I would like to start of with something a mother of four grown children said to me when my #4 was just a baby.  She said, "I'm surprised there aren't more moms in the obituaries with cause of death: exhaustion caused by children."  Every day I wonder how I'm going get through the day after a dreaded night of "musical beds".  But I somehow manage and the day goes on.  Sometimes I can remember what happened, sometimes the day is just a big blur but either way I get through it.

 Yesterday, when there was a break in the weather, the kids decided to play outside.  They were on the swings that are attached to a big, old oak tree in the back yard (I love that oak tree, I feel it is a part of our family - like from the book The Giving Tree).  My son noticed something moving at the bottom of the tree.  At first I was worried thinking it might be a bat, a snake or even a rabid animal.  Then I was able to focus the item and we determined it was a nest of mice!  The kids were really excited.  I had to warn them not to touch as they might bite or have germs.  This is a very hard task for my free-spirited four year old who loves life and the world around her. 

Anyway, it started to rain and we went back inside.  As I was closing the windows in the children's rooms for the night, I noticed something at the nest.  I called for the children to come and I said "It's a bunny nest!" as I showed them the mama bunny sitting on the nest.  Now the kids were really excited!  My 10 year old daughter (who has a big heart for animals - I wish she felt the same for her little sister but that's another story) asked if we could cover the nest to protect them from the rain.  I decided to let nature be and not do anything.  I did keep peaking out the window as the rain started to become hard and was disappointed the mama bunny left the nest. 

This morning as my husband and my baby (who is really going to be 3 next week and insists she is a "big girl") walked the two oldest to school, my free-spirit and I checked on the baby bunnies.  To our disappointment, the babies did not make it through the storm.  Now I had to decide what to tell The Baby.  I decided we needed to tell her and show her so she could learn.  The girls wanted to bury them right away and I suggested we wait until the sun comes out and dries things up.  Free-spirit said "maybe when the sun comes out, the babies will be alive again."  I told them that when things die, they never come back - a lesson I try to stress to them when they are not careful crossing the street or fussing with their seatbelts or not holding hands in a parking lot. 

 I decided we should bury them now and get it over with.  We said "Goodbye bunnies, have fun in heaven.  We love you!"  I told the girls I was sad, The Baby said she was angry, and Free-spirit went on with her day knowing there was something new to discover in the backyard.  I will have break the news to the two older ones when they get home.

I hope the children have learned a lesson - that life is precious and we must treat it that way.  I am ever thankful that I have another day with my children.

Life goes on....Jen

BTW - I'm in search of a blog picture of my four children!  If you thought it was hard to take a picture of two kids, try taking a picture of four!