Birthday Critters

  It's Rodeo's 10th birthday today and I'm beginning to think he would have been a big nature freak like the rest of us over here. We have found more baby birds and moths and butterflies and bugs since the beginning of July than I've ever seen in all my previous 32 years. I'm firmly convinced that it's because God knows quite well how July begins the dreading time of year and he makes sure he knows that I know he hasn't forgotten.

  Last Friday we found 2 baby birds in the back yard taking flying lessons. Saturday there was a toad and 3 more baby birds, a robin with a huge mouthful of some sort of seeds it was yelling around, and a black & orange moth. The moth came in the house and got released outside where it promptly flew into a spider web and got attacked. Monday in South Dakota the girls were holding another baby bird who was trying to take flying lessons but got delayed because of so many girls trying to help it. We came home and found more butterflies and moths and some fireflies.

  Today, on Rodeo's birthday, I have been attracting a shiny green bug with googly eyes. Never had one land on me before and today I've had 3. I also got attacked by a moth in the house this morning. Scared the daylights out of me when it came bombing my face. Tonight when I sit on the porch I'll most likely be visited by fireflies again. They have been visiting me a lot this month.

  I even had a visit from my sister's chipmunk this morning. He was dashing about in the backyard for quite some time before he finally perched in a tree so I could get a picture of him for her. My butterflies also visit her out in New Hampshire. I think it must mean our kids approve the sisterhood.

  The other week we were out working on the tractor rebuild project and a butterfly kept flying around the tractor when the husband was pushing the 350 into the shed with the H. It flapped around in confusion peering at the tractors from all angles and when he got off the H to go unhook the chain from the 350 it went and sat on his seat until he came back.

  I don't particularly think it's my actual kids visiting, but I do believe they're signs from God about the kids. So if you're around me and I randomly grin foolishly and say "Hi kid!" don't mind me, I'm just talking to a bug or some other critter God sent to say "Hi mommy!"