Z is for Zoo

I love the zoo! In everyday life I tend to think animals generally look the same: 4 legs, body, head, maybe a tail - not that exciting, but a trip to the zoo straightens me out pretty quick. I always leave amazed at the variety in God's creation. I like to think that God was giggling when He decided to give the giraffe that long, muscular neck or the ostrich that round feathery body perched between that skinny neck and stick-legs. I have even fantasized about quitting nursing to become a zookeeper! (Too much Life of Pi for me-or maybe not enough...) So of course I have been looking forward to taking my favorite creation to the zoo pretty much since he was in utero. Cousin K joined in the fun day too!

J, BB, and I got a family membership to the zoo this trip, thanks to a generous gift for BB from his Great Grandmother Claire, so now we can take BB to watch the polar bear swim or the tiger pace the habitat anytime we want for the next year. BB really focused on the polar bear this trip, following each of the bear's laps in the water with his baby blues, and BB's Cousin K was all about the otters. This trip, I just couldn't take enough pictures of the peacocks - there was even an albino peacock! Their iridescent and jewel-toned feathers are true testaments of God's artistry.

Mr. Tiger restlessly paced his habitat, coming right up to the glass, the entire time we were there - I wondered if I would see any self-preservation instincts surface in BB in the form of fear, but there were none. He just observed the big cat.

Look at those smiles!

Yes, this is what January in Tucson looks like. You know you want to live here.

And, the end

Two kids passed out in the backseat (Pssst...you can see BB in the mirror) = a successful day!