Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

I spent my Mother's Day just as I wanted to -- outside with my family.  We went on a gorgeous ten mile bike ride and then stopped at a river to throw rocks and try out our new nets. 

A few pointers for rock throwing, in case you aren't well-versed in the sport. 

1. Do not throw rocks at people.  Ever.  No matter what.

2. Do not throw rocks when there are people between you and the water, even if they really should have walked behind you.

3. Do not walk in front of someone who is throwing rocks, even if you found a really cool shell that you have to show your mom RIGHT away.

I am happy to report that these are rules we have learned from previous rock throwing expeditions and our Mother's Day rock throwing event was unmarred by rock throwing injuries.

As if that wasn't excitement enough, our nets worked!

That's a HUGE snail climbing up the wall and if you squint really hard you can see our new tadpole in the back right corner.

So, I am spending my day after Mother's Day researching how to care for snails and tadpoles, walking to the nearest creek to obtain fresh water for the aquatic life and boiling lettuce to feed our new pets.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

I feel so lucky to be a mother to my two amazing boys.

There are so many women who go unacknowledged on Mother's Day -- birth mothers, mothers who have lost a child, women who long to be a mother -- and I think of them (especially J) and wish them peace.