The other day I found out that I was featured as the TwitterMom of the Week and I heard the engines of my plane to success beginning to take off. It has been such a long journey to try and get my Blog recognized by the Search Engines and Social Networks and I had tears of gratitude in my eyes.

Suddenly, Brevitt walked into my office announcing that four of the five chickens, that he had been minding for our neighbors, were dead, kaput, no longer.  My moment of euphoria quickly was aborted and my plane started to spiral back down to the earth.

Our neighbors have gone to Hawaii for a month and have entrusted my boys to take care of their chickens while they are gone. Every morning,  Brevitt or Axel, would sleepily come down the stairs and tell me that they were off to collect the eggs. In the small amount of time that my boys were caring for the chickens, I saw a competence and intention that I had not yet seen. Not only did the importance of routine and care come into their lives but they also quickly became short order cooks cooking breakfast for the entire family. I was so grateful that the children were completely embracing this opportunity.

Mike Tyson was the only chicken to survive. She was the fastest and the most difficult to catch and evidently, the smartest. It was horrible calling the family and letting them know that their chickens, raised from eggs, were gone with nothing left but the feathers. How does one replace the love and care that those children gave to their little feathered friends.

As for the boys, Wade and I are delicately trying to teach them a lesson on responsibility, without devastating them.

Through further investigation we discovered that the boys had been closing the door to the chicken coop but the latch did not work properly. Although it is a huge disappointment to know that the children are not yet ready to be responsible, it did give us a glimpse into the benefits for children of taking care of animals.

The family was most gracious and understanding despite their misfortune. I had already ordered more baby chickens and my neighbor was going to take care of them until the family came home.  I promised that when they returned from Hawaii I was going to have them over for an apologetic dinner. I just have to make sure that I remember not to serve chicken.

There is now an empty feeling I have when the kids wake up in the morning. No more incentive for the boys, no more fresh eggs and I miss the rooster crowing in the afternoons.

Maybe this little experience will lead to a chicken coop in our backyard. I think I’ll talk to Wade about it after he takes a break from preparing our yard for sod. We must take one step at a time.

To see the article for TwitterMom of the Week please visit: http://www.twittermoms.com/profiles/blogs/twittermom-of-the-week-meet-15?utm_source=Twittermoms+Member+Newsletter&utm_campaign=b286f276b5-TMWN_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Two years ago I sat my husband and three boys down and informed them that never, ever again will I endure the deep disappointment of each uneventful special occasion. And furthermore, I added, just because my birthday falls on May 9th does not allow you to, “cleverly”, lump my birthday and Mother’s Day into one whole.

As I paced up and down amongst my handsome brood I told them what a woman/mom expects from a man/son and how there was no time like the present to start practicing on me. They looked at me with wide-eyed expressions trying to understand what I was talking about. What was this romance babble?

I decided that in order to get the attention I deserved I had to train them better. Now a few days prior to each occasion, I give them the warning and a list of things that I would like to have happen.

I have since discovered that the boys respond well to inspiration. Yesterday, we bought art supplies together, looked up Jim Dine’s hearts and they burst into action to create Valentine’s Day cards. Their creations were incredible. My nine year old wrote a letter to his grandparents that made me cry, I never cry!

Who knows what my husband will do for me this Valentines Day. He has been made quite aware that he must not bring me flowers on the day that I would most expect it, if he gives me chocolates he will get reprimanded for trying to fatten me up and that a single card will bring on silence.

Hopefully, my sons will convince him to surprise me with a night stay in a luxurious hotel, rose petals in the bed and a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket. Most likely I will get a wet kiss, a card and a lecture that he shows his love to me in other ways. I know this is true but most definitely unacceptable!