Let Us Pray

So we've got another new addition to the family.

A praying mantis.

But the majority of the praying around here isn't being done by the mantis. It's being done by me, begging God not to let the little stick-or-leaf-looking-creature-with-the-big-eyed-creepily-swiveling-head (or its crickety meals, which I find equally icky) get out of its glass stronghold. A.k.a. the fish tank (in which I have tried, but failed repeatedly, to keep fish alive). It has an opening at the top, perfect for a skinny little mantis body or a gross cricket to leap through, but Curtis "securely" rigged it with aluminum foil so there's "no way" the thing could possibly escape.

Can you tell I'm skeptical?

Not only that, but last night Curtis and Colin had great fun hunting down a fat black cricket for Manty (yes, that's his name) to eat. And I, the only light sleeper in the house, had great fun listening to *chirp chirp chirp* - amplified by the prime acoustics of the fish tank - ALL. NIGHT. LONG. Listen, cricket, a word of advice ... if I were you I'd be hiding out in silence, not announcing my presence repeatedly. Just saying.

Like all other hassles parents endure just to see their kids' eyes light up, though, this one is worth it. Yeah, I may have a creepy insect living in my house on purpose, but you should have seen Colin's reaction: pure delight. He's obsessed with praying mantises and has never seen a real one in person, so he royally freaked when our neighbor brought it over for him.

(But these are the neighbors who recently brought over a homemade lasagna, loaf of French bread, a salad with chianti vinaigrette, and a ridiculously delicious peanut butter cake - and let me keep the dishes everything was in! - so I totally forgive them.) *

*Although if you're reading this, I do blame you guys for the extra 20 pounds that cake is going to add to my thighs.

So today is not only my first day alone with all three boys (which by the way isn't going too badly - unless you count the mishap with the cupful of pennies, and the fact that I've been up for 4 hours and have already changed 6 diapers) ... it's also the first day with Manty lurking living in my fish tank.

Pray for me.