Jensen Family 5: Pebble Pup

Rocks,

you can never pick just one!

OK, many of you might not know, but Hannah is seriously into rocks. So much so, that I find them in the dryer, on the floor while vaccuming, in the pockets of her back pack by the gobbs! Anywhere we go, she stops and examines the rocks. This happens in parking lots, driveways, parks, etc... It can drive a mother mad! At recess she doesn't play, but finds rocks, rocks, and more rocks!!

I decided that I needed to find an outlet for her obsession. I liked rocks as a kid. Growing up in the desert of AZ. how could I not! The Tucson Gem and Mineral show is a huge event that folks travel far and wide to attend. I went every year. I admit I am a sucker for minerals and crystals. I love geodes. Hannah's interest far out weighs mine though!

I found that Mississippi has a society that meets monthly and the meetings aren't too far from us. They even have field trips once a month too. I signed us up as a family. The kids and I went to the first meeting Friday night. It was interesting, and the members were so friendly! Hannah of course brought her collection.

The minute we walked through the doors some woman pulled her aside and sat her at a table to examine her specimens. They had a special speaker that night from the Mississippi Office of Geology. He spoke about what's in and around MS(geologically of course). He brought with him a fossilized bone and teeth from a Mastadon, some geodes, and sea fossils. When he talked of how he got started in "rocks" Hannah kept looking at me and saying, "that's just like me mom!".

After the meeting I went up to this man(Jim) and thanked him for his talk, and told him how excited Hannah was to hear of his childhood interest in rocks and such. This pleased him. He sat down with her and looked at her rocks. Apparently she has quite a nice selection of fossils, agates, and such. Who would have known as they all look the same to me!

He took her address and said he was going to send her a package. He even gave her two of the fossils he brought with him. One is a 75 million yr. old sea urchin, the other a 40 million yr. old cluster of sand dollars.

Byron took her on the field trip the next morning, here are small samples of her findings. Let me emphasize the word SMALL. If this keeps up the county is going to require we get a landfill permit for all of her rocks!