Counting down the days...

The countdown is on till baby arrives, and as far as everyone at Triple J is concerned no day would be too early now! Despite the fact that we are insanely busy, as always, we have all reached the point in the pregnancy that it’s just time for it all to be over! Forget the fact that Luke and I are both filled with the nervousness of being first time parents…I have reached the point where I can no longer pretend to be ‘joyous’ and ‘glowing’ every moment of the day, and even Luke has decided that he would rather be dealing with the overwhelming task of caring for a newborn than continuing to put up with the grumpy, weepy, hormonal mess that seems to have replaced his wife! I truly pity the next perfect stranger that asks my due date, is totally surprised that I still have almost 3 weeks to my official due date, and then says “are you SURE you aren’t having twins?!?”.


In fairness, our ‘chipper’ attitudes may have something to do with the fact that we are a little bit sleep deprived already at Triple J. The weather hasn’t exactly decided if it’s still winter or if it’s time to be summer. As usual, our valley has pretty much skipped spring all together. The heavy wet May snow showers brought yet another new challenge to Triple J, Clostridium Toxin release from our soil….in cows (mostly new claves)…it causes what is not so scientifically but appropriately named…sudden death syndrome. We of course didn’t know we had a problem until we REALLY had a problem. We lost one calf, and then spent the subsequent 4 weeks treating and re-treating half of our calves for Clostridium C&D toxins. It’s quite a process to infuse a little calf with a barrage of anti-toxins, penicillin, and mineral oils to stop the progression of the toxins but our vigilance actually paid off in that we did manage to save all but the first victim. It is obvious that things can’t just go right or be easy for us…but Luke always says “very few individuals are blessed with the ability and responsibility of caring for God’s creatures…it wouldn’t be right to let them stop breathing while you’re cozy in your bed!” Although…I must say that the little longhorn calf is VERY lucky that it didn’t fall victim…because I don’t think anyone was willing to risk their life to battle momma longhorn for her baby! We have to draw lines somewhere…and she is one feisty momma!

Should it snow, or should it grow?

Luke’s lawn schedule is beyond full-swing! He decided with baby on the way he should take on a few more lawns to his schedule, and with all the rain and snow he is having a really hard time keeping up! As the weather settles down, it should get easier for him…but a missed day of mowing right now makes for a pretty miserable ‘catch-up’ period of about a week. So we will all be happy to see summer hit full-stride and for a more regular routine to emerge (probably just in time for baby to come throw the routine for a loop!). The good news about lawns growing out of control is that if the lawns are growing…that also means the hay fields are growing…and green green green they are! I’m not sure that I’ve ever seen our hay fields so green, and if it keeps up we’ll probably be ready to bale hay by the 4th of July!

Green and Growing!

And finally…despite the fact that we are so busy that we don’t know if we are coming or going…a little bit of nesting is taking place at our little log cabin! I have finished the nursery and it’s all ready…the only thing needed to complete it is baby! Luke’s nesting seems to be occurring outside of the house…he began by preparing the flower beds between the house and driveway with spruces, bunch grass, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries…and now it has moved to the yard. I think he has mowed our yard more times this year, than he has mowed it since we moved in (a task I usually have to do) and he has the trees all trimmed up nice and neat! Now that they are finally blooming and leafing out we can sit in the back yard and enjoy it. Our pups can even find a little shade here and there to enjoy as the leaves and blooms are finally coming out!

That about sums up the action at Triple J right now…it wouldn’t be right if we weren’t all running around crazy busy just trying to make our ‘living’ the life we’ve always dreamed of. Very soon we’ll have a whole new little family member to acclimate and adjust to life here at Triple J. A task we know will bring many huge challenges and joys all in one very tiny bundle! Triple J is used to experiencing the addition of new life…but every other life that joins Triple J comes during a planned season and USUALLY has its own full time momma who’s only job is care for it...this new life will have two full-time parents who are waiting and willing to care for it…but it’s parents are also full-time accountants, lawn-mowers, and ranchers! I’d be willing to bet that very soon we are going to be looking back at these days and thinking… “we really didn’t know what ‘busy’ actually was, did we?”

37 down and 3 (hopefully not more) to go...