So - I've been away from blogging for awhile - but I'm getting back at it!
If you want to know more about that story - you can find it here:
Basically life and my bad attitude was getting in my way...
Here I am with a fun story I hope my children will share
with my grandchildren
who will share it with my great grandchildren
and so on...
Let me start by saying I wasn't always a dairy farmer. Several decades ago I was a Coach sunglass wearing business woman who traveled exotic destinations staying at expensive hotels - dining at elite restaurants and attempting to do it all. At that time, I was determined to have it all as a single mother. I wanted to prove I could climb the corporate ladder, raise children, own a home, have the perfect body, the right clothes, etc...
Then I got fired.
I had to start living the life I thought I had been living. Read that again. I thought I had my priorities straight. I thought my faith came first and then my family and then my career. What had actually happened was my career and the fancy clothes, balance in the bank, and the lifestyle and become so important to me that when I lost it, I considered taking my life. At that time, I owned a beautiful home, had healthy happy children, a supportive family, and everything most people want - but I couldn't see all those blessings because I had lost a JOB.
What a blessing it was that I had been fired! I can say that now! I spend every day being thankful for the things money can't buy. I'm still wearing the Coach sunglasses because somehow they haven't become lost ... but believe me when I say, there's no way this cow milking mama can afford to replace them. In fact, I just dug around in my purse to see if I had enough change to get gas station coffee.
What's that got to do with a goat you ask?
Well... the girl I just told you about would NEVER in a million years have a goat in her kitchen. Not temporarily, not momentarily, not EVER!
Check this out!
Yup - this is ME...
Here's what's happening in this pic:
I am sitting on my bathroom floor at 11pm
WITH a goat.
This 3 week old baby goat nearly died.
After a visit from the vet and some medicine,
it was my job to warm up the goat enough so she'd eat.
This is my pink hairdryer and my neighbors goat...
Who would have thought?
Long story short, the neighbors were gone on vacation and their teenage daughter needed help. Instead of heading to bed, I threw on my barn boots (and my hubby's sweatshirt - don't tell him) and headed to the neighbors barn where I found a lethargic baby goat. I snuggled her into my sweatshirt and called the Vet. He gave the baby (who we named Sweetie) some antibiotics and some sugar water to help her. She had gotten so cold she couldn't eat and because she wasn't eating, her blood sugar had dropped. She had been getting sicker and sicker. She was one of three babies and the stronger siblings were pushing her away from mama - so she was tiny and not doing well at all.
Anyway - the Vet recommended at least 24 hours of a warm environment and bottle feeding and then she could potentially go back to her mom. The neighbors and I decided it might be best if I brought her home and kept her until they returned from vacation. I know nothing about goats by the way - but a baby is a baby, right?
I warmed her with my hair dryer, cuddled her on my chest while sitting on the couch, fed her with a bottle, etc... but once she was feeling better, she was a totally different animal (figuratively speaking). The laundry basket I thought she'd stay in became an obstacle to jump and climb and I found her attempting to eat my towels, garbage bags, hair, electric cords, etc...
Did I mention it was 1am when all this was happening?
We still had ONE baby gate I had forgotten about - it sure came in handy as I finally found a safe space for Sweetie. IN MY KITCHEN! Here I am, a neat freak ... and now there's a goat in my kitchen, but it seemed logical as the hand towels could be moved, the cupboards could be closed, and the floor is linoleum and could be cleaned easily. (yes, goats can wear diapers, but at 1am there wasn't a way to get disposable diapers)
With Sweetie settled in the kitchen, I thought I could head up to bed.
Did you know goats (especially baby goats) really need other goats to be happy? We learned that quite quickly - we also learned that unhappy baby goats can make a lot of noise. Now it's 2am and my children and my husband are all awake and aware there is a goat in the kitchen (except my 13 year old son who is upstairs sleeping like a baby - this is just a superpower teenage boys have I guess)!
The awoken children took turns petting Sweetie and helped me feed her and I chased them back to bed promising the goat would be in the kitchen in the morning! How exciting, right?
I tried putting the goat to sleep but just like an infant, every time I'd tiptoe out of the room, her eyes would open and the crying would begin.
Guess who slept on the kitchen floor with the goat?
Yup...
When my farmer woke up at 5am and came in search of his coffee, he found his wife spooning with a goat in front of the dishwasher.
One of us slept like a baby and the other one slept for about ten minutes!
The next night, my 13 year old son graciously slept on the floor (it was a Friday night - so no school) after saying "mom, you're just too old to sleep in the floor". He really wasn't wrong and I appreciate his kindness.
So - that's the story.
Sweetie has since been returned to her family and we hope to visit her often - and we also hope she remembers her time on our kitchen floor very fondly.
I am not rushing out to get a goat or have another baby, but hopefully someday my family will say "she was always up for an adventure" and they'll laugh about the night they awoke to a crying baby goat int he kitchen!
That's all for now folks!
May your days be filled with love and laughter!
Hugs,
~Crystal
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