My un-photographable this week is not one that should make you cry or leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, or leave you feeling deep and reflective. Hopefully you’ll get a good laugh. It definitely is a MEMORABLE mental image from our trip to Ethiopia.

Let me preface this by saying I am no wuss. I am not afraid of bugs or mice or creepy crawlies. (Ok, I don’t like snakes, but I don’t think too many people really do.) I can kill a bug while talking on the phone and folding laundry and not think twice about it. My kids think it is really dang funny that Dad is afraid of spiders (Josh really, really hates spiders) and Mom is “the brave one” about bugs.

So, there we are in our hotel room in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was our third night there, and our new son was tucked snuggly in his bed in the next room. Josh and I were getting ready to do the same, when I saw something move in the corner of my eye over near our bed. I looked more carefully and saw the LARGEST SPIDER I had ever seen. Seriously, it was bigger than the ones at the pet store and the ones at the zoo and the ones we had in science class high school. It was bigger than a lot of birds and hamsters I have seen. Take however big you are picturing it in your mind and double it. It was huge and hairy and did I mention BIG? And it was in my bed!!!!!!

Though it hurts my pride to admit this, I did the totally stereotypical female thing and jumped onto a chair and screamed and pointed. Josh caught sight of the spider and looked at me up on the chair and said, “What are you doing? You are not afraid of spiders! I am the one who is afraid of spiders!” To which I replied, “I am afraid of THAT spider.”

After some arguing about who was going to get off of the furniture and go after the beast, Josh realized I was seriously not giving in on this one. So he dug deep into his manhood, made gloves out of a pair of socks, and started throwing shoes at the spider. Oddly enough it was not the most effective method of extermination. The spider barely even moved, giving off an air of, “is that the best you got?” Eventually he rolled up three magazines and in a moment of true triumph smashed our uninvited guest to smitherines.

After completely shaking out the bed and ensuring that the spider didn’t have any friends or relatives near-by, we finally went to bed.

So yes, I wish I had a photo of that creature in Ethiopia that taught me that I was, actually, afraid of spiders. (And if I wouldn't have had to get off of my chair and crossed the room to get the camera off of the dresser I probably would have a photo of it!) :)