This album is about raising a birth defected/crippled baby Blue and Gold Macaw. TickleTwo was born (hatched) on the same day that our family was returning to our home after our daughter, Christina Nichole, was released from the hospitals in Spokane WA following her amazing coma recovery in 2004. She was still in out-patient rehabilitation therapy for the years ahead. On our 3 hour drive home the cell phone rang and it was a friend who breeds exotic birds, as I had for over 25 years. I retired from bird breeding in 1996. She had not heard about Christina's coma yet, or she might not have called. She was having her own health crisis and was also addicted to several life-threatening habits. She was crying and asking if I would take her just-hatched Blue & Gold Macaw baby. It was born with one leg straight up in the air. It had one wing on the same side that also went straight up and over the back of it's neck. She felt that she could not deal with trying to raise this baby, the probable surgeries it would require, and tendency to die at any second. At first I thought, "I can't take on this enormous responsiblity and time-consuming efforts right now either... I have Christina to take care of around the clock." As I started to explain the situation to my friend she was so shocked and upset about what had happened to Chrissy that it added to her own stress and feelings of being overwhelmed and distraught. She said she was going to put it to sleep. During this conversation I felt as if God was telling me to take the crippled baby... so as crazy as it seemed at that time, I followed His Urging. We stopped by her house on our way home and found my friend in very bad condition. I decided to take her tiny baby Parakeet home with us as well to lighten her load as much as possible. As it turned out, Tickletwo and the Parakeet were perfect rehabilitation therapies for Christina! She worked with me to raise them and they fulfilled many, many needs she had at that time in her recovery efforts. I did not hear from my friend again for over two years. When she finally contacted me via email, she said that night at her house had changed her life. She stopped over 40 years of addictions cold turkey that same night after we left. Praise God! TickleTwo grew with daily physical therapy and Chiropractic manipulations. My husband of 42 years is our family Doctor of Chiropractic for which we are always thankful and which came in very handy while raising TickleTwo. The Vet monitored TickleTwo's progress and never opted for surgery because she overcame most of her disabilities far better than he ever dreamed possible as time went along. She still has one straight leg with crooked toes, but in the downward position and it works fine for her whenever she is holding her food and eating, hanging upside down, or climbing her cage bars. Walking is very difficult for her, but she manages. Her wing grew into a downward laying position but it is still crippled enough that she cannot fly. When she tries she flies in low circles for very short trips. She is 100% happy, cuddly, loving, playful, and intelligent though. She talks up a storm! Who could ask for more? God worked so many wonderful outcomes into our lives through TickleTwo. I never had a clue that it would turn out so amazing for everyone, including TickleTwo! Blessings, Judy