I have a story that must be told so it can be passed down correctly through the generations. This story is clearly one that must be shared because a small group of people (some I will never know) witnessed it. And so it goes....

On a rather rainy day in April there were two families, our family and the Suttons (and Sarah-Becca's sister). Between us we have 9 children and we decided to brave a fun afternoon at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha. Because is was raining we had decided to just stay in the many buildings and then the weather wouldn't be an issue. The kids decided to start at the Desert Dome. It is rather a boring place (hot, humid, and lots of pokey plants) but the kids enjoy it and below the desert dome is "The Kingdoms of the Night". This is the mecca the kids love -dark, aligators, snakes, bats, and lots of interesting swamp animals. Because our group was rather large (14) we were really starting to stretch out through the underground exhibit. I was near the front with Sarah and was holding my 4 year old's hand. Makenna was a little fearful because it is really, really dark and there are lots of creepy animals. We entered a large, very dark, area and Makenna started screaming "get it off, get it off". I started to swing her around by one arm saying the same thing and then it dawned on me ---i am the parent I need to get it off her. So I muster some courage and try to "bat" it off her. Again and again. At this point Makenna is shaking and terrified and people going through the exhibit are backing up and staying AWAY. I scream, "get Ben!!". Becca stops the line of traffice and yells to the back of our train - "Ben, Sandy needs you--something is on Makenna" Ben, in no big rush, comes to Makenna and I quickly retreat to the one little spot-lighted area that we are all huddling in.

Ben then gets Makenna freed and returns to our little huddle and says, "it felt like a hair thing when I batted it off"

I said, "oh yeah" (knowing full well Makenna had nothing in her hair). I thought Ben was trying to play down the event and not let Makenna know there was a bat on her back.

Ben said. " No, Sandy, it really was like a hard piece of plastic"

At this point, I first realize that maybe it wasn't a bat and maybe it was something else.

Sarah said, "When you hit it I heard a something hit the ground."

She left the spot-lighted area and headed to find the culprit. Makenna is still shaking at this point and crying hysterically. Sarah returned with a a small plastic ice cream cone that Makenna had on a necklace that she had earned at Sunday School. Apparently, the cone had flung around on the necklace and Makenna felt it and it startled her into thinking she had a bat on her back and then I believed it also. We then rushed through the rest of the "Kingdoms of the Night" and lived happily ever after. Honestly, I don't think you will ever get Makenna or myself to the underground Kingdoms again.

(Both photos were taken previous to the trauma of the underground)