today on the farm

We are in full swing around here and are picking projects off the list one by one. But we're making progress! Last week spring hit us hard and we were overwhelmed. But on Saturday we sat down and revamped the master list, talked through the order that everything needs to be done, and got our heads around all that is ahead. And it's a lot. But we signed up for this! And we do love it. Especially all of the darling animals we love and enjoy. Today I decided to get my camera out and document much of the day. Here is what I saw:

Our laying hens have gone all World War Two on me. They are each digging a bunker and settling in for the day. It does look very comfortable, sort of their own tempurpedic hole. But watch your step on our farm...you may twist your ankle in a chicken bunker.

This is new and fun! We planted wheat and oats on Monday. And the third plot will be feed corn for our pigs next year. It's a learning venture like everything else with the plan to learn what we can this year and then see how we want to do it next year.

These two have been working hard together all week. Ivar has definitely grown into a serious helper and loves to be right by his dad's side. This is the pig pen we built this weekend. I've got more pics of this process to share in another post.

And there's Alden, happy as always, watching the sheep and keeping an eye on the rest of us working on the pig pen. He's a charming boy. And so, so agreeable.

 The sheep had to keep a close eye on the new digs for the pigs.

Ivar and Elsie have been playing Laura and Mary all week. Except it's actually 'Pa and Mary-who-can-still-see.' They play in their woods and make soup and food and go for "trips into town" by the well house. Today I saw them buying things while in town and I greeted them, "Hello Charles. Hello Mary, so good to see you." Elsie froze with wide eyes and shook her head, "please don't say that mom. It makes me feel weird inside." I said, "does it embarrass you?" And she said, "yes! It totally does!"

I was a little sad that I don't get to play along. So later I stopped by with a basket with a cloth that held chicken eggs. I told them I was a neighbor coming by with a gift. Elsie opened it and said, "I thought it was going to be a real snack. Go back and take the eggs out and put something in here we can really eat." So I guess that is how I'll get to be a part of this story line...

Today the broiler chicks moved out of the garage and out into the chicken tractor. If you could smell my garage. Yikes!

They Layers came to welcome the Broilers to the neighborhood. Or to tell them who runs this farm. Hard to say.

And finally we moved the pigs out into their new pen. They were a bit spooked to be out of the barn, and it took some serious coaxing to get them out, but all is well that ends well. As Rory said, "Our marriage has so many of these unique, shared experiences and they're all layered and compacted on top of each other. We are like steel-reinforced concrete or fiberglass...all of these things packed one on another. It's building one very strong foundation." And it is. We are in this together. It's a lot going on, but it's good fun. It feels full and right.

Now I'm off to bring more slops out to these guys and to feed Miracle his last bottle of the day. And then I am going to hit the hay.

have you seen our bumper?

Last week I walked into CarTime and explained our situation, "Last Saturday during the blizzard, my husband went to Aldi and somehow lost half of our bumper. We're not sure how, but he thinks it may have happened right here on this frontage road. So I just wondered if you could give me a call if it ever turns up. Like when these huge snow piles begin to melt, maybe it's been plowed over and is under all this snow."

The guys working behind the counter looked at me and nodded a wee bit condescendingly.

"If we have to get a new bumper it's going to cost us $400. What a stupid way to spend $400, you know? I can think of lots of other ways I'd rather spend that money. So will you call me if anyone happens to see it? Here I'll write down my name and number for you."

I left, sort of embarrassed but more hopeful than actually embarrassed. It was worth a shot.

Next I drove to Aldi to do a week's worth of grocery shopping. I unloaded my entire cart onto the belt and told the girl working the register, "Three things. First, my last pineapple I got here was pretty awful. I don't need a new one, but can I just get that money returned?" "Absolutely. It will be a separate transaction. We'll take care of it at the end." "Great. Then my second question. Do you take checks?" "Nope. Just credit or cash." I panicked, "Oh my word. I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry. You have to stop scanning my food. We just cancelled my credit card because some guy in Florida ordered Boston Market with my card. I only have my check book." She was calm and kind, though not impressed with my Boston Market true story, "It's okay." I quickly problem solved, "Can I come right back and get my groceries? I could run home and grab my husband's card." She replied, "I'll just finish this transaction and put it on hold. You can come back later tonight and get your groceries. We'll hold your cart in the cooler." I was so impressed, "Wow. That's very helpful. Thank you so much." Then she asked, "And what was your third thing?"

