Happy 4th of July and the rest of the month, too! With this special July issue, we launch our Just 4 Pets section. Our pets are a big part of our families and it's time to include them in our Family Directory. Sally Treadwell helps us begin with a thoughtful, beautifully written article, “Finding Blue Heron Moments”. You may find yourself nostalgically reminiscing about “blue heron moments” of your own.

For me, my breath-stopping moment transpired boating at Kentucky Lake. I was in the water with my nephew helping him balance as he clutched the ski rope handle and held on for dear life. As the boat lunged forward, he finally was up and triumphantly skiing over the glassy water. My heart was full of joy for him as he proudly glided behind the boat. His rather tricky experience of “getting up” on skis had taught him that he should stay up for as long as possible. From the cheering for him that was echoing from the ever-shrinking boat, I could tell I was going to have some time on my hands waiting for them to come back for me. Feeling a little vulnerable in the middle of the lake, bobbing in my lifejacket all by myself, I started to daydream about my possible impending demise. I shook my head and blinked the images from my mind. Instead, I focused on the natural, calming beauty of the lake. Suddenly, from high above my head, maybe even from heaven, I heard the beating of enormous wings, and then I saw it. Awe came over me. As I squinted my eyes, I could see a magnificent bald eagle swooping toward the lake from the towering trees. My heart stopped, I didn’t want to breath or blink. I just wanted to experience this moment and embed it in my memory. The eagle gloriously sailed directly overhead. It was a breath-taking moment witnessing the majesty of a bald eagle in the wild. Through the years, our family has been blessed with many other moments in nature that have inspired wonder.

We have always enjoyed our pets as part of our family, too. Presently, our wonder for our furry family members has been more along the lines of, “I wonder why puppies like to round the corners of coffee tables.” Yes, we came down with a bad case of “Puppy Fever”. It started last spring, and my husband and I toyed with the idea for months before deciding it was the right time to add number 9 to the family. My husband and I, our four kids, a boxer, and a cat made us eight, and eight was enough, but we decided we had enough time and love for another. This puppy has been a wonderfully addition, and only created one major challenge to the harmony of our family. What was to be his name? After hours scouring the internet and three hundred and twenty five proposed names later, it came down to two names. The choices were Eli and Coby. The arguments rivaled a presidential debate. Finally, they looked to Mom to issue the final declaration of the name. I, of course, wanted to come up with a compromise that would suit all. “How ‘bout Ecoli?” Finding my wit less than hilarious, they proceeded back to deliberations, where finally, he was pronounced, Coby. Harmony was once again established.

Enjoy this month’s Just 4 Kids and our new Just 4 Pets section as we continue to keep growing as valuable community resource. If you’d like to win a $50 gift card, find Coby hidden in this issue and mail the page number that Coby is hidden on, your name, address, and phone number to the address below. Finally, please let our advertisers know you appreciate them bringing Just 4 Kids Family Directory each month by telling them, “I saw you in Just 4 Kids.”