I’ve been wanting to write more posts that give a quick snapshot into our everyday lives. Here’s one for you: Today Micah walked into the kitchen, with tears in his eyes and the conversation went something like this…

Me: What’s wrong?
Micah: There’s a snake on the veranda!
Me: What? On the inside veranda or the outside veranda?
Micah: The inside.
Joel: There’s been a big gecko on the veranda. It’s probably that.
Micah: But I didn’t see any legs on it.

Joel goes to look. I close all possible doors between the veranda and the kitchen. I pick up Nathaniel and make sure Caleb is with us. Then I hear the sound of Joel whacking something. We don’t kill geckos. It was definitely a snake!

It wasn’t a big one but it’s hooded head indicated it was likely a cobra. We just assume all snakes are the “bad” kind because really, are there good kinds of snakes? There had been another snake found this morning in the grass not far from our house so thankfully Joel had just reminded the boys about what to do when they see one. Keep calm and go tell an adult. I was so proud of Micah and pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to do the same. I’m thankful that only the snake was harmed.

I very, very strongly dislike snakes and felt sick to my stomach for a good while. The veranda has doors on it and is attached to our living room with the door between pretty much always open. The same living room where my baby lies on the floor on his play mat. Thankfully these incidents are pretty rare, but they are a good reminder of what’s around us. The only happy ending to the story is that there is one less snake to worry about.