R-r-r-r-r-rattlesnake!!

So the thing I dreaded MOST about Montana became a reality a few weeks ago!!  We had our sweet neighbors over for supper and it was the same day that we got Millie! Josie went out to see her and soon came back huffing and puffing in fright!!  Her explanation went something like this....

"There was a snake.....(pant, pant)....in the yard.....(pant, pant).....it was kinda small and it was squiggling through the grass....(pant, pant).....I don't think it was a rattlesnake..... (pant, pant).....but it was IN OUR YARD!!"

Joel and I kinda rolled our eyes at the dramatics.  But we went out to see what we could find.  Joel casually mentioned on the way out the door, "Do you think I should get the shovel?"  I affirmed that it wouldn't be a bad idea, EVEN if it did turn out to be nothing.

We looked and we looked.  The boys came out and looked too.  We looked where Josie said she saw something and we looked around the whole area.  Joel was beginning to chalk the whole thing up to Josie's imagination.  I FINALLY forced Josie BACK outside and told her to show us specifically.  Talk about trepidation!!  The girl would barely move, but finally led us to the area.

What happened next, was pretty much simultaneous.  Suddenly, Josiah shouted, "THERE it is!!"  And Joel proclaimed, "Well, sure enough it IS a rattlesnake."  I was all like, "WHAT?!!??"  And the snake was just thinking it needed to move double time amidst all the shouts and commotion!!

It was slithering quite fast and began rattling AS it slithered.  Joel went at it with the shovel and maneuvered it to cut off its head, while I shouted helpful things like, "Look out!!, Don't let it get you!!,  It's going to get you!!, and Be careful!!"  It probably wouldn't have ended so well without my input!!  ; )

26 inches....shiver...

shudder....

8 rattles!!

And so we had our first Montana rattlesnake.  And hopefully it will be the last for QUITE some time!!  In a lot of ways, it was a good experience.  Everyone got to hear the rattle and see just what it looked like.  And most importantly, it sobered us up and showed us how we can't become complacent about that kind of thing.  As much as I want to stew and fret, I once again have to remember Who holds my hand and all of my tomorrows in His.