Butterflies

As I mentioned in this post about Clara at four, she really loves animals but especially bugs.  Mama K had a fabulous birthday present for her this year.  Caterpillars!  We received in the mail a box that looked like this:

And inside was a canister of food and five teeny tiny caterpillars (that I was sure were already dead).  Over the next several weeks they ate their way to plump and climbed to the top of the jar and made chrysalides.  We transferred the chrysalides to a butterfly home and then a few weeks later, out they popped.  We released them in our driveway.

Clara, of course, loved this whole experience.  But I must say, the adults were pretty enthralled too.  It had been many many years since I'd watched the whole process up close like this and it's nothing short of miraculous.  The reminder of life during the Easter season was especially powerful.   We had such fun, I think we'll order more caterpillars again next year!

Looking Back: October {Western NC Nature Center}

Got a little ahead of myself with the apple orchard post.  That weekend was kicked off in Asheville.  Robert was volunteering at a camp work weekend and so Clara, Eloise, Sweet Mama and I spent Saturday morning at the Western North Carolina Nature Center.  We've been members for a couple of years (they've got some great reciprocal privileges), but had never had a chance to visit it.  Clara had a great time, even though it was FREEZING for October.  These cell phone photos aren't the best, but we had a good morning.  The baby goat was her favorite. 

And here's a closeup selfie of our family of four at Camp Ridgecrest.  This is where the magic all began.  We could never have imagined in 2003 that we'd be here with these two beautiful girls a decade later.

Thanks be to God.