Well, along this path of our adoption journey… somehow we squeeze in some “real life.” In between fundraisers, we plan family parties, and in between paperwork and appointments, we do our homeschooling, and at this time of year, strive for more field trips out of doors.
Today we ventured to a piece of nature 10 minutes from us, that I am sad to say we have never explored! The Thorncrag Bird Sanctuary.
We were originally going to meet friends, but ended up exploring on our own; life is like that sometimes! So the kids fought past disappointment, and decided to enter into the spirit of it. And boy, they did great! We ended up sitting by the pond above, and I asked if anyone wanted to sketch anything. (Something I try to encourage on outings.) At first, only Molly wanted to draw, and then Phoebe joined her. I decided to write a poem instead. Low and behold, soon we are all writing poetry. Here was our first group effort:
Poem at Thorncrag: May 7, 2010
By Mom, Molly, Phoebe and Levi
I toss in a stone
And the rippling waves
Are growing across
Like the rings of a tree
Tree branches creaking
And little birds sing
A wonderful visit
With the woods in spring
I sit on the bench
And watch the waves
Then the water turns
Back to normal again
The whispering wind
And the rustling leaves
Announce to the world
Spring is here again
Then Phoebe added her own:
By Phoebe Gouette
Sun shining down, warm and bright
It brings me so much delight
Suddenly a special sight
A butterfly, brown and white
Levi added his own, after discovering a thin web with his face while leading the way down a trail. We took this picture to go with it, too! 
(This proud Mama LOVES this boy’s way with words… I did NOT prompt or suggest any of his poem).
By Levi Gouette
Spiderwebs gleaming in the afternoon light
Sun breaks upon branches, a beautiful sight
When the golden orb sets and night dawns on the sky
It is time to leave, so let us say “goodbye.”
