My friend Regina arrived with her five children this morning. We had planned this day because today is the day the meat bird chicks arrived, so she wanted to bring the children to see. But today being the day of preparation for the Sabbath, we had also planned on making Challah together.
Our Challah adventure was fairly smooth, we each make it differently and learned from making together. She uses a different technique for mixing and kneading her dough, and then keeps it in a sealed tupperware bowl as it rises. I mix in one cup of flour at a time until I'm happy with the feel of the bread, then I turn it out on to the counter to knead, then cover with oil and a damp towel and let it rise. Our braiding technique is different too. We had fun.
While we were letting our dough rise, her children got hungry, I had planned on making beefaroni for lunch - home made - but her youngest pointed to bagels, so we all had bagels with jam, and some wheat salad and some veggies and dip. The phone rang as she and I sat down to eat - it was the store calling to say the chicks had arrived. We finished our lunch planning to head out after lunch, but then her daughter spilled some lavender oil in sweet almond oil on herself (It had been lying around because my kids have runny nose colds) so she had to clean her up first.
We headed to town, got the chicks and the equipment I needed, and did a little tour of town so she could see small town Sask, then headed back here. I parked the van out by the barn, but picked up the watering tray first before unloading the chicks to get the water and stress ease organized before unloading the chicks. By the time I got back - ACKK! my guys had already unloaded the chicks into the pen. I had them collect them back into the box, so we could take them out individually, dip their beaks into the water to make sure they knew where to get water.
On the way to the barn, I noticed Asher had no shoes on, so I grabbed him to put his shoes on at the van. I noticed he'd pee'd his pants, so I called out to Trent to get him a new set of bottoms.. pulled down his pants and plonked him on the edge of the van to pull the pants off his feet.. YUCK! - not just pee, poop too, and now poop on his SHOES that he was sitting on.. sigh.. Trent come help me! Trent got him cleaned up, and I started a load of laundry.. which is why my kids had time to unload those chicks without me there!
So, the chicks now properly unloaded, the heat lamp on to give them warmth, Regina and I went to the house to braid our Challah. The kids went to the trampoline to bounce... or so I thought! Myles was getting a horse tacked up so that he could give the kids a ride in the round pen as per my instructions. With mama's inside, we missed that little adventure - and missed the photo ops.
Before we could braid, I needed some clean counter space, Regina and I washed dishes and chatted. She's so much better at household management than I.. She loves me, but my house is a mess so we talked about how to maybe start re-organizing a bit.. when suddenly Rourke comes in with blood on his hands, Trent too!!?!? How was that? were they both bleeding? Turns out it was Rourke. He decided to follow Trent's STUPID suggestion to ride his bike off the back of Trent's truck. There was no room to get up speed - so when he got to the edge of the bed, he went face first into the gravel - and split his chin open. UGH! Tea tree oil, steri-strips, colloidal silver, vitamin E, gauze bandages.. and 15 minutes later and he was off and running, thinking he might try it again (HE BETTER NOT!)
A few relaxing moments came to braid that bread, and again, Regina has a different way of rising her bread the second time, so again we learned from each other.
Then Trent came in saying that a bunch of chicks were dead - WHAT?!?! I ran out there.. The girls had been playing with the chicks and had turned off the heat lamp, they were scattered all over the pen, some in nesting boxes, some on the floor, some soaking wet from sitting in the water.. and far too many of them just lying still, heads flung back. We decided 3 were already dead - but 10 were perhaps restorable. Myles ran inside with them, Trent rearranged the heat lamp to make sure the baby birds weren't all huddled together. Myles and I came inside and did kangaroo care with the 10 wet and nearly dead birds. Regina helped me fix up a little heating pad (kitchen towel inside a ziplock bag - microwaved - then covered with a dry towel. Then the three of us held those babies until they started to chirp again. 10 chicks completely restored - Praise Yaweh!
Regina and I talked about how emotional it was, the sudden thought that these babies might die. Considering that we'll be butchering them in 3 months, this is kind of a strange situation. But God has designed us to care for life - be it human life or animal life - even if the purpose of that life is to feed my family down the road..
I found a moment to serve the coffee Stuart had brewed for us, and then Regina noticed she had to leave. Her oldest daughter was nearly in tears at the thought of leaving, fortunately I remembered we'd see them again tomorrow at Shabbat Service. She was happy to hear that!
With our fair-wells done, and last minute checks for coats and other belongings, then left... and I came into the house all pooped out.
As exhausting as they are, I love visits like this, where we're able to share and learn from each other. My kids are so different from hers. I know she's Praising Abba for her nice quiet kids - ones that don't ride their bikes off the back of a pick-up, or drive their trucks wildly in the mud (another long story that happened yesterday!). I needed this little rest so that I can get on with making Shabbat Dinner. Come on brain.. think think think.. what shall we have for dinner?
Header Banner photo - My ornamental crab apple tree in fresh bloom, in the middle of my circular driveway.~~~~
I am Sombra, and these are the stories from our house. We're a Messianic family where academics often take a back seat to the work and adventure of life.