I wanted to disappear as I said very ridiculously, "Oh. Well, we think we lost half of our minivan bumper here during the blizzard. Has anyone happened to turn it in?"

church parking lot snow piles

Our church was cancelled on Sunday because of the blizzard, but Monday we went to a special prayer time and my kids saw the huge snow piles the plow had left. They begged that we come back and play on them sometime, and on Wednesday I made it happen. Here was the blizzard on Saturday and Sunday. It was the real deal:
So since it is April and we have the snow, we decided to go and play in the snow. And it was so fun for them. They played hard for an hour and I drove in circles around the parking lot, trying to sooth Alden who was not into this activity as much as his older siblings. Hattie happily sat in the passenger seat as we drove round and round and round the small lot.

So we got one last hurrah out of winter snow. Seize the day, I say.

Elsie came downstairs this morning in a tank top and shorts and said cheerfully, "I'm just going to start wearing summer clothes now." I loved her attitude. She didn't have an ounce of annoyance or complaint in her. Just an announcement that she is moving on. Good call, Elsie, let's all move on now...

prodigal pottery

Oh this is so fun. I can't wait to introduce you to this ministry. Since Miracle became a Miracle, I have had a few back and forths with a blog reader (and now friend) in Alabama. Isn't that so fun? Unto itself, I have always loved the relationships and connections I have solely because of this blog. It's amazing to me.

Susie asked if she could send us something and on Saturday, during the blizzard, this arrived in the mail. A darling little lamb ornament in honor of Miracle. I love it so much. It will be hung on our wall as a darling reminder of all we have seen.

So the lamb alone is adorable. But the best part is that it is made by women who are fleeing domestic abuse or homelessness, finding their footing and living in safe homes across Alabama.  The ministry is called Prodigal Pottery and you really should go and bop around their site. It is beautiful and so inspiring.

The website says, "Prodigal Pottery's mission is to provide a safe and therapeutic work environment for women in need that develops healthy professional skills, interpersonal relationships and spiritual depth. We transform the lives of at-risk women by providing them with meaningful employment, while equipping our staff with the entrepreneurial skills needed to succeed."

The scripture just above their mission statement is, 'For this son of mine was dead and is alive again. He was lost and is found.' And they began to celebrate. 

I love that last part...they began to celebrate! Amen! I want to celebrate this good work being done in Alabama too!

So check out their etsy shop. I  love the leaf soap holders. What a perfect gift. And the oval platter. Their products are truly gorgeous and completely unique. (It also makes me want to start playing with clay again!) So check them out. And thank you so much Susie (and Jamie!) for such a thoughtful, heart-felt and surprise gift. It really means a lot to me.

Miracle is back in the house

Tuesday morning I went out to the barn to take pictures of Rory and Miracle and when we got out there it was obvious that Miracle was not well. He had been slowly showing signs of poor healthy over the previous 24 hours, and when we went out for morning chores he was barely able to stand on his legs.

Rory called the vet and immediately she suspected pneumonia. She said there are many cases of barn animal pneumonia this spring because the humidity and temperatures have fluctuated so greatly for such a long time. She recommended a special medicine that they only carried at their Owatonna office. So Rory brought Miracle back in the house for extra warmth and care and then made the drive to Owatonna.

We were very worried about Miracle and unsure if he was going to rally. But the little kids were so pleased to see their pal back in the house.

So Miracle is hanging out with the family once again. Which means he will not be lacking for entertainment. This week Ivar and Elsie have been building a kitty cat club house for the kittens out of boxes and tape. It is darling and hilarious and very, very entertaining.

Now Miracle has been in the house another whole day and has had two doses of antibiotic and b-complex. And he's looking better. I will tell you what, this is one very well-loved lamb. And he's got quite the life story to tell!

an update on Miracle

This may be a bit redundant for regular readers, but Shepherd of the Valley is going to do a follow up on Miracle for their Good News for Kids this Sunday...so I'm sharing an update here. Their text for the morning is The Good Shepherd. Here's my thoughts on our shepherd here at the Grovestead who loves his sheep.

