I love being a field biologist, and I love that my girl wants to help me! She has a real eye for the little things.

She has no fear!

Snakes migrate this time of year. She’s holding a brown snake above, and we also found a garter snake:

Last weekend she helped me find raccoon latrines.

I love my job, and I love that my girl wants to help me..and that she gets just as excited as me when we see a young Cooper’s hawk, or even just a pretty leaf.

Maybe she will grow up to be an ecologist?

The girl is a lot like me.  We both notice little things that others may overlook.  Here are some of our more obscure finds…

Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus)

Virgo Tiger Moth (Grammia virgo)

not sure what this is…

Ladybug pupae

Check out these mammatus clouds!

Always something amazing to spy with our little eyes!

Two years ago, the girl and I had “An Idea“.  It was the year of her surgery and we had been blessed by so many people visiting and bringing her gifts that we wanted to do something similar for other children.  That year, I was visiting a hospital in Uganda, and many people helped us take small toys and hats to the children there.

This year, I’m traveling to India.  My student is working with an Emmanuel Hospital Association group that provides care for 125 families with children who have HIV/AIDS.  I have an opportunity to show Christ’s love to these families.  EHA would love for me to bring something to the children, and suggests small things that might go into an operation shoe box.  I really don’t have a lot of extra room (I may be able to carry a second small suitcase).  I was thinking that maybe some of you could help me collect toothbrushes, combs, small boxes of crayons, pencils, baby hats… really anything small that would show these families a little love.  This would also be an encouragement to EHA.  If you are interested in helping me with this project, please contact me via email or write a comment on this post, and I’ll be in touch with you.

One of our favorite places to visit in Rapid City is storybook island.  Storybook is a free children’s park that has play sets from many familiar children’s stories.  The girl loves to go there to exercise her imagination (and muscles…she runs non-stop!).  This year, we spent quite a bit of time in the 100 Acre Woods!

The girl also took a private train ride!

see her in the caboose?

I don’t know what story the snail comes from, but it’s always one of our favorites…We visit every year!

Just look at how much she has grown!

Last year (2013):

2011 (2 years):2010 (1 year):

More later.  We are off to make more stories!

I can’t believe that two weeks have gone by already. We have had so much fun! Everything is beautiful out here. It’s very green, and the wildflowers are tremendous.

The storms have been amazing and intense.

The sky is one of my favorite things about the West. Big and blue with awesome clouds….

…that become breathtaking sunsets…

…and if you’re really lucky, they are followed by a “super moon”.

When I’m not in class, we have enjoyed hiking:

Scrambling over some pretty amazing rocks:

Watching wildlife!

(see the burro’s nose in the corner of the window?)

It’s been a pretty cool summer so far, but on the warm days we have enjoyed playing in the water!

There are many more adventures to come, for sure!

Two years ago today we were at Children’s for the girl’s surgery. Look at her now!

You would never know!!!