Rain, Rain Go Away

Yes, I would be happy if the rain would go away and come back another day. I think this picture puts into perspective how much rain we have had............ even a duck needs an umbrella at this point!

Speaking of ducks............. I have decided to finally share my duck story. This is just for you Elizabeth!

You see even though I am not much of an animal person now, I used to be. I am not sure what happened to make me a little anxious about animals- especially dogs. However, when I was little I had lots of animals. Lots of different types of animals and I loved them.
On my dad's side of the family I was the first grandchild. My grandparents gave me many different animals. My great grandmother - Nana (pronounce Nannie) also helped instill in me an early love of animals and a great respect for them (and their habitat). When I was about four or five I received a duck as a present from my pa paw and ma maw. I grew up a block from Harrison Bay State Park and loved visiting and feeding the ducks there. So this was a great present. I remember the little duck and I loved the duck.
Soon after I received the duck my family was joining other families from church on a camping trip. When we returned home I couldn't find my duck. I looked for my duck everywhere. My family told me that they thought my duck was lonely and joined the other ducks at the park. So for years I would try and figure out which duck was mine. I would talk about my duck living at the park and feed the ducks. I have taken pictures of the ducks, talked to the ducks, etc. Well I grew up and moved away for college, seminary and serving my first church. I moved back to Chattanooga and one Christmas I was saying something about my duck at the park- my uncle said something about it dying. I was like what? He began to laugh realizing that for almost 30 years I had believed my duck ran away to the park. It was then I realized they found my duck dead when we returned from the camping trip. An animal had killed it.
We were soon leaving to go to my grandmothers and when I got in the car with Mike I begin to cry. I cried all the way to my grandmother's house. When I got there everyone was like what is wrong? That is when they realized I really believed all those years my duck ran away. Now, five years latter we laugh about my duck story.................
I wish they would have just let me believed he had gone to the park and joined the other ducks and lived a happy duck life! Thanks Uncle Scott! :)
Note: I really didn't think he was still alive (I mean the duck would have almost been thirty at that point) BUT I did think all those years he was there somewhere!

Enough about my duck.................. I do believe we are all going to need a row boat if it doesn't stop raining soon!