Also, I wrote this out on Monday night. Since then a whole lot has happened and I will be back this afternoon with a big follow up. It has been quite the week with Miracle. 

We just began our fifth week of bottle feeding Miracle. The first week he lived in the house. The second week he moved back out with the sheep where we continued to bottle feed him every 3 hours. Thankfully that week there was a bright full moon to guide my walk out to the barn for his 2 am feeding. The third week we wisely dropped the 2am feeding. Something had to give. The fourth week we made our way out to the barn in a 48-hour blizzard, every three hours. And now we're moving into the fifth week, greatly reducing the bottle feedings as he transitions to hay.

We really love this little lamb and Rory is a really great shepherd. He knows his sheep and his sheep know him. When he walks into the barn with the bottles for Miracle, Miracle jumps up and runs right to the place where Rory feeds him. Miracle loves his shepherd, and his shepherd is trying to do what is best for Miracle: to help him integrate into his herd. This will be best for everyone once they are led out to pasture. We want Miracle to know that he is a sheep, afterall, and not a human. But he still has this memory of life with the family, trotting around our living room, having four kids love and adore him all day long.

We keep an eye on him all day long through the Lamb Cam. He is always being watched over, even when he feels very alone. He often looks very sad and lonesome.

But he has a twin sister who we named Big Sister because she is so much bigger. And she adores Miracle. She bounds around on all four legs, jumping around with joy, nuzzling Miracle and snuggling with him when it's time to sleep. She lays her head on his body. It is darling. She is a gift to him.

Just this week Rory noticed a change in the Mama Ewe's behavior. She was boxing Miracle out when the hay was given and pushing him around with her nose at other times. She was rejecting him. It is interesting that she did not do this from the start, but now she isn't being kind. So Rory, wanting to protect  Miracle and keep him safe, built him his own special pen with his own personal heat lamp. And that's where he is now.

It all makes me wonder about our own lives with the Good Shepherd. Do we all know or feel, on some level, that there is a heavenly home out there where we are fully seen, cherished, cared for in every way and loved in a way we crave every day? Do we remember that there is a Lamb Cam watching over all of us every day, aware of every hardship and trial, joy and success. (Except that behind that Lamb Cam is the one who created us. A Creator Cam). He sees every moment and wants what is best for us, withholding no good thing.

Rory is a very good shepherd. He knows his sheep well. It is sort of a funny thing, but all of our sheep are totally different to us in temperament and looks. To an outsider they would likely all look very similar, but to us they are each completely unique. I recently read The Shepherd's Life, a memoir of a shepherd in England who shepherds hundreds of sheep and knows them all, one from the other. Even after months of grazing and being up in the mountains. He knows them all!

Beginning the day of the blizzard, Miracle began acting very differently. By Tuesday morning he was hardly able to stand on his legs...

the best

I had just gotten Alden out of his crib and put him on Rory's lap. Ivar ran over to give Alden a good morning hug, and then Elsie wanted to greet him and then Hattie joined in. There's no better way to start a day.

I'm off today to a home school conference. I've talked about this one before and it's so good. It's mostly on motherhood and wifehood and homemaking and training all ages and stages. I am so excited. I always come home encouraged, inspired and reminded why what I am doing each day is so important.

Also, that man in the picture smiling back at me...I love him so much. I feel like we have been growing in love lately. That's always so wild when I can feel it. But I can. And we will continue to grow in love, deeper and deeper, year after year. What a wonder. Sometimes when we're busy around the farm flying from thing to thing, Rory will say to me, "I look forward to reflecting on all of this one day when we're old and in rockers on our front porch. Maybe we'll have time to process it all then."

farmer becca does the chores

I have a 4-year-old friend at church who calls me Farmer Becca. And you know, I'm starting to believe her. We just hit week number three of walking out to the barn every three hours to feed Miracle and I would have to say I feel like I can own that title. 

Getting out to the barn so often has made me really attached to our animals. And all animal chores have grown into something quite time consuming. We have a lot of animals this spring! I will often sort of lament having to go back out, but then something cool happens. It's warm and cozy in there and then you're greeted by big, friendly creatures who are so happy to see you again. They baa and maa and oink and snort and every time I remember that I really love it out in the barn.

