Opinion : Eggs, Puppy Dogs, Tassels and 24 Years, Trust me they ARE related

A few weeks ago as I babysat our granddaughters, I had a flashback to my days as a homeschool mom who didn't get to send the kids to the breakfast at school:

Me: Who wants eggs for breakfast?
2 little girls chorus: We want BROWNIES!
Me: Well, I'm going to make some yummy scrambled eggs.
Girls: Can we have water?
Me: No, *chuckling* we don't have any, (while I get them each a cup)
Child #2: I want sunny side down eggs.
Me pondering what that could be...fried? Sunnyside UP eggs, served upside down? I prepare some over easy for approval.
Child #2: That's not how mommy makes them.
Me: mumbling to myself, Ah, she means fried.

Doing the logical thing, I break the yolks and fry them.

Child #2: That is NOT right!
Child #1: I want scrambled eggs.
(Shew, I'm thinking, "Good I have those made already!")
Serves Child #1 scrambled eggs.
Child #1: What's that on my eggs?
Me: Just salt and pepper.
Child #1: I don't like pepper, it's black. I don't like black dots on my food.
Me; Try it.
Child #1: I can taste it...*in a singsong voice*
Me: Doesn't it taste good?
Child #1: No! I want just plain scrambled eggs. Take the black dots off!
Me: Ok, (as I begin a new batch)
Child #2: Are my sunny side DOWN eggs done yet? I'm hungry! I want to put bread in them.
I now have two pans of eggs on the stove, cooking scrambled eggs in one pan and starting more over easy/sunny side "down" eggs in the other.
Child #2: "Grandma you don't cook as fast as Aunt Abby."
Me laughing as I glance at 3 scrambled eggs with black dots and 2 now fried eggs on the counter.
Me: "Grandma is old, I am going as fast as I can."
Child #2: You are really old
(Can these eggs not cook faster????)
Handing Child #1 the fresh batch of PLAIN scrambled eggs.
Child #1: I can't eat THESE....they are hot!
Child #2: Why can't I have eggs...
(I now put the fresh batch of sunny side "down" eggs on the plate and slide it across the counter)

Me:I feel like a waitress!
Child #2: Why? Are you a waitress? Can you cut my eggs up?

Now don't get me wrong, these little gals really aren't that demanding. Like the rest of us, they know how they like their eggs. They like them without black dots and like mommy makes them.

A few days ago I received a text message with the picture of the dog shown above with the message, “L---- wanted me to send this to grandma because she knows you will think it is funny!” and she was right.

Last night we were fortunate enough to sit at the graduation of our 5^th child.

As I returned home tonight I realized once again that we were blessed beyond all that we could ever dream.

Had you told me 30 years ago that I'd do what I did tonight, and see what I saw, I'd have chuckled and thought it were impossible.

The last 24 years, we have homeschooled our 6 children. So far, we've been blessed to have children that turned into amazing adults, in spite of our lack of training on how exactly, to raise children.

Has it always been easy?

Are you kidding?

You did read "6 children" and "homeschooling" right?

There were a lot of days I'd get the kids settled down to do their school work and dad would pop in the door between stories just to say, “Hi!”

All the kids would race to dad, and class was interrupted while the “fun parent” took a few minutes to hand out hugs and run back out the door.

Now it happens with the granddaughters.

A few weeks ago I heard, “I JUST sat the girls down to do their school work and DAD stopped in...”

I laughed.

No, I roared!

Then I called the guilty party, and explained that you can't do that, without calling first.

Homeschooling has been one of the greatest decisions we ever made.

I do  think the extra curricular events have permanently warped the mind of our oldest. When she was little, she went with her daddy to the council meetings. Dean used to take along a tape recorder to get all the details, then he would listen to the tape and write the story. When he was done, our daughter would walk around the house with the tape recorder to her ear and listen to....the city council meeting, over and over...

Now she thinks politics is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Of course, there was also a councilman who always brought her a candy bar and at other political meetings one of the guys always had markers and paper in his brief case that he would let her use.

What's NOT to like about politics, right?

Over the years our “home” schooling has had a front row seat to many community events that Dean has covered.

Now another generation sometimes gets to tag along, but this generation gets the bonus of a trip to McDonald's after just a hint of a request...as well as a grandpa who can now relax a bit and enjoy his job.

As I sat in the ceremony last night and watched our superintendent and our teachers that are responsible for the Vinton-Shellsburg Homeschool Program, I was so appreciative their gentle guidance and direction and the many things they do for us each year.

Tonight 8 more graduates left the school with their diplomas.

16 parents left with the feeling of accomplishment.

Oodles and oodles of yet to be born generations will be able to look back and say, “Grandpa and Grandma homeschooled, it was back in the good 'ol days.”

But in all of this, I realize that the small tasks that we did each day, and the things we taught our children, ultimately are now the responsibility of our children to use and remember.

We had the easy job, enjoying the time we had together.

Congratulations to all of our graduates and to their moms and dads,you did it!