A Season of Babies

{This post is only 3+ months after the fact, but hey, who's counting right? Heck, I was amazed to see this blog still in existence! Love the concept of it, totally unlove that there is no time to document all the amazing things the Lord allows us to experience. But I'm not complaining! So grateful for these opportunities.}

As soon as the excitement of the fair season wrapped up, a new excitement was blooming. Birth supplies were ordered, stalls were freshly cleaned and bedded for the newest arrivals who were soon to come.


{Don't these girls all look super excited about becoming moms for the 1st time?}

This was a moment we had waited for with some anxiety but mostly with joy as we passed the time by enjoying the bumps and kicks we could feel in the mama's bellies.


{gracie was on the other side of the gate with treats}


Our first goat due just happened to be our youngest, and our own bottle fed baby, Matilda. We purchased her at three weeks of age and she has been the most mild mannered, sweet little girl. We weren't planning on breeding her so soon but... well, let's just say it doesn't take a whole lot to get a goat pregnant. It happened in a blink and then there she was. A sweet little mama to be. We were just thankful it was with one of her own kind. We are raising two different breeds of dairy goats so we have one buck of each breed. Nubian and Oberhasli.



{our two lovely Nubian ladies with their elegant long ears}


{Matilda, growing wider every day}



So on March 3oth, in the weeist of hours, our barn video moniter let me know it was time. I gathered the troops (and the supplies) and we all sat in the stall gathered around our girl cheering her on as she pushed out her baby boy. What an experience it was! For all of us! I had the honor, I guess you could say, of helping a fellow mother out. Her baby was stuck with one leg bent back so she needed some assistance to get this big boy out of her tiny body. When I was finally able to get him out we were oh so relieved and even though he was a boy, we celebrated with our girl.

{wowzers that hurt!}

I didn't wake Fletch or Maggie up for the birth but when he did finally wake up, we had a big surprise for him.

And boy was he excited!!

I don't know if I've ever seen him smile so big.

{such a good little mama our M is}

{love the tongue!}

In the end, we had 7 babies born on the farm this year. Many, many joys and celebrations, and one huge heartbreak. I'm quickly learning you have to have tough skin to raise goats. It's definitely not easy. Not on the body and not always on the heart. But the love and life lessons we're gaining are by far worth the price.

Meet Lola

{October 2010}
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See Lola grow!



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The final days with our Lola are coming to an end. This definitely is bitter sweet. We knew going into this that we (Colton) were raising a market hog for the fair. The reason? Lessons to be learn, hard earned college money to be made. It has been a LOT of hard work. For us average adults it probably wouldn't be a big deal. And for us who already live on a farm and have to go out and feed twice a day anyway, raising a pig truly doesn't create much more work.

The difference is we adults are not the ones raising her. A nine year old (sometimes lazy) boy has been. Getting him out there at least twice a day to feed, supply fresh water for and the stinkiest of all, clean out a icky muck filled stall has been no easy task. At times he moans and groans about it, especially on those few 30 degree early mornings that we've had. Overall he has learned many lessons in raising her and hopefully created some good memories. According to him, pigs can be very stubborn and a LOT of work! They can be pushy if you don't train them enough and they like to make a mess of their stall, or in other words, be pigs!

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We have been busy helping him prepare his record book, which to be honest has been our least favorite part of this whole thing. In this book he documents all the specifics of his project along with writing a story about it and including photos too (which is my very favorite :) Let's just say the details that the paperwork asks for are even over our heads. But I think we're figuring it all out. On top of this, Colton and Gracie are both showing three chickens each and that requires record books for them as well. Colton said today that he's never done so much writing in all of his life. And he's correct. It was our fault however for waiting until the very last minute to cram it all in. So typical of the Smiths.
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When Lola leaves she will be freeing up a much needed stall which is all in perfect timing. We will use the extra space to allow some very special expecting mamas on our farm to have a safe, cozy, quiet space of their own. We are thrilled beyond words to hopefully (don't count your goats before they hatch, or... you know what I mean) welcome some new goat babies. Looking like it could possibly be early April if my calculations are correct. Woo hoo! We can't wait! I have been doing a lot of research and getting prepared for the big events to come. That is when I'm not helping out with pig or chicken books. :)

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I truly was expecting the end of this project to be super hard for our sensitive little guy. And I'm sure it will be. However, one thing I didn't expect is for him to get so run down from all this work and begin counting down the days until it's over. Maybe just God's own way of making this whole goodbye thing a little easier on his tender heart.

I will absolutely have to think of a big way to reward his hard efforts and keep his mind focused on the prize.

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As for this boy and his pig, they are ready for the fair!

Richer Than Rockefeller

In abundance I have been blessed. More richly than I could ever ask or imagine. Looking into the faces of these beautiful children whose presence grace my each and every day, I am in total awe. It's absolutely hard if not impossible for me to explain. When you live your life not focused on materialism but on true meaningful subjects that will carry on to eternity, you realize how much you truly have. When I take a second to slow down and realize just how blessed I am to have been given this family to live life with while being here on earth, it excites me greatly. But more so it THRILLS me to know that this is my family who will be joining me in heaven. For eternity! Now that is something to be joyful about! I praise my Father each and every day for these little blessings that He has so graciously given us. He didn't have to. That strikes me strongly. He didn't have to give us Colton, Gracie, Fletcher or Maggie either. There is nothing we could have ever done to deserve these blessings. I do believe that He has given us hearts to further His kingdom instead of growing our hearts towards earthly riches. And because of that I feel that He has blessed us with these instruments to use towards growing His kingdom. And they certainly are cute little instruments if I ever do say so myself. Sometimes stubborn but then again, so are the ones who are raising them. Our hope is to build little lights that will shine His love wherever their heavenly Father may lead them.

{trying to find a smile after a little meltdown}

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Shine on my little loves!

Matthew 5:16 let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.