Metamorphosis

I know the word, metamorphosis.  And of course, I knew, in theory, that a butterfly becomes such after first being a caterpillar, and then forming a chrysalis.

But watching the process happen in my own home was something entirely different.  Watching our itsy bitsy caterpillar grow to two inches in the span of only two weeks was miraculous.  And after hanging upside-down in a J shape for half a day, suddenly our caterpillar started disappearing all together.  I was amazed.

(And here's an interesting video catching part of this process....)

I had jumped at the chance to "raise" a baby monarch because I thought my kids would enjoy it.  I didn't realize how much I would enjoy the process as well.  I think in the end, it was I who was mourning when the butterfly took flight, not my children.  I felt somehow connected to its life, and then I had to watch it fly away.  The only remedy to my disappointment that I can think of is to mark it on the calendar...next year, I'm going to find another egg.