Here's what we do each morning and evening for animal chores:

• Heat milk and bottle feed Miracle (six times a day)
• Give hay to Bubble Gum, December and Sugar Cookie in stall #1
• Give hay to Fluffy Cloud, Miracle and Big Sister in stall #2
• Give hay to Darcy the goat in stall #3
• Pour corn feed into pig trough
• Fill water bucket for the sheep of stall #1
• Fill water bucket for the sheep of stall #2
• Fill water bucket for Darcy in stall #3
• Fill the water bucket for the pigs in stall #4
• Walk back to the house and stop at the coop to fill the chicken feeder
• Get water in the house and bring it to the coop and refill their waterer
• Feed the cats in the garage
• Give water to the cats
• Feed the chicks in the bathroom
• Change the water for the chicks

It all takes about 25 minutes. And if anything needs special attention it takes longer.

It usually takes me longer because I like to tell the animals that I love them. I have a real love for our goat, Darcy, right now. I have often called her our farm dog because she is loyal and so sweet. I spend a lot of time petting her head and telling her she's great and I'm glad she's our goat. And I smile at her a lot. When I first walk into the barn and am feeding miracle, she will put her front hoofs up high on the side of the stall to make herself real tall and I'll smile at her. 

And no lie, often, she will look right at me, curl up her mouth and open her lips just slightly to show me her teeth. I SWEAR SHE IS SMILING AT ME. I really think she is. And it's hilarious and awesome and the irony of chore time is that it never ends up feeling like a chore. It takes time. It is hard to get out to do it. But just like exercise, I am always in a better mood when I'm done, glad I spent my last 25 minutes taking good care of all the friendly beasts on our farm. 

springtime is darling

Lambs, chicks, kittens and babies. Life is adorable right now. New life is so beautiful. And all of it is a sweet reminder of the new life we have in Christ Jesus every single day. Today I pulled out my Jesus Calling for the first time in years. And I want you to hear these good words:

April 11th
This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances. The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank Me for them. This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.

To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries. I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments. I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in my Presence today.  - Psalm 118:24, Philippians 3:13-14

tree tapping open house

The day before Easter we had a Tree Tapping Open House. Ironically, we had postponed this event hoping for warmer weather...but it was not in the cards. The day was freezing and windy. The punchline was when Rory had set the tap into the tree and then said, "well, it's too cold. the sap isn't running today."

But we had a great turnout and hopefully we can do another event on a more glorious day. But everyone got to meet Miracle and see the pigs. Rory had the evaporator running in the sugar shack so people could see his set up. We had the most interest from the dad's who were all very interested in all of Rory's evaporating systems from the past. I think small scale tree tapping is something everyone should at least try. Because that syrup at the end is just so, so satisfying.

We had hot chocolate and coffee for everyone and at one point I got out our Easter Eggs for kids to hide and find. Anything to keep everyone moving! Holding the three kittens was definitely a highlight for many kids. And we had a naming contest for the kittens. The winners (decided on by the kids!) are Chocolate Chip (the black one), Tiger and Ginger (the orange ones). Congrats to the winners!! Your prize is the satisfaction of knowing your name was chosen. ;)

(If you'd like to know when we host events like this, be sure you subscribe to our quarterly newsletter on the right column of The Grovestead Blog. That's the mailing list we use to send out invites to these sorts of gatherings.)

look who arrived this morning!

So now we're onto baby chicks! Rory sent me a text yesterday of a video of two cats on a large hamster wheel. When one got off, the other jumped on and the wheel never slowed down. When that one jumped out the other jumped back in. He texted below it, "you and me."

And strangely I found it totally touching and romantic. Because that is us right now. We are a complete team, totally dependent on the other.

