And so it begins...

That would be the words I told the shepherd last night...after the kids have headed home and he tells me that we have one thinking about it and I tell him...AND SO IT BEGINS...as lambing 2013 has officially began.  It started with the arrival of Lance home Friday night.  Yes to his credit he had  said none would have lambs until he returned...WELL he was correct...even though the old shepherd was trying to use the loop hole that he usually doesn't come on Friday night...So the younger shepherd was up in the wee hours to help deliver two babies...and then this morning I woke up and you know when it is in the middle of the night and the one who is usually there is not...how it gives you a moment...and then you hear stirring...you look at the tv...all you see are sheep but you hear nothing...okay so not everyone experiences this...but I journey out to find the shepherd up and around at 3:00 a.m. because he is delivering babies...being a shepherd is not for the weak of heart or for those who like sleep...

My kids were down for the weekend...and my daughter brought with her that gene...you know the one that she did not get from me....that "Gitter done" gene.   She was on a mission.   That closet I had been talking of getting cleared out was getting cleared out.   The Christmas stuff would have a home...not just a stuffed away home but its own place its own space...When Heather is on a mission...one should probably just stay clear...though that was not an option as I was supposed to help...I was not sure what I was in for because Izzy had begun the day with being her mother's child...and says come on Ahma...we got work to do.   However, she may have been cursed with some Ahma as we did get a bit distracted...but what fun is cleaning if you can't play with the Barbie's for a bit...

My daughter did remind me...didn't you just write a blog on decluttering...this was when she was telling me doyouwanttokeepthis (Note that this is in a real fast quiet tone as compared to the rest of her question--she inherited this technique of communication from her father) OR DO YOU WANT ME TO THROW IT AWAY!   Or even if she did not say that--her face did!    So the shepherd had came and said he would make lunch...I am sure he was more than excited that his daughter was taking on such a task...upon one point Heather had asked about the shop vac to which I took off to find it...but the shepherd was getting it...So Izzy and I took off to the yard to come upon Uncle LaLa preparing for stock show...Izzy still in pajamas and her glittery slip on slippers for Ahma's house...as we were in our distraction..we get busted by one Izzy mama...

I put in some pictures....as I am so excited that I found a way around getting pictures on my Blog...pictures of Lance and clippers and then the little shepherd in training...granted I had to give in to the Google power...and got on Google Chrome...but it allowed me to upload my pics...so like it or not...I am blogging...with pics...but like I say...the beauty of the blog...you can choose to read or not...

A perfect January day for getting sheep ready for stock show...

These slippers sparkle and shine...we were told by her Uncle she could not wear these out to stay with him!

I laugh and wonder if I should get Izzy a chair and call her Granny.  My mom, "Granny", would spend many an hour just sitting out in her chair watching Lance get sheep ready...And as I go in the house...there is mention of going to have to feed the orphan kids...and one little Firecracker is going to help to which I give notice that I will have to leave my duties to go and take pictures... 

But after coming in from watching LaLa and some lunch and before time to feed goats...I come downstairs and ask Oppy where is your helper to which he replies...I thought she was up with her mom...I go in the living room and find her crawled up on the couch and I think...where's the little girl who looks after the sheep...she's under the haystack fast asleep...Her mom says...there's her dad...right there...

And so upon finishing lunch and naps and the like...one little "Peanut" gets dressed in  her Izzy sweatshirt and boots...okay Ahma is the one responsible for tucking her pants in the boots...but her jeans seemed to be getting short as she just keeps getting taller...but I think they looked cute!!!  I love that she is such a clown...and allows me to take her picture...and not like her uncle or then again maybe a lot like her uncle as he mocks me taking pictures...

Yes my son the price you pay for mocking your mother...
mock what you fear dude!!!

 I think how Izzy has always loved this...the goats...the chores.  Of her and her daddy doing goats...I have pictures that Jay sent of her and him with the goats...a video I treasure that only some copies plays his voice...but in it...his shadow is over her..and on some I can hear his voice...but I think she has been a shepherd training all of her short little life....Not sure if the voice comes through...but it is one that just touches...from September 30, 2010...but I feel that shadow with her always...may she always hear that...GOOD JOB...that's the Peanut feeding them goats!

I watched Lance as he sorted sheep yesterday and thought of our Heavenly Shepherd and how He goes and sorts us to see if we are ready to move to the next pen...the next pasture...are we ready?   Or do we fight and run not willing to follow where He might lead us?  I think of the steer the shepherd and I moved today...bucking and snorting not sure where he should go...but he goes just as the shepherd had planned...

And I think of a new book I got...I guess an old book from a new friend...Katie...someone I have not really met face to face...we have people...my people know her people or are married to them...but God has connected us...anyway in the mail I receive "A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23" by W. Phillip Keller.  In his intro he writes:  "To a great extent the Bible is a collection of books written by men of humble origin, who penned under the guidance of God's Spirit.  Much of its terminology and teaching is couched in rural language, dealing with outdoor subjects and natural phenomena.  The audience to whom these writings were originally addressed were for the most part themselves simple, nomadic folk familiar with nature and the outdoor life of the countryside about them."

How I love the 23rd Psalm and so I look forward to studying it more...but I think of being a shepherd...I know I am not a good one...but He tells us feed my sheep...I think how I am put on duty to watch as the shepherd is gone...and I being home on a Monday...a holiday honoring Martin Luther King...why because I have a PTO (paid time off) day...as Lance and Kasey Jo always call it...but I thought this morning...how blessed I am to not only have a job but to get paid a day for doing NOTHING!   Not even showing up...I need to remember that!   Before I finish this the shepherd comes home and says so you had some more babies...NO I did not know I had...YES I had checked but she was not doing anything when I looked.   I help the shepherd move the steer out back and laugh at Sweetie...she is not pleased that people are putting goats and cattle in her area...though a good sheep dog...she is less than impressed with change...she much like the shepherd...this is not how we do it...Whereas Sugar might be more like me...we talk about it...yes Sugar the pup has her voice and is not afraid to use it...but like me...we are but shepherds in training from those that are a little OLDER and maybe wiser...

And so I go back to this weekend and of one little Firecracker in "shepherd" training.   In going to help her Oppy feed goats..and I think of the video of her and her dad...The Peanut feeding the goats...the kids whose mama was found DRT (Dead right there)...and are now bottle fed by Oppy the shepherd...and this weekend with the help of his little assistant.  Even hopping out of bed before the fox gets away to go help...she tells me go catch him.   That being a saying from her daddy and I love how her mom reminds her of it...

Izzy and Oppy feeding the twins

After feeding...she then must hold each and everyone...help spread out straw...feed grain buckets and ride in the truck...all parts of being a shepherd...I can just imagine her and her dad...being goat farmers together...

This guy got held a little more because he was an easy catch...

I need a pitch fork thing too...

Mom showing her how to do it...

A goat chaser ...

Our favorite job filling buckets...

And another favorite part...riding in the back...
Many pics I have of the riding in the back pics...

How I love this picture of Izzy and her uncle and how he teasing her trying to give her a kiss...and her mom watching on...moments like these you take and treasure in your heart...as I think of the song...These are the days by 10,000 maniacs

And as often the case with these two...no words are necessary...

And so I leave with a picture that shows how we all should work on being a shepherd to others...just from a place of love...so I wonder...who is the shepherd in training...

And the greatest of these is LOVE...

lya