Lizard

Our kids love animals!  We play host to a wide variety of pets, including birds, rabbits, cats, about a dozen different turtles, a huge 30 lb tortoise, a reticulated python, a monkey, and a whole bunch of transient critters that stay no more than a day or two.  Maybe someday I'll do a post introducing you to all of the animal "members" of our family.

Britton, our oldest, is also the most passionate about animals--especially reptiles and amphibians.  However, his excitement to hold and feed and study these creatures is balanced by his desire that they live a "free" and "good" life.  So usually when a wandering "critter" happens through our yard, it's time in captivity is limited only to a day or two, as was the case with this little lizard.

After getting a chance to view and feed and interact with the creature, Britton usually grows increasingly concerned about it's stress level and soon thereafter releases it back into the wild.  But we usually take a few photos and some video during the process, so he has something to remember it by later.  Next furlough our "Critter Video" should be pretty awesome!

This lizard, was very mild-mannered and showed no big desire to flee.  What was amazing was it's ability to change color, from light brownish to dark green to brilliant green to an almost yellowish color.  We used to see these a lot back in language school in Bandung, but we rarely see them here in Tarakan.

Well, like so many a lizard or snake before him or her, this little lizard has long since moved on to a different home...or just as likely been eaten by one of the roaming tomcats in our neighborhood.  Either way, our kids were blessed by the short time they had to interact with another one of God's amazing little creatures.