All in one day....

Ever have those days that just never ends? One thing after another? Today was one of those days and one that I hope to never have again. It was challenging to say the least. Most of time my thoughts are brief enough to share quickly on Face Book and I don't normally have time to sit down and gather them well enough to write. However, I sit here at 10:20 pm trying to wind down and process my day.

It started out as a "normal" Sunday morning of barn chores, milking, kids up, fed, and dressed for church. We were several minutes late for church (which is normal), Hannah joined us for "Jesus music" and then she's off to her class. Gabriel made it through half the service and then he and I head to the nursery. Then it's home for lunch and naps, a nice calm afternoon after our hectic Saturday and then church in the evening at 6.

Well...... the afternoon actually consisted of James heading out with fence tools to repair several areas that our neighbor dogs have used to get into the pastures and have been brave enough to come up to our pond, nab a chicken, and drag her home. (Anya, may you rest in peace). We found evidence of this but no way to prove to the neighbors that it was their dogs - even though we saw them in the field.

While he was doing that and Hannah napped, Gabriel and I mixed up a batch of rolls for James' Thanksgiving potluck lunch at work tomorrow and set out it to raise.

I happen to glance out the dining room window and see my hubby walking back to the house with what looked like an icepack on his head. I ran out to meet him asking if he's ok. He was actually holding his shirt (I then noticed that he was just wearing his coveralls) putting pressure on a laceration on his head. He had been using the t-post driver and as it came up it tipped back and caught him on the head. After cleaning up the wound we decided that we needed to head to the ER. I woke Hannah up from her nap and we dropped her off a dear friend's house. Praise God we only waited about 10 minutes at the ER and James left with 6 stitches and a tetnus shot. It was right on the hairline and no shaving of the hair was required, much to James' relief!

After a quick dinner with our friends and picking up Hannah we headed home around 6:30. The ibuprofen had kicked in and I sent James to bed to rest. I was then on a mission: feed Gabriel in his exersaucer in the bathroom while Hannah took a bath :-), then for her it was vitamin, teeth brushed, hair brushed, jammies on, clothes in hamper, story read, prayers, hugs/kisses, and finally lights out. Then on to Gabriel. By 8:15 everyone in the house was asleep. What a blessing. They were all exhausted.

Remember that bread dough I had mixed up at 2pm? Well, it was still waiting for me! So I formed all the rolls and set them up to raise again hoping that the yeast was still viable. I fed Reba and then went to find Xander. He was by the deck jumping at the tree. Ok, so what's up there that he's fixated on? Daisy. The barn cat. She decided that I was too late with her dinner and that she needed to come find out why. So I lugged in the dog and gave him his dinner, grabbed the milk pail and headed to the barn. Then it was two barn cats at my feet ready for their appetizer of fresh milk and then their dinner. I'm met by two hungry horses at the gate and I hear mama goat yelling in the barn. At this point it had been 13 1/2 hours since we milked her and she was telling me what she thought. Good thing I dont' speak "goat"!

As I got closer to the barn doors, something didn't sound right.... I open the door and was greeted by a goat. The goat that is suppose to be in a pen, in the barn. Turning the lights on I discover that she has escaped our poor excuse for a pen and has wandered around the barn pooping on everything. Lovely. Thank you Zeva for your gift - because I don't have enough to do tonight. But I think to myself, "it's ok, I can handle this." I left her to roam the barn (since it really can't hurt any more at this point), fed the horses and cats, and then the mama goat while I milk her. I think I'm getting there, the night almost over, what else could happen? Don't ever ask yourself that after one of "those days". My 6 month old tom cat "Oz" finishes his dinner and is then very interested in sometime in the corner of the barn. As I milk I watch him slowly advance and then have a stare off with.....

He's as big as the cat and doesn't seem to be bothered at all with my presence. Well, he bothered me with his presence but I wasn't going to chase him. Oz decided that it wasn't worth it either and after a while the 'possum ran off behind the hay bales. *Shutter and shiver* I think maybe he's coming in for the cat food. I made sure that I emptied the bowls when the cats seemed done.

Then I dealt with the fact that the goat could escape her pen and I used baling wire (yup it's true, duct tape and baling wire are good for fixing almost anything...lol) to secure the stock panels to the heavy hay pallets. I'm crossing my fingers that Zeva will be in her pen safe and secure in the morning...... It's a test of my farming skills! One thing that I didn't mention is that it drizzled and misted ALL day long. So not only was it a crazy day, it was a wet and dreary day.

Back in the house with the milk and fresh eggs put away I noticed that my rolls raised - yay! As they baked I finished dishes, cleaning the kitchen, got coffee ready for the morning, put out James' breakfast stuff, picked up in the living room and got to smell the wonderful aroma of homemade sweet rolls. (I don't get to enjoy the taste since they are going to work with James in the morning, but what a lovely smell!).

The house is quiet - everybody and all the animals are sleeping and I can enjoy a few minutes all to myself. Doesn't happen very often and I can unwind from this day..... yes, I have to remind myself that it's still Sunday. I think that I will declare tomorrow "Jammies Day". I will not go anywhere and I will not get out of the jammies! :-) I hope that all of you have a wonderful week. I pray that no one has trips to the ER, can make bread in less than 8 hours, does not have goat escapees, and is not confronted by furry, rat-tailed, beady eyed rodents.....

Good night and God bless you all with sweet slumber and a Monday morning of refreshment and renewal in Him!