Birthday spa

Hippo Birdie Two Ewe - that was the song my family sang to me as they brought me breakfast in bed. I was given coffee with heavy cream (whipped cream, actually) apple turnovers, eggs over medium, roses in a vase (silk roses in an old wine bottle, but I loved the creativity :)), cards and cards and cards. Then, everyone grabbed their plates, and we all piled on the bed and enjoyed our meal together. That was a wonderful way to start the day. 14 years ago when I started this tradition with my children, I had no idea it would come back to bless me as it does every year. I can remember when they were younger and couldn't cook, yet, they would always make sure Daddy bought Captain Crunch cereal and bring me a bowl of that for breakfast (I confess I do like that sugar filled cereal ). I am still wearing the smile I've had since this morning. Children are truly a blessing from The Lord!!

Now to the spa, we have had 3 calves enjoying our luxurious set up here at the J-C Bath and Day Spa. So far, all are doing well and back with Momma. I am posting some pictures so that everyone can see that we really have had calves in our tub and sleeping in front of our fire. The calf last night was so precious. The children had all gone to bed, and John and I were reading in the living room. The calf stood up precariously and then started bawling for his momma. Since no one came to him, he started walking toward John and me. We loved on him but had no nourishment (we try to make them wait until they go back to momma so they are good and hungry). He then proceeded to bump into the furniture all over the living room and dining room until he finally came back and plopped on his blankets. John and I just laughed and laughed. What a sight! When you're in the area, do come by for your own special treatment!!

Feeling like Job

It's very easy to praise God when things are going well, but we are beginning to experience just a taste of what Job must have felt (nothing more than a taste, maybe only an aroma....). We have had an abundance of snow that has made it difficult to get to the cows. We have run out of hay reserves and can't find any at decent prices. We have had 1/3 of our calves die (that's bad when a normal year is only about 5%). Plus, the dishwasher is giving us fits along with our water softener (and we really, really like our water softener). Now, while we are already feeling down , we find ourselves dealing with a transmission on the 4x4, feed pickup that has chosen this moment in time to begin gagging and taking it's last breath. We don't know how much longer it will work for us, but we are really starting to worry. As John sat the other night wondering what we were going to do as we won't have money from bull sales until late March, early April, I couldn't help but wonder what went through Job's mind.

He endured more than we've even begun to fathom, and yet, he continued to praise God. How often do I praise Him when things are going well - lots of rain, lots of grass, an air conditioner that works, vehicles that work, school going smoothly... etc..... How often do I praise God when I burn the bread, have a stuffy nose and just can't seem to get things done? Not often. Now, here I am finding myself anxious about so many things that I just can't control (that's a whole other issue), and am I easily praising God? I must confess, no. I immediately cry out to God, which I know He does want us to do, but I'm crying like a big baby because things aren't a bed of roses right now. Why is it so difficult to cry out to God with a voice that praises Him for all the things I do have? For all the health we are blessed with? With a family that is willing to work hard together? With friends that are willing to offer their hands wherever needed? With a Savior that was willing to lay His life down for mine? How did Job do it?

Did God show Job He loved him more than He shows me? Definitely not. Was Job less materialistic than I am? Maybe. Was Job's a closer walk than mine has been lately? Probably. Or maybe Job just chose to praise God no matter what. Job's walk was probably much closer than mine has been lately, and because of that close relationship he felt with God, Job knew he could trust God to only allow what was best - even if Job couldn't understand how all of those events could be best. Job knew God's character so well, that he knew God would not desire to harm him or hurt him in any way - it goes against God's character. Often, I've lived through difficulties and wondered how it could be best - such as with Caleb. We can look back now and see that it was best that Caleb was not only conceived when he was but born when he was. At the time, though, we simply had to trust. We are now facing another one of those times. We don't know what the best is going to be out of all of this, but we can trust that God's character has not changed. He is still a loving, righteous, just, giving, caring, compassionate God that desires nothing for us but what is best. Maybe what Job did was to make a conscious CHOICE to praise God no matter what - not because he felt like it, but because he knew that was the best he could give to God. That's what we will try to do, too.

Now, Here Comes the Sun!!

