last Saturday...

Last Saturday Chris and I were both up early...him watching morning news, me checking email...when I got the bug to go to yard sales. "Hey babe...we should go to some yard sales this morning."

His reply? "Let's do it!"

We quickly got dressed, brushed our teeth and headed out the door...the boys still snoozing away in their rooms.

(Never mind that we haven't had our own yard sale yet and have no business bringing more stuff INTO the house...ahem.)

We hit a few yard sales and found a few items...a book, a skateboard deck...nothing big but fun to be out on a sunny morning nonetheless. When we pulled up to the 4th yard sale I hopped out of the car and saw a baby bird with long legs and a big beak wandering along someone's driveway. I had a feeling it was a baby heron, and knowing that my husband likes herons called him to come see it.

The baby bird was so ugly he was cute. And he was alone. There was no mama or or siblings to be seen. We couldn't just leave him there. So after talking to some helpful neighbors and worrying over leaving this little guy to be eaten by a dog or cat or run over by a car we decided (well, I decided and my husband, knowing me all too well, lovingly agreed) to catch the baby bird. I had a box in the car as well as a blanket and after a bit of chasing here and there we were able to corner the baby heron where Chris gently picked him up and placed him in the box.

After the helpful neighbors took phone photos to show to their kids we headed off to our local Wildlife Rescue Center about 15 miles away. When we arrived we were informed that they don't accept water birds. (Never mind the fact that I had called 20 minutes earlier to let them know we were bringing in a baby heron.) However, they directed us to another local rescue, the International Bird Rescue, about 5 miles further down the road.

Off we went...and once there the nice lady at the front desk took the little guy right in, letting us know that he was a baby Green Heron and that it was a good thing we brought him in because he was still too young to fend for himself. Aww...poor guy.

Well I finally called yesterday to check on his progress and was informed that he was doing GREAT...eating and growing and living in an enclosure with other Green Herons. And that in a few days he was going to be moved to a larger enclosure outdoors to prepare him for release when he's ready. Good news!

Don't you love a happy ending? I do, too.