Thursday, June 26, 2008
First Teeth Lost
Ali lost two teeth just a few weeks after turning five. Jeremy and I were out of town and missed the drama, but we do have a cute picture to commemorate the milestone.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What I learned from a dying baby bird, Part 2
"If the birds are not on the back porch, Mommy, I'll know their mommy found them and took them back to their nest," Ali said. I kept looking for a chance to sneak outside and move the birds but never found one.
Early in the afternoon, Jeremy came through the front door. He usually comes home after 6:30 pm.on Mondays, so we were surprised to see him. He explained that he had an unusual schedule that day. I secretly asked him to move the baby birds from the back porch.
A few minutes later he called for me. "Can you bring me something to put this bird in? It's alive."
"Please," I begged, "just let it go. There's nothing we can do for it." But, just like his daughter, Jeremy was determined to do something. He brought the bird into the kitchen. I shuddered and refused to look at it. Soon he and the kids were digging in the flower bed outside our front door for worms to feed the bird. I stayed inside and cried.
When our neighbor walked by, Ali told her about the bird. The woman said she had recently found a baby bird in our parking lot. A vet told her to feed the bird soggy dog food every 20 minutes, keep it warm with a heating pad all night, and bring it to the clinic the next day. The vet then kept the bird until it could survive on its own in the wild.
A few minutes later, our neighbor was at our door with some dog food. She promised to get us the phone number for the vet as soon as she could. Then she drove out of our parking lot.
Meanwhile, Jeremy had fed the bird some little pieces of earthworm. The tiny bird, eyes still closed, opened his beak wide when the worm touched it. Then he cheeped. Jeremy named him Rocky, since he was clearly a fighter.
Over the next several hours, we fed Rocky, listened to him chirp, and watched him breathe. I started to believe he might survive. But our neighbor still was not home and still had not called with that vet's phone number. Will she remember? I wondered. Or will Rocky die in our house tonight?
Early in the afternoon, Jeremy came through the front door. He usually comes home after 6:30 pm.on Mondays, so we were surprised to see him. He explained that he had an unusual schedule that day. I secretly asked him to move the baby birds from the back porch.
A few minutes later he called for me. "Can you bring me something to put this bird in? It's alive."
"Please," I begged, "just let it go. There's nothing we can do for it." But, just like his daughter, Jeremy was determined to do something. He brought the bird into the kitchen. I shuddered and refused to look at it. Soon he and the kids were digging in the flower bed outside our front door for worms to feed the bird. I stayed inside and cried.
When our neighbor walked by, Ali told her about the bird. The woman said she had recently found a baby bird in our parking lot. A vet told her to feed the bird soggy dog food every 20 minutes, keep it warm with a heating pad all night, and bring it to the clinic the next day. The vet then kept the bird until it could survive on its own in the wild.
A few minutes later, our neighbor was at our door with some dog food. She promised to get us the phone number for the vet as soon as she could. Then she drove out of our parking lot.
Meanwhile, Jeremy had fed the bird some little pieces of earthworm. The tiny bird, eyes still closed, opened his beak wide when the worm touched it. Then he cheeped. Jeremy named him Rocky, since he was clearly a fighter.
Over the next several hours, we fed Rocky, listened to him chirp, and watched him breathe. I started to believe he might survive. But our neighbor still was not home and still had not called with that vet's phone number. Will she remember? I wondered. Or will Rocky die in our house tonight?
Saturday, June 7, 2008
What I learned from a dying baby bird, Part 1
Three tiny baby birds fell just beyond the threshold of our back door Monday morning. Ali saw them first. One lay motionless in the dirt, covered with ants. The other two handed landed on our concrete patio. Their eyes were shut, and they had no feathers, but under their translucent skin we could see their lungs bulging in and out. They were alive
Ali immediately began covering the birds with leaves and talking to them. I looked for a nest nearby but could find nothing. I remembered the day my siblings and I had found a nest of baby birds on the ground; we tried to help, but all the babies died during the night. Hopeless, I gathered my own babies and took them inside. The boys cooperated, but Ali cried. "We can't leave the birds, Mommy. I can help them! I can make a nest. I can catch some worms in my worm trapper to feed them. I know I can help them!"
Through my own tears I tried to explain there was nothing we could do. "Baby birds can't live without a mother." We talked about Luke 12:6-7 and asked God to help the birds. Then Ali called her daddy to tell him the sad story and ask what we should do. He tried to comfort her and then tried to comfort me. We hung up the phone and attempted to go on with the day.
Why? I kept wondering. Why does something so sad have to land on our back porch? I'm already overwhelmed with dishes and laundry and meals and weeds and emails and errands and four little people who need my constant attention and affection. Why add this?
Before I expected one, an answer would come.
Ali immediately began covering the birds with leaves and talking to them. I looked for a nest nearby but could find nothing. I remembered the day my siblings and I had found a nest of baby birds on the ground; we tried to help, but all the babies died during the night. Hopeless, I gathered my own babies and took them inside. The boys cooperated, but Ali cried. "We can't leave the birds, Mommy. I can help them! I can make a nest. I can catch some worms in my worm trapper to feed them. I know I can help them!"
Through my own tears I tried to explain there was nothing we could do. "Baby birds can't live without a mother." We talked about Luke 12:6-7 and asked God to help the birds. Then Ali called her daddy to tell him the sad story and ask what we should do. He tried to comfort her and then tried to comfort me. We hung up the phone and attempted to go on with the day.
Why? I kept wondering. Why does something so sad have to land on our back porch? I'm already overwhelmed with dishes and laundry and meals and weeds and emails and errands and four little people who need my constant attention and affection. Why add this?
Before I expected one, an answer would come.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Ali's Fifth Birthday: Breakfast in Bed
She asked for a princess sleeping bag, but her hero-daddy found a great deal on a complete princess camping set - sleeping bag, back pack, water bottle, compass, and child-size tent. Then my sister Kristen surprised Ali with a china doll. Thanks, Kristen, for capturing Ali's delight with both gifts! 
Monday, June 2, 2008
Baby Celebration
Some pictures taken when Jonah was born that I never got around to posting, including hospital visitors, a fabulous carrot cake made by my brother Kyle, and dress up fun at Grandma and Grandpa's house ...
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