On Owning Reptiles

{terrible photos included - every time I thought to take them it was pitch dark and I just wanted to get this post up and running}

The funny thing is, during my 3 year stint in Indonesia, I had FREE geckos {called cicuks} all over my house. And I'm so not kidding. On my window screens {and my house was basically all window screens}, running hither and yon around my house, sometimes falling from the ceiling onto my table. Probably running over top of me while I slept. This is not an exaggeration. I promise and have lots of Irian friends that can testify to the craziness of cicuks.

I remember the first meal I had over at a fellow ex-pat's home the night I landed in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. These missionaries, who were complete strangers to me, had been in Indo forever so not much phased them.

Over the course of our meal the electricity went out {as in pitch black, in an instant and out of nowhere} and it was like no one even noticed. I mean truly, I could not see my hand in front of my face it was THAT dark. Conversation continued. People were passing this and that, eating off their plates. Someone probably got up and went to the bathroom for all I know. But I wouldn't know because I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING.

No-one seemed the least bit frightened. It was SO bizarre. I kind of went with the flow on that one and figured if they were scared I'd hear it in their voices. And I didn't. So I jumped in and said, "Pass the rice" in English while they chatted away in Indonesian. All the while sweating because it was my first night on the equator and they were all bundled up in sweatshirts, because apparently {and I did find this out in the coming months} your body does get used to the heat and when the sun goes down, the temps drop and you do feel a bit of a chill. Bizarre, I know. Just trust me on it.

So the lights came back on and minutes later a very large gecko fell from the ceiling right onto the middle of our table. No lie. And I screamed rather loudly. And they all flung their heads back and chuckled and continued on eating, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. I think I wanted to dry heave at the thought of a large mammal landing on our dinner table, but again, it didn't phase them so I went with it.

But I'll tell you what. I had my guard up for the rest of the meal. I mean, who knew what was gonna happen next. I half-way thought a large toucan would swoop in and drop off a small child while they all just looked and said, "Ooooh, look at the new baby." And I think my neck hurt after that meal because I sort of had this sideways-glance-up-at-the-ceiling-while-pretending-to-be-engaged-in-the-conversation-look, spying out every gecko within a five-mile radius. It was creepy, people. Very creepy.

Anyway,we are now the proud owners of two leopard geckos. I use the term proud loosely. Very loosely.

Maddie can hardly contain her excitement. Jackson is thrilled to death to have his very own "Sukki Blossom Clark" and I, well I am just praying that the darn things don't get loose and the crickets don't chirp at night.

Maddie has been pushin' for geckos since this fall.

If you promise not to tell, I'll let you in on a wee little secret. They are pretty cute. But I haven't held one yet and don't anticipate doing so in the near future. And watch out world if one of those things falls from the ceiling.

Here's Klare Kenzie:

And here's Sukki Blossom:

Reptile owner. 

Never thought I'd be one. 

The things you do for love!