Oh here's a story, speaking of being a team... The vet casually mentioned on that early Monday morning, "and then in a week, just take these stitches out." Sometimes things like that are said and you are left thinking, "who do you think I am?" It's a similar feeling to when they let you walk out of the hospital with your first baby. They seem to think you're going to figure it out. Same with barnyard animal stitches removal, apparently. So Rory and I went out to the barn a week later, feeling quite green. He had to hold the Ewe down so I was the one who had to remove the stitches. Or, more accurately, the shoelace that was zigzagged around her back side. I made a cut but nothing budged. I'll spare all the details, but I did have to get a pliers and in the end, we got that shoelace out. Rory let her back up and came right over to me with a huge smile, "I am so proud of my farm wife right now." And he gave me a big kiss.

Hilarious. What a moment! The two of us have been through so much in the last 2 1/2 weeks. That morning with the Ewe and the vet was bonding in a way we had not bonded yet. Like we went through a really traumatic incident together. And now we're looking ahead and have these 51 chicks hanging out in our bathroom until who knows when, a goat who will deliver any day now, a lamb who still needs to be bottle fed every 3 hours (3 hours fly by so fast!), and gallons of sap waiting to be evaporated into syrup. And we're heading to a tractor auction on Saturday, looking for a mower and a rake in time for the first cutting.

I should say that the night of the big snow fall, I dropped the middle of the night feeding. Pa Ingalls once taught me that you shouldn't go out in a windy snow storm, lest you lose your way. And as of that night we have dropped the middle of the night feeding. And we feel fine about it. Plus, my big moon disappeared, making those late night hikes fall more into the spooky category, than adventurous. Miracle is still thriving, we feed him every 3 hours now instead of 4, and everyone is happier because Mom is getting better sleep...

gary

Lisa makes the most darling cookies ever. Look at those sheep! 

To be honest our Easter Sunday morning started out a bit rocky. The kids found and opened their Easter baskets while I was up in the bathroom getting ready. And this made for a frustrated bunny, mad at her honey. 

I didn't have time to iron the dress I had picked out for Hattie so she wore a plan b outfit. And we had to fly off to church early because I was reading in the service.

One of the other readers was my friend Gary. I think Gary is 80 years old. I'm not totally sure his age, but he reminds me so much of my grandpa Phil. And I just love this guy. You would too. He is a man who says, "Good morning, how are you?" as you are passing in the hall and then he stops his feet, and listens to your answer and always has something kind and encouraging to say before he moves on. 

The first time I met him was in church during the greeting time. He asked what I did and I said, "oh, I'm just home with the kids." And he took my arm and looked me in the eyes and said, "don't you ever say "just" when you say that. There is no more important job on the planet than what a mother does day after day for her kids. And our world needs good kids being raised by good mothers..." 

I had tears rolling down both cheeks by the time he was done speaking into my life.

So on Sunday he was the reader right before me. And during the rehearsal he got to the part when the Romans put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head, and Gary started to get choked up. He had a hard time finishing his reading and kept wiping his nose and his eyes, over and over. And then during the service itself, he cried again. It was at the same part where the Romans are mocking Jesus, beating him, flogging him. Both times it felt like Gary was reading the account of someone he knows intimately well and of the terrible things done to his innocent friend. Watching him struggle through these familiar scripture wiped the cliches away and brought the enormity of the story back into my heart. 

It was the best part of my Easter. Gary raised the bar again. He loves Jesus so sincerely and with such powerful belief that I prayed to God, 'help me to love you like Gary loves you.' 

And that's a sweet part of the faith. There is always more to grow. We will never fully arrive. Until my dying breath I will be learning and feeling new things. And my goal is to spend my life pouring into this relationship so that I might know the depth and breadth of God's love, like Gary does.  

easter sunday in pictures

Look at these darling mason jars Mimi made for each grandkid. Isn't that so adorable! 

Alden and Hattie didn't actually wear these outfits on Easter Sunday. This was just the trial run day...

and of course everyone got to hold Miracle. :)

he is always near

I went to bed last night at 8:30 and was asleep by 8:31. I set my alarm for 12:30 so I could wake up, put my barn coat on top of my bathrobe, and head out the barn to feed a hungry lamb.

If you're ever looking to add a little something to your life, set your alarm for the middle of the night and go walk around the block. It's quite something. I have to seriously psych myself up because it's cold and quiet and for a girl with an overactive imagination, this could be bad.

