Today, after school, we released the butterflies. It was time. They were flying around all crazy and were ready to go. The kids had very mixed emotions about it. They knew it was the right thing to do and they wanted the butterflies to be happy and free, but they love the little buggers and liked having them around. I was ready to not have one more thing to feed and also eager to not have one die in my home where my ever so sensitive son lives. :) But really...I was a bit sad too. It was only when I was cleaning out the habitats that my sweet son realized that the one little guy that had fought to emerge for around 5 days was actually dead. He handled it well, but he was so sad about it. He is so tender hearted. I would love the find the butterflies and hug them and thank them for the way in which they departed. They gave my children the best goodbye. They each had one butterfly who was reluctant to go and hung out on their tiny, precious fingers for a long time. The boy actually got his out 3 different times and it just sat there on his finger as he walked around the back yard. I finally told him that if it did not want to go today, we could keep him a bit longer and try again another day, but it did eventually fly away. The girl got her out twice and was also about to keep it a while longer when it followed its friend into the great wide open. It was a beautiful day for a butterfly release. The wind had FINALLY calmed itself and it was not raining, or too hot, or too cold. It was beautiful. The pure joy in the hearts and souls and smiley faces of my children as they held the reluctant butterflies and marveled at their willingness to sit there on their wee fingers was contagious. I love those butterflies for giving my kids this experience and joy. Nothing fills me up like the joyous laughter of my children. It made it such a happy occasion instead of a tearful goodbye. They both remarked about how happy the butterflies were to be free. One landed briefly on our roof and this made the boy giggle for some reason. The girl watched them until they could be seen no more and smiled the whole time...which was also fun because it would be one of the last smiles for one of her teeth. :)
Yup, she lost another one. Growing up too fast. She thinks it is a riot that she has lost her 7th tooth less than 2 weeks before turning 7. It is fun. Her mouth is a mess. I look forward to seeing where all of this is going. I see braces in her future...but I knew this before she had teeth. Both of her parents had them...and need them again. :(
It is so late and I am so tired and altered somewhat from medication. I hope this post makes sense in the morning. But if not, meh. It will still help jog my memory of the great time setting butterflies free in the backyard in the spring of 2011. :)
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