A NEW Arrival!!!

The day started earlier than usual with us leaving the house at 7:15am.  The kids were not excited about the early departure until they realized it meant they could follow me around campus to tie up loose ends prior to the AP exam.  They love hanging out on the Rhetoric(high school) campus.  Somehow they have managed to have quite the reputation in the upper grades.  By the time they actually make it to the upper school they might have legend status from the many stories I tell; stories of wild adventures and most recently, following the caterpillar's confession of Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior,  Brett took Spots(the frog) to church so "he can tell all the other frogs in the pond about Jesus."

By the time we arrived home, we were all exhausted from the day.  Brett had gotten in trouble and needed to run out all of his crazies, Chloe wasn't selected "Student of the Day," and I was just tired.  While cooking dinner I received a phone call from the man from whom I purchased Augusta Belle.  His predicament involved a mother goat, while being weaned from her baby, who cries and cries and cries.  He is afraid it is become a bother to the neighbors and called me to see if I would take her off his hands.  I called my neighbor and between the two of us we decided she needed to make our home her new home.  

New goat...naming ceremony pending

She arrived about two hours later.  She cried for a while but eventually went to sleep for the night.  There was a bit of "pecking order" being established, but mostly she kept trying to figure out where her baby had gone.  She even followed the cat around for a while.  My heart broke for her as she looked out on to the dark pasture and cried a mommy cry.  She pricked her ears hoping to hear the return bleat of her kid.  I touched her ear and she pulled back, afraid to miss the call of her baby.  She continued to run in the dark pasture hoping for a return call to her pleading.  Nothing.  Silence.  She tried to sniff the resident babies April, Maple, Cherry and Rock, but their moms lowered their heads and charged.  Pip has horns, so a charge from her can almost certainly mean pain.  Speaking of horns, I need to figure out a solution to the madness of her horns.

Boots with his  bow.

The kittens are on Day 3 of their homemade kitten chow of chicken thighs, chicken hearts, catfish and raw eggs.  Everyone thinks they should be fed this delicious meal, even my own children.  When I was cooking the meats, my husband was wondering what I was cooking for dinner.  The dinner happened to be the kitten chow complete with seasonings.  Two of the three kittens find it appetizing, but Boots doesn't want any food other than the milk his mom provides.  So, while the other cats ate, Chloe decided Boots needed a big, fluffy bow around his neck.

It is late and all the animals have finally settled down after a long afternoon.  I even milked the new goat.  She was easy to milk and Thadd added, "It would be much faster if you had the EZ Milker!"  I am thankful for our new addition(Day 131).  Goodnight Friends.