Thursday, April 10, 2008

The Best Weekend

Do you ever get the feeling that God is totally looking out for you? Well, this weekend turned out to be one of those times. It started out bad- the Cub Scouts were slated to hold their annual Camporee and somehow both Brian and I had forgotten to sign up. Despite many phone calls and emails, it was not going to happen for us. I was so disappointed and mad at myself for forgetting.
Then, Friday morning my friend Ginger calls and says, "Would this weekend be O.K. for Phillip to bring the girls down for a visit?" Knowing that we were basically stuck with nothing to do but assemble a swingset we had ordered, I said,we would LOVE it!
That evening as he was driving down, our area had what could only be described as a Monsoon. We were under tornado watch, with reported sightings within 20 miles and must have gotten 1-2 inches of rain. We've been in a drought so long that it was an answer to prayer.
I couldn't help but praise God that I had not spent all day preparing for a weekend of camping and most of the afternoon setting up a campsite only to have that deluge arrive on my head. I've never been so glad to miss a scouting function.
Earlier in the day, another answer to prayer came through. We have a Pilgrim gander. He came to us from a family who was having problems with his aggression. [Sure! Send him to me--I actually LOVE aggressive 40 lb. birds!] He had lost his mate, and the family thought he was being aggressive competing with their other gander over the other gander's goose. HeeHee. Sorry, that whole sentence just makes me want to laugh. Anyways, "Pilgrim" as we now call him, has been incredibly lonely. He does like hanging out with all our other birds and gets along with them well. But, he follows me around like a lovestruck teenager/ puppy dog and when I am not out in the yard, he hangs out near my car and moons over his reflection. Even Brian said, "Julie, we have got to get that boy a goose." Well, despite much looking online I was unable to find anyone who would sell me a single goose. It appears these geese are a rare breed, valued for their quiet and gentle temperment, and people only sell them in pairs. I spoke to the Livestock Conservancy and they gave me the name of a person in NC that had raised Pilgrim geese previously. I was actually able to contact her and she had an extra goose and was willing to sell her to me. She is only 2-3 hours away and is also a chicken and guinea hen lover and a nice lady.
So hopefully, next Saturday, Pilgrim will finally find a new love.
Saturday dawned overcast and cool. I loaded the girls up and off we headed to Emily's riding lesson. Emily was thrilled to have her friends accompanying her. It honestly stopped drizzling just long enough for her to have a nice ride while we watched and didn't start again until I was finished with my lesson. I even learned how to do the posting trot!! Oh, the undescribable pain for the next three days-- but I digress. Basically, as we pulled out, it proceeded to pour for the rest of the day. I had a house full of happy kids playing inside with each other due to God's mercy and provision.
Phillip was even able to get an appt. with my chiropractor, so his back will finally be better.
Sunday we thoroughly enjoyed taking the kids to church, and the sun finally appeared. We decided to attempt to assemble the swingset after lunch. With all three of us working hard, we just finished at sundown. I Knew I shouldn't have trusted the label when it promised "4-6 hours assembly time"! And there was no way under heaven that we could have accomplished it without a third person's help. The fact that Phillip in a previous life assembled play structures for Home Depot just was icing on the cake.
Monday saw my friends heading back with a carrier full of guinea hens and one lovely rooster. My kids were devastated but had made full plans to keep in touch on Webkins world (don't ask!) through the chat room/Clubhouse there.
Last night, one of the chicken eggs hatched. I stared in wonder for at least an hour. I don't know why I'm such a softie for these little wobbly creatures, but they just fill me with awe that They were inside an EGG just a moment ago.
Tonight, "Cheepie" is at least twice the size, all fluff and racket. It is figuring out how to eat and drink. It seems lonely. I keep checking the incubator for signs of life from the other eggs the guinea was sitting on, but so far no luck. I guess it was a miracle that even this one made it. Only half of her nest was fertile and she was distressed to be away from her flock. She was so glad to be let loose..........maybe she wasn't sitting on them as much as she needed to.
The kittens continue to grow upstairs as well. They are starting to venture out of their closet and three of them were sidling up to me, climbing over my foot and allowing me to pet them this afternoon. I hope they will all learn to trust humans and will always have humans they can trust.
Another weekend approaches. I doubt it can match the last one, but I know God will show me his hand of love and mercy if I keep my eyes peeled for it.

1 comment:

gingerhillery@mac.com said...

Yeay! You are writing! I am so glad for such a great weekend. The girls had a blast. Any more chickies hatch? How about the goose for the gander? Ginger