  I find that I doubt myself alot and my decision - and that bugs me the most.  I have to constantly remind myself WHY I'm doing this and how I felt all those months ago when I happened upon this path.  I am at peace more when I remember how I felt then. 

We're all working hard.  My mind boggles when I come across folk who have nothing to do all day.  I think REALLY?  Nothing to do?  Unbelievable.  One of the perks to this new lifestyle is that Brod & I are making even more of an effort to hang out together away from the home and responsibilties there.  Those have been really fun moments, and we have some good memories already at the start of 2011.  Living bigger than before.  In every area of our lives I hope. 

Phoebe and Sophie started Piano this week.  It's Phoebe's 2nd year and Sophie's first.  They are thrilled be back and Sophie can't believe her luck.  She wore the most awesome outfit for her first lesson.  Her swimming costume.  She is a very chilled child.  Noah and Phoebs have the most wonderful Speech and Language therapist who adores them as much as they adore her, Carmen.  Not sure how she feels about the rest of us, eating all her peppermints in the waiting room, all the loo visits, and general chaos that takes place while she's working with one of the 2. 

The girls are still doing their swimming training, I use the term 'training' very loosely.  They amble across the pool in such a ladylike fashion it's quite enthralling to watch.  They really don't care if they are slower than everyone else and laugh and have huge chats with eachother.  Too funny(when I don't think about how much I'm paying their trainer to teach them!!!!!).  I sit in wait in the car these days.  I can't handle it - I'm the queen of impatience.  I used to sit there yelling at them to speed up.  

Yesterday, we popped into the Kloof & Highway SPCA to pass the time between Language & swimming. The kids played on the jungle gym and I sat for 5 minutes.  While we had some hot chips - made to kill us off of course - Noah and I sat chatting.  He was wondering why one of the young women in our ward told Phoebe that she adores him.  He asked me why?  And then asked if she was a kid.  He's learning all about appropriate age behaviour I think.  He asked the same thing of their hair dresser yesterday.  She was telling him that her mom had to fetch her.  "Are you a kid?" he asked.  She laughed so hard.  She's in her 20's.  I love listening to my kiddies.  They say the funniest things.  Wish I wrote them down more.

A happy day to you all.  I need to go chat with my girls' Zulu Tutor quick.  I am not brave enough to teach a third langauge my self!!!!

xxx

P.S Brod is well if anyone is interested.  He leads a very mundane life.  Work, church, the occassional wave, dates with me:) and the odd cycle to play tennis or teach seminary.  He does play with the children a lot and makes them answer copious amounts of questions to test their knowledge - and then has a good laugh at their answers.  He is wonderful.  I love him even more than yesterday or anytime before. 

PPS Sorry there are no pics, still having problem uploading them.  Urgh.