McKayla turns 18

I'm honestly at a loss for words. That isn't going to stop me from writing about the "coming of age" of my eldest baby. I held her like one, today. It was a lot more awkward then when she was a newborn... 

In my mind, I will always see her like this: 

Anyway. She celebrated her birthday with a few friends and a movie. Currently she is working at Ross part time and (slowly) getting her GED. The last few weeks, she has been pushing to make her own decisions and I am so proud.  

These are a couple pictures from her birthday party: 

 

Ice cream, because she doesn't like cake 

Presents! 

 And, just because I am a sentimental sap, 18 years of pictures. 

 

Newborn - 29 October 2005

First Birthday - 2006

Meeting Natalie - 9/6/07 

Second Birthday - 2007

Third birthday - 2008

Meeting Liv - 8 April 2009

Fourth birthday - 2009

Fifth birthday - 2010 (she still fit in a grocery bag!) 

Sixth birthday - 2011

Seventh birthday  - 2012

Eighth birthday - 2013

Ninth birthday - 2014

Double digits - 10th birthday - 2015

11th birthday - 2016

12th birthday - 2017

13th birthday - 2018

14th birthday - 2019

15th birthday- 2020

16th birthday - 2021

17th birthday - 2022

And this year: 

Thanks for reminding me that you will always be my baby. 

PS If you want to look at the other posts about Miss M's birthdays? CLICK HERE to read them all. 

Sweet Sixteen

 Oh Nattie-bug, 

How is it possible that you are sixteen already? 

These are some pictures I have taken over the last year. Your personality shows in every one of them. I love that you aren't too embarrassed to be out in public with me. That you never shy away from a goodnight kiss and hug. I love how deeply you love others: your family, friends, pets. It is a beautiful thing to have that much love to share. I'm glad that the problems of this world haven't broken you down. You recognize that you learn differently than others, and you work to get past that. This year you are trying to learn Dutch and I think that is so cool. Having that connection with your Opa will be amazing for him. 

As the new year starts, I pray that God will be with you in all that you do. That you will allow him to show through the way you interact with others. I pray that you keep the same focus that you do now, that you share the things you love. 

Happy birthday sweet girl. May God bless you in the coming year and may many more follow! 

Bird Laws by Chicken Thoughts

Let Them

I've decided that one of my next tattoos is going to be this phrase:

It goes with this poem:

Let Them
Just Let them.
If they want to choose something or someone over you, LET THEM.
If they want to go weeks without talking to you, LET THEM.
If they are okay with never seeing you, LET THEM.
If they are okay with always putting themselves first, LET THEM.
If they are showing you who they are and not what you perceived them to be, LET THEM.
If they want to follow the crowd, LET THEM.
If they want to judge or misunderstand you, LET THEM.
If they act like they can live without you, LET THEM.
If they want to walk out of your life and leave,
hold the door open, AND LET THEM.

Let them lose you.
You were never theirs, because you were always your own.

So let them.

Let them show you who they truly are, not tell you.
Let them prove how worthy they are of your time.
Let them make the necessary steps to be a part of your life.
Let them earn your forgiveness.
Let them call you to talk about ordinary things.
Let them take you out on a Thursday.
Let them talk about anything and everything just because it’s you they are talking to.
Let them have a safe place in you.
Let them see the heart in you that didn’t harden.
Let them love you. “

Author: Cassie Phillips

Oh, and this poem also works the other way ...

Some of us are so conditioned NOT to accept love
we don't know how to &
keep attracting this same kind of person &
keep pushing love away ...
Some of us don't know how to Just LET THEM love us...
If they want to choose you, LET THEM.
If they want to give you their time, LET THEM.
If they are okay with putting you first, LET THEM.
If they are showing you who they are and not what you perceived them to be, LET THEM.
If they want to make you their world, LET THEM.
If they don't want to judge you or misunderstand you, LET THEM.
If they act like they can't live without you, LET THEM.
If they don't want to leave you & walk out of your life,
Stop holding the door open for them to leave, and LET THEM.

LET THEM LOVE YOU.

Let them show you who they truly are, & then BELIEVE them.
Let them actually prove they are worthy of your time.
Let them make the necessary steps to be a part of your life.
Let them earn your forgiveness.
Let them call you to talk about ordinary things.
Let them take you out on a Thursday.
Let them talk about anything and everything just because it’s you they are talking to.
Let them have a safe place in you.
Let them see the heart in you that didn’t harden.
Stop rejecting Love & "Let them love you."
Author: Myami's Henna

Over the Rainbow Bridge

 I hate having to write this, especially since my last post was about bringing her home... But after two other attempts, I will get this written down. 

On Saturday, May 20 we woke up and Roxie wasn't acting herself. She was sleeping on the bottom of her cage, not moving too much. Finally, I figured we better get her checked out. After 45 minutes of calling different vets in the area, not one of them had a vet experienced with birds to see her. 

So, I called the bird store owner, Michelle. She said to bring her down, that they can try "comfort care" there until we could get her in. Unfortunately, it was too late. Roxie passed away while laying on my chest, as we were heading to the car for the bird store. I called Michelle back and told her that Roxie had passed, she said Michelle to still bring her in. Michelle was kind enough to properly bury our little girl (we are renting, so it isn't possible for us.) 

Michelle told us there wasn't really anything we could have done. Once birds like her start showing signs of illness, it is usually too late. Just so we are prepared for illness in the future, she shared with us what they do for their birds and also for birds in the store... We will be ready if illness strikes another of our feathered children. 

Also, since it was so soon after bringing her home, she is going to let us pick another cockatiel, whenever we're ready. 

Although goodbyes are so hard, I am grateful that she was with us and not in the bird store. She had three beautiful, spoiled rotten days in our home, and weeks before that with us visiting. We were blessed with that time with her, and I know she is on the other side of the rainbow bridge with our Odin, waiting for us. 

Roxie

This week, we got to bring home our newest family member! 

Meet Roxie, the cockatiel: 

We promised the girls we would get a more "family friendly" bird that they could interact with. I hadn't planned on getting one so soon, but the girls feel in love with this sweet hand-fed baby girl, so I convinced Stephen we needed her. Put a deposit down and have been paying her off the last month. We kept visiting every weekend, so she would remember us. These are just a few pictures from those visits. 

This is from when we took Jinx in for grooming, the staff suggested we make introductions there.  It went well, in my opinion at least. No lunging for each other, no flights because they were scared.

Yesterday, she finally got to come home. We have quite the set up with three cages... What we ended up doing was getting two, 4 foot long tables to put together and put all the cages on. 

Its been fun getting to know what this new variety of bird is like, how she is different and similar to Jinx. For example, they both love millet, but she is A LOT quieter. Honestly, he's been quieter with her in the house. I can assume that won't stay the same, she's already starting to whistle and its been less than 24 hours. 

You can expect to see more pictures of our flock as they get to know each other. Right now, we are calling Roxie's hatch day January 23 and then her "gotcha day" is April 16.