counting sheep

my word problems project did not help me sleep. so, i decided to count sheep. i did not realize how hard this is to do.

first i put all of the sheep on one side of a fence along the edge of the woods. on the other side of the fence i put a lush pasture. and then to make it easier for me to count them, i put an opening in the fence with a cattle guard--you know, those sets of metal bars that the animals are afraid to step on. so they would leap over the cattle guard one at a time.

sheep number one did just that. lept beautifully over the cattle guard then pranced up the hill to the yummy grass. so did sheep numbers two through twelve. but then sheep thirteen tiptoed across the bars, taking forever. sheep fourteen just threw herself down on the bars and waited for the other sheep to push and pull her across. meanwhile the other sheep are getting restless and getting themselves into trouble. I lose all control and can't seem to make them wait so we can get back to that lovely leaping. two are huddled down the fence with a wire cutter trying to cut a hole in the fence without me noticing. another is attempting to jump over the fence from a shed, landing in hay yet still managing to sprain his ankle. he limps up the hill. another is attempting to skateboard over the cattle guard, but the wheels get stuck. others begin to help him build a ramp, with much arguing over the best way to do it, but at last they succeed.

one way or another around fifty sheep make it over to the other side before I lose count, and i am completely exhausted. wide awake--and yet somehow amused but i am not sure why.

it wasn't until about 5:00 am that i realized that that chaotic flock of creative, inventive unherdable sheep was our school, and that that is why i love it. but i still couldn't sleep.