366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-Day 10-A Mournful Good-Bye

I know that I've already posted a picture of the swans that have so brightened my day and my drive on so many occasions. My kids and I will stop just to watch them even if I don't have my camera. The family of swans has brought so much happiness and even hope to so many people that drive that particular stretch of rural road. I say hope because of the emotional loss of the family of swans that used to reside on that exact pond for years before their untimely and devastating deaths in 2009. The swan family was found dead by the side of the road near the pond that had been home to the parent swans that came back every year for many years to bare and raise their young. That corner had been so vastly photographed  by people who lived near and far because of the beauty of that swan family. Their loss brought so much sorrow.

This past summer when a pair of adult swans showed up on that little pond to nest and raise a family it brought immeasurable delight to all who admired the previous family as well as the people who had only heard about them upon their death. I believe, for myself at least, the arrival of the new adult swans brought hope. The hope that even after such tragedy their can be beauty. Over the last several months I have taken numerous pictures of our new little swan family that had taken residence. The attentively loving parents raised 5 cygnets to near adulthood. While we've thus far had unseasonably warm weather I have been very surprised to still see them on the pond so late in the season. Last Thursday when I photographed them I was a little concerned to only see two of the babies but thought that the other three might just be elsewhere on the pond. Yesterday however, I heard some very disturbing news. In early December (I haven't driven that route due to our Christmas break taking us in different directions) two of the baby swans were shot to death by hunters. One of the cygnets was simply missing with no explanation.  I fear what that means. After hearing this heartbreaking news I found myself with cause to drive by that pond again today. It was quite a majestic however lonely sight to see the two parent swans by themselves gliding across the pond without their babies that they so diligently and lovingly cared for over the last several months. I'd like to think that the two last cygnets that were so serenely bathing in the pond with their parents simply took flight to start their own adult lives, however the recent events leave me skeptical.

So I now mourn the deaths of those beautiful creatures that have made me admire, smile, laugh, and now cry. 

I have looked forward to seeing them every time I pass that way and will now sorely miss them. 

Linked up at:

http://www.create-with-joy.com/

366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-Day 9

My son had the privilege of leading the warm up drills at martial arts today. You can tell by the smile on his face that he was very proud to be doing it too.

366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-Day 8

My older boys left to go back to college today. It will be much quieter here around Casa Chaos. We will miss having them around every day. Can't wait til they come back!

366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-Day 7

I'm babysitting my little grandbaby tonight. She just loves shoes! Especially her Auntie LuLu's!

366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-Day 6

One day, sooner than I'd like, the days of brotherly sleepovers on the couch will be mere memories, replaced by families and lives of their own. So I will cherish these moments while I have them and hold them in my heart forever.

First day back to "school"

            There isn't a whole lot of "home" involved in our homeschool journey. My wee ones are involved in many outside the home activities that stem from Martial Arts, Dance, Wrestling, Drama, Music, various different science classes, Electronics, Swimming, Gym, my son is even learning to be a Night in Medieval Times. It has been an extremely nice break from the majority of the running over our Christmas break! Today was the first day back to some of our outside the home classes, thus hurtling us back into some semblance of a schedule.
            Despite the spectacularly beautiful sunrise

It was a bit of a slow moving morning on the part of the wee ones.

He was standing but not quite awake.

You can tell by the slight grin that she was awake but not ready to move.

Both kids took Martial Arts in the morning, then the boy went on to a few other classes while I took the girl to lunch and a movie for some much needed mother daughter time.

Then back home for the girl to work on science projects in the kitchen with her big bro

 while the boy went to wrestling practice.

All and all a pretty busy first day of "school".

366 Days of Pictures in 2012!-5

I thought these swans had left us for the season, however while driving my kids to some classes that they take there they were! In a different pond than they are normally in, but just as pretty sitting there posing for the camera!