And More...

Memorial Weekend was WONDERFUL! Of course, we headed down to the ranch. This time was exciting though - we got to work the cows!


All day Saturday, we worked the cows - herding them into the corral, sending them down the chutes, immunizing, deworming, tagging and branding them. We all had so much manure flung on us... It was gross, and REALY hard work but SO MUCH fun at the same time. Then, after all the big cows were done, we had to chase the baby calves down and tackle them to the ground (rodeo style) to tag them and castrate the males. It was quite an experience. We got SOOO tired and DIRTY! The rest of the weekend, we just relaxed and hung out.

Nate was so mad that we wouldn't let him in the pen while we were wrestling the calves. He sat there with this face just festering mad for at least a minute or two... Then, I walked over to him, and he finally broke down and let out his cry. It was so sad it was kindof funny.
There was this moment though, during the day, that really impacted me. Before we got to the calves, some of the mommy cows came back up to the corral and were just standing as close as they could to their calves the gate/fence was seperating them. It was like they knew what was going to happen to their children - like they knew the pain their children were about to face. ANYWAYS, that night, I had this nightmare that we had to hold Aaron down and just cut off his hands (for his own good). I kissed him. I helped hold him down. We all kept commenting on what a good "patient" he was (the same way we were talking of the cows). He just looked at me - with sweet pleading eyes. I kept thinking in my head - "now, how will not having any hands be for his own good?" Well, I woke up feeling quite disturbed. I couldn't sleep after that. I know we weren't cruel to the cows - we give our own children shots for their own good. It wasn't the whole rodeo day that impacted me. I would do it again (and probably will). I think the disturbing image was seeing the moms come back to their babies... (Yes, now you all have proof that I am a little NUTS).

Scary! While riding the 4 wheelers, the BIG boys came upon this water moccasin. They pinned it with their machine, then cut off its head with hedge clippers... Still... made me want to keep my kids out of the tall grass for a while.

ANYWAYS... Cherry and Scott came out for a bit (but unfortunately, decided to leave and not sleep over). We did have a lot of fun with them though - the kids fished, and played on the slip-n-slide and we of course cooked dinner on the bbq.I think that covers it.

We eventually (and unfortunately) had to come home.

My kids have GOT to be the cutest sweetest things in the world. So often, I will find that one or more of them have moved to a sibling's bed to cuddle. It warms my heart to see my kids take such great care of each other. Whenever one is afraid, another one will welcome them into their beds to comfort them and cuddle them to sleep. I went up to take Nate potty before I went to bed, but he wasn't in his bed. He was in Charity's. This is what I saw:
They were both so sweaty, but they were still cuddling! I am lucky to have such tender children!

Finally, today (June 4th) is the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!!! The kids and I are SO READY FOR SUMMER! I miss them and I just can't wait to spend some quality day time with them! This is the last time they have to ride off early in the morning (well, at least until August).

This is the last time I will watch them ride off like this - hearing them say "BYE! I love you!" over and over to me and Nate all the way down the alley.