As I stepped out to look and see if I could catch a glimpse of who I'd missed one of my little neighbors ran forward, her quiet dark eyes beckoning me to "come, come ..."  Clearly she was distressed.

"I didn't know who else to come to," she explained, "with your love of animals, I thought surely you could help ... there in the middle of the road, it's a baby bird, it's not moving ... I've never held an animal in my life, I don't know what to do, but I know you will ..."

I don't think I've ever heard this beautiful little neighbor say so much.

Sure enough, the poor little thing wasn't moving and was definitely in the middle of the road, headed for road kill or cat kill, I'm not sure which ... nor was I sure how the poor little thing had gotten there.  Gently, I picked him up to place him in a box, and he cried out in protest, but still didn't move his little legs or wings.

I've tucked him into a box I've since lined with soft cotton, given a few eye droppers of water which seemed to help bring the baby out of a bit of dehydration. (and of course, one of the first things I read - afterward - is to not force water down a bird, you can drown it.  I'm only relaxed because I didn't force, only offered and the baby drank for me)

Now what to do?  I'm not up on my ABC's of how to save a baby bird.  I've covered the top of the box with a mesh basket so air flows easily and hidden it away in my pantry to give it dark quiet and time to revive while I figure out what to do with the little bugger.  I see no injuries and after I gave him water it did seem to help him feel more like moving.

Any suggestions?  Birds are the hardest to save and best left alone, but one really can't leave a baby in the middle of the road, nor set him on the side of the road as open prey.

I'm such a proud mom. We've had pee on the red ring! lol

Somebody knows me.

I so ♥ flowers, herbs, plants.

 If I would have known I was getting a gift, I would have requested they stay gone longer!

I got this idea from the amazing & hilarious @chicajones who posted pic's on FB, which prompted me to ask the question...

"Where were you when you were last Raptured? ... "

I was the aunt that would roll into town with a huge smile, a big hug and eyes full of mischief and twinkles.  What tree could we climb or great mystery of life could we unravel while baking cookies, seeking adventure and going out to dinner.  I wanted my nieces and nephews to know the things I didn't know in childhood.  Specifically, Happiness.  Not that all of their lives weren't happy, only that I didn't want their lives to be like mine.

As time set it's course and I learned more and more about happiness, positive thinking and how to live a healthy life, distance grew between my family and I.  Not because I had stopped loving them, in so many ways I loved them more.  It had just become more and more important to protect myself from the stockpile of family negativity and twisted ways of thinking while learning how to take care of myself.  I was filling my brain with life tools I didn't learn as a child.  As a child I had learned how to balance a checkbook and escape into the sanctuary of my bedroom where I would drown out the echoes of yelling & screaming with my imagination.

My distance from family had never meant I stopped loving my family.  It had only meant I sought a better life for myself.  One with balance.  A life free from manipulation, dishonesty and gifts with strings attached.  Mostly I succeeded, at times I failed and let the wrong people in.  Always, I recovered.

Years would go by without hearing from my Godchild.  She had her own secrets and her own journey in life.  Lessons that sometimes each of us has to learn on our own because we can't learn them from another.

I had no idea the impact I had made on my Godchild during those long trips home in the 80's, I only knew of the dozens of times I wanted to scoop her up and take her home with me.  And so, for the first time ever, she boarded a flight and made the trip from Montana to California and was in her *auntie's* home this week.  Not because of a long planned out reunion, but because necessity demanded it.

Having married young, my Godchild married into some of the similar problems that had existed in her parents marriage.  Eventually the struggle and control issues erupted into an ugly word.
Domestic Violence. 

 I was surprised at the number of people that flinched when I would say it. 

"Domestic Violence." 

 Keeping it a secret is the leading cause of DEATH amongst domestic violence victims.

My cell phone lit up with urgency and a machine gun rhythm of text messages on January 24th.
It has taken long hours on the phone to help my Godchild see past her own denial, the guilt she wore as her armor and the shame she bathed in daily.  There is no need for guilt and shame, only the need to understand and recover.

Only the need to start living again.

A life built under control and issues of another is no life to live.  At best, it's simply a disaster waiting to happen.

While I know we aren't out of the woods yet, I'm extremely proud of the little girl I have lovingly called my Godchild since her birth.  She's brilliant and funny and beautiful.  She's kind and giving and generous.  She is everything good about life ... and now she has a second chance to discover and live in the beautiful energy of all that that is good about life...

Because the current economy has made resources so short at this point in time, if you would like to donate any amount to help a beautiful young woman & her three children during this critical first two months, please send a message to me at blonde_oxygen@yahoo.com.  And please, do NOT think you have to give a lot to help.  EVERY little bit adds up.  Even $5 makes a greater impact than you can possibly imagine!

~ Thank You ~
   More than you can know, Thank You!

 ~Sprite