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Above all else

guard your heart

for it is  the wellspring of life.

Proverbs 4:23 NIV

My Last Two Butterflies

Wednesday & Thursday

By Wednesday morning I knew Mason was ready to exit the captivity to which she had been confined for the past nine days.

Since our grandsons Ian and Jared were here that morning, I placed the aquarium on the La-Z-Boy, hoping they could watch it emerge ~ and they did.  They were mesmerized.  Mason is the one who attached her chrysalis to the side of the aquarium.

On Thursday morning Meadow ~ my thirteenth and final butterfly ~ emerged.  I took the screen outside to watch her unfold her wings in the natural light of the sun.

Since it was a beautiful day ~ and this was my last butterfly I gently transferred her to a stick and placed her on leaves and flowers for photos, to show how nicely Monarchs fit into the background of trees and bushes.

My screen is left with ten empty shells.

Two are on the floor and one is on the side of the aquarium. 

I am partially relieved that my butterfly saga is over, and I can take the aquarium off my windowsill and give it back to my brother…

…and return my flower arrangement to its usual place.

I was pleased to care for all thirteen eggs and caterpillars…

…and release the butterflies without the loss of one.

On Thursday I noticed several Monarchs in our yard and butterfly bush.  I wonder if they are mine.

~~~

A few of my favorite pictures of Meadow

Watching the metamorphosis of these incredible creatures has filled me with a new appreciation for God’s awesome creation.

For this one, I placed a piece of paper on the driveway and encouraged her to crawl unto it.  I was pleased when she posed so nicely!

~~~

Thanks for the many words of encouragement during the past few weeks, while watching and photographing the incredible transformation from tiny egg to caterpillar to butterfly.

I Love a Rainy Day!

Tuesday

He gives rain on the earth, and sends waters on the fields.

Job 5:10 NKJV

It’s Our Wedding Anniversary!

44 Years

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (I John 3:1 NIV).

Monday

Our family from Maine left for home at 7:30 AM – taking Hezekiah with them.

Hezekiah was a part of our lives for the past three months, so it was a bit difficult to say goodby, and send him back with his parents.  In case you missed the reason he spent the summer with us – it is our gift to each of our grandchildren who live in Maine – the summer they are twelve. 

The local grandchildren get to spend seven days with us each year after they are twelve (their choice of days) anytime through out the year – including a day on or near their birthday.  Jenna is coming Friday night and Saturday because she likes helping in my office – especially making address corrections in my database – and I have a lot right now.

~~~

Remember the Monarch caterpillar I found when we were visiting our Amish friends on Saturday?

Today it is traveling to Maine.

Lydia enjoyed my caterpillars and butterflies and wanted one of her own.  We put it in a quart jar in my aquarium of caterpillars, but it kept crawling up to the screen – so I covered the jar with a cling-wrap and punched holes in it.

On Monday morning it was in a J formation on the cling-wrap!  The girls called about half-an-hour after they left, saying it had turned into a chrysalis, however, with all its wiggling it fell off the cling-wrap.  I assured them that it would be fine until they got home, then told them how to tie it to a stick so it will have a place to hang for the next ten days or so.

Goodbyes are over and they are ready to get on the road.

Keri, a young girl from our church is spending a year in volunteer service in Maine, and had come home for her brother’s wedding, so chose to travel back to Maine with the Myers – and take the girls in her car.

And they are on their way!

I spent most of the day doing laundry – as there were sheets from seven single-sized matresses, a lot of towels and washcloths – plus keeping after my office work – including a noon meeting at the International Office.

 My Mother-in-laws Birthday Party

Favorite Pictures Part II

These pictures were taken after 5:00 PM – when her family and a few special friends were invited for supper.

My two mothers ~ Cerwin’s mother and my stepmother.

Catherine has been a special friend since Cerwin was small, and the family rented a farm from her.

The attendance doubled when our children and grandchildren arrived!

There were twenty-seven of us, while the rest of the family in attendance – including Mother – was twenty-four.  There were also eight special friends invited for supper. 

That would be our Jared climbing the door.

Cousins – Juanita (from Minnesota) and our daughter Deb hadn’t seen each other for several years.

Our son, Jere’s family and Mother.  Guess which person did not want to be in the picture!

Almost ninety years separates Mother and her youngest great-grandchild – our baby Jesse.

Our son-in-law Mark giving Mother some words of wisdom, while our daughter Diane looks on.

Our daughter Deb talking to her cousin Don (Velda’s son) who is holding baby Jesse.

Suppertime!

Our oldest son Jeff and his wife Chris visited Cerwin’s youngest sister Doris and her husband Bob, and Barb (from Florida) and her husband John (not in the photo) during the meal.

The slides I put together of Mother – from childhood until today – were a hit.  Many people mentioned how much they enjoyed them.

Our grandsons watching the slides.

Mother giving a short speech after we sang Happy Birthday to her.

Cerwin’s Siblings:  Doris, Mother, and Velda in the front.  Elvin and Cerwin in the back.  (Thelma, a Downs baby was the middle child and died as a toddler.)

Siblings and In-Laws

Back:  Bob, Pat, Elvin, Cerwin, Doris, and Mel.  Front:  Doris, Mother, and Velda.

Our Children

Jeff, Diane, Deb, and Jere

Our Children and Their Spouses

Chris, Jeff, Mark, Diane, Kristen, Jere, and Deb 

Our Sixteen Grandchildren with Mother

We were glad it suited our “adopted” grandsons, David and Zachary, to come with Deb.

By the end of the day, I was glad to receive a massage from our nephew Trenton.

Mother’s 90th Birthday Party

My Favorite Pictures ~ Part I

 Sunday

The Napkins

One of the Cakes

Cerwin’s brother, Elvin, and his family were in charge of keeping the food tables supplied.

Mother’s first visitor.

We had the visitors staggered throughout the day.  It was one of the best decisions we made when planning the celebration.  It spaced everyone so nicely.

1:00 – 3:00 PM – Her church and retirement community friends

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Her siblings, Daddy’s siblings, and friends

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Supper with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a few special friends

 Guest Registration

 The card and registration table.

 This friend was embarassed that she chose the same dress as the guest of honor.  Mother didn’t mind.

 I like this picture of Cewin’s Mother and her brother John

 Mother usually stayed sitting, but there were a few friends who needed hugs.

Our cousin Wesley and his wife show Cerwin a family picture they put on their memory card.

 One of my best friends, Joanne, brought her mother.

The Flowers

 Our sister-in-law Pat and her daughter Crystal.

 Mother said she shook so many hands that her right hand was sore the next day!

 Mother with four of her seven siblings.  Back:  John and Luke.  Front:  Amos, Mother, and Naomi.  Aaron, Laura, Alice are deceased.

 Mother with great-grandson Trenton.

Granddaughter Crystal and her boyfriend.

 Great-grandson Justin and his girlfriend.

 Grandson Ted with Mother

 Leslie (left) will be marrying grandson Bryan (white shirt) in a few weeks.  In the center is grandson-in-law Rod, and on the right is grandson Gary. 

Mac, Mossy, and Mallie Here!

Sunday

Mac emerged while we were getting ready for Sunday School, and we knew the other two would probably emerge before we got home from church – and they did.

After getting home from church, we quickly loaded supplies into the car for Cerwin’s mother’s 90th Birthday party – then took the three butterflies outside one-by-one.  I barely had time to photograph Mac before…

…she took off to the skies.

