My Little Tom Wilson

Kayelynn feeding Hooper

Trey and Hooper

Where I've Been

I am alive.  I have heard there is some doubt about that.  I made a promise to myself that I would not get caught up in the holiday hustle and bustle.  Although I did enjoy the holidays with my family, I can't honestly say that I didn't get caught up in things.  I spent most of December running around like a crazy woman.
Thanksgiving went well.  I hosted my first official Stroud thanksgiving.  Everything went without a hitch.  The turkey was a picture perfect golden brown.  I'm wondering now why I didn't take a picture of it as it was a real thing of beauty!  The turkey was also super moist.  So, I was a happy cook.  My biggest fear was that it would be as dry as shoe leather.  As is tradition, there was more food than humanly possible to consume.  We all gained a few pounds and felt sufficiently stuffed at the end of the day.
December brought lots of excitement to our household.  Trey turned 5 on Dec. 2nd.  He was super pumped about that.  He will explain to you that being 5 means you get to go to kindergarten.  Right now, he thinks that sounds great.  I hope it stays that way.
Also on Dec. 2, we had twin goats born sometime during the night.  I found one looking rather lifeless the next day.  My motherly/nursing instincts kicked in and the little goat was brought into our house to get warmed up and to get round the clock "finger feedings".  After about 24 hours, my little goat was looking much better and had learned to suck from a bottle.  Rex named him Hooper.  (rex seems to be the animal namer in our house)
Dec. 5th was Trey's birthday party.  Hooper was one of the main attractions of the party.  My sister and her husband had been on a long round trip to Missouri to pick up a Blue Heeler pup (Bella), who was also in attendance at the birthday bash.  Everyone got a kick out of the little animals in diapers.
A week later Tom Wilson came to live with us.  He was the runt of triplets born on one of the coldest days we had in December.  Being the runt, he didn't have the energy to fight for his food.  He also got a ticket into our house for feeding lessons.  Wilson didn't thrive as Hooper had and I was very worried about him.  Rex and I finally diagnosed him with pneumonia (have I mentioned how handy a medical background is around the farm?)  He was weak for quite awhile but is now (finally) about ready to go out and join his buddy Hooper in the barn.
Hooper and Wilson are my success stories as of late.  But, unfortunately we lost both of our bulls and a cow during these last few months.  Rex says that's just how farm life goes.  But, I was upset about the whole situation, especially the cow which I had been giving extra attention to for several days before she died.
Mid December brought the birth of the full time jail nurse's son.  This meant I had to pick up some slack at the jail.  I spent a few extra days seeing sick inmates or inmates who thought they were sick.  Going to jail wasn't near the trouble as all of the paperwork that followed.  I wondered how I'd get cookies baked, presents wrapped and cards mailed out while messing with jail patients and feeding goats every 4 hours!  Somehow I managed.  Cards got mailed a few days before Christmas, cookies were delivered on time, and presents got wrapped the day before they were given.
I have meant to blog so many things this past month but I never found the time.  I wish life wasn't that way, but it is. I feel bad that my blog has not been up to date.  But, I feel good knowing that I spent my limited free time playing with my kids or relaxing with my husband.  That is a new year's resolution of sorts for me....focus on those most precious and let the little things go without feeling stressed over it.