Mom-Fu - Parenthood as Ninja Training

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So, you'd really planned to become a Ninja... But then you had kids.

Fear not. You are being trained well little grasshopper.

You've greatly increased your ability to cover distances in impossibly short amounts of time.

Your ability to be stealthy has improved immeasurably as you are now able to finish an entire cookie, in plain sight, without being spotted.

Your awareness of your surroundings have reached the hyper-aware level. ALL the time.

Your time management, forward planning, and ability to manage multiple moving parts simultaneously is unquestionable.

Your ability to function in harsh conditions with little sleep, little sustenance, and perhaps only a cup of coffee has been well demonstrated time and again.

Your ability to change course, direction, or whatever else needed to replan an entire day, week, or even month at a moments notice has been repeatedly demonstrated. 

Your commitment to your quest, your charge, your mission, runs deep in your soul.

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I first learned about mom-fu here, from the fantastic Karen Walrond

This past weekend was mothers' day here in the States. I got to celebrate a few times with some of the marvelous mothers in my life. 

I also got to witness a wild mama bunny attack a crow! 

Our cat is an excellent hunter. She is also a "caretaker" cat who comes running TOWARD us when anyone is screaming or upset - including the awkward peeking her head around the shower door while the girls were arguing in the tub as if to say "I don't really want to, but I'll come in, if you need me to." 

There are quite a few wild rabbits in the woods that surround our house and the other day she brought a rabbit kitten (bunny, kit, kitten - all baby names for juvenile rabbits) to us by the scruff of its neck. Its eyes were open and it had full adult color fur, just a bit on the small side.

Joe tried to check to see if it had any wounds (even the tiniest prick of cat teeth and its accompanying saliva can cause fatal infections in rabbits and other prey) and was unable to find any. 

Last year we tried to contact local wildlife rehabilitation places without any luck. We were just about to go inside to see about caring for it when it leapt from his hands and made a mad dash around the corner of the house. We ran after it in hot pursuit. It hid and escaped our search. 

A couple hours later we saw it again as it made a dash from under the porch into the woods. As it made to cross the neighboring field, a crow swooped down for an easy meal

We watched in awe/horror as this bunny's hard-won freedom seemed doomed.

But then (cue the charging cavalry music) mama bunny, from the other side of the field CHARGED across, leaping and kicking ATTACKING the crow and rescuing her kitten. 

Mama and baby were reunited.

Baby 'Possum by the stick house - eat all the ticks, please!

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So here's to all you fierce mama bunnies! 

The work that you do is important and it matters. Even the weary, half-hearted because it's 2am and you haven't had a decent night's sleep in years and it's all the effort you have left, brava mama.

Brava, and Thank You!