Tod the Toad

We had a pet this summer. It's kind of sad how excited this small little thing made our children. Especially Reid. To be honest, Mara was excited for a day, but immediately went back to pining for a dog. Poor girl. 

Reid was responsible for finding Tod food. He was such a faithful pet owner. I hope I never forget him tromp-sing around the yard, in his over-worn boots, head lamp shining on his forehead, in search of june bugs or other beetles. He was so proud of each capture. He was also in charge of changing out the poopy water and had a lesson or two to learn about that (don't dump it on the porch - yuck!). As much as pets aren't my favorite thing to manage (there is already so much to manage), this really was a good learning responsibility for Reid. 

But my favorite memory of this sweet pet, and the only reason I'm memorializing him now, is because Reid's little heart was just so in love with Tod. He'd sometimes wake up a little early, while the house was still quiet, and just sit on the edge of the couch, staring into Tod's cage. They'd chat a bit. Reid would share his real world and then imagine Tod was sharing his own adventures back. It was the sweetest thing. Then this afternoon Reid worked on a writing assignment for school. He was kind of confused because he was suppose to write a work of fiction based on a real life things. When I explained the story of a beautiful spider web that beheld the words "some pig"  he started to catch on. He quickly told me he no longer needed any help and I left the room.  

Oh my heart. When I came back he had written the longest writing assignment I have ever seen this boy complete. And, he was smart enough to write it out on the computer first and then copy it down on paper second (boy has some serious disgraphia going on and he inherited my terrible spelling skills -- not a great writers combo for a kid full of ideas).  So here it is, the true story of a boy, his wish, and a toad that filled his world with magic. 

Tod the toad

One day there was a magical toad and the toad's name

was Tod. He could grant one wish but the toad had to go

back into the wilderness so he could hibernate for the

winter. So the boy who caught the toad asked the toad if

he could be the boy's pet and the toad said yes. But the

boy could not hear the toad when he said I have to leave

in the fall. So when the toad had to leave the boy was very

sad. But the boy knew that he would see the toad again

and he did. The boy and the toad lived happily ever after.