See You Later Alligator

A couple weeks ago Shawn and I took the kids to the Riverside Wildlife Center.  We were excited to get to be able to hold baby alligators!  I wasn’t expecting their stomachs to feel like water balloons, but they did!  We also saw a lot more animals than I had expected.  There was a lion, fox, tiger, wolf, emus, and so much more.  Dylan said when we arrived, “Mom, I didn’t know it was going to smell like this!”  Yes, all the animals made quite a stink, but it was so much fun!  We got an awesome tour guide, Jake.  He was so good with our kids, full of knowledge,  was passionate about the animals, and loved his job.  We held lizards and wore a python as a scarf.  Ugh!  That was really creepy!  I didn’t mind the feel of its body around my neck as much as I did its tail trying to curl around the bottom of my shorts.  That was totally out of my comfort zone, but I have found I am braver when my kids are around!  Cody loved it!  We learned a lot there.  I especially loved seeing the alligator’s two eyelids, one obvious eyelid and the other clear.  Jake showed the kids about 5 or 6 times how the clear eyelid covered the eye, and then we waited a second and watched as it slid over like a sliding door.  Fascinating!  Jake shared how it uses that clear eyelid for under the water.  Again, it just amazes me how God has equipped animals for their environment!  We have a God of order!  What a great experience this was for all of us!