A Good End

It has been a long time since I've had a week as stressful as this one. I am ecstatic that it is finally Friday- primarily because it means that the week is over. Technically, my situation will remain unchanged for the next several weeks, but somehow knowing that this week is coming to a close feels comforting.

I was fully prepared to spend yesterday pouting and wallowing. I even invited a half gallon of Whoopie Pie ice cream and a freshly baked chocolate cake to my pity party. Fortunately, Robby had other plans for my time and my less than productive plans were derailed. It's impossible to remain deflated when you have a precocious Kindergartner chomping at the bit to do science experiments!

We spent the afternoon analyzing various water samples under the microscope. He took water from the refrigerator, the faucet and the stream. He was certainly in a curious mode! I did put my foot down and refuse his request when I wouldn't let him pee on a microscope slide. He claimed that I was "interfering with important science stuff" and refused to speak to me for about five minutes. Unbeknownst to him, his protest afforded me the quietest five minutes of my day!

I was forgiven when I suggested we go outside to hunt for dinosaur bones. He happily commenced whacking rocks with his hammer, hoping to uncover "dead animals inside rocks that are called fossils." Mr. Bill came over, and Robby told him what he was doing.

Without missing a beat Mr. Bill walked to his house and began to dismantle his stone fence. Robby followed and helped move the rocks, chatting about fossils and his hopes for finding some. Still silent, Mr. Bill carefully selected a flat rock and handed it to Robby.

Robby and Mr. Bill spent the next hour splitting the rock into two pieces. With the exception of an occasional direction, very few words were exchanged between the two friends. I was impressed with how attentive Robby was on the project, especially since he didn't know the purpose. I wish he would focus that much when I ask him to help clean.

With one final strike, the rock opened up. Hundreds of small fossilized snails and shells were uncovered. Robby threw the hammer down and began to gleefully jump. "Holy Macaroni! We discovered fossils! That's amazing. It's blowing my mind, Mr. Bill." Smiling, Mr. Bill leaned over to me and quietly whispered, "Ms. Dominique is going to $hit her pants when Robby actually brings in a fossil, isn't she. This should curry some favor when she grades Robby's penmanship test tomorrow!"

I am glad that my day of wallowing was interrupted. I had a great time with Robby and Mr. Bill, and the activities kept my mind off of my frustrations. To the delight of my waistline and bum, I even managed to leave the cake and the ice cream untouched! Yesterday was a good day in an otherwise abysmal week.