Butterflies

"Mommy, look! A butterfly," Number One Daughter exclaimed. Big Little Boy said, "WOW!" (Wonder where he picked up that whopper of a phrase? Hmmmm????) Number One Daughter wanted to catch it.

"No let's not catch it. Butterflies only live for three days." Oops! What was I thinking?

"Three days? Why Mommy?" She asked. "Yes," I replied, "three days, but to a butterfly, three days is like 100 years."

I have explained to my children that people die when they are about 100 years old. When someone dies, Number One Daughter asks me if they were 100. I always say that they were. It saves them from some of the worries that they would have. It all began when Number One Daughter asked me if Mommies and Daddies die and how old they are. Well, I decided to protect her from worrying about us. Then if a case comes up about a mommy or daddy dying before they are 100, we can address it as such.

Well, a young mommy died. And Number One Daughter knew that she wasn't 100. So she asked me why she had died if she wasn't 100. Well, I told her, God needed an Angel to watch over all of the babies in Heaven. "Oh, the ones that are waiting to come to our family?" she asked innocently. "Well, we aren't going to have anymore babies," I replied, "I think she might be watching over the babies that will come to your family."

I think she was happy about that. I think that she realizes that she has a way to go before her babies are ready, but for a moment and several moments prior, I have seen her playing the role of Mommy. She is good at it. She is gentle and loving and concerned. She will be a fine mommy and it makes me happy. She will point out the butterflies and keep them safe for her babies...and so on and so forth...the circle of life goes on.