For the first time in I don't know how long, I woke to the sun shining brightly. There were no clouds in the sky at all!!! We are praising God and are beginning to feel the warmth pouring down on us to melt this snow. Yesterday, we woke to a dead calf right outside the kitchen window. Poor thing was born in the night with the chilling winds. Next to that calf was another calf just born that morning and struggling to get up and move around - which I had a hard time myself with the fire for warmth. My children watched that other calf all day to make sure he stuck with momma and was moving and nursing. As much as I hated losing the other calf, I shared with John last night that the good from that loss was the desire it placed in our children to watch even more carefully on the other calves out there. Numerous times they would go search for the calf and felt satisfied when they saw it nursing or snuggling with mom. The desire to care for those less fortunate in any way is something you can't be taught from a book but have to learn through experience in one way or another. I hope yesterday planted one more seed for them.

Also, we are still baffled by the deaths of a couple of these calves and have come to the conclusion that the crows may have killed them. Apparently, after talking to some of the other "older" ranchers around here, the crows have been known to go right down and attack a calf and kill it. After a calf is doing well, often the mom will go looking for a little nutrition, and that's when they come in. So, now we're not only on calf patrol, we're on crow patrol. I always found those birds to be a little creepy (maybe it's a Poe thing, who knows), but now I may be finding a valid reason to dislike them. We'll keep you posted..........

Here it comes.....oh, please let them be wrong

Here is my contribution for the day. Below is a little verse I've quickly written while looking out my window this morning. Sometimes these things just come to me in a weird sort of way. This one is sung to the tune those wonderful BeeGees sang, Here Comes the Sun.

Here comes the snow, Little Darlin’.
Here comes the snow, and I say, it’s all wet ( da da da da da da)

Little Darlin’, it’s been so long since we’ve seen grass.
Little Darlin’, I never thought the white could last, but
Here comes the snow……….
Here comes the snow, and I say, it’s all wet……

We are praying that we only get 1-2 inches this time as we still have not seen the ground (except the mud on the road) since December 28th. That's right-3 WEEKS!!! YIKES! It's not that we mind the snow, but it sure does get expensive when you have to feed 3-4 tons of hay a day. We are almost out of our entire winter stock of hay because feeding 21 days is more than we normally would. John tried finding some more around here, and there is none. What he did find was running 133% increase over what we paid a few months ago. We do have lots of cubes, and they love eating those (high in protein, sweet tasting little cigar shaped food supplements), however, too much is a little hard on their systems without the roughage of grass or hay. So, we continue to pray for the snow to melt and more hay to be found at a more reasonable price. It has just been funny to be in this situation after all the rain we had this last year. We ended up with so much left over grass on the ranch we were actually looking forward to winter for once because there was plenty for them to eat - go figure.

However, on a brighter note, we have about 8 calves on the ground so far, and today is actually the due date for calving to begin. God is so caring and good. He knew that we really needed to see those sweet babies out there to remind us that things do not come to stay - His Word always says, "And it came to pass". Life does not stand still even when we are in a panic, and He once again brings forth new life. So far, Rebecca's herd has increased by a little bull calf. She plans on raising out her calf and selling it next year as a yearling (they learn the value of that dollar early and good business practices as well). Sarah's herd has increased as well with a little heifer. She is happy about that because it means more potential calves in the future. Joshua is still waiting......

I am also grateful for a huge wood pile, lots of meat in the freezer (guess what kind???), food in the pantry, games on the shelf, and lots of great company to fill up the next few snowy hours. What more can we really ask for. Even when we can look one way and possibly become anxious and overwhelmed, we can always turn back to Him and be reminded that He is in control. It's almost as if He says, "These are my cows, and I'll take care of them. In the meantime, go enjoy your family, eat some good food, play some games, read some books, sew some quilts, and trust in Me." Ahhhh, now how easy is that...

Let it snow!!!!!

I hope all of you had a Blessed Christmas as you focused on the gift of Our Savior. I also pray for God's abundant blessings on all of you in 2007.

We ended and began the years with lots and lots of snow. More snow than I remember seeing in a long while. Here are some photos the children took. We ended up with 22" at the house and up to 4 or 5 feet in certain parts of the ranch. The cows would like to have been given B & B treatment, but we were not willing. :) Wonder why! John was able to get to the cows and feed hay as well as cubes, and he eventually got them all moved closer to the house in a smaller pasture. We were thankfully not calving, but we will begin in another week and a half. So, I am preparing the bathtub for cold calves if this weather continues throughout the next few months. If we do have a calf in the tub this year, I promise to post the pictures. Ahhhh, the life of a rancher's wife. If only I'd known..........I'd still have married that wonderful, handsome fella!!!