Today we went to the zoo! The Woodland park zoo in North Seattle. I have taken the kids to the Point Defiance zoo, a long time favorite of mine, several times in the past. They have never been to the Woodland Park zoo. It is wonderful. So many animals. Natural habitats. And I happen to know a lot about the landscape design there. Looooong ago, when I was Brooke-of-a-different-last-name, I had a good friend named Natalie-with-her-former-last-name. She went to University of Idaho and I went to the University of Washington (go dawgs!). She came to Seattle with a group of her landscape architecture groupies and teacher who we also know. I was invited to spend the day touring interesting landscape destinations around Seattle with them. Being an English major, I always had Fridays off of school and gladly followed them around on their field trip. I got to go to the zoo and learn all about how natural and wonderful all the vegetation was. It was fun then and it was fun to remember today. The day I was there waaaay back then, a new baby elephant and just been born and was a huge attraction at the zoo. I think I saw him today in the elephant barn, a bit bigger now, having his bath. He behaved impeccably for his trainers.
Here's my little ones now (oh what a long road it's been since that long ago day--I have two kids now, what????) sitting on the hippo statue.

The king of the African savanna. He was truly magnificent. His lovely wife was resting behind the tree. I hear rumors they may be expecting.

Ezra checking out a viewing cave.

The elephant territory is HUGE. We wandered all through it before finding the adults just outside the barn and the juvenile inside having his previously discussed bath.

Just about every exhibit has a sculpture nearby. The kids were happy and cooperative for the first hour and I took lots of pictures of them with the sculptures.

Elephant trunks are a great source of curiosity.

Only Caroline was brave enough to touch the Komodo dragon. The real thing stalked all over his habitat for us to watch. A little creepy. A lot creepy, actually. As was the python with the dead rabbit he had rejected for his lunch.

The below photo is poor quality. But it has a story. This young orangutan was playing with his/her mommy's hair. Just like Ezra does! He was mesmerized and had to watch. I explained that he was picking out the bugs and eating them. Ezra thought about that for a while and finally said with deep feeling "That's gross!"

Later on we found the gorillas. This is so precious. Here is a less than 3 month old infant cuddled in her mommy's arms for a nap. Oh my word! We were so happy they were outside--and right next to the glass too! What a find.

Daddy stayed awake to guard his baby and wife. He kept looking at Ezra and Caroline. Caroline was kissing the glass in efforts to get to the "BABY!"

The gorillas are split into two groups. This is the second group. The below is what I assume to be a pregnant female. Her belly was enormous and kept kicking and lurching. Her over sized mammories were hanging off her side. Boy do I remember the discomfort of having a belly that size!

And here is Big Daddy himself, enjoying a leaf and berry salad fresh off the stick, so to speak.

And, my own little monkey--climbing where little boys were not meant to climb at the zoo.

After this, we had to stop taking pictures. Kids were screaming. We were freezing. Time was running out. We did see lots more animals, had lunch and played at the "zoomazium". On our way back to the car we toured the family farm and saw all the animals more familiar to us--cows, goats, rabbits, chickens, horses and pigs. The kids crashed in the car and we all came home to finish our naps.

I did want to share some of Ezra's conversation from today. He talked about being a big boy someday and riding the bus to school. He expressed a desire for "his Kine" to come with him. He said, "I will hold her hand so she can come to my class with me. I will tell her, 'don't touch those things' and I will teach her things!" How I pray he always wants to include her this same way! Then, during lunch in a very crowded food pavilion he calmly asked me "Where is God?" I answered that He was in Heaven. He said with all confidence "Yes, He is...and we are going to go there soon!" Ah, the faith of a child. Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus!