Thanksgiving Countdown, Day 5: Not the Immortal Jellyfish

Today, I am not grateful for the immortal jellyfish.

That doesn't mean that I'm ungrateful, or that I hate the immortal jellyfish. It's just that I have no strong feelings about it one way or the other.

I am, however, grateful that I know about the immortal jellyfish. Because the only reason I know about it is due to my daughter's passion for knowledge about all creatures, great and small. And I love that she's got such a bright, inquisitive mind. It makes me incredibly proud of her.

A few years ago, we went to the Abilene Zoo. As we were walking through the reptile house, I saw a tank labeled "Basilisk and Bushmaster." When we looked inside, I saw two distinctly different-looking lizards.

I said to Evie and my friend, Juleigh, "Huh. I thought the bushmaster was a kind of snake. I guess it's a lizard."

Evie said, "No, mom, those are basilisks."

"I know that one is a basilisk. But the other one must be a bushmaster. I don't see a snake in there."

Juleigh agreed with me that there didn't seem to be a snake, and that the lizards were so different they couldn't both be basilisks.

Evie disagreed, however.

"Mom, they look different because one is a male and one is a female!"

"Noooo... They're way too different! Males and females of the same species aren't that different."

"MOM! THEY'RE BOTH BASILISKS!"

I knew she couldn't possibly be right, but... well, she knew an awful lot about animals. But what were the odds that she knew more than two grown women?

I decided to google it.

They look totally different, but she was right - both are basilisks

As it turns out, my daughter is much wiser than me when it comes to the animal kingdom. I have not questioned her since.

Another time, she was really excited that her class at school was starting a section on animals. They all got to choose an animal to learn about. She was worried, however, that there would be nothing new to her. She really wanted to learn about a new animal, but there were only so many options the teacher was handing out.

She got lucky, though. There was exactly one creature she had never heard of before.

The mud puppy.

Most mud puppies are not quite this cute.

She delightedly researched it, committed all the facts to memory, and became the leading expert on mud puppies in her first grade class. She also got to see some at the zoo, which made her day.

In May, Evie went with her grandma to the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. Since then, she's fully committed to working there as an adult. She wants to study zoology, and marine mammals specifically. She wants to help rescue and care for baby harbor seals, sea lions, and other marine mammals.

Yeah, I really can't blame her for wanting to work with these adorable creatures

And you know? I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's exactly what she ends up doing. She's an amazing, determined kid. And she's always wanted to work with animals somehow. Now she's got a specific plan, and an unwavering determination to make it happen.

My kid is amazing. As we speak, she's telling me all about the medicinal properties being researched in the immortal jellyfish. I don't know where she learns this stuff, but I'm so grateful she's got such a passion for it.

The Immortal Jellyfish (ooooh!! ahhhhh!!)