I came across this story today about a couple in Illinois who asked a construction company to delay building a new home so a killdeer could safely hatch her eggs. The company listened, confirmed the birds were protected, and postponed construction until the chicks could leave the nest. It immediately reminded me of April/2018 when construction began on our first wildlife center for All Things Wild in Texas. A killdeer nest delayed our project by two weeks. It was a small delay for something much bigger. Since opening in March/2019 with only a volunteer staff, ATW now employs full and part-time trained staff, supported by volunteers. They offer excellent medical and husbandry care for the approximately 5,000 injured, orphaned and sick wild patients admitted each year. ATW has outgrown their current location and has an eye out for another blessed opportunity to expand. I miss working directly with the animals more than I can put into words. Sometimes I find myself wondering why I left. But then I remember that life has a way of moving us where we are needed most. Trade-offs can hurt sometimes. But I truly believe we end up where we're supposed to be, helping in the way we're meant to help. If I hadn't stepped away, I wouldn't be here building Empowering Animals, sharing stories, resources, and opportunities to help animals from all over the world. If you'd like to learn more about the incredible work being done at All Things Wild or support their mission, you can visit :https://allthingswildrehab.org/donate Animals can teach us so much about patience, and that sometimes life has a different plan for us than the one we imagined. ❤️

@Adelina Rosa suggested a beautiful animal organization and I have now added PAWS Chicago to the Classroom. There are links about to their website as well as donation and volunteer application links. ❤️🐾❤️ If you know of another wonderful animal organization, please DM me with the link and I will reach out to them. Thank you again, @Adelina Rosa

I was asked yesterday if I wanted to contribute a giveaway to a summit by June12th. I feel this could be a great opportunity to bring a little more visibility to Empowering Animals and the work we are doing for the animals. Even though my head is screaming "run," my heart is saying "do it." The theme of the giveaway is helping midlife women turn their interests, skills, and communities into momentum, growth, and clarity. Yes, I asked if they really wanted me, and they said yes. 😊 So I am creating something a little different called: 5-Minute Animal Therapy Simple Ways to Recharge Through Animal Connection Now I need your help. Instead of using AI-generated images, I would love to feature real women spending time with the animals they love. Dogs, cats, horses, pigs, birds, reptiles, wildlife, or any animal that brings you joy. If you would be willing to share a photo, please send it to me via DM by tomorrow. Thank you for helping me create something meaningful and for being part of Empowering Animals' growth. ❤️🐾

Adelina brought it to my attention that Empowering Animals was featured in the Skool Ads! How cool is that?! 😁 Seeing our community appear alongside other Skool communities was such a fun surprise. Thank you to everyone who has joined, supported, commented, shared, and helped us grow. We are all part of this beautiful journey for the animals. ❤️🐾 Share Love Make an Impact.

I got home around 1:00 AM yesterday after spending two wonderful weeks in California with family. There was good food, time in the garden, camera adventures, and plenty of hanging out with the little ones. It was exactly the kind of time I needed. My cats hadn’t seen me in two weeks, and I think they spent most of yesterday attached to my face. I’m pretty sure leaving for work this morning will be a major betrayal in their eyes. Getting back into a routine is always a little challenging for me. Some parts of life I‘m ready to jump back into, and other parts make me wonder if there’s a better way. I think a lot of us live somewhere between creating the life we want and spending 10 hours a day doing what pays the bills. I don’t know about you, but work really cuts into my social life and I’m ready to continue building the life I love! 👏😊 Thank you for being here. Thank you for your patience while I was away. And thank you for caring about the animals that bring us all together. The photos below are from a family project we worked on during my visit. We built ten 8’ x 12’ metal garden beds, lined the bottoms with wood, added cow manure, and topped them with enriched organic soil. They were finished the day I left, so now the fun part begins. I’m excited to see what they’ll grow first! 🌱