Sunday afternoon, while Megan was preparing some party treats (for Fiona’s baptism party!), I took Geneva and Ashley outside to have lunch on the picnic table. We gave thanks for our food, as we typically do, and as we were praying… with our eyes open… a bird landed about three feet from us. So we proceded to watch it and thank God for His creation. And then we saw a snake resting on the driveway a few feet from the bird. So I quickly finished the prayer and we all got up and played with the snake! Except, I didn’t let the girls touch it because they were about to eat. It was another Northern Brown snake. So far, I’ve found four of them in our yard.

Then, Monday, as I pulled in the driveway from work, I had a greeting committee on the front porch waiting for me. Everyone was there. As I walked up to the porch, Megan asked if I had heard her scream. I said I hadn’t, and so she proceded to tell me about their “friend” on the porch. It was a praying mantis. About four inches long*; a pretty big one. I picked it up, and she quickly went inside with Fiona. The girls, though… they danced around and screamed as they watched it crawl on me. I told Geneva to go inside and bring me the camera**. She did. I took a few shots of it… with it’s beady little eyes. Should be cool.

Then I asked if anyone wanted to hold it before I let it go. Geneva did, so – with some difficulty – I got it to crawl onto her. I got a great shot of her looking down at it as it crawled down her shoulder, onto her back.

I’m glad I have little biology-nerd children.

*This measurement is disputed. There is a report of it being “at least 5 or 6 inches”.
**it was the real camera, so no pictures.