Rescue Heroes

We had an exciting evening last night! The boys were playing in the backyard before supper when they came running up with Jake holding a HUGE pigeon! They found it under the slide, and it was injured and couldn't fly. They were so upset and wanted to help it so badly. So as my supper overcooked in the oven, I was online researching wild bird rescues. I found a MN website and started calling. On my third call I got a woman who told me the Golden Valley Humane Society would take it. Apparently they have a wild animal rescue center that takes anything but skunks! But of course they were closed for the night. So I emptied a cardboard box, lined it with paper towels and tissue and gave it water and bird seed. Daisy was losing it, so the garage was it's only option. I put it by the wall by the house, it's warmest there. The next morning I told Jay to check on his way out to work to make sure it was still alive so I wouldn't find it dead with the kids. When I checked this morning, he was chipper as could be in his box! We hosted play group at our house this morning, so after they left we headed out and Max ate lunch in the car on the way to the Golden Valley Humane Society. We had to wait in line behind two different people surrendering cats (don't worry, I left the bird in the van). Let me tell you, we sure got a different reception than they did. They treated Max like a rock star! It was really sweet. They told him what a great thing he had done in saving a life. He very modestly said his brothers had really done it, he just helped. They already had two other pigeons, so ours will have two buddies to rehabilitate with. They vet them, let them heal, and then release back into the wild. When Jake and Zach got home from school, they were so excited to hear what had happened. They had kids on the bus telling them they would have shot it - pigeons are like rodents. I'm so glad I took the time to help them with their "rescue" even though I was busy and didn't really want to take the time. It was such a great lesson to them about the value of life in all God's creatures and being humane and helping when we can. I'm so proud of them!!

Tonight I went to the Elk River Library to see Lorna Landvik speak. I had a dentist appointment 30 minutes before she started. Luckily, my hygienist is a huge reader. We always swap book recommendations and reviews. So when I told her, she whipped me out of there 20 minutes earlier than scheduled. I will be doing my full mouth xrays in 6 months, thank you! I still missed the beginning, but I really enjoyed it. She is super funny. I bought a Christmas themed book at the end and had her sign it for me. I told her how Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons is one of my favorite books. She said she'd let the characters know. :)

Jay's work holiday open house was tonight too, so I finally tried the teenage girl up the road that I had met at our neighborhood block party this summer as a babysitter. She was great!! When I got home the kitchen was clean, the house was ALL picked up, and the kids were quietly sitting on the couch watching Toy Story 2 with her. Not really what I had expected from a teenager. When I asked how much I owed her, she said "Oh, That's okay. I wasn't doing anything tonight anyway (she came right from basketball practice and probably didn't even eat). You don't have to pay me.". WOW. Of course, I paid her, but WOW. That after 2 1/2 hours with my boys!

I call that a wonderful day!