Wile E. Coyote

I am a morning person. I have always been a morning person. I know this stems from my childhood and the fact that my parents are early risers and didn't allow us kids to sleep in. The sad thing about my life is, not only am I an early morning person, I am a predictable early morning person. Every morning when I get up, my routine is the same. Every morning when I wake up, I wake up with someone on my mind and I think about that person all morning long. Sometimes it family, or friends, or someone I work with, or someone in the ward, and even sometimes people from my past. I don't know why my brain does this, it just does. Then I analyze the current relationship that I have with this person. I ask myself questions like, "How do they feel about me right now?", "What have I contributed to the relationship?", "How can I make this relationship better?", and so on. My relationships are important to me so I'm constantly trying to be better and more Christ-like in all of my relationships. I'm sure this happens because my house is quiet and I have time to think and ponder important things in my life.

This morning, I woke up with my sister, Jana, on the brain. I could share my thoughts regarding everyone I think about, and maybe I will in future posts, but Jana and I had a very interesting and what I think is hilarious adventure together! Let me begin by saying that when Jana and I lived in Arlington together, she was my lifesaver. It was the first time I had lived away from home. Jana was my mother! Even though our Mom was only three hours away, it felt like she was clear across the country. Jana and I spent A LOT of time together.

Then when Colby came along, I was scared out of my mind to be a mother! After mom left to go home ten days after Colby was born, I was sure I was going to drown. I didn't think I could do this on my own. Jana came over every morning to check on us. She would help me bathe Colby those first few days by myself because she knew how nervous I was. She taught me how to be a new mother. She gave me confidence that I could do this and be good at it. Ryan and I only had one car at the time and Jana would come pick me up and we would go shopping and spend the day together most of the time.

One time in our outings, we were headed home on the Arlington Heights road and Jana happened to look out her window and saw something on the side of the road. She said to me that she thought a baby animal was on the side of the road and was probably hurt. Our motherly instincts took over! We decided to turn around and investigate the situation. When we got out of the car, we saw this baby coyote nestled in the weeds by the side of the road. With all our animal expertise, we decided that the mother had been killed or had abandoned the baby. Jana decided we couldn't leave it or it would get hit. Every time we got close to it, it would hiss at us. We couldn't decide how to get it in the van to take it to some wildlife refuge place that Jana knew about. We were both a little skittish ourselves, if the truth be known, dealing with a wild animal.

After analyzing our options and knowing that Jana's boys would be waiting for her to pick them up from school, Jana went home and got either her portable cat kennel or dog kennel, I can't remember. Before she left, as we're standing by the side of the road, we decided the animal couldn't be left. So my protective, older sister, leaves me by the side of the road with this wild animal, unarmed, to go and get her kennel. Who's the dumb one now?

She comes back and we can't get the coyote in the kennel without it hissing or biting us. So the brave warriors that we were, Jana drops the kennel over the top of the coyote, I found a big stick, and somehow we got this coyote in the kennel and in the back of Jana's van.

When we got in the van, to say we were proud of ourselves, would be an understatement. You would have thought we had won the Nobel Peace Prize or brought peace to the earth! We were saying things like, "We are so brave!", "We came along at just the right time!". Oh, we were dramatic!

We get to the school to get Jana's boys and all of the sudden there was this odor coming from the back of the van. I looked at Jana, she looked at me, I investigated Colby's diaper, and we realized our precious cargo in the very back of Jana's van had pooped! How lucky were we! Jana's boys get in the van, and we were telling them what we had done, how we had saved this baby coyote, and they were just staring at us like we had lost our minds because the only thing they could concentrate on was the smell.

We found the wildlife shelter and again the dramatic flair we have set in! I'm sure the people who ran it thought we were insane but we were flying so high from the rescue and being brave warriors that I don't think either one of us cared. The people at the shelter were very kind and explained how they would take care of the coyote for a year and then release it into the wild. I then show my brillance and say to them. "When you release it into the wild, will you call and let us know?". Why I asked that, I have no idea. What was I thinking? That we were going to come and wish it luck out in the real world?

Jana and I talked about it for days! I wish you all could have been there to see the look on Alan and Ryan's faces when we told them. I remember Ryan saying to me, "You caged a wild animal in a wimpy kennel with a new baby in the backseat?" I could see the admiration for my heroic act illuminate from his eyes.

I tell you this because, as I was getting ready this morning, I was thinking about Jana and as always when I think of her, this story pops into my mind. I got snickering so hard in the bathroom that I had to suppress it into my towel to not wake Ryan up. What a way to start your Friday!

So, this ones for you, Jana! Thanks for everything you did for me when we lived by each other. Those times and memories are some I hold close and cherish. You will never know how much your presence in my life helped and influenced me. I learned so much about motherhood from you and you continue to be a wonderful example in my life of what a great mom is! I love you! For everyone else reading this, you probably had to be there and would have to know Jana and I pretty well to think this was funny. This is story is just one of many I want to blog about so I never forget it, so thanks for bearing with me!