On a recent trip to Florida, my family decided to go out and walk around. We were all enjoying the walk, as the resort was by a lake and you could see the fireworks from three parks, the evening could not have been going any better.

Then we see something in the dark, moving about. To small to be a gator, maybe a raccoon. So we went to investigate. As we approached the creature, it seemed unaware of our presence. We slowly crept closer and closer, until we recognized it to be an armadillo. She was calmly wondering through the darkness, beside the lake, enjoying her evening walk also.

My husband wanted a closer look, so he moved a little closer. Still no fear or concern from our forest friend. The father of my children called them over with him, to watch the little lady in her natural habitat. The obedient offspring did as they were told and joined the stalking. They followed her to what appeared to be a burrow in the nook of a Cypress Tree. She became agitated and did not enter. Instead she turned and took notice of our group, but was not intimidated and to examine us. Crazy people do things that are not in their nature when on vacation in Florida, so my husband decided to show the children how armadillo's are like rolly polly bugs, assuring us it would roll up in a ball when antagonized. He picked up a stick and hit the brush underneath him. She ignored him. He threw a rock in her direction, she shrugged him off. To prove his point to his children, he ran at the armadillo, expecting her to roll up and be still.

That armadillo ran at my husband so fast, he lost his flip flops trying to get away. With a pregnant wife and four children on his heels, we ran as far as we were able and stopped. Well, here came the armadillo, after my husband, not us, hissing and spitting and making unnatural noises that I have never heard the likes of since.

When we finally made our way back to our condo (we forgo the elevator, no time if the armadillo was still on our path), my husband made the profound observation,"Armadillo's are not as passive animals as I was told".