A LUCKY tale...

Todd first spotted the little guy (or girl - who knows - but we'll call him a little guy!) after Junior, the cat, spotted him and honestly didn't know what to make of the fella!  After all, it's not a lot of fun to 'hunt' a bird that's not trying to get away.  So he shooed Junior away and said, "Hey Laura - Jessica, come see this"

So we did. 

And we didn't bother him.  We even left him a little water (I knew he wouldn't drink it) and then went on with our day. 

 We saw Star Trek Into Darkness - it was good.  And we didn't worry about the little fella - well, not too much.  But the first thing we did when we got home later that evening was check on him.  And that's when I decided it was time to feed the little guy.

A couple of days passed where we cared for the little fella we named 'Lucky' because, let's face it - he might not have made it as far as he did without our intervention...

Jessica was a great help getting little Lucky to eat.  He was tired from spending a long day contemplating the fact that his real mom couldn't help him.  Must be tough feeling so alone!

I'd been stressed out of my mind all week.  I'd been dealing with an absolute Bee-atch at Jessica's school who's purpose, I feel, was to try to ruin the joy of someone who has great joy in their life - MINE!  She'd done it already before once this year with another parent.  A parent pushed so far to the edge - she had to quit the theatre booster program altogether lest she go off the deep end.  And I didn't blame her one bit especially not after the way I'd been verbally and mentally abused over the past few months.  The past couple of weeks were Hell, because no one, except for the people who really love me, believed that I was being treated so badly.  In fact, I swear, they think I was making it all up! (But that's a rant - and this IS NOT a rant...so enough of that!)  

But at least, when I came home I had someone who REALLY needed my help.  Sure Jessica always needs 'Mom' but Lucky had no 'Mom' she was gone.  We were all he had.  So we kept on caring for him, fostering him, and trying like the dickens to get the fella to use those wings of his so he could fly away - to a new life.  A life where he could be with other birds and sing and eat worms and do all those wonderfully 'lucky' things he was destined to do.

So, I cherished my minutes with him. Whether it was sitting with him close to my chest out in the back yard feeding him sugar water or banana puree or just plain ol' water!  And at night, before we put him in a carrier in the garage so he'd stay warm and safe, I got to feed him one last time.  And always, Jessica was there with me to 'tuck him in' to his little shoe (that was my old 'mow the lawn' shoe - but no more...it's been too 'birdized!')

And then it was time for bed.  We even kept a very low level light on so it wouldn't be so very dark for him since there's no moonlight in the garage.

Then, yesterday, May 30.  I took Lucky out to the backyard like I'd done for the past 3 days and I opened up his little carrier.  Gave him a few little sips of water with the eyedropper and I said, "Okay, Lucky, what's it gonna be?"

He glanced at me and then, without a chirp or a flutter or an 'anything' -- he spread his wings and flew away!  

Zoom!  Right into the green trees and that was the last I saw of him.  

I went out a couple of times during the day to see if he was there.  I didn't see him.  But I think Lucky is still around.  Watching over the family who fostered him.  Who knows maybe next year there will be another nest nearby and it'll be a 'Lucky' nest -  if he's a girl that is!  Or maybe he'll just come sit on the fence to check to see how things are going. 

That's when I decided there was no need to be so very stressed out.  Life always has a way of working things out - especially when we're not expecting it to happen.  When that little fella came into my life I thought HE was lucky to find me.  But as it turns out - I was lucky to find him.  

Fly on, Lucky.  Fly strong!  And know that you're always welcomed to perch here on our fence.

And as I look forward at my daughter who helped me along with little Lucky, I'm so lucky to have her as she gets ready to fly out into the world.  I've only got a couple more years with her here in this nest.  But no matter where her next nest is...she'll always be welcomed to come and perch on our fence and sing us her beautiful songs.  

In a couple of weeks Jessica will be 16.  

Where has the time gone?  

How did I get so lucky to have such a beautiful bird in my life?  

It's My Birthday! YAY!

That's right Kind Reader,

Another year has passed and I am now officially 43!  Though I like to say that I'm only '7' since 4 + 3 = 7!

HA!

