Hoarse goats, Brittany and Andrew, sunrise, animal shuffle

The boy goats we separated from Millie Tuesday evening have now almost lost their voice. They have cried loudly and nearly continually since that hour. It is pitiful to hear. (Fortunately, we can only hear it when we are outside.) They start their bleating with a clear tone and it quickly fades to a hoarse whimper. Mama was so worried about it that she called Rick to see if we were really doing the right thing. He said he separated a set of twins one time and they cried after their mama for over two weeks. By the time they gave up the protest they could barely squeak out a sound. That did not make Mama feel better. Rick also said that if the boys are not eating or drinking properly within a day or two we can put them back with Millie – who looks like her udder is about to explode since we took them off of her. That made Mama feel a bit better. We will know by tonight or tomorrow what we will need to do – regardless of the strength of their voices. At some point, we are going to have to get used to dealing with this separation anxiety. I guess, for me and Mama, it is okay as long as we can still smile at the whimpering little ones.

Brittany and Andrew stopped over last night. They are headed to Dallas this morning to get the car that was shipped back to them from England. We visited for a couple hours after church before I had to call it a night. It sounds like they are going to enjoy their time in Wichita. It is a good area for them geographically. They have a great house. They have good neighbors. Plenty of shopping. Now, if they can find a good church, they will be set for the next five years. They almost have the pool ready for a visit that Chase and Makaila are planning to make to do some work for them on the house they bought.

At least, Makaila is planning to work as she does some painting for them. Chase is planning on floating in the pool for the entire visit. Mama and Victoria are going up next weekend to visit and hopefully, help unpack. I am not planning on going this trip because I want to save my vacation time for the birth. Speaking of which, Brittany is definitely “great with child”. Her girth more than doubles around her belly and she has six to eight more weeks to go. At least, we hope so as we continue to pray for that much time so the now almost three pound babies can gain the time to develop in utero. That will allow for a less complicated continuation to life outside the womb. Brittany will be waddling very soon as she struggles to balance the load the twins are producing. I expect within a week or two Andrew will have to help her out of certain chairs.

I had to stop on the way into work this morning to take a picture of the sunrise. It was one of those mornings when you can watch the orange-looking sun come up over the horizon. When it is not yet direct enough light to burn the eyes. I remember that we are the ones moving and not the sun but as you watch the sunrise actually happen it is not difficult to imagine that the sun is the moving object; lazily circling us on its slow trek across the sky. After all, is do not feel like I am in motion as I watch it happen. We certainly have a big God to have put all this in motion and then watch over it and us individually each and every day. What wisdom! What patience!

Tonight, we catch a couple chickens and the rooster to give to Ling so he can make soup. He is going to give Mama a couple young does that we will breed to Jack. I am still working on hutches and cages for the new arrivals but I still have time to set up a proper warren for our colony of rabbits. Which also means I have time to figure out the best way to dispatch them when that time comes. If we find out that Mama and Victoria will not eat them we will have to rethink this project.

Until then I will stay busy on the project.