3-1+2=4

So, apparently we are not the greatest shepherds. Poor Leo died. We were sad to say goodbye to him. But Ethel seems to be doing much better. She was missing him! Now she is eating well and playing lots!

And, we added 2 pygmy goats to our herd!! Say hello to Otis and Bernice!!!

This is what were looking for originally but couldn't pass up the sheep and Helen. I never would have wanted sheep but Leo and Ethel were/are a lot of fun to feed and they really are soft, beautiful lambs. I know they're not the smartest animals but I've never been around sheep. Sort of makes a lot of the references to sheep in the Bible make a lot more sense. I'm sure glad our Lord is a wonderful shepherd!!! Much, much better than us.

So here's our 3 goats!!

And Ethel!

Campfire

On Friday we enjoyed an evening around our campfire!!! Ryan built this firebox so we roasted some hot dogs and s'mores!!

Here's Addyson helping out.

And then trying to hide from me - she thinks she is just hilarious!! And her laugh makes us all join in the laughing!!! Braden was busy eating his hot dog. Poor guy has been fighting molars all week and not sleeping well. He finally was so worn out by all the excitement with the goats that he slept all night Saturday night!!!!

Now, check out this customized accessory.

When you get tired of holding your hot dogs or marshmallows, or a good steak perhaps, you just lay them on the handy dandy grill rack and enjoy the fire while your food cooks. It is of course adjustable so you can get it right where the fire is and not too high or low. Isn't Ryan so crafty!?!?!

Last week was full of fun family times!!!! So thankful for each minute.

Meet . . .

the newest additions to our farm!!

Ethel and Leo, our baby sheep!!!

They really are babies and we get to bottle feed them for a couple more weeks or so.

and Helen, our baby goat!!!

Ryan has been wanting goats for a while now. So yesterday we headed to a sale. Let me just say, it has been a really, really long time since I sat at a salebarn; it sure was an interesting crowd!!! Addyson and Braden were having a blast even though it lasted well into and past nap time. They loved watching the goats and sheep come into the ring.

We headed out back before the sale and met a really helpful guy who showed us the animals he had brought. We were looking for goats but apparently I am a huge sucker for baby animals without mamas. These little sheep were so cute and tame. Addyson hit petted these cuties and they just stood closer and asked to be played with and I couldn't let them go!!! So, welcome Ethel and Leo!! Addyson and Braden both like bottle feeding them. Leo is a little smaller and he was a hungry little guy!!!

Addyson is super pumped about the sheep. She finally found something smaller than her that she can boss around!!! She pets them and tells them to "move" and "come". She will grab them and tell them what to do. It is hilarious!! She is not shy!! And they are so well mannered and even tempered.

 Helen was not a bottle baby but she is a runt with a cute little potbelly!!! So she's not quite as tame; she won't walk right up to you. But once you've got her caught she will lay in your lap without any trouble. Hopefully we can convince her to play more. 

This should be a fun adventure; we know a little something about cattle and horses, but sheep and goats are a whole new game for us!! We're having fun playing with our new pets.

Zoo!!

Yesterday Ryan asked if we wanted to go to the zoo today. We said sure!!! So Braden decided not to sleep last night because he was too excited - just kidding, he decided not to sleep all night because his 2 year molars were hurting so bad. So Braden wasn't feeling that great today at the zoo and we were a little draggy, but he was excited about the animals anyway! Addyson was having a great time! Addyson liked the monkeys and when she got to walk all by herself. Braden liked the hippos and if your teeth are gonna hurt you might as well try to do something to distract from the pain! We had a good time!!

Checking out the giraffes

in the rainforest

Addyson getting as close as possible!

Looking at the baby giraffe -

I don't remember ever seeing as many baby animals as we did today!

This was how we ended - they were tired of the stroller. Miss Independent loved walking all by herself. She was covering her hair because there were a few raindrops. Braden was done by this point - tired of the pain. But we had a good time!!

Child Dedication

On Mother's Day we participated in child dedication at our church. We gave our two precious gifts to the Lord a long time ago when all we had to hold was my growing tummy and precious sonogram pictures, but this was the public dedication. What gifts the Lord has blessed us with; we are so grateful we get to be a part of their lives and are excited to see what the Lord has planned for their futures. The verses we used at dedication are from Ephesians 3:14-21 and it is our prayer for Addyson and Braden.

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."

God has given us responsibility that some days when I stop long enough to think deeper than stopping the fighting and whining and trying to teach them to use the potty chair and eat their food, can easily overwhelm me. We pray that they learn to see the love of God for them and for this world and that they accept Him as Lord of their lives and are able to personally experience his amazing love for them.