BUTTERFLIES!!!

Our butterflies were "born" on Father's Day. We received them as caterpillars a few weeks ago and I think I have had more fun and amazement watching them than the kids. We got to witness 2 of them turning into their cocoons. It was so amazing as it happened in the span of about 30 seconds to a minute. I always thought it was a long process. Every time I thought one of the caterpillars was going to turn into the cocoon, I'd call Dave. You could hear me screaming across the house "DAVE!!!!! The Caterpillar is changing!!!!" Dave thinks I'm a little insane and that I need to get out more :) I'm in awe of the butterfly!
Today was the day the kids and I let them free. They only live for two weeks and I felt bad they had to live almost half their life in that little netted cage. Leah was sad to see them go as she has become rather close to them. They are named "Hermie", "Wormie", "Mary" (I questioned where that came from and she just thought it was pretty name for a butterfly), "Tinkerbelle" and "Butter". I came up with Butter. I told her we could then say, "look at Butter fly!". Maybe Dave is right and I do need to get out more. Hmmm...
We opened the little door on the cage and no one seemed to be interested in moving out. So, Leah put her hand in and one by one took them out and let them free! We followed them around the yard a little and I prayed that the hungry mama Robin that was watching us intently would be kind and avoid the kill until we were out of sight. Leah was afraid the birds would eat them and I told her OUR butterflies are way to smart to get eaten by birds. What we don't know won't hurt us. We will believe that that flittered and fluttered happily until the end.