But it's not. Truly. Because every single time I have walked out to the barn God has given me a special gift. Every time. And I know he's near. The first gift I felt grateful for was the huge moon we have had this week so that the whole farm is covered in moon shadows. That moon has served as one giant spotlight, lighting up my path, illuminating everything around me.

One night my gift from him was a big owl in our oak tree calling out. The owl who-who-whoooed, and then I who-whoooed back to him. Back and forth we talked and talked. I was certain he was asking me what I was doing up so late. And I was telling him that I'm sort of amazing. He agreed. Another night it was a low sky with stars that hung so bright and huge that I was reminded 'who is man that you are mindful of him?'

One night it was coyotes howling in the distance. I know that sounds unnerving but the cries made for a very pretty song. And I figured at least I knew were far away by their distant barks.

Tonight my special gift was eight deer lit up by the moon, right in the middle of our field. They were amazingly close, looking at me and standing perfectly still. I starred at them in the silence for a long time and they looked back at me...that one lady who comes out for late night walks in her bathrobe, winter boots, pajama pants, barn coat, husband's work gloves, hat with the over-sized pompom and two baby bottles in her hands.

***

When I consider your heavens, 
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of your hands
you put everything under his feet:
all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim in the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord, 
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
-Psalm 8

happy easter!

Here are three favorites for you as we celebrate Resurrection Sunday. I hope you have the happiest Easter. Jesus is alive. The story is true. He is risen indeed!

Miracle moves back to the barn

Huge news in the world of Miracle. On Monday afternoon the vet told us he should be reunited with his mother with hopes that he might nurse from her. We all felt sad at this idea as the imprinting seemed to have happened both ways, but we also knew it was the best for the little lamb. Plus, changing a lamb's poopie diaper isn't actually as charming as it sounds. There's a lot of wool. And a tail. An honest part of me was relieved that Miracle might go back to the barn where no one needs their diaper changed. Three in diapers in the house was a little much.

So we brought Miracle out to his Mama, Fluffy Cloud. A few things before you watch this video. 1) Fluffy Cloud looks very ratty because while she is eating her hay each day, her next door neighbor, goat Darcy, will reach over the wall of their stalls and eat her wool off. It looks worse than it is. Basically, if we could get Darcy to do an even job on Fluffy Cloud, we wouldn't have to sheer her in a month or two. And that would be awesome. 2) The other baby goat that appears at the very end is Miracle's twin sister. And she's huge! Like double the size of Miracle. I have so much to tell about her, but until then, just know that we have named her Big Sister. 3) This is basically two full minutes of lambs sniffing each other. So I won't be offended if you skip through it.
All of this happened on Tuesday morning. And now it is Thursday night. Rory summed it up best when he said, "well Fluffy Cloud fully accepted her baby back. But her baby won't accept his new living arrangement." And it's true. He is so sorry for himself. We can watch him on our LambCam from the house (a webcam Rory set up so we can always see our animals. It's seriously the best thing ever.) and for a whole day he lay with his head pointed to the corner, the corner where we walk out of the barn. He was flat out depressed and clearly enjoyed his life of diapers.

Also, he wouldn't nurse off of his mama. Still won't. So every 3-4 hours we walk out to the barn and bottle feed him. But we're trying to get him less attached. It sounds so harsh, but the truth is, he is a lamb. And his best life would be with other sheep, walking happily out to the pasture. The worst thing would have been if he had been unaccepted by the other sheep. That would be unsafe for him and then really bad news as he gets older. So his best life is out in the barn. It's just hard to tell him that.

But Big Sister. Oh man. I will leave you on this high note because it warms my heart so much. While watching the LambCam I have seen SO MANY happy moments when Big Sister is trying to make friends with Miracle. I sit at the computer and give words to what everyone is saying and here's what I imagine:

Big Sister: Hey! Where have you been! I missed you! I was born and then you were born and then you were just gone! And now you're back! You should try jumping on your feel like I am. It's so fun!

Miracle: Go away.

Big Sister: Our Mom is awesome! She's so nice! She feeds me whenever I want to eat! And she snuggles with me at night. You're going to love her!

Miracle: I miss my family in the house.

