Gone, But Not Forgetting

You may recall that right after my mom passed away in February 2015, I saw ladybugs everywhere. They appeared in the Mansion, on the porch, in T-Hoe, in my classroom, on a baby sibling's ear when talking to a student at open house... Places you might not expect to be seeing ladybugs in the middle of winter in Missouri. Initially it was several times a week. Over that first year, it tapered down to a couple times a month. Then just randomly during subsequent years. I mostly wrote about it on my not-so-secret blog.

I associated the ladybugs with my mom, because she'd had a horde of ladybugs living in her drop ceiling of the family room. They only came out during the day, a few here and there in the family room. She would use her little Dustbuster to vacuum them up, and set them free outside. Refused to get an exterminator, because she said they didn't bother her, and they went back up in the ceiling at night. Anyhoo... I took each sighting as a sign from her, and they really cheered me up.

The Pony went off to college in 2016. He also had encounters with ladybugs there in Norman, Oklahoma. Like when he was introduced with the rest of the National Merit Scholars with full ride scholarships at the first home football game. Go SOONERS! There was one crawling on his pants leg right before they were called out on the field. And he also saw one on the wall of the Student Union when he was studying for finals. They'd land on his arm when walking to classes.

Anyhoo... on The Pony's very bad Saturday, he sent me pictures.

That one looks like it's on the car seat.

There's one on The Pony's shirt.

And on the vehicle window. Can't tell if it's looking in or looking out.

Anyhoo... The Pony said there was also a fourth ladybug, but he didn't get a picture of it. That's quite a few ladybugs in different places along his 11-mile route. I sent a text:

"Grandma has definitely found you! You are being soothed."

That's how I see it. You can cut eyes, and spin your crazy temple twirly finger, but I don't think this was a coincidence.