Off to BYU

Melodie and Ethan headed off to BYU today! We let them take the van cause all their stuff wouldn't fit in the kids car, and they were taking some of Joseph's stuff back down too (he's still visiting Guatemala). Mel is coming back up tomorrow for the Ski sale so she will return the van then. As they were loading up the car, Ethan said outloud "You know, for most parents, having a kid go to college is a big deal. but for us... Dad's at work, and Mom's feeding a butterfly... and we load our stuff by ourselves..." The butterfly comment made me laugh. It sounded silly, but I was feeing a butterfly (thank you renzlohnad). I had just cut open a watermelon I bought yesterday so I could feed Jerry, ha! So that was funny. We love ya Eth, and we wish you luck as you being your first year of college.

But yeah, we didn't make a big deal or ceremony of it. We've already got two college kids, plus we got a lot more on the docket... there's no time for us to be present and try to feel any excitement or sadness over this milestone. j/k. We feel it. But you guys gotta get outta here, you'll be happier out on your own. It's time. So I was on my way back from taking Daniel to the bus stop, and as I was almost home, they were backing out of the driveway. It's a good thing I caught them, cause they were trying to stowaway two of their siblings.

But that was better than what I was thinking when I saw the van backing out - I thought that they were leaving, without me being back to watch the toddler and 2 month old, and had left Peter in charge of Katharine. I'm glad that they are more responsible than that.

Ethan trying to get K to smile for the camera. Katharine! We want to see your pretty eyes!

Those heavy cheeks are always weighing down her face and she just looks at the ground. She's so cute.  Later Melodie texted me the picutres that they had taken in the car - 

(Those cheeks!) and before they got in the car - 

Big kids and little kids - 

I think M&E will miss P&K more than P&K will miss them. I'm sure it's nothing personal.

But hopefully they'll be ready to be attacked with sibling time when these big kids do come back from college to visit us. 

They are all such good and cute kids. Mel texted me tonight "I miss Katharine. Are you sure I can't take her?" I feel ya. After I took back Katharine and Peter, Peter was sad when I took him back inside. "MoOommM! I thought I want to go to BYU!!" :) Don't worry P, we'll go visit them! Maybe we'll go down on Saturday. 

Daily butterfly update - we released two butterflies today. 

The chrysalis with the weird lines on it emerged and looked fine but then I noticed that it didn't have antennae. 

Well, it had just like 1/3 of one on the left side.

Poor thing! Man! What a year we've had! First of all the sheer numbers we're dealing with, and then Jerry, then Tiny Tim yesterday, and now this lady with a handicap. I have since learned that butterflies use antennae to smell and migrate, so it's possible that she won't be able to find food or find California... sounds like she's in a risky situation... but she can fly, so we put her outside to dry and will let nature take it's course. Hopefully if she can't find other monarchs, they'll be able to find her? I'm not sure what she'll do to find food! 😬😟 As for Jerry, we have been trying to intervene with nature on his behalf, but to no avail. We bought some butterfly wings yesterday at Thanksgiving Point. This morning we prepared to operate. 

Here he is post op...

We thought we did a pretty decent job!

They weren't exactly symmetrical when he put his wings up and together, but we were hoping for the best for him. We took him outside to see what he could do. And he did try to take off. But he didn't get any lift, he just fell to the floor. He actually flew better with the heavy plastic prosthetic wings we made. Today the poor guy just flapped around on the ground and busted up all of his donated wings...

Well, Jerry, I'm outta ideas. Looks like you're grounded and stuck with us. I'm sorry. And then I went and looked for more eggs for some reason. I haven't found any for over a week, but then I found one yesterday, and then today I found FIFTEEN! Oh boy! Here we go again! 

I know I already have "my hands full" with my biological children, but for some reason I've gone nuts and I'm taking on more dependents. Our current 20+ caterpillars have been making a big frass mess and eating a ton. I've officially dedicated the whole laundry room desk area to them now. I bought some tulle as a covering so that we don't have a Jerry incident happen again. 

And when I was looking for eggs, I also found one full grown caterpillar! He looks like he's ready to go into chrysalis! 

I have NEVER found one this big in "the wild" before! So that was really exciting to know that they can and probably do survive on their own without us humans intervening. Yay!