My Mother's Day Gift from God

It was three days before what I considered to be the worst day of the year - Mother's Day. I have dreaded this day since the death of my son about 17 years ago.

Thomas Joseph Laborde born December 25, 1984 died March 3, 1985 from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). He was - per my Grandma - the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. He was tiny, only weighing five pounds four ounces but he was 21 inches long with a head full of dirty blonde hair and big blue eyes.

I took my son's passing to a place I had never been and hope to never go again. I would never know fully what it would be like to be a Mom and therefore, felt a deep pain when Mother's Day would come.

The story of Lala starts here. It was right before Mother's Day 2002 - I was working as a server in a restaurant. Upon my approach to a new table - a young couple, the lady asked if I had a ladder. I thought, initially she was bonkers, but curious, I decided to ask why - she went on to tell me about a baby bird that had fallen from the nest. Being an animal lover, I hurriedly took their order and served their drinks and rushed outside to find this baby bird. I looked and looked and finally I found her barely alive.

The temperature was dropping with the night approaching. The baby bird hardly had any feathers and faintly chirping. My heart broke. I scooped up the baby bird with a napkin and placed her in a box with a bunch of napkins and put her in a nice warm place. Within the hour I was off from work and rushing home to care for my new little friend. I filled her little box with things I knew could provide warmth. I fed her wheat bread soaked in milk cut with water through an eye dropper.

She was a survivor from the start, she would gobble her food so fast and want more -mind you every three hours. I slept very lightly. The slightest chirp and I was up and one-eyed trying to feed this wee one.

My intention was care for her and release her back to the wild. As the weeks passed I would take her outside and let her hop around eating grass and bugs - mainly black ants and mosquitoes. Then she learned to fly. I was beginning to get attached to the precious little survivor I now called Lala Wee One.

She flew away but stayed where I could see her. I was proud I had done a great thing. It was when she flew away and I could not find her - I was so upset but knew it was nature. Then out of nowhere she landed on top of my head, I cried. I was so happy she had come back to me.

The weeks passed. Every day I would take her outside two to three times for at least an hour at a time. She would fly around but would always come back. One day, I was about 10' from Lala when out of nowhere a Blue Jay swooped down right on top of Lala, pecking her over and over. Lala tried to get away, flying to a near by wood piled. I ran over scaring the Blue Jay away. Once the Blue Jay was gone Lala dove into the wood pile. Frantically, I ripped the wood pile apart with tears streaming down my face. Only momentarily thinking of spiders or snakes.

All the way to the bottom, no sign of Lala. With tears streaming and calling her name no sign of Lala. I reached into the dead leaves and a screeching little fireball flew passed me right in to the house. I ran to the house close behind, slamming the door calling her name. I heard a chirp - she was on the bar - trembling between some bottles. I took her into my shaky hands and held her close for a moment. I rinsed her off in the bathroom with warm water and to try and assess the damage from this bully. The damage was not life threatening - she was almost completely bald over her head and neck. I know the Blue Jay would have killed her if I had not have gotten there when I did.

She was bleeding very little - But, she was severely traumatized - which I can honestly say I do not blame her. One of my fears was her going into or being in shock. I was so afraid she was going to die. I was afraid I had not done my part of saving or keeping her safe. I felt so guilty.

The Blue Jay came back looking for her many times. I was so terrified that I would not take her outside anymore. I did research on the internet regarding Blue Jays and found out they are quite aggressive birds. I then I spoke with a Wildlife Specialist who told me the Blue Jay was probably a female with hungry little ones. My worries would be over as soon as her babies left the nest.

It took about 12 days for her to grow her feathers back and about a month for her to want to go back outside. I remember the day when she went out again, I was SO proud of Lala; but scared at the same time. She would not leave my shoulder and when she would hear the call of the Blue Jay she would hide under my hair or fly into the house.

Now she chatters with other sparrows, and flies around. But, she never flies too far from my side.

This is my story of my spectacular Mother's Day gift from God that changed my life.