raising caterpillars

We're raising caterpillars here in the Granger household these days. Luke brought one in about a week ago and asked to keep it. So I punched a few holes in the top of a plastic container and we put it in with some leaves. I am amazed that it is still alive. Luke named it Fuzzy Gold. (it has fuzzy golden fur)

A couple of days ago we took the plunge and bought a little bug habitat. The little plastic tree and fake paper leaves look so real, I think we have Fuzzy fooled into thinking it is living in its natural environment - especially with the photo of a serene lake and trees attached to the back!

Today Jay found another one. We've haven't named it yet.



Here are some things I have learned about caterpillars.


1)They shed/molt. After a couple of days Luke told me there was another caterpillar in the container. We looked closer and realized it was its skin (interesting but a little icky)
2)They poop...a lot. Little black caterpillar pellets are all over. (not so interesting and much more icky)
3)We were watching it eat a leaf last night and it has these little pincer things that it eats with. It went up and down the leaf very systematically. It reminded me of watching some people eating corn-on-the-cob.

Just now I went looking on-line for what kind of caterpillar it is. For as pretty as it is I thought it would become some kind of beautiful butterfly. I was disappointed to learn that it is probably an Eastern Tent Caterpillar. One of the pesky ones that makes the "tents" on our trees and eventually becomes a brown moth. Kind of takes the excitement out of it for me.

Muphy's Law of blogging

Before I had my own blog I often thought of little antecdotes and thoughts I would blog about if I had a blog. For instance, when my oldest son shaved for the first time* a few monhts ago I began composing a blog about it. I would write about how different my family and I are now that I am 40 versus when I was 30 and how much easier it was to teach him to shave (which my husband did)than potty training him 10 years earlier.

Now that I have a blog my life is again mundane and my mind has gone blank. Must be Murphy's Law.

*For those of you who know and see Sam - PLEASE don't mention this to him or he will want to disown me!

Grief

On Saturday evening at Riverview Church I was told that a member of our body of believers had died suddenly Friday morning. Her name was Susan and she was probably in her early 30s. She and her husband had a 2y/o son. My heart was numb. How could this happen, Lord? Why, Lord? She was young and now her husband and son have to go thru life without her. Oh, Lord please comfort all those who are grieving.

I did not know Susan. But I knew who she was. Whenever I saw her I was impressed with the grace and peace that shone on her face. She gave her testimony before our church this past winter. She was a lesbian who began a relationship with Christ and then asked God to help her sort out her feelings. God gave her amazing victory in her heart and she wanted to tell others about it and help others who might be in the same place. I was so impressed with this woman's courage and grace.

Here is a link to one of our pastor's blog where he has a video clip of her testimony. (I'm crossing my fingers that this works since I am computer inept.)

http://www.noelheikkinen.com/2008/05/24/the-morning-fog/

I was talking with a friend of mine at church yesterday about our shock and grief. She expressed similar fears that I have in my heart. Lord, if You would take Susan so suddenly, then my family isn't safe from this grief either. Of course I know this but I just don't dwell on it untill something like this happens. And then my friend talked about how Susan felt compelled to share her testimony at church even when the pastor was hesitant. And my friend and I laughed about how we will try not to do the things we feel God compelling us to do, so He won't be able to take us Home untill we decide we're ready - which will be sometime after the age of 85 I think. We laugh because we both know in our hearts that God is God and He is in control and has our lives in the palm of His gentle hand. Even though our finite human hearts and minds can't comprehend what His plan is, we do know that He is Sovereign and He is Good and we can Trust Him.

Take me out to the ballgame...

This is my 11 y/o son Jay. Jay loves baseball. Because Jay has some mild disabilities, we've not signed him up to play baseball the past few years. This year Jay is on a team with a few of his classmates. This is a dream come true for him! Jay loves playing on this team, even if they do look like "The Bad News Bears" out on the field. Jay has played second base the last two games. As second baseman, he makes a point of giving a high five to each player from the opposing team who makes it to second base. The coach tells him he is showing good sportsmanship.

So last night was a very exciting game. The first two innings (which I think took about and hour to play) weren't looking good for our team. I think the other team was up 5-0 at one point and one inning the 10 y/o pitcher (who is ready to sign on with a farm league any day now!) struck out three batters in a row. My two friends who came to watch with me and I were making jokes about how many batters would be walked, how the other team seemed to have so many players on the field (that's because we only had eight players total) and at what point will the "mercy" rule be invoked. Well our team began to play better the last two innings. Maybe that's because they had their semi-professional 10 y/o pitcher sitting on the bench. So in the bottom of the last inning Jay was up and got a double - because of a fielding error, but we'll take it. He tried to high five the other team's second baseman, but he looked confused. Then the next batter hit a fly ball into the outfield (that in and of itself is amazing for our team!). Jay ran to third where the third base coach was waving him home. Only Jay wasn't paying attention so he slid into third. Then got up and ran home (sliding there as well - sliding is very important in baseball!)!!! We were all cheering and high fiving Jay - this was a dream come true for our little guy! The game ended, because it was getting late, when the inning was over and we discovered, to our amazment, that the score was 5-5 and Jay brought in the tying run!

Go Jay!!! You're in the big leagues now!!!

Quote of the Day

"you are Pretty Even When your 40"

My fortune, from an imaginary fortune cookie, written out by Jay, my 10 year old son.

the Sounds of Summer

Hearing the birds chirping in late February or early March is my cue that spring is coming. So you'd think that the sound of crickets or peep-toads would be my cue that summer is almost here. But no, for me the sound that lets me know that summer is on its way is the sound of the cars racing around the "short track" just a couple of miles from my home. In all seriousness, somehow that sound has become soothing to me - I hear it through my open windows and I know its summer (or almost). I have never attended an event at Spartan Speedway nor do I have much interest in auto racing - but I celebrate the long lazy days of summer when I hear that sound on a warm Friday evening.

living life vertically challenged

so i've been reading others blogs more and more these days and really enjoy many of them. these other bloggers often get me thinking about things i haven't thought about or seeing issues from another perspective and sometimes just giving me a good laugh. i hestitate to have my own blog for a number of reasons. but here i go jumping into the pond.

i chose to name my blog living life vertically challenged because that is what God seems to be trying to teach me recently. i view my life and the world horizontally - just looking around at the circumstances and this earthly world. but God is nudging me to live life looking at Him, heavenward, with eternity in mind. and i often find myself not able to fully get my arms around this idea. for example - having a good marriage relationship isn't for the comfort of myself and my spouse but so we ourselves and others in this world can see a clear picture of what the relationship between Christ, the bridegroom, and the Church, the bride looks like. and i have to confess that my earthly heart is mostly concerned with my own comfort and not with what God's plans are.

coincidentally - i am physically, in fact, vertically challenged (read: short)! i am just barely 5 feet tall (60 inches, 152.4 centimeters). and this fact is, sadly, another issue i struggle with - wishing i were just a few inches taller! but alas, God has made me as He has for a purpose and there is nothing i can do to change this (except to wear heels)!

oh yes and i am really quite computer inept - so be patient as i try to figure out how to post photos and update my profile, etc...