Wildlife Adventure!!

Batman, he freaked my husband out two nights ago. 

Snakey McSnakerson

 

Welcome to our crazy life!  Three nights ago, my husband woke me up (and 3:20 am) in a panic because he thought he felt a bat fly past him while he was laying on the couch.  He was up because we've all had some weird headache.  Probably because we've been eating really cruddy.  Too much flour...too much sugar...time to get back into Paleo!!  Ok, back on task here....

So I got up, making fun of Nick all the while, and after propping open the doors, started looking for the bat.  We never did find it!  I thought for sure he had lost his mind.  The only indication that he HAD actually felt something was the fact that our dog, Fiona, had made two #2 messes and a #1 mess during the night.  I guess the bat scared her too!!  I did decide after some time that if there has been a coyote in the house (my absolute greatest fear) I too would have messed on the floor like poor Fiona!  By the yesterday morning I had forgotten about the bat, assuming it had gone out where it came in.  Boy was I wrong!!  Nick came downstairs and there was "Batman" hanging on our crown moulding!  He is brave.  After some discussion (because theres been some bat/rabies issues in our county and because they are apparently protected) we decided that we would see if we could spook him out the door before calling anyone in to come get him.  He flew and flew and flew....barely missing the door several times.  I decided to knock him down with the broom.  That was exhilarating!! I should participate in some aggressive sport or something! HA!  After one near bat/face collision I was able to knock him down and grab him with a glove.  I carried him out back....waaaaaay back and dropped him off in the field.  He laid on the ground and whipped his head around to hiss at me.  I just left him be...  I went back a couple hours later to check on him and he had flown away to the safety of some place other than our house where he was unwelcome.  Phew!

Then of all things...as I'm walking back inside from checking on Batman, the dogs are freaking out about something in the grass....  Seriously?!  I thought maybe it was a bee.  They are big bee hunters. Nope!  Its a snake.  Not a fabulously impressive snake  Just a little snake.  Now I've got to get him out of here or the dogs will kill it! (Which my husband would be ok with....two of his biggest fears in one day?! Thank goodness he's got me to protect him!) So I threw my bat glove at him and he attacked it!  I've never seen a snake do that.  His escape was far less dramatic.  With a little prodding he slithered back into the shade under the shed!!

PHEW!!  I feel a little like super woman today.  And a little like Jack Hanna! Two pesky little creatures are safe and sound.  And away from us!  Have a great day!

A Few Minutes in the Garden

J and Mo helping me plant tomatoes

To be totally honest...this is a rewrite.  I had nearly all of this post typed when I accidentally hit the 'X' when switching between this page and another.  I was trying to look up a bible reference.  Now I am a bit frustrated.  Praying this post will be even better than the previous one! If it's not, please imagine how great it would have been! ;)

We have spent a lot of time.  Selecting our plants, builing the planters, selecting location, sprouting (and resprouting) the seeds, and planting.  Each morning I take the first few minutes of my day to water each of my plants.  I dive through the bushes on the side of my house to turn on the hose then I begin my morning ritual.  Checking on each plant, speaking encouraging words to them, sprinkling them with cool water, watering each plant twice.  To be sure that they have the life sustaining liquid and nutrition that they need.  Then I carefully pick any weeds or debris that have made it into the beds, out.  This morning it struck me.  Do I devote even a few minutes to each of my children every day??  Surely my children are far more important that a bunch of silly plants! Do I take the risk of "diving through the bushes" that are our lives to spend a minute? Do I pluck the weeds from their lives? Do I make sure that they have each been showered with love and words of praise and adoration?

I have obviously been called to be a mother.  Four times over.  Each of those little lives.  Entrusted into my body and my hands.  (Mine and my husbands, I suppose!)  We are called to cherish them, love them and raise them the way the Bible teaches.  God has entrusted us with his greatest gifts and yet we find time to focus on anything but the greatest gifts. 

"Fathers (and Mothers), do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:3-5"

I challenge you and myself this summer to be sure that you spend a special couple of minutes with each of your children.  Pray for the time or the commitment or the motivation.  The love and the grace.  Because we know somedays, we just plain don't feel like it.  But if we desire, as Godly parents, for our children to grow and bear delcious fruit, fruit that will satify our King, we must make the daily investment.  An investment like no other into our futures.

Lord,

I fall to my knees at your feet today.  Thank you for laying this on my heart.  Please allow this message to reach the hearts of the women around me.  Be with each mother, Lord, through the struggles and joys of her day.  Bless her heart as she finds time to water each of her tiny blessings, helping each child to bear the fruit that you wish them to.  Keep a hedge of protection around the mothers that read this post and fill them with bountiful grace for her children.  We thank you for each blessing that you have entrusted us with and know that through you we are capable of loving and raising them the way YOU want us to. In your precious name I pray.

Amen