Empty Nesters...

Steve and I have been feeling like empty nesters this week. The butterflies have come...and gone, all in a matter of days. The "kids" as Kate referred to them, all "hatched" last week and were released into our backyard over the weekend. They haven't called. They haven't stopped in to visit. They haven't even fluttered by the window. I was sad for a day or two, worrying about little Fairywell, Maddie, Lucy, Shoo, and Molly. But I guess the "kids" have to grow up sometime.




Kate's favorite butterfly was Fairywell. He (or she?) was the first "born" and he had two malformed wings (he's in the top right picture in the first collage). Kate prayed for that butterfly every night, asking God to fix his wings so he could fly. She even told strangers that she was praying for Fairywell's wing (and they looked at her like she was nuts). God chose not to heal poor Fairywell and honestly, I was a little bummed about our sad, mishapen butterfly. That is, until the day of release. Since he couldn't fly away from her, Kate got the chance to really hold him and love him. And then we put him in one of our hanging baskets and got to stop by to visit him from time to time. He's gone now, and Kate is pretty sure that God healed his wings and allowed him to fly away. God Speed, little Fairywell.

Note: All butterflies were named by Kate.