Day 220/365 The Pursuit of Science....or Sebastian Loves Jessie.

Once again it is summer at our house, and like the previous eleven years or so, the Science Museum of Western Virginia is a huge part of our lives. My daughter attended her first homeschool science classes there (and I met another science-lovin' homeschool mom, and together we founded an inclusive homeschool group -first one in the Roanoke Valley-which eventually grew to 242 families, but that's another blog). Eventually the homeschool science classes turned into chemistry classes and science fieldtrips. Finally she was old enough to volunteer to help at summer science camp.

Then after four years of being a volunteer, last year she was offered a paid intern position, and this year she was invited back, and bumped up in position, responsibility and salary. This is no small thing in an economy where folks are having trouble finding any sort of paying job.

So one of the perks of this job is the paycheck, but it's almost dwarfed by so many other positives: an incredible staff that work with her and treat her like a peer, a chance to work with collections that most people never see, and the best part: Sebastian.

See, the science museum is full of wondrous things, like this animatronic T-Rex, that lulls visitors into thinking he's just a statue,

Or the Smithsonian quality gem and mineral hall (my favorite, all mahogany walls and dark dim lighting),

Or this guy, who is one of the last real actual human skeletons, but no one knows who's.

Or this dinosaur bone from over in Saltville Virginia (there'll be a science camp field trip over there in a couple weeks - it's one of the finest fossil beds in the U.S.),

Or the great dinosur timeline (ssshhh -whatever you do, don't mention evolution....),

Or even this electron generator that makes your hair stand on end,

And of course the herpatology tanks in all their snakey glory....

But, the best part of the science museum is.......Sebastian.

Sebastian *loves* my daughter.

And she *loves* him.

It's like watching some bizarre mutual admiration society.

Up the arm, around the neck, over the shoulder, snuggle into the hair, little kisses on the neck....

A little soulful eye to eye gazing.....

And finally a contented hug around the neck. I was there. They stayed this way for hours, until Sebastian was peeled off my daughter. Hard to say which one was more disappointed.