The Story (sorry, It's a long one)

We lived in the Nevada desert for over 15 years before we ever saw a  tarantula. The first one was this spring when we were planting oleanders. The story of it is here. We spent most of the summer digging up holes in the yard hoping/not hoping to find another.  Until late one night, a few months ago, CJ went outside and found one on the porch. ON OUR PORCH.
The next day, he loaded up the kids and the tarantula for a drive to the desert so they could release him back into the wild. Kristy wrote about that day here,  on her blog.

A few weeks ago, Kaylynn's kids told me that they found a  tarantula up at the race track. It was squished! Someone had run it over (by accident I'm sure).

Chad's picture of tarantula

But he wasn't the only one,  Chad told me where I could find yet another one. This one was alive though,  He found it in one of the concession stands up front and took outside so the tarantula could find more suitable lodging for the winter.







So all of this brings me to today, when I got this picture text message from Kaylynn:

Text from Kaylynn

 Me: haha...where did that come from:
 Kaylynn: On the road by Home Depot
 Me: You stopped to picture him? (Preston's saying)
 Kaylynn: Ya, I made Marvin turn around. He was more daring to get closer than me.
 Me: LOL. He could have got a little closer. I want to see the details of his legs. LOL.

 And then I took my phone into the Business office to show Debbie. She thought it was so cute and told me he should have caught him to give to her.  I called her crazy and went back to my office. And then I got this text.

 Kaylynn: He said he will (go) back and get it and bring it to you if want.
 Me: Okay. Then I can take pictures with my good camera. :) Haha.

 And I think he is just teasing me, then she says:

Kaylynn: OK. See you in a bit.
Me: (uh) lol. I don't have my camera. It's at home.
Kaylynn: We will put it in a coffee can.
Kaylynn: With a lid on it.
Me: You don't have to bring it.
Kaylynn: We are on our way.

CRAP!  Now what do I do?  Debbie!


 Debbie was way more happy than I was when I told her Kaylynn was bringing her the spider. I wanted pictures, but not bad enough to have it in my office. Even if it was in a coffee can.

Matt from work took this picture

Anthony got close enough to take this one.

 

 Debbie is not afraid,. She was in love. And this is where the ruckus in the office started. Debbie posed, while we screamed and took pictures.  Just another day at the office!


edited to say: Debbie took the spider with her to lunch and then left it with her husband. He wanted to let it go. She said he wasn't to thrilled. haha.

A kindergarten memory

Chad and I were talking about all the new kindergarten kids we have in our family this year. Three out of four of our kids have sent one of their little ones off to school for the first time this week. The parents (our kids) should be pro's at this by now since none of these kindergarten babies are the first in their family to leave home for school. But I'm sure it's just as hard to see the last one (like Kaylynn), as it was the first one.

My first one was the hardest for me, for a few reasons. First of all, since we had just moved to a new house, shcool had already started and we didn't attend the usual enrollment day, I had no idea what in. the. heck. I was doing.  "Shots? She needs shots? What are shots? Were do you get shots?" The nice lady in the office just smiled, gave me information on getting immunizations, and told us to come back after she'd been properly inoculated.

I spent the next morning getting all the kids updated on their shots and went back to school in time for Kaylynn to start the afternoon session of kindergarten. That wasn't so hard. Until Tiffany realized that we were leaving the school without her big sister. Then...all hell broke loose. She cried. She sobbed. She kicked. She screamed..."I waanntt  myyyy Kaaaylyyynnn!!" All the way home.I'm not kidding. The point five miles we had to walk home may as well have been five hundred miles. Up hill, both ways. It was horrible. I'm suprised someone didn't call the police. She was screaming that bad.  Oh man, what a sight that must have been!! She wouldn't walk so I had to carry her (kicking and screaming), push Anthony in the stroller and encourage poor  little CJ to keep walking. Just a little further I kept telling him. On the way to the school, I was able to alternate carrying CJ and Tiffany, but not now and his little legs were getting so tired.

We were all physically and mentally worn out by the time we got home and kids fell asleep really quickly. It didn't seem like they had been napping very long when I heard noises outside. It sounded like kids playing. I went to the window and saw a bunch of kids walking down the street . Suddenly, I realized...It's Thursday... It's early day!  The school gets out early for teacher workshops.

I got the kids up and we practically ran all the way to the school. Once we got there, the parking lot was pretty much empty, no kids anywhere. I was sure they took her to the orphanage. I prayed the doors were unlocked. I was so releived that they opened when I pushed. Once inside, there on a bench next to the office, sat Kaylynn. All by herself. Looking at me like - where have you been? Poor girl. I will never forget that look as long as I live.

 The office lady came out and told me that since we didn't have a phone, she called our emergency contact and someone was on their way to pick her up. Oh I felt awful. Why didn't I know it was early day? How did I miss that? I apologized to Kaylynn and to the office lady and just hoped I didn't look like the worst mother on the planet. Then I gathered my kids and left.

Just as we were getting to the end of the street, Chad's sister pulled up. They had called his mom and she sent Bambie to get Kaylynn. I just sucked it up and got into the car. At least we didn't have to walk. Until the next day, when we did the whole process all over again. Screaming and all. Except it wasn't early day.

**P.S. I checked google maps to see how far we had to walk to the school. It actually said .40 miles, but I added .10 because I could have sworn that it was at least a mile. I think it was two miles the day it was snowing so bad and a neighbor lady saved our lives. But that's another story.