Pets or Children?

This evening I had a health test. I think I might have done okay, maybe a high B or low A. After I finished my test, I checked over every problem a second time and came across a true/false question that I knew was false, and knew it was false the first time around, but for some reason marked it true. Now how much sense does that make?

After the test, Mrs. W went straight into lecturing on STDs, contraceptives, reproductive systems, etc. Half-way into the lecture she paused for a discussion on things to consider before deciding to have children. (If anyone needs any counseling in this area, maybe I could be of service now.) One girl said how some people will try getting a pet first to see how they do in taking care of it before deciding on whether to have children or not. Another girl took it a step further and said that she's heard that you should start out with a plant and, if the plant survives, then you step up to a fish. If the fish survives, you get a cat. If the cat survives, you can then get a dog. If the dog survives, maybe you are ready to have children. Ridiculous!!

After she was finished with her spiel, a Bosnian guy at the back of the class raised his hand to make a comment. He asked if we had ever seen the bumper stickers that say something like "My child is an honor student at Franklin Elementary." We had. He then went on to say how he had seen a Cadillac Escalade that had a bumper sticker on it that said something like "My poodle is smarter than your honor student." "That is not nice!" he said in his slightly accented English. The teacher asked whether he thought that maybe it was meant as a joke. "I don't care! It's just not nice," he said passionately, "Why, if I had a child, I'd probably...well, I'd probably rear end them or something!" It was rather funny, but at the same time, it was one of those "awwww" moments. It's not often that you hear a young man being fiercely protective of a child that he doesn't have.

Life has really gotten hectic. I've had so many little stories that I've wanted to write but couldn't because other things demanded my attention more. I really shouldn't be writing even now. I've got to rewrite my first draft of my persuasive essay, plus submit that same essay with research inserted. And then the following week, I'm supposed to have a compare/contrast essay to submit. And the week after that, the portfolio is due. It's simply frightening and overwhelming. Kris & I periodically check in with each other, comparing our busy little lives, trying to outdo each other in how busy our lives are, how much homework we've got to do, etc. Makes us feel better.