Eventually, they will take flight . . .

"How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?"

- Dr. Seuss

Hello friends . . . 
As most of you know I have been raising Monarch caterpillars since March and since then and the flutter of butterflies I have released I have learned a few lessons from them about life along the way.

And you know what? Being a parent isn't much different than raising Monarchs, except to say that our children have a much higher percentage of making it to college than a caterpillar does of ever becoming a butterfly. Which is a really good thing . . . 

As I went searching for milkweed this past spring, to attract Monarchs to my garden, it was also in hope of watching the stages from egg, to larva, to caterpillar and eventually to the miraculous transformation into a butterfly. It was also exciting . . . to know I was taking part in helping the Monarchs. To feed and watch them grow, and to keep them safe so they could eventually fulfill their purpose. But it hasn't been without a bit of stress, as there are so many things that can go wrong.

And you know what? Parenting is kind of like that. Yep, it's just like that . . . exciting and scary all at once. Along with being a privilege, there is also a huge responsibility that goes along with that, to be entrusted with a tiny new life. We will nourish them (mind, body, and soul), and watch them grow . . . helping to keep them safe so that they too can fulfill their life's purpose. 

  

In the hospital they hand you your baby, and there is a joy and an excitement about all that being a parent entails. For me it has never been about expectations of who or what they will become, but instead about being able to witness the journey of them becoming who they were meant to be and to be part of that process. To be a loving guide and a place for their safe landing in the battle field of life, because . . . 

Lesson #1: Life isn't always fair

(not a new concept, just one worth reviewing)

No life isn't always fair, never has been and never will be. In fact just ask a caterpillar. There will always be many challenges in life, we just have to have enough determination to rise above them. In fact a glass of lemonade is just that, a glass of lemonade, but a bowl full of lemons . . . that, is an opportunity. And I for one would much rather our kids learn how to solve problems than to give up because they don't know how to make lemonade . . . because they've never been allowed to have lemons.

This past weekend we took our daughter to college, for the very first time.

It. Was. Hard.

But it is also exciting.

As much as part of me wants to keep her safely tucked inside our nest, the other part of me knows that was never part of the plan. Our children don't really belong to us, they are just of us and it's our job from day one to prepare them not for a life with out us, but away from us.

I have had the pleasure of watching her grow both physically and spiritually, emotionally and intellectually, from a baby to now 18 years old. And just like the caterpillar, I have watched a miraculous transformation. Now she will set out on a new adventure to follow her heart and dreams and to explore the world in a new way . . . on her own terms.

And not if, but when she runs into a bowl of lemons, I hope she remembers how to make lemonade.

{KK Culligan scripted}

I just have to hold on to the fact that we have done the best we could to instill values in our kids that will go with them anywhere they go, and that family, friendships, honesty and hard work is far more valuable than any material possessions they will ever have. Ever!

As a parent you always know in the back of your mind that this day will come, but thinking and doing are two totally different things.

But then, before your eyes their wings emerge.

Which brings me to . . . 

Lesson #2: Eventually, they will take flight.

It will happen, whether you are ready or not. Sometimes whether they are ready or not.

How did it get so late so soon?

Love, Kim


{Linking with Texture Tuesday, Tuesday Muse, Tuesday Around the World, Sweet Shot Tuesday}

A long lost letter . . .

... a message in a bottle

hard to make out the words

the ink faded from the sun

slightly smeared from salty water

wandering the ocean

waiting to be found

as it makes its way back to shore

to find its journey's end. 

Oh hello my my friends!

I guess my couple of weeks break turned into a real lot.

I feel like I've been floating in the ocean like a message in a bottle

just waiting to come back to shore,

for the right wave to push me back in.

I'm not quite there, but oh I can see land!

I had no idea that I needed this much time. The stress of the last 4 months took more of

a toll than I thought. I've done a lot of sitting on my front porch, and tending to caterpillars,

and watching sunrises, and visiting the beach.

{Pixel Dust textures Vintage Vellum, Qu'il Pleuve, Heartache by number)

This is so very last minute, and I should be packing (more on that in a sec), but I wanted to participate in Bonnie's Photo Art Friday (I almost forgot) especially since it's only once a month now, with today's theme Flower Art. I took a little liberty on this one, technically there are some flowers, but this is the photo as I quickly perused the millions that jumped at me and said make me into art. So...poof...here is my photo art.

While I'm here I shall share some random stuff.....(try to say that fast ten times)

We are on the countdown now for when my girl starts her first year of college, I cried yesterday.