~~~

Mossy & Mallie

Finally another boy!  Notice the black “dots” on Mossy’s tail wings that tell me it is a male.  He and…

…Mallie’s wings were entirely too wet for flying.  (It would be another hour or two before they were dry.)

Like yesterday, because we were going to be away for the day, I took them outside and placed them on a flower…

…so they could dry their wings, then fly away at their leisure.

Monty and Misty are Girls

Saturday Morning

I knew there was a possibility of seeing two butterflies emerge today, then while getting ready to go to our Amish friends, and trying to keep my eye on the aquarium, I noticed that Monty had just emerged.

While still hoping to see the initial opening of the encasement, I was disappointed to have missed it again.  Then…

…while photographing Monty, I noticed Misty’s encasement had a small crack in it, so quickly placed the screen on the arms of our living room rocker, so I could watch it more easily.

I called Cerwin to come quickly, and right before our eyes, Misty appeared!

Monty and Misty emerged a few minutes apart.

Cerwin said, “Are you sure this ones wings are going to unfold and look like the other?”  He thought something was wrong with this one.

Then – just like the others – the tail wings unfurled.

I knew I could not let them in the aquarium all day, but also knew they were not ready to fly, so I encouraged each one to crawl unto a small stick…

…then to my hand to move them outside.

I gently transferred them to one of the flowers on our patio.  It was amazing to watch them move into position and attach their tiny feet to the flower…

…so they could continue drying their wings.

~~~

This is #7 and #8 of my thirteen butterflies  (seven girls and one boy).  I’m still amazed and learning new things. 

Visiting Our Amish Friends

We had a wonderful day with Amos and Linda, their children and grandchildren.

I respect their desire to not have photos taken – especially of the adults – so just took a few at a distance.

When we arrived a few of our grandsons were playing ball with some of theirs.

Guess What I Found!

A Monarch Caterpillar!

I was telling the women about my butterflies, and they wanted to see a milkweed.  I noticed some across the road and checked them for eggs and caterpillars.  Our ten-year-old granddaughter, Lydia, wants to take this one back to Maine.

When we got home this afternoon, there was a Monarch on my butterfly bush.  I wonder if it is one I released.

~~~

This morning I watched two come out of their chrysalis.  I will enter those pictures on a later post.  I still have things to do tonight to get ready for the party tomorrow, and our family from Maine is here, so I don’t want to spend too much time on my blog.