Mina's and Layla's 2006 Butterfly Festival

Dressed for the occasion.

The butterfly festival at the Dallas Zoo gets better every year. Held in the Mina and Layla Butterfly Garden in honor of our girls, it is such a nice tribute to the joy they shared in their short time here with us. The zookeepers honored the immediate family with a lovely breakfast held in the garden which was reserved just for us for the first hour after the zoo opened. Our invited guests started arriving a little before 10am, and were invited to help themselves to the food for as long as it lasted. We had some beautiful butterfly cookies made for the occasion by Cookies By Design, and they did a wonderful job with them.

Mina's best friend and her family were in attendance, as well as several of our Compassionate Friends and friends and co-workers with small children. A schedule of events for the weekend was handed out to each guest of the zoo as they entered the front gates, and we had quite a crowd for the live butterfly release at 11am. There were 50 monarch butterflies for the release, most of which were given to the children present. A few adults released the rest. For those who have never participated in a butterfly release, it can be a little disconcerting to be handed a waxy envelope with a folded-up butterfly inside. Parents helped the little ones take care not to squish the butterflies, and on the count of three, we all opened our envelopes. In cooler weather, children and adults alike are delighted to find that the butterflies stick around and rest on the people to stretch their wings until they warm up enough to fly away. Today, though, it was so warm that all 50 butterflies immediately flew up and away as the envelopes were opened. It was beautiful to watch, and it was so nice to see how happy it made everyone. I'd love to have someone on the roof next year to take a picture as the butterflies make their escape with the crowd below.

We think of the girls all the time, and anyone who has lost someone knows that you don't necessarily need a certain spot to go to remember them. At the same time, we can't help going to the cemetery from time to time to reflect on their lives or to talk to them. It's so nice to have a happier place to go as well where we can see their names, know that they are remembered and thought of by many, and see how happy it makes people, especially children, who visit there.