Over the course of the weekend, our beautiful butterflies emerged from their cocoons.  The kids enjoyed watching them, and in the process, learned a lot about butterflies, but it was time to let them go.  Today, we took them outside to set them free. The first three flew off very quickly, but two reluctant butterflies stayed behind.  Franny and Cole watched them for quite some time, but they just didn’t seem to want to go.  They finally had to give up their vigil, since we had to leave to take Franny to ballet, so we left their transitional home open and hoped they would find their way.  By the time we returned, they had done just that. This was the second year we’ve had a butterfly garden, and it was a great experience for the kids.  Franny especially was a consistent observer.  For the extent of the two weeks it took them to mature, she never lost interest and noticed even the slightest changes on a daily basis.  I must admit, I love the butterfly garden, but the best part is just watching her response and interaction with it—she’s such a special little girl!