We have Triplets...

  My doe Bella has been really putting the worry lines on my face lately. I knew the babies were due no later then March 15-18th. Well as that date came and went and Bella would pace,paw and pant I was concerned we would have one large baby. As this is Bella's first freshening this scared me.
  I had a vet out on the 20th, because Bella had been panting for hours then would paw and pace. Now most of my does have been pretty verbal about the birthing process. I did have a feeling she would not!The vet felt she would need a c-section. Now this came from only one physical palpation of her! I did not agree. I felt nature would take its course. So...
  I have a baby monitor in my barn, this allows me to know what my does are doing. Every time I would go and check her, she would be silent but still laying down in a birthing position panting. My concern was growing. But I knew she could do this. I was also certain as was my second opinion vet that she was having multiples and this was just her bodies way of getting these kids un tangled and ready in the birth canal.
  As I was arriving home from work on the 22nd in the late afternoon., I seen my husband and oldest
[she is pregnant too] heading for the barn. I knew they were checking on Bella as my Daughter doesn't get home much. So I honked and waved and pulled in by the garage.+
   As I was carrying in all my stuff through the garage and into the house my phone is ringing. I looked at it to see it was my daughter. I answered ready to give her a little funning about calling me as she was right out in the barn! Well it was my husband on my daughters phone yelling we had kids on the ground. Now mind you my Hubby is my fence, maintenance and supportive guy. But he has never been present for a kidding. It has always been me and my girls. And as my Kids get older and are now moving out, getting families and lives of their own, I knew it was time for him to step up and learn this. But that will have to be later.
  So here I am in my dress shirt, running through my house, I threw my stuff on the couch, grabbed a barn shirt out of my laundry basket I had just washed and dried the day before. I was still pulling this shirt down and wearing my black dress pants as I exited the back of the house. Not finding my barn shoes by the door I just ran out barefoot. I got to the barn just as the third kid hit the ground. The first kid, a doe was cleaned and dry, the second kid a buckling was in my daughters hands and she held him upside down clearing air ways, so I grabbed kid number three a cute little buckling. Now he was smaller and weaker but alive and trying to breath. I hung him upside down and rubbed his ribs as he struggled. He finally did come around and after a little dose of Bo-se he is doing great.
Here is a picture of the family just hours after birth.

Well, help my in welcoming my new kids! 

Flat Stanley

I received the most wonderful gift last week. Now I had never heard of this before. Maybe it is because my kids are older, well grown even. It all started when my friend text-ed me and asked if I would be ok is her sent her "son" for a week. At first I was shocked. See I have a lot of really close friends, friends I have only meet once. We have been chatting on the internet for years! But did I know her well enough to take care of her son. I would never have refused. I love all my friends and would be there for them always. I was just not sure about the timing. We are busy here. This is kidding season. I want to learn to make goat soap and of course since I am raising Nigerians I have some I have not breed yet and am breeding my does this year so I can be in milk all year.
 So I soon learned that Flat Stanley was a paper boy. A boy traveling to teach kids all about other areas, other cultures and other ways of living.
I received my young flat friend last weekend. Since then I have been taking pictures of Flat Stanley in my barns and in my house. I also was chatting about his arrival on a private Facebook page, with several of my long distant friends. Now all of them are jumping at Flat Stanley's arrival! We are all going to write a bit about our area and our lives, each of us sending the information straight to the class but forwarding Flat Stanley on to the next family! How exciting is this, Flat Stanley is going to visit all of us, maybe even link us all together!

Here are some photos of Flat Stanley's visit.

Life is ever changing...

When we first starting having kids, we had decided that I would be the one to stay at home and be the major care giver. I was happy at this job. And when it later turned to full time school teacher, I was excited! I loved being with my kids. As the kids began to grow we decided I would find a career after the kids were done with school and began leaving home. That time came up on us pretty quickly!

 I went to some classes and got my Real Estate License. I love Real Estate, and seem to understand it easily. Well after 2 years of trying to hold on to the high cost of such a dream; I sadly left the Real Estate world.

I love my little farm so much more! I also love my home, my family and caring for them both. I would rather hold onto my little farm and work side jobs that pay little. So as we speak I am looking for a "real" job and expanding my market for my milk, eggs and produce.
Maybe God meant for me to be a Farmgirl and wife!

Well good day to you all and God Bless you!

Winter NOW...

Our weather here in North East Indiana has been mild, until now! It has been a true blessing to have such a mild winter. No frozen waters, no drifts against the barn no ice or slippery pastures. Mother nature was not going to remain quiet much longer. And that is ok. I was beginning to notice that our trees and bushes were confused. We had buds on our trees and lilac bushes. I was concerned an even still am, Is this going to make it hard for them to get buds again? I know mother nature knows what she is doing and God is in control, but I still wonder what this years weather is going to hold. 

Well I will continue to pray for our weather,nature and nation.