Today we went to the Frederik Meijer Gardens to see their annual butterfly expo with our homeschool group. The indoor gardens are kept very warm and humid, so it was like a mini visit to the tropics. There were butterflies by the hundreds, and even tiny Chinese painted quail running around. I actually almost stepped on one of the quail as it walked out of the undergrowth. I'm really glad I didn't- that would have ruined a lovely day. And more than likely, my favorite shoes.
Here we are, enjoying the ambiance of a room full of an obscene amount of butterflies, and about as many humans. I hate spring break. When you're used to being the only people with kids out and about on a week day, it is uber annoying to suddenly find that everything kid friendly is packed with people. Especially when you forget that such a thing as spring break is occurring. There should be a warning message sent out to homeschoolers as spring break approaches.
Homeschoolers are cuter, too. Don't you think? Just kidding, folks. Please don't put a pipe bomb in my mailbox. But really, they are pretty darn cute, huh? And one of them isn't even mine! That cutie in the back would never have gotten curly hair with my genes. He's Ronan's BFF. Of course, Ronan has at least four BFF's. But this little guy is his BBFF.
A number of miraculous things happened yesterday. First of all, we got to our destination on time. Now, I am usually a very punctual person, but since the birth of number three, it has become an amazing achievement to be on time for anything. Our actually being there at the appointed time was all owing to the fact that I was thinking that we needed to be there an hour earlier. Just as we were about to leave, I realized that we really needed to be there at one, not two. And yet we still managed to be there only exactly at the time we were supposed to.
Second, during the hour drive there, the four hours we spent at the gardens, and the drive home, Twyla stayed totally dry! We practice elimination communication, which is the radical idea that babies don't have to poo and pee in a diaper. This was our first long outing away from home since her birth, and I was amazed at how well we did.
And then, a blast from the past. A new family to the homeschool group invited a friend and her children to come along. I kept eyeing her, thinking that she looked familiar. I finally got the nerve up to ask her name, and was shocked to find that we knew each other in a past life. Now, I'm not talking past life in the sense that she was Cleopatra, and I, Marcus Antonius. More in the sense that it was a different life I lead in this body. Well, I guess this body is a lot different than the one I had ten years ago, but still- you get the drift.
Ten years ago, this woman and I were living the life of carefree, childless souls. In fact, one of the last times I saw her was backstage at a concert. (And don't even ask what concert. It was ten years ago, and it's rather embarrassing. So forget it.) Now, she has two kids, and I have three. We're ten years older, and mommyfied enough that we didn't even recognize each other at first. It turns out that we live 10 minutes away from each other, and I'm excited to catch up with her. I'm sure I'll be wincing at our recollections of the way we were, and even happier to be where I am now.
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