The Zoo

So, today was Harley's first trip to the zoo. Not too exciting as he wasn't that interested in most of the animals, haha. Jared carried him around the whole zoo looking at all the animals. I think Jared was more excited than Harley. He kept disappearing every time I turned my back to go look at something new. I don't think I got that many pictures of Harley, lol. But he had fun. We went with my parents, my sister and her hubby and my brother and his girlfriend. It was really great because my parents took turns pushing the babyless stroller with everyone's crap in it. Plus, it has been about 3 years since we went to A zoo, (we went to the Milwaukee Zoo in 2006) and it's been about 10 years since we went to the Hogle Zoo. Which is why I was soooooo excited. I absolutely LOVE the zoo. I don't like that a lot of the animals need bigger habitats, but like everyone else, I try not to think about it too much. However, I talked to one of the keepers and she said that more animals than you would think can't go back into the wild because they've had injuries or other things wrong that prevent them from being able to survive on their own. So, I guess for some, it's better to be alive in a cage than dead. Although, not being able to talk to animals, we'll never know. Anyway, Harley very much enjoyed the zoo and so did Mommy and Daddy. I'd like to go again this summer, but it may not happen. It was a tad bit difficult going today. We were there for about 2 1/2 hours and I did walk the whole thing. I took a couple of rest stops, but was still exhausted when we got home. So, maybe if we go in the next month I can handle it...we'll see.
On Thursday was Mara's graduation at the Marriott Center. It was an interesting thing for me, never having been to a graduation before. Yes, I am serious. My oldest sister got her diploma but didn't walk, my other sister graduated a few years after her class, I got my GED a month after my class graduated and I have not been to my friends' graduations. I should have gone, but I didn't. Anyway, the principal gave his speech, as I'm assuming is customary, and it was a really good one. Of course, anyone who can quote Dr. Seuss and Alice in Wonderland (movie), is fine by me ;) It was a great quote from Alice in Wonderland. He talked about the scene where she is at a fork in the road and looks up at the Cheshire Cat and says, "Which way should I go?" the Cheshire Cat says, "Well, that all depends on where you're trying to get to." Alice says, "It doesn't really matter, I suppose." And the Cheshire Cat replies, "Then I guess it doesn't really matter which way you go, does it?" That is so true! If you don't know where you're going, then why does it matter how you get there? It was a cool thing to say at a graduation. I just wish I could remember the Dr. Seuss quote. Ah, well.
There was also a lady there from the Alpine School Board or something (I wasn't really paying attention) that gave a speech and she told a really amazing story. (Like I said, I wasn't really paying attention so I don't know what point she was making with this story. It's just really cool, lol) In the early 1960's a white man was driving down the road late at night in the pouring rain. He saw a black woman standing on the side of the road next to a truck, soaking wet and in obvious need of help. So he pulled over, gave her a ride to a safe place, called a tow truck and put her in a cab. (Pretty unheard of back then.) The woman thanked him profusely and got his name and address promising to thank him as soon as she could. The man thought nothing of this and went on his way. A few days later, a delivery man showed up with an enormous (back then) color tv. A note attached to the card read "I can't thank you enough for helping me a few nights ago. Because of you, I was able to get to my dying husband's bedside before he passed. Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole." Tears came to my eyes when she finished telling her story. It was just so amazing. When you decide to help someone, you never know who you might end up helping or what affect you'll have on their life. It's just amazing when you apply that knowledge (which we do, we think about it all the time in our religion) to missionary work. Like the work Blake's been doing in the Phillipines, or that JD will be doing in Columbia. Just think of how many generations will be helped because they were baptized by a missionary. Or of how many of those individuals will decide to do their ancestors' work. The ripple in the pond just flows in every direction.
You know, it has just occurred to me how philosophical I can get at 1 in the blessed am. Although I believe every word I've said (rather written), I do tend to ramble the later it gets. Alright, I am going to bed...not really, I'm going to watch the Hulk with Jared for a while. :D I never learn.