CHICKEN UPDATE!

I know, I know...you just can't wait to hear from me on the status of my lovely Bantams, right?
I understand.
Well, wait no longer....
My daughter took some photos yesterday.

They're in that lovely, scraggly, puberty phase right now.

Another Free Download from Behemoth.com

Here's another free download from BEHEMOTH.COM. TEN P'S IN A POD. I've heard a lot about this book over the years. It is a story about life in a large family. So it is nice to get it in an audio format. Because I have over THREE BOXES of books by my bed, waiting for me to read them. So here's one I can "read" while cleaning, chauffeuring, or working. A great deal. Good through the end of March.

The few, the proud, the chickens!

First thing with a baby chick is to help it get to water asap. Especially after a hard trip. Taking each one in hand the children and I dipped beak after beak in water. Waited for them to swallow, and then dip again. Checking every few minutes and picking up the weaker ones again and again. Not giving up hope until we are certain that death has occurred. Then quickly remove it and focus on those remaining. At the end of the first 48 hours home we had removed 1/2 of them.



These are the few, the hardy...the chosen!


But still, for the next few days, one or two a day perished.

Each week the temperature of the brooder is reduced by 5 degrees... as they begin to feather out and are able to keep warmer on their own.


So come on over! Let your little ones play with them! Just remember that a chicken has two friends that aren't our friends. Sam and Ella. Salmonella is great for the chickens, it keeps them healthy, but it makes us sick. So wash your hands!

THE BABY CHICKS!

My husband reminded me today that I haven't blogged about everything going on around here. I am so sorry! So, hold onto your seat. I'm going to publish three posts in a week...yes, I need to watch out...my heart might not be able to take the excitement!



Three weeks ago,(the day after the Presidents Day holiday to be exact) we received a call from our Post Office. "Umm... your baby chicks have arrived, but they are all dead."

They still belonged to us, so I had to go pick them up. In the back IAHL was sitting, mourning the loss..."why did we even have to go get them if they're dead?" As in, I don't want to have to deal with this..why are we?
But I explained that someone needed to give them a proper burial. That would be us.

So with fear and trepidation we ordered more for delivery the next week. And we got the call Sunday morning...from Charlottesville! But having attended the first service...(a little unusual for us) we missed the call and they didn't leave a message. So we were invited over to my parents house for lunch with all the great-aunts and uncles and assorted extended family. I was anxious, but couldn't justify a 110+ mile round trip to visit a closed Post Office, with the possibility they were already on the truck to our town. So I pushed it down...and tried to put it out of my mind. Apparently I was successful, as I didn't think about it until 5pm when I checked my answering machine remotely. Yep, we got the call (from Harrisonburg!)

Now at this point I'd like to mention, (in my own defense) that we have NEVER received calls from the Post Office on Sunday. And this is NOT the first time we've ordered chicks. So I don't know if all these people just felt sorry for us and our loss only the week before, or what. But we have never been called on Sunday.

Back to my story. A Harrisonburg postal worker called and said they were there but she would only be at work until 4. (YES, it was 5 when I got it) But I still called the number, just in case.
NOPE.

By this time, I am literally climbing the walls emotionally. Every maternal hormone in my body has kicked in will full force and I am overdosing on adrenaline. But I look calm on the exterior. My dh keeps reassuring me, but even he is surprised that I am so worked up by the circumstances. I just know that every hour counts...literally... tiny little body counts.

So we called OUR local postal worker, because we know where he lives, and ask him if he has any ideas. Nope, but he's willing to check inside at Mt. Crawford to see if they've been delivered yet...absolutely.
What a saint.
We pick him up, drive him to BOTH post offices to see if we can find them, and realize that they are locked up like Fort Knox in the 'burg. Even our local Postmaster got into the fray and tried to get information for us from said lockup, but nothing. God Bless those two.

And we waited.

First thing in the morning I called that number given to me on the answering machine.
"Oh yes, they are still here....drive around back and come in to get them". So I do. Drive past the gates that say NO ADMITTANCE, walk up to the loading dock, terribly intimidated, knowing full well I am not an employee..and finally find someone to help me. (insert blank look on the worker's face).
It is eventually determined that they were NOT still there when I called, they were delivered to my Post Office that morning. Like an hour ago.

We got them, finally.
Only three dead.
Trampled.
Then began the watch....

....but if it was me....

I don't know about you, but there have been times in my life, times of intense worship that I wondered what it would be like if we were just swept up into the throne room of this amazing God. To continue on for eternity. Wow. Any time I get there it would be cool. Any way.

Today I read the words that LTC Jeff White was singing when he died,whose family I mentioned in an earlier post. Apparently, having been recently reunited, the entire family was singing a song in front of their home church.

OK, so here's the song.... (the words at least)

Angel Band
My latest sun is sinking fast,
My race is nearly run.
My longest trials now are past,
My triumph has begun.

O come angel band,
Come and around me stand.
O bear me away on your snowy white wings
To my immortal home.
O bear me away on you snow white wings
To my immortal home.

I know I'm near the holy ranks
Of friends and kindred dear.
I've brushed the dew on Jordan's banks,
the crossing must be near.
I've almost gained my heavenly home,
my spirit loudly sings.
The holy ones, behold they come,
I hear the noise of wings.

O bear my longing heart to Him
Who bled and died for me;
Whose blood now cleanses from all sins
And gives me victory.

O come angel band,
Come and around me stand.
O bear me away on your snowy white wings
To my immortal home.
O bear me away on you snow white wings
To my immortal home.

Pretty close to Elijah's chariot, huh?


You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally.
I Corinthians 9:24 The Message

Run the race as if to finish it..