72 Butterflies

Genna brings me a tiny daisy off of a massive wild flower that is growing by the deck. Every day, she sings, "Mommy... I have a surprise for you." And every day I close my eyes and hold out my hand and wait for her to place the tiny flower in my hand and tell me to open my eyes. And every day, I tell her how pretty it is and how much I love it.

I posted that story on Facebook the other day, and a friend told me it was a sign from my Mama telling me I'm doing things right. I thought that was perfect, and I love our daily routine of my surprise even more now, knowing Mama is there with us each time.

I have long believed that she stops by to see me, and the family she never got to meet, via butterflies. The other night, while preparing supper, a black and blue monarch landed on the table on the patio and spread her wings. She then walked around with her wings out flat, and I pointed her out to Patrick and the kids. 

Yesterday, while outside doing science day, my daisy surprise was two daisies. When GG told me it was time to open my eyes, the two daisies were in my hand, and there was a beautiful black and blue monarch butterfly on the leaf right by my shoulder. When I turned my head to see her, she flew down to Genna's head, then flew off. 

Just then. Conner came running over asking if we wanted to see the beautiful butterfly he had found. I asked him if it was the black one and he excitedly said it was, but it had flown off and he couldn't find it. I told him that was his grand mommy. He asked how his grand mommy was turned into a butterfly, and I laughed and told him I'd tell him later. Now, you have to realize that Conner has to know everything about everything, but this time, he took that answer as enough, and ran off to find something else to discover.

Today would be Mama's 72 birthday. Cancer took her from us in 1996. She was 55.

Happy Birthday, Mama. Yeah, we're doing ok. Thanks for checking in. I love you.