Froggy and Our Princess

Last night I went over to pick the kids up from Momma and Diddy's. When I walked in the door, I was greeted with a big grin from Cub, as he yells "MOMMY!", followed by a huge hug. He is always so sweet - he'd only been there an hour or two, but he doesn't care... he treats it like it has been forever, every time!

Elizabeth held up a container. I knew it must have some new pet in there, but there was just no telling what it might be this time. She loves animals - all kinds. We just got over the loss of her "newest" pet wormy who mysteriously disappeared from it's home, a pink insect house, that stays on our porch. It never ceases to amaze me how such a girly girl can also love slimy worms and the like. But, I guess she comes by the "loves animals" part honestly... it's the "girly girl" part I wonder about.

Anyway, in this tin container was a cute little frog... a very jumpy one at that. We got it home successfully, and after introducing Froggy to Daddy, they transfered him to the pink insect house. Then Daddy stuffed in leaves for him to use as cover.

All was fine last night. This morning, first thing, she went to the porch to check on Froggy.

"What will he eat?" she asked, as we watched him jump, jump jump...

I tried to explain to her that frogs need insects to eat, and that he liked water. I also suggested that it was great to have him as her pet, but he might be very happy out in our rock garden. With all the million other froggys... who talk to each other every. single. night.

She pondered this for awhile, cried a bucket of tears, and determined all by herself that she was gonna "let Froggy go".

Somehow, through those lingering tears, she transfered him back to the container she caught him in, and we walked over to Froggy's new home.

(Just overlook the unsightly black lining/low water in our little lily pond... we are in a drought, and besides, the pond has a leak somewhere! We fill it back up for special occasions...)

Froggy was a bit resistant at first, surprisingly, as he sat there on the container handle... maybe he was deciding his next move. He was probably unsure of what to do with all the silly humans watching him so closely. Oh, and one little princess was trying to hold back tears again as well...


He eventually jumped and began to swim, free at last. I sighed a breath of fresh air as we had made it through yet another animal saga. Princess Elizabeth was pacified with the fact that Froggy was happy, close by and with his friends. And, she can see the rock garden from her bedroom window.


Here he is, sunning himself on that green leaf... I am so proud of our sweet girl for making such a difficult decision, all by herself. She loved that frog more than I can tell you, though she'd only had him less than a day. That's just the way it is for her. I was really prepared to go find insects to feed the frog. But, after learning he'd possibly be happier in the pond, where he could find insects and play in the water, she listened to her heart and decided to let him go.

What a beautiful morning it has been!