I'll be dropping by a bit later to tell you all about my day.  (Boy, I sure as heck hope it's WAY better than my birthday-eve!  But then again, I suppose you have to have a few crappy days scattered in amid the terrific ones to make you really understand and appreciate what makes those days so terrific!)

Next post, hopefully will come later tonight (because it's about 12:30AM and I'm worn out!)

But before I leave, I wanted to let you know I saw the COOLEST thing on my Google homepage...

Happy Day -- Dear Mothers!

Greetings Kind Reader.  So nice of you to have dropped by today (or tonight if that's when you happen to be here!)  As you know, I do love having visitors!

Especially, on a lovely day like today because it's Mother's Day.  Well, at least it is here where I happen to live but perhaps on your little slice of the globe Mother's Day is weeks or even months away - but I suppose it doesn't really matter, does it?  After all, we really ought to cherish our mothers every single day of the year.  Mother's Day means so many different things to different people.

For some, it's a time of awe and wonderment because it's their first time they get to celebrate it.  And when I say, 'first time' I'm speaking of all those first time moms...the ones who were lucky enough to go through 9 months of pregnancy and delivered healthy boys and girls with all their fingers and toes.  I speak also of those mothers who, for one reason or another weren't so lucky as to have 9 months to prepare because for one reason or another, their little bundles of love and joy came early -- some of them having arrived so early that for this Mother's Day...the only touch of their mother that they'll feel will come through sterile 'touch gloves' as they rest, and grow stronger each day so that one day they're mothers (and father's too!) will finally get to caress and nuzzle their babies the way they've dreamed of for months.

There are also the first time mothers who could not carry their own children and yet have been blessed with a child through the miracle of adoption.  Perhaps these first time mothers don't have little infants to cuddle and burp and change.  But that's alright.  Because the love that comes from a child a who may be a little older than a toddler is love - nonetheless.  And I have to think that sometimes, those children - the older ones who've waited and waited so long for loving arms to caress them and a soft voice to tell them they are loved - have an even deeper appreciation for the parents who have welcomed them into not just their homes but into their families.

Of course, there are the 'non traditional' families where the 'Mom' in a child's life might actually be 'Grandma' or 'Auntie' or even 'Older Sibling'.  And there are the families where Mom is not just 'Mom' but she's also 'Dad' because 'Dad' isn't there.  On the flip side of that same coin, are the Dads who aren't just 'Dad' because 'Mom' isn't there, either.

And in today's world of ever expanding consciousness, I would be remiss to point out those families with 2 Moms or perhaps 2 Dads where the celebration of 'Mother's Day' isn't simply a time to give a card to the woman who bore you - but rather, it's a time to give a nod to the person/people who love you the way a Mom would do.

I'm so very lucky because I still have my mother.  We've been through a lot.  My father's passing in '93, my marriage that same year, my daughter's birth in '97, my mother's stroke in 2011, and all the other big and little things that have happened in between.  I know I might not have her here with me too much longer - but that's simply how life works.  Which is why, even on the days when I'm feeling a bit stressed out...I consciously think of at least one reason why I'm so thankful to still have her when there are so many others who are not as lucky as I.

So as you consider what I've rambled on about  today - take a few minutes to consider that special person you think of as 'Mom'.  Maybe she IS 'Mom'.  Or maybe it's someone else who filled that 'spot' that only a 'Mom-like soul' could fill in your heart.  It matters not.

Just stop for a minute and think of what you'd say if today was the last day you'd ever see them.  And when you've got that thought anchored firmly in your head  and heart - pick up your phone and reach out to that person.  Tell them you are thankful for them and tell them why.  Because if you don't do it today - and tomorrow - and the next day - and so on....one day there will come the day when you cannot tell them and how say you'd surely feel if you didn't let them know of the love in your heart for them.

We have a little saying in my family, 'If you can't think of something to say to someone (in your family, of course) simply say, "I Love You" and you'll be shocked at how those 3 simple words have the power to move mountains.

And now if you'll please excuse me...it's time for me to climb into bed and get a good night's sleep - I think I may have overheard someone saying they were gong to fix me breakfast in bed tomorrow.  Ah, yes, to be pampered as an expression of honest, sincere love.

Now that's what I call a very 'Happy Mother's Day'!

And that's all I've got for now.  Til next time!