sunday family stroll

these photos were snapped before our 3 week getaway to michigan. we're residing in a little white house on the college campus right now. just a few steps up the street lies a beautiful little creek decorated with beautiful white ducks. for many days we would take our stale bread and feed it to the sweet duck clan. there were three of them. the area is protected and taken care of by the national forest association. after a few weeks of getting to know the ducks, we realized one day that instead of there being three ducks there, there were only two. sad in my mind, not even close to sad in the boys mind. they were sure the third duck was off with his friends playing and enjoying each new day. after a few weeks went by, the third duck still hadn't made an appearance. in my mind, each time we get there i become a little sad. i'm quite certain that duck is dead. i mean, where the heck else could he be? those were his friends and we came to feed them. the beautiful thing about this story... the boys never ask. they're minds have been made up. the third duck has gone on to do different things. oh, what i'd give to have a childlike mindset. so Innocent and sweet. i'm trying to remember to be like them. not to be skeptical of situations i don't know the true answer to. we continue to visit that creek with the ducks. i'm now excited with each new visit to possibly meet some new creatures, and have more to explore in our beautiful outdoors.