Frills and Feathers

Well, the last two days have been fun and eventful. Today will be even better. My cousin Gillian and her family are coming to visit us from Singapore. They're coming for lots of reasons, but we get to keep them at our house for the weekend. I'm so excited! I haven't even met her precious Marek yet. :)

You'd think I'd spent the last two days preparing my home for their arrival. I did a little cleaning, but I'll have to work more on that today. Here's what I did instead:

Monday I decided to 'frill' up Jesse's burp cloths. 'Church it up,' as Adam or Joshua would say. I think it's a practical idea, so when we're around our other baby friends, they don't accidentally use Jesse's super slobbery burp cloths. Here's how I made them a little more 'Jesse'.

I thought I'd just get iron-on embroidered letters to begin with. So I got some at Hobby Lobby to try. I also thought it'd be fun to try dying them - since they're all just plain white. I got ribbon to put on some. Then I got out all the scraps I had left over from the quilt I made for Jesse - with some major help from my aunt Ginger. :) I'm gonna have lots of fun with this! I loved using my sewing machine (Thanks Mom!), and I was so proud of myself. I switched thred colors, thredded the needle a few times, had to re-fill a bobbin. What a fun feeling of accomplishment! :) They'll get better...I'LL get better. And now, no Mama will have to worry that her little drooler will pit up my big drooler's soggy burp cloths. :)

Tuesday was a fun day. I was just sitting down to work on something, when I noticed how much racket some birds were making in the front yard. It was an extra loud morning. It sounded to me as if there were some birds fighting or something. So, I thought I'd enlist the help of my trusty dog, Barry, to scare them off. I didn't want to encourage fighting, and I could imagine some little bird getting picked on. So, I go to the door, open it up... Instantly, Barry goes out, and a bird come scurring IN! I'm definitely a 'flight' girl when it somes to 'fight or flight', so I slammed the door and ran screaming away. I quickly decided I should let my dog back in and take him to his crate so he would chase this bird all over the house. I shut doors to rooms so he wouldn't go into Jesse's room where he was napping or any other bedrooms. When I dared to go near the dining room, where I thought he'd be, this is what I saw.

I am aware that this is a very bad picture. But I was terrified to get any closer! He was under our china cabinet - probably in about as much shock as me. I called and called Scott - I needed someone to know the terror I was experiencing. I texted back that he was in a training, and I proceeded to send him many texts letting him know what was going on and just how worked up I was. I got a broom, clothes hamper, and a couple shoe boxes. But I was just pretty unnerved at the idea of getting close to this thing. Scott called and suggested I do what I could to trap the bird under the china cabinet.

Here's how that went: a shelf from the garage, part of a cardboard box, shoe boxes, and a chair were put into place.

I tried sticking the broom under the china cabinet to encourage the bird into a shoebox, but this just really made me nervous. I got up enough nerve to go see if a neighbor would come help. It took a lot for me to leave the house, because while I was hysterical inside the house, there was a Mama bird going hysterical ouside my house. She was flying back and forth, back and forth in front of the door, squawking. I think the bird in my house was a baby bird that couldn't fly yet. So, I braved getting dive-bombed to ask a neighbor for help. No one answered the door, however the brave squirrels on her front porch upset me by not scurrying off as quickly as they could. Nature was being a bit too brave for me this Tuesday.

I tried to get up the nerve to take care of business myself. I decided to call our Youth Pastor, Damon. I explained the situation, and he said he'd come right over. What a selfless guy! He was very understanding, since his wife Amber is also terrified of birds. Alfred Hitchcock reallly ruined it for a lot of folks. Damon showed up with gloves in hand, reached under the cabinet, and came up with the little fella.

THANK YOU DAMON!!!!! :) You saved the day!!! :)

I'm looking forward to days with more frills and fewer feathers. Maybe the next time an unwelcome creature comes in the house, I'll be able to tap into my Blakemore in-law courage and take care of business - protect the household. My sister-in-law has taken care of a tarantula in her house, 3 snakes in and around her house, and my mother-in-law protected her family once by bagging a snake in her house, too.

Lord, please don't let a snake come in my house to test my bravery. Amen!