I have a bird thing. I don’t really care for them much. Ok…I’m actually afraid of them. From live chickens to grackles to turkeys on display at the state fair. I just don’t like them.

They are unpredictable. They seem a little strange and peculiar. They flap those wings incessantly.

It’s rather scary and it makes me very uncomfortable.

So this summer, I set out to move past my fear of birds. The Littles helped and were very encouraging.

But here’s the thing. I want to like birds. I really do. We have friends who live in North Dallas and have a chicken coop. They have eggs every day. They have chickens for pets. If you haven’t heard about the urban chicken movement, then you’re missing out.

I’ve heard about the urban chicken movement, but I have no desire to be a part of it.

My friend Lael and her chicken Big Momma in a photo spread for Modern Luxury magazine.

Last month, the kids and I went on a little adventure to Dogwood Canyon, and Audubon Park near our house. And in case you don’t remember your history properly, John James Audubon was a bird scientist. I actually think there is a word for bird scientists, but the official name escapes me right now.

Our goal in the visit was for me to be comfortable around the birds. To acknowledge them as God’s creatures and just co-exist with them.

Sigh. The last thing I want to do is co-ANYTHING with a bird. But I went and I tried.

We hiked among the birds.

The boy even found a Mockingbird feather.

And of course, they had a big educational display about birds.

And I survived it. I actually took the time to enjoy nature and appreciate the birds for what they bring to it. I didn’t tense up when they flew by, and I actually enjoyed playing games with the kids related to identifying members of the bird species.

More importantly though, I showed the kids that even I am afraid of things. And even I am working on achieving goals and overcoming fears. Even if they are kind of silly. And I guess, if they learned anything at all, I wanted them to see that fear should not get the best of you at any age.

And for that lesson, I’d do it all over again.