Moira's First Butterfly Catch

While Moira excitedly clutched her new butterfly net as we left the store,  I began to have doubts about this purchase.  "Will she ever catch a Butterfly?" "Do I really want her to catch things that fly or crawl?"  "What is she going to do with what she catches?" "Did I just waste my money?" "I should have just bought her a book!"  

She could hardly eat her lunch knowing that we were going to go Butterfly hunting after we ate.  I said a quiet prayer as we walked outside…Please Lord, send a butterfly!  Within 30 seconds, she had this beautiful Gulf Fritillary Butterfly in her net.  I was amazed.  It of course, flew out of the net and she chased it all around the yard.  I took over 100 photos of her having this Butterfly experience that she has dreamed of.  Moira has wanted a Butterfly to land on her ever since she went to the Butterfly Wonderland in Arizona with my cousin.  To fuel her desire Debbi gave her a beautiful book on Florida's Butterflies that she looks at everyday.  The whole experience came to a dramatic end as I told her we had to let the Butterfly fly away so he could live.  Moira bursted into tears, crying so hard that I could nearly understand her sorrow.  She was going to miss this butterfly that became her friend, she wanted to look at the wings longer and feel its cute legs touch her and most of all she wanted to share the butterfly with her Pop.  Telling her that we had pictures to remember her experience really did not help.  I simply had a very tired and sensitive three year old that needed a nap.  After she woke up from her nap, she was stood by me with a smile and her net ready for another adventure!  As gently as I could, I told her it would be tomorrow:)