Metamorphosis and Trains

We found two monarch caterpillars in our backyard almost two weeks ago. The shrimpy one, I gave to a friend, and we kept the big fat one who went into its chrysalis about a day and a half after we found it (I mean, her ... Spencer's named her Lynn). This morning when we woke up, the chrysalis was transparent, so we knew today was the day! (Un)Fortunately, we had adventures of our own this morning, so we had to leave Lynn to her hard work while the boys embarked on a series of firsts in their little lives.

First first: Riding in a 15-passenger van. I can count on two fingers the number of 15-passenger vans I've been in in my lifetime. Now three.

Second first: Taking a real train. The 15-passenger van drove us to a train station out of town so that we could ride the rails back into town again. The boys had a seriously good time. Isaac stood in his seat at the window and said "Choo-chooooo" and "Woah, wooooah, wo-wo-wo" almost the whole 15-minute trip.

Third first: Riding a real city bus. The train took us to the train/bus station, where we caught a bus that took us back home. Whew! A travel adventure!

(adorable kids waiting so patiently for the bus to arrive)

As soon as we walked in the front door post-circular adventure, we made a dash for Lynn, who, sure enough, had fought her way out of her little skin baggy in our absence and was basking in the light of a new day. What a bizarre and wondrous thing it has been to watch this change. I'm not big into bugs and didn't really want to touch her as a caterpillar, but as a butterfly, it was magical to have her perch on my finger, and to think that all this was inside her all along. I'm sure there's an overused metaphor in there, but it was as new as Lynn's lovely wings to me today.

(Lynn set free outside. Good luck, Lynn!)