The Great Butterfly Adventure

Bubs is home sick today, fever, cough, runny nose...but we had an amazing morning experience. Here's how it started...


So I've been trimming trees for the past two days, we have a very big yard, and a whole lotta trees. I normally don’t mind doing it, but this year the branches that need trimming are bigger, and there are more of them because I didn't do it last year due to of all the problems I was having from that stupid surgery. I have been cursing myself all summer every time I've gotten smacked in the face with a branch while cutting grass.

So for two days I’ve cut till the battery dies, clean up branches while the battery is recharging and go back to it; the whole time wanting to kick myself for not doing the job last year. Adding to it the garage repairs, lack of rain, the heat, lack of time and those darn tree branches have kept me from cutting the yard for the last month and a half, making the back yard look like a jungle.

Now my husband is going out of town until Saturday, and Bubs is home sick, so I decided to go out while it was still cool, and try to trim up some while the hubs was finishing his packing. The tree I was working on had a whole area of suckers that had gotten out of control, and when he came down to tell me he was leaving I showed him a very large branch I was having trouble cutting through. He took the saw and cut it for me, and I very politely (lol) told him I thought he was hitting me in the face with the branch.

When he was finished I still felt something “touching” the top of my head, I brushed my hand through my hair, then finished telling my hubby good-bye, all the while feeling things brushing my arms, legs, and hair. “Darn bugs” I said, and as I brushed the “bug” away again I realized that it was a butterfly, then I saw it was more than one butterfly. We turned and looked, (not quite realizing what we were looking at) and saw a bunch of butterflies flitting through the grass. Bubs is working on growing a butterfly at school, and I asked my husband to see, on his way out, if Bubs felt good enough to come down and see them.

So here comes my sick little man, down through the yard asking where the butterflies were. He sat on my lap in the tall grass, and that’s when I realized we were watching HUNDREDS of little orange butterflies! As we sat there they perched in the grass all around us, and Bubs wanted to know if I thought one would land on him. I told him to sit very patiently and to be very quiet, and maybe one would. Now those of you who know Bubs, know that this is a big request for my kid who is always moving, talking, and singing.

But we sat, and Bubs whispered “Momma have I been quiet enough?”

We sat some more, and Bubs whispered “Momma have I been patient enough?”

And still we sat, "I just know a butterfly will land on me" Bubs whispered.

We sat some more with butterflies in the grass all around us, enjoying the sun, warm breeze, and with the exception of an occasional cough, the quiet.

Finally Bubs whispered “Butterflies will one of you pleeease come sit with me?” … and we sat... and then it happened… a butterfly flew up around his head, and landed on the back of his shirt collar. His mouth dropped, and his eyes grew wide with excitement as he felt it touch the back of his neck, but he managed to sit quietly until it decided to fly away. We sat for a while longer until Bubs’ tummy decided it couldn’t be quiet any longer, and it was starting to get hot, then we came up into the house.

As I tucked him in for a nap, Bubs smiled and said “Mommy I sure am glad I was sick today, or I would have missed the great butterfly adventure”.

I thought about that after he fell asleep, and you know what? I realized that there is always a silver lining. I've learned as much about the benefits of being patient and still as my little guy, and a good deal about having faith.

Know what else? I sure am glad I didn’t trim them trees last year, or I would have finished the trees already, and the grass would have had it’s final cut, and I would have missed the great butterfly adventure too.

Blessings!

Dana