Brittany and the girls, busy schedule, class tomorrow

Mama met Brittany and the girls in Oklahoma City Monday afternoon. From there they drove back to the farm, arriving about 6 pm. Brittany drove her vehicle and Mama followed so that she was able to help with potty breaks and meals in transit. This morning, Brittany will head back with Audrey. Zoe and Sophia will stay here with us until Friday afternoon when Mama and Victoria will reconnect with Brittany. Friday, as was Monday, will be a long day for Mama. The trip is about three hours each way. Some of it through heavy construction on the interstate. This visit was a welcome and unexpected visit and may well be one of the last times we will see the girls before Brittany and Andrew relocate further north. So far, I have not been welcomed by Audrey, but Mama and Victoria are able to hold and snuggle with her. Zoe and Sophia are very including of all of us. It is fun to have them close for a few days even though I will have limited time with the girls due to my teaching and working schedule.

We did not have much time with the girls Monday night, but Mama and Victoria made up for that Tuesday. I was teaching yesterday, so I only got to interact with the girls in the evening. Mama and I went out to feed with Zoe and Sophia in tow. That was a spectacle to behold. Mama broke up bread for the girls to feed to the chickens. Fortunately, the chickens are not at all particular who has the bread. They will follow the source until all the bread is spent. The girls made much of the cluster of chickens around them as they dispersed the bread. When it came to feeding the pig, they were very intimated and steadfastly refused to pet Rosalita. Not at all surprising. She is a beautiful 350# hog that stands eye-to-eye with the girls and not the type of animal that inspires warm cuddle feelings. At the goats, they got involved once again. Mama and I keep animal crackers on hand to feed the goats. Zoe loved the feel of the goats pulling the cookie out of her hand with their lips. Sophia was not so brave, but she did not mind being in with the goats.

After the feeding was done, we packed everyone up and went to Moua’s for dinner. The girls – all three of them – ate very well. Our original intent was to go to Casa Torres, but there was a twenty-five-minute wait (at best) and that is not a workable situation with three young ones. Moua’s was a great alternative. As we wound down in the late evening and were gearing up for bed, Sophia had a brief meltdown which had to be dealt with, but it was over shortly. Our only concern in the hysteria was that her very loud protest would wake Audrey who had been put to bed only a little while before the protest began. It all ended well. Fortunately, all the girls sleep well. Audrey was in our room for the past two night while the twins slept on the bed in the spare bedroom. Brittany slept on the couch. That sleeping arrangement made it a bit of a challenge for me to get ready to teach a class on Tuesday, but Brittany is a very sound sleeper, so I was able to get all my things and get out of the house(at 6:30) without disturbing either Audrey or Brittany.

First thing this morning, as I was sitting at the dining room table working on my computer, I looked out the window and saw Julian – one of our Billy goats – wandering in the front yard. I alerted Mama and we both went out to herd Julian and Midas back into the enclosure. They were enjoying their freedom and were in no hurry to go back to their area.  I had left the gate unlatched when I fed last night because I left the enclosure from a different gate. The hard winds in the storms last night blew the gate open enough for the two goats out. My bad! I hurried to close the gates on the driveway, so we did not have to chase them down the road. Having done that, we guided them back slowly, circuitously to the enclosure. They both seemed to enjoy their brief visit with the girl goats. Once they were inside their paddock, I fed them and moved on the feed the other goats.

Brittany left with Audrey, headed back home fairly early this morning. Mama left with the girls as soon as Grandma and Grandpa arrived at the farm for Mama to guide them to a doctor’s appointment in Decatur. Grandma had an appointment with an orthopedist to get a shot in her knee. I am not sure which knee, but she was not looking froward to getting the shot no matter how much Mama reassured her that it would help with the pain – at least for a time. I encouraged Mama to get a shot in her left knee as well if we could afford it, but I am not sure she will do so. If she does, she should also get some relief from the constant pain she is in.

Tonight is church. Mama will get to show off the girls. She is looking forward to that. Tomorrow I will be teaching an 8-hour class.

Busy Grammy and Papi.