I had just about given up on the egg sac ever hatching, then the other day I went into the boys’ room to find this:

And this:

And this:

And this…

Our butterflies hatched this week as well, and while we didn’t get to actually see them come out of the chrysalis (darn it!) we did watch the last one gradually uncurl and stretch his wings. They were a drab brown at first, and over the course of a few days, their bright orange and black markings came to the surface. They are beautiful! We’re going to watch them for just a couple more days, and then release them into the backyard.

The praying mantises and butterflies were the highlights of an otherwise difficult and stressful week. Last Sunday we watched the Superbowl while enjoying our traditional carpet picnic feast. The game was one of the most exciting Superbowls I’ve seen, and we were heartbroken that the Cardinals lost! The next day I woke up in pain, and first attributed it to the guacamole, chips, and other various not-very-good-for-you goodies I consumed in mass quantities on Sunday. I felt like I was having a gall bladder attack all day on Monday, and by Tuesday it had spread to my upper back between my shoulder blades. To make a long, boring story shorter, I spent all afternoon Wednesday in the Emergency Room, having test after test… only to be told that they couldn’t find anything wrong with me, but that they’d be happy to send me home with a prescription. One week later, I’m still in pain, eating ibuprofens like they’re m&ms, and going to bed with a Percocet. I’m ready to stop feeling it, thinking about it, and talking about it.

And finally, I am reading a book by Alfie Kohn, called Punished by Rewards, that I think all parents and teachers should read. It’s not an easy book to read, and it goes against everything that most people believe (really, should this surprise you? I don’t read any other kind…) But he makes a compelling point, and I am finding myself nodding my head over and over as I read. Good stuff.