cold blooded killers

I have always been afraid of bugs. Spiders, potato bugs, fireflies....I will not touch them. I have a hard time getting close enough to even cover them with a cup (or bowl so I can be further away) so that someone can take care of them later. Once we started having kids Ryan was really annoyed that my reactions to bugs might rub off on my children but I tried to tell him that the fear is something that comes from deep inside me and I can't help it! So I figured my kids were doomed. As a side note, I came out of Houston knowing that I was blessed, truly and totally blessed, to have lived in our apartment essentially bug and, with the exception of one experience, cockroach free.
Now we live in a house in the semi-woods of Vermont. On a dirt road and everything. We moved in during winter when the bugs and everything else was frozen. Once spring arrived we had a basement full of spiders. After a good spraying and an afternoon of killing (by Ryan) we are down to just the occasional ant and spider. My vacuum has a long arm attachment that I can proudly say I have been brave enough to use on the little pests. And without much screaming or shuddering for my kids to see.
Now that my kids are older and exploring the outdoors, I have been impressed with their willingness to do things I never would have done, even at their ages. Like hold caterpillars and fireflies in their hands! They love it! And I have enjoyed watching them do it. Then gradually Kate, when coming upon a little ant in the house, she would pick it up with her hands and throw it outside. How brave. Then came the day there was a spider and she ran to get the toilet paper. And just like that, she smooshed it in the toilet paper and flushed it down the toilet. MY DAUTHER! I didn't think it was possible.
So now, between Kate and Sawyer, there is a fight whenever we see a bug, ant or spider in the house, of who gets to smoosh it. I am very proud. And it feels nice to have my little creepy crawly killers here to protect me.