Big Sister: You mean the farmer? Oh he comes out here all the time! You'll see him plenty. He's always near. He gives us HAY! Have you ever had hay before?!! We go bananas for it! Really, you should stand up and jump. Here, I'll nuzzle you and try to get you to stand.

Miracle: I don't like it out here. I want to go back where I was. I was so comfortable.

Big Sister: Well, if the farmer brought you out here, then this must be the best place for you. He'll never leave you, but he probably just wants you to be what you were created to be. A jumping, frolicking, happy sheep! Oh it's gonna be so great! Mom said that in a couple weeks the farmer will open up those big doors and he'll lead us out to a pasture. A green pasture! And we'll just eat all day. Maybe just lay in the shade. And for sure we'll frolick. Oh come on, stand up and jump with me! I'll nuzzle you again.

Miracle: No. I just want to be sad. I'm just sad and alone and confused and...so sad.

Big Sister: Well you're not alone. And it's fine that you're sad but I don't think you will be for long. The good news is that you are a lamb and you are now back where lambs belong. So I will just lay down here beside you and stretch my neck out reeeaaaal far and lay it on your body. Because you're not alone. And the farmer is here all the time. You'll see. He'll bring us all food in the morning and at dinner time. And often he just comes in to work on things. You still have him. And you have me. And Mom and Bubble Gum and Sugar Cookie and December. And we clearly have a very special life ahead of us full of blue skies and new grass and warm sunshine so lets just...go...to...sleep...

Imprinting

Miracle is fully one of us. He now can jump this little play pen with ease and follows us wherever we go. If I go to the fridge, he clip clops behind me. If I go to the bathroom, he'll keep me company. Same goes for Rory and Ivar. But he knows the ones who feed him, and is most attached to Rory and me.

We took this little video to show how connected he is to us. He does not want to be any distance away from where we are.
good shepherd from Becca Groves on Vimeo.

And Rory is happy to oblige. Miracle is not lacking love and he's got six housemates who adore him.

to brighten up your monday

Another favorite, right here. Reading a book about the 23rd Psalm, no less. This post is for my niece Mara who told me on the phone, "and don't you worry about over-blogging. I want to see pictures!"

...and honestly, what else would I write about? This is the greatest and we're all in love with Miracle.

Susie, I just got your comment and was so grateful for your kind words and also wanted to answer your question of what our long range plan is for Miracle. The honest answer is that we have no idea. We are in actual one-day-at-a-time decision making. Rory would like to get him back to the barn in a separate pen with a heat lamp, just so he knows that he's a lamb. But neither of us are super eager to walk to the barn at 10pm, 2am and 6am to bottle feed him. We will go the vet this week and she will hopefully be able to tell us what is possible. So we will see, day by day, we will see!

his name is miracle.

This picture kills me. His little hoof! There's nothing left to say! Except that I have the best news to share. We have a full blown walker. A jumper. A sideways hopper. Last Monday night my sister was putting her three very sad girls to bed, and they were devastated that Little Love was going to be put down. Annika texted me and said, "Svea says if the lamb can ever walk it's name should be Miracle." And then on Tuesday morning Ivar said the same thing. And at that moment it definitely felt that way. There was just no chance. It would be a miracle if his legs could ever bear weight.

In a super cool twist, our sermon that Sunday had been on different spiritual gifts and one of our pastors shared that in order to see a miracle, you have to be in a position where you need a miracle. And most of us don't actually ever want to be in that position. It's a dire place to be.

Rory and I talked about that line of the sermon at 5 am on Monday morning, watching the Mama Ewe fight for her life. We were in the position of needing a miracle and it was terrifying. And then with Little Love. We needed a miracle, and it didn't feel very likely.

But here he is. With a crooked neck and a front left leg that bows way out, our Little Love now walks all around. Especially once we figured out we could wrap a second diaper around his mid section. This leaves him fully diapered so he now walks around our living room. He follows Rory and is very sad to be left alone. He's become a pet, definitely. We love him so much.

And now his name is Miracle. It's doesn't quiet roll of the tongue but I like that every time we call for him we will remember what we have seen. And when we call to him he will joyfully remind us of his troubled legs, now sufficiently working, as he bounds sideways, sometimes backwards, once in a while forward, so excited to get to us and nuzzle his head into us for some love and affection.