Spring Celebrations

As we did not celebrate Christmas, neither did we celebrate Easter this year.  As secular homeschoolers we do not observe religious holidays, but as a self-proclaimed tree-hugger, I do make it a point to hold festivities relating to the changing of the seasons (please note: we are not wiccan or pagan, simply secular folk who appreciate our planet Earth).

So we observed the 1st day of Spring, hosting a Spring Celebration, and inviting the kids' cousins to come participate in our festivities. We decorated eggs in recognition of the fertility that Spring brings.  We held the annual egg-hunt outside--yes, that's snow falling.

When the kids came back inside to devour their spoils, I read "A Spring Story" a myth from Anglo-Saxon legend about their goddess of the dawn and springtime.  Her name was Eostre or Ostara.  Not much is known about this goddess.  One legend says that she was always accompanied by a magical hare who could lay eggs, but the story we read told how Ostara transformed a bird into the rabbit, who could then only lay eggs once a year on the 1st day of Spring.

My son Winter has a keene interest in mythology, so the story suited us; however others might have used different literature, or skipped the story-session altogether.

We finished the events off with homemade carrot cake (my first try at carrot cake--it was delicious!).  We all had a good time, but the festivities did not end there.  We finished the day of celebration, by watching the first two episodes of LIFE on DiscoveryHD.  Our family owns the BBC series Planet Earth, and several of their Walking With...documentaries, so we all were excitedly awaiting the première of this new series.  It seemed only fitting to finish this special day with this.

A Tubal for Earth Day

I did it, and I'm proud of it.

I gave the Earth the best gift I could think to give her this year for Earth Day (yes, I know I'm a little early, but she won't mind)--I underwent Tubal Laparoscopy, in order to permanently prevent myself from incurring any other pregnancies in my life-time.

A little extreme, you think?

To me, nearly 7 Billion people on this small planet is extreme.

We have a problem with population control.

There.  I said it.  It seems like no one in a political seat or position of power wants to address this "growing" problem.  And so I speak upon behalf of the Earth.  My one small voice, calling out to all the world from my small corner of cyberspace.  Please consider your position on the issue of population control.

This is a small planet.  We do not have unlimited resources, people already go hungry and homeless, and the idea of colonizing other planets to solve our problems is not something we can rely on--or should rely on (morally), for than matter.  It is time for humanity to step up and accept our responsibilities.

The folks at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington, Maine, were all super nice.  I feel fortunate to have had them there for me.  My nurse was very conversational, she made me feel welcome and at ease.  The anaesthesiologist was very good looking (always appreciated!--yes, I'm married, but I appreciate good looks no matter who it is!  It's the artist in me.) and he and a fifty-something year-old male nurse, who looked like he could have been a biker in another life, both wore bandanas that reminded me of those that bikers wear.  The whole crew were just fun and efficient, which made the frightening business of being on an operating table easier to deal with for me.

I was put out for the procedure, by my own choice, and when I woke up it was done.  After a couple of days taking it easy, I was up and going again.

I can't tell you what a consolation it is to know that I won't have any surprise pregnancies.  I have two children, both boys, which I am satisfied with (I have no desire to have a girl, so I guess I lucked out there!).  I don't need more children to make me happy, and if there is ever a point in my future when I want another child for whatever reason, I know that there are many, many children all over the world, who need good homes and loving families.

For me, the  biggest reward from this whole experience, is knowing that I've done my part for the Earth.  In many ways, humanity has become a parasite upon her flesh, feeding off her, and if we do not correct our behaviour we are only dooming ourselves.

Laparoscopy for Tubal Sterilization