Butterflies

At Leah's Celebration of Life, we released 12 Painted Lady Butterflies. We decided to release them all at once from a box, instead of individually, hoping for them to all fly out together. We should know by now, that things don't go as planned. I was really nervous that they weren't going to be ready to fly and our service would end on a sad note. Instead, of flying out all together, they needed a little nudging to get going. I had even made a joke to everyone standing around us, that "yes, they are alive, don't worry!" Which produced a chuckle from everyone. One-by-one they started flying off. Bryce thought he wanted to help, then got a little scared when he saw that the butterflies actually moved. So he just stood close and watched them fly off. I, not being a real nature lover, decided that I should help them off and offered my finger for support. One-by-one they took turns hitching a ride out of the box and off into the blue sky. Finally, there were only three left. We got the first 2 to go pretty easily, and the last one just kind of lingered. We never really thought anything of it after it flew off. Bryce ended the release with a big "Yayyy!" and clapped his hands.

The next day, we had our parents over. Jason had the Dad's outside helping up clean-up the crazy, green caterpillars that had taken over the house/yard while we were in the hospital. (Don't ask... it's a long story.) It was later in the afternoon, almost dinner time and Jason called me outside. He told me that there were butterflies flying around the house! I didn't believe it until I saw 3 of them circling around the roof and then swooping down to the yard, out the road, up the trees, and so on. He pulled me aside and told me that as soon as he saw them, he wondered if they were "our" butterflies. So he asked God for a sign, that if one of the butterflies was Leah's spirit visiting us, to have a butterfly land on the ladder that was in the driveway. Yes, you know what's coming next... one of the three, landed on the ladder and sat there while Jason stared in amazement. That was when he came in to get me.You might be thinking that we're crazy and there's no way that these 3 butterflies are the same butterflies that we released, but we only live about a 1/4 of a mile away from the cemetery where Leah's service was held.

The following day, we were outside before dinner time, and yet again, we saw the three butterflies roaming around the yard. One separated itself from the others and would swoop down as if she was saying "hi!" We noticed at this time that it was the same time as the day before that we had seen them and noted what time it was... between 5:30 and 6:30... the hour that Leah had lived! Was it possible? Was this really a sign from God?

Throughout the week, we only saw the butterflies one other time (playing outside before dinner). They did their usual swooping around the yard, and one would separate and fly around us. We would do our best to show Bryce, who tried really hard to track them.... He even started saying "butterfly!"

This past weekend, Jason spent the day Saturday working on the boat so that we could get back to having a relaxing Sunday on the lake. Bryce was riding his little 4-Wheeler around the yard and in the driveway, when Jason, yelled.... "She's back!" I knew what he meant... we all just stopped and watched as one of the butterflies landed on the boat. She moved from place to place, but was very calm when we tried to get close to her. She even let me snap a few pictures! We're glad that she likes the boat, because it's our favorite thing to do on days off!! Sunday, we finally got out on the boat for the first time in almost a year:) It was great and Bryce loved it! When we got home and were cleaning up the boat... they were back. This time she landed on the roof of the house and I started thinking..... three butterflies...three babies that we now know with TD and 2 other families that we've been connected with. Maybe one is Wyatt and the other is Avery? Is it possible that they are playing together in Heaven and on Earth? (You might think I'm crazy and I might be at this point... but it sure is something great to think about isn't it?)

Today was the meeting with the butterfly that made me have to write this TODAY. We were out walking around the neighborhood with Bryce before dinner and when we were crossing the street back to our house, who comes flying around us!? We were almost to the driveway, when she landed right on Bryce's knee! He giggled and then got a little scared. (He's doesn't think much of bugs and insects yet.) She flew away and came right back landing on his shoe this time. He was humming to himself and then started saying "nose, nose" just like he did in the hospital when he met Leah... what were the chances? She flew away and came back a few more times and Bryce was warming up to the idea of the butterfly liking him.

Again, I know that we could totally be looking more into this than is necessary... but it just seems too coincidental to be an accident. And yes, we do know that butterflies have a fairly short life cycle. I actually researched the Painted Lady Butterfly and found that "The Painted Lady Butterfly has a 2-week life span. During that time, its main goal is to reproduce and lay eggs so the cycle can begin again!" It has already been 2 weeks and the "same" single butterfly keeps coming back to us. Who knows? After what we've been through, we enjoying an uplifting and beautiful moment each afternoon!

And, yes, it is the same butterfly... the top one is with her wings open and the bottom one, they are closed.