The last of 22 caterpillars are in a j-hang and should pupate before I leave tomorrow. My kids are horrified at the thought of having to take care of another twenty something caterpillars that are almost a week old now while I'm gone. They don't DO caterpillars OR butterflies as in touch or get near to (they can't possibly have my DNA)...I'm trying not to stress over it. I mean I've only been raising them since March so I can send the last generation off to Mexico....no stress here guys! ;)  (the current count of butterflies released will be over 150 when this latest batch emerges)

Oh, and college costs a lot of money...I cried again.

Where am I going you ask? Well, I haven't seen my momma in two years! So, I'm combining a visit with my mom and meeting up with some of the lovely ladies from my collaborative blog Focusing on Life. I leave tomorrow and will be gone ten days...all by myself.

Looks like the weather in Chicago is going to be a little cooler at night (50's-60's) which called for action...I only have one pair of jeans....so I went shopping last night. I smiled because they were on sale AND they weren't two feet too long. And since I had to go up a size....it called for some bling.

I had another birthday....I'm getting closer to that senior discount...rofl!!

  Well, I need to get back on track here, which means packing and such but didn't want to leave without telling you that my boy has been getting better. His leg did get bigger and the MRI did show that he had even more acute blood products in the compartments of his muscles, but has since been slowly and steadily coming down in size. They still have no idea what caused it for sure, it's a mystery. He started back two weeks ago to strength and conditioning on upper body, still waiting for the green light on the lower. I'm hoping it will be soon so he can participate in football practice!! (yes that is a little bit of panic on my face)

I have missed all of you, and as soon as my girl gets settled into her dorm room (send kleenex) and my boy starts back to school, I will be back on a regular basis. If you are even still here reading this...I'm giving you a giant hug...thank you!

Until next time,

Love, Kim

Linking with Photo art Friday, Little Things Thursday, Friday Photo Journal, Random Five Friday

Random letters on Friday . . .

Dear life . . . can you slow down please, or at least spread the excitement.

I can't handle so much at one time, thanks!

{Photo Art Friday - dreamy}

Dear Mother Nature... can we talk? I think you should do something about all the critters who are eating my (your) Monarch caterpillars. Apparently the toxin isn't strong enough to keep away the lizards, the wasps and those nasty assasin bugs. Could you send a memo or something and tell them to leave them alone. There ARE plenty of other bugs they could eat. Thank you, sincerely Mother Nature's helper! xo

Dear sweet boy . . . I'm so sorry you continue to have one issue after another. No one should have to frequent a hospital as much as you have lately. But I was so very happy to hear that cardiology has given you a clean bill of health and their blessing to go back to strength and conditioning for football. Now, all we have to do is wait for hematology to do the same. I know you have a fire in your belly to get back to what you love, and I want nothing more than for you to do what you love to do, but I'm not going to lie it makes me a little nervous.

Dear sweet girl. . . . your dad and I are so proud of you, and watching you walk across the stage with your medal in honor of being a distinguished graduate made us even more proud, if that is possible. See, hard work really does pay off. I'm so thankful and blessed to have been given the privilege to be your mom. Okay, gotta stop now before I cry...again! xo

Dear San Antonio  . . . . I love you, your culture, rich history, and yes your food. No matter how many times I visit your Missions, I am always in awe. There is something so spiritual about standing where so many have stood through history, in the same structures on the same exact floors. Now that my daughter will be going to college here, I know we are going to become even more acquainted. As a history major and future teacher of the children of America, this couldn't be a better place for her.

Dear google maps phone app . . . you stink! You know I'm not very good at getting places and I really needed you and you let me down!

Dear kind soul at the Shell gas station . . . thank you so much for your wonderful directions to the San Jose Mission when I was completely lost! You are better than a phone app!!

Dear bloggy friends . . .  I know I haven't been around for several weeks, or visited you lately. Last Tuesday was our really long day at Texas Children's for my sweet boy. Wednesday, right before I was to watch my daughter receive her medal the doctor called with the results of the MRI on his legs we had the day before. It showed blood that was collecting in the compartments of his muscles in his calves and she sent us straight to the ER again. Thankfully she let us take him after the ceremony. He spent two days in the hospital and thankfully didn't need surgery to drain it. I picked them up on Friday afternoon and when we got home we were met by my in-laws who drove 1200 miles to watch our daughter graduate. Saturday morning we sat outside at our district stadium in the blazing Texas heat to watch almost 600 seniors graduate and then enjoyed a celebratory lunch in Galveston. 

