Zoo on a spectacular fall day

Today was one of those exceptionally beautiful fall days in Greenville. The sky was crystal clear blue and the weather never topped 72 degrees. There was a breeze in the air.. you could simply feel and smell fall. With fall being my very favorite season (you didn't already know that did you?), I decided to spend the afternoon outside with 3 of my very favorite people in the world. We are members of our zoo so we can go anytime without paying a fee. It isn't free, mind you.. we already paid for a yearly membership. It did sort of crack me up as we were walking in the entrance and the sign read "Adults - $6, Children - $4, and Members - Free". Well, not exactly. Anyway, after nap time we packed up and headed to the zoo. In contrast to the overcrowded trips we experienced in the summer when school was out, we pretty much had the zoo to ourselves today. We could take our time and wander about... we read the signs and learned a little about all of the different creatures. The orangutans were especially intriguing. They are so human-like.. it is amazing. Every time we view them, the Dad is hanging out right by the viewing window... just chilling. And the Mom and baby are frolicking in the distance either climbing on the ropes and limbs or just cuddling in the grass. It is amazing how the baby just clings to the Mom as she swings from limb to limb. Today, they were sort of hugging in their yard and all of a sudden the Mom comes right over to the window where we were peering out. Laying below the window, on their side of the glass, were two sheets. She picked one up and draped it completely over her body. Her baby quickly joins her and she bundles him up too. Right after, Joshua points out the orangutan's Moms breasts he tells me she is nursing her baby. After seeing me nurse two babies, I suppose that isn't a foreign concept to him.

I love going to the zoo with the kids because it presents us with great opportunities to discuss God's creation and how wonderful and perfectly everything is made. As disgusting as vultures are, the kids were excited to learn how they fit into creation as scavengers to clean up carcasses which can spread disease and bacteria. I mean, how can that have occurred by chance? I think the lions where both of their favorites with the alligators as a close second. We need to research tomorrow how alligators can lay at the bottom of a pond for an inordinate amount of time before needing to take a breath. We were looking through glass into this pond and one of the alligators was laying on the bottom... for at least 8 minutes. They have lungs and breathe air like us. This is an example of home schooling Mom/teacher learning along with the kids. I have to say that the giraffes amaze me. They are fascinating to watch. Sophia and I observed them for a while and we discussed why the Lord made them so tall with a long stretched neck.

Upon leaving the zoo we hiked right across the street to the new playground. It is really nice... shaded with a canopy and there is rubber mulch instead of sand or wood mulch. It is quite modern and the children love it. As the girls were playing on a climby-thingy (technical term, yes?) I observed some new parents dealing with the joys of runny newborn poop leaking all over baby and Mommy. Oh how I wanted to just run up and hug that Mom. They seemed to have a good attitude about it all but, boy, have I been there... and you may seem ok on the outside but you are having a slight freak out on the inside. Especially when there is an audience. I wanted desperately to do something to help but I didn't want to be intrusive and be "that Mom" who thinks she knows everything because she has more kids (which is totally not the case). So, I continued to play with the kiddos. Then, I noticed they had to trash the little boy's outfit because poop was smeared everywhere and, like me the other night, they were without a change of clothes. By some stroke of luck (more like God had it all planned I am sure), I had an outfit of Emily's in the diaper bag for incidents just like this. I offered it to the lady for her son - yes, the outfit was blue and it had pink flowers on it... desperate times call for desperate measures. I was just glad I could help. Well, wouldn't ya know... we are leaving the zoo getting ready to head to Moes (we should own stock in that place) for dinner when I pick up Emily out of her stroller... hmm... wet pants. Oh, that is just from water from her sippy. Wait, Jennifer.. Emily doesn't drink water from a sippy. Oh, and it stinks. Oh GOSH! Oh no, no clothes! Hmm.. think think think. Well, Sophia's 3T pants are in here... yes, very long especially since Emily has unusually short legs for a 9 month old (takes after Mom). But, it will work. Again, God moment because I have not been packing anything for Sophia for a long time. So, maybe there was a reason for Sophia having an accident the other night at the Frazee center. Oh, how all things do work together for good!