Chemistry

The kids studied zoology for three semesters (August 2017 through January 2019), and this semester we've been studying human anatomy and physiology. Paul's three favorite school subjects are math, science, and history. His interests in history are rather diverse, but when it comes to science he definitely prefers chemistry and physics. Paul is thrilled to know the kids will be studying chemistry and physics in the fall. He's not so crazy about the fact I've planned botany for next spring. The Saturday Science program focuses on a different aspect of science each semester. It just so happens that this semester the focus is chemistry. I wanted to attend the programs that didn't conflict with our schedule as I thought it would be a good introduction to some of the topics we'll be covering in the fall. We attended the first session and missed the second due to basketball games. Today we attended the third session. The attendance varies, but there were by far more people at today's session than any we had attended previously. The newspaper covered the first session this semester, and the director thought that might be the reason the attendance spiked. The session always begins with asking the children to write down what they already know about the particular topic (chemical reactions was today's topic) as well as what they'd like to know. Then after the kids spend about 2 hours rotating between 5-6 stations, they ask the kids what they learned (KWL chart). Because I also planned to run a few errands and take them to make bath bombs at the Children's Museum, we only stayed for two hours today. The kids did five of the six stations. We didn't do the sixth because we hadn't brought a water sample from home. Making slime was the highlight. They also did acid/base indicator experiments, use a Geiger counter, inflated a balloon from the reaction between baking soda and vinegar, etc.

On the way home we spent about one hour at the Children's Museum. The kids made bath bombs and played for a bit in some of the exhibits. Earlier this week I saw that the museum is offering their first class for homeschoolers. Next month they are having a one hour session on coding for 3rd-5th graders which is free if you are a member (which we are). I signed Nadia and Ian up for that. I hope this is the start of more homeschool programming at this museum! It's much closer than the other Children's Museum that has offered homeschool programs for years. Also, one of Paul's former colleagues at Bucknell is teaching a five day chemistry camp (3 hours a day for 5 days) at the Children's Museum. It's not free, but it's reasonably priced. It's for ages 7-12. I signed the boys up because the week it's been held is when Nadia will be at Camp Susque. I thought it was the perfect time to do a chemistry camp - right before we study chemistry in science. It would have been wonderful if it didn't conflict with Camp Susque for Nadia, but at least the boys should be able to participate!

I was on the company's website which managed the apartment where Maurice had been living yesterday. I was trying to make sure I had everything cancelled so they didn't bill him rent for April. In doing so, I saw on that website he had me listed again as his emergency contact. What cracked me up was he had my age listed as 42. That must mean he thought his other sisters were still in their 30's as Wendy is my youngest sister and she's 42. Well if someone is going to make a mistake with my age, I'd rather them err on the side of taking 4 years off my age. I'll be turning 47 next month.

When my mom passed away it took awhile for me to realize I couldn't call her as I was used to calling her almost every day - and sometimes multiple times in a day. I had talked to my brother more recently over the last 3 years, but we still didn't talk anywhere near as often as I talked with mom. So getting used to not being able to call him probably won't be as difficult. There will positively be times when I will wish I could see him or talk to him and won't be able to do so. I got an email this week (I think it was from our electric company) that was about peregrine falcons, and I immediately thought of him because that was one of his most favorite animals. Ian is having an adjustment as he was used to saying "thank you for Mommy, Daddy, and Uncle Maurice" as part of his prayer at bed time. Last night he paused after saying Uncle. I slept really well on Thursday night. I was in bed for 11 hours that night. I didn't sleep the entire time, but I slept the vast majority of the time. Last night I slept for about 7 hours which was better than most nights over the past two weeks but still less than usual. My nausea seems to have gone away, for which I am grateful. I was nauseous for almost a week straight. As unbearable as terrible news may seem at first, I think we're more resilient than we think we are. We have two different members of our choir who alternate sharing a devotional during our choir rehearsals on Wednesday nights. The man who shared three days ago talked about how that very day he and his wife had gone to the doctor for a 20 week ultrasound for their second child. At that appointment they learned that their baby had previously passed away. She will be delivering a baby in three days although the little one has already gone to Heaven. There is so much grief here on earth. Although I have never gone through exactly what they are going through right now, I could relate to at least some degree the grief they are experiencing as I also have little ones who went to Heaven before I met them here on earth. I haven't watched Maurice's sermon yet. I'm not ready to hear his voice. I do want to watch this sermon at some point, but it would be too overwhelming emotionally at the moment. However, I thought I'd include it below in case any of you would like to hear a sermon he preached in the summer of 2012. I distinctly remember the day he visited me in the hospital during my pregnancy with Oliver before he left the US to go to Brazil. Unfortunately I was really out of it that day as they gave me some medicine that didn't sit well with me (I asked they make a note on my chart to NEVER give me that medication again). They didn't think I was up for visitors that day, but I told them my brother was going to Brazil and I wouldn't see him again for a year. They acquiesced and let him spend some time with me in my hospital room. As we drove home from Saturday Science today, we passed a Long Horn Steakhouse. Ian piped up - that's where we had dinner with Uncle Maurice in Philadelphia in November. I'm really glad I treated him to a steak dinner that night. I had no idea it would be the last time I'd see my brother face-to-face here on earth.