Monday morning (of this week) my daughter and I drove to San Antonio, enjoyed the San Jose Mission, and a nice dinner. Tuesday we got up and I dropped her off at UTSA for her college orientation, I got lost, and then drove home (a 3 1/2 hour drive) but not before getting caught in a horrible storm. Wednesday my sweet boy made up the rest of his final exams that he missed on the last day of school, and yesterday I turned around and drove back to get the sweet girl. We stopped for lunch, to avoid another bad storm, picked up some yummy key lime pie donuts from Krispy Kreme (because we don't have any) and made our way back home. It was a nine hour driving day for me.

And here I am today, tired and exhausted and so discombobulated. Which is why I have decided to take a couple of weeks off to regroup and recharge and to relax. I need to get some things back in order that have fallen by the way side and I would really like to clean my jewelry studio so I can work in there again. AND I have a Monarch series that I keep promising that I need to finish (and several thousand photos to go through).

I will see you on the other side of a couple of weeks, okay?

(I'll still be posting on instagram at kimatpickingpoppies)

Until then...

Love, Kim XO

sharing with Little Things Thursday, Random Five Friday, Friday Photo Journal, Photo Art Friday,

Finding Serendipity {1440}

The seaweed is here {jumping for joy} . . .

"People protect what they love"

- Jacques Cousteau

Yes we do. We protect our families, our homes, our possessions.

We protect our freedom.

We do so with force and sometimes 'til death.

But in my humble opinion, we have failed epically to protect our environment and its precious resources.

Everything was put here on this Earth to fulfill a purpose.

Not just for our sustainability, but also for our pleasure.

So, without further delay, I'm here today to help you fall in love . . . with a frogfish! lol
Oh yeah, you're gonna wish you could hold one when this is over

Do you remember I finally found one last year in the sargassum seaweed? Well, in my only two visits to the beach so far this year (yes that comes as a shock to me too-the two part not the visit), I not only found one but I found 5!

I was so happy to get to the beach AND see the seaweed  . . .  I skipped straight into the water!!

And I'm not the only one that gets excited for this massive entrance of seaweed dinner.

The seagulls can almost always be found waiting for their fair share of seaweed critters to snatch up.

I was only going to go and stay for a few hours . . . 

. . . but me and my handy dandy blue net (you remember that one) were having way too much fun!

The waves AND the seaweed were crashing into the shore (and my legs). Always takes just a bit to desensitize my legs to that feeling of something crawling on me. But as you start to hit pay dirt, you just kinda forget about it.

The one I found last year was probably about twice this size, and they can reach up to 7.5".

Such a fascinating looking fish complete with weedy dermal appendages that help it to blend right in. Ever seen a fish with blue eyes? Me either. 

They depend on their camouflage for protection since this fish has no scales.

Now watch what happens when I put him in the water . . . 

Ta da, just look at all those crazy appendages, isn't it cute! Do you see the sargassum shrimp on the left?

Oh yeah, I caught a ton of millet too. These are used a lot as bait fish, when they get larger of course.

As I was photographing these through my temporary aquarium glass jar, I hear someone say excuse me.

I turn around and it's a white truck with the words, Texas Parks and Wildlife! Ruh roh, and then he asks me, "Whatcha got there"? Whew, he was really just interested in what I had in the container, and was a little surprised that I caught them in my little kids net. 

1. I could live at the beach (shocker)

2. I go to the beach to relax, but I never sit down...hardly ever (another shocker)

3. I love the seaweed . . . people think I'm crazy (I know, shocked again)

4. There is almost 100 species of marine life that lives in that seaweed (I heard ya say wow)

5. I'm on a mission to find them all (of course you're not surprised) 

Sargassum shrimp...check

Sargassum frogfish...check

sargassum crab...check

nudibranch...check

cute little fish I do not know the name of ...check  

The problem is, people look at the seaweed as a smelly glass that is half empty . . . 

But really it's half chocked full of really cool sea life!!

I can tell you nearly 9.5 times out of 10 after someone asks me why I'm shaking the seaweed

they had no idea all these things live in there and then they get really interested. In fact, most of the things that do live in it can be found no where else, exclusive to this seaweed.

From experience I have found that people warm up to things they may fear when they have some knowledge
and understanding . . . which may lead to interest and caring about it . . . which may lead to loving it.

And,

People protect what they love.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Love, Kim
XO

Sharing with Little Things Thursday, Friday Photo Journal, Finding Serendipity {1440}

Random 5 Friday