I'm laid back cradled in a nylon chair, chatting with Madalynn, underneath the rustling leaves by the pond with the sun peaking through at every opportunity and listening to the "moos" of the kids' 5 new calves. Busyness isn't all bad, just like the early football practice and a pool party yesterday, but sometimes it's good to just "be".
Miranda and McKala dropped by with Ali on their way back to her house. I'm glad Miranda has a friend like Ali who interacts beautifully with our whole family. She left everyone on the driveway and came down to sit with me for a few minutes, telling me of her mother's dealings after the funeral - her mother - a good friend of mine, helper to everyone, who is one of those people who it seems shouldn't have to cope with the kind of cards that have been dealt to her.
Melody and Michael hurried past to Mike's truck to ride with him as he returns the trailer for reloading in SC. I took Mike's hand as he passed my chair to tell him I "want" to like him (after I told him I "didn't" earlier) which is a far cry from last year when I "couldn't" anymore. He's "grouchy" and rightly so, especially with his toothache, financial concerns, and uncertainty of my stance. He'd say I'm "touchy" and he's right. All this is like trying to kiss someone and bumping noses over and over. I ran in with Madalynn as they left and I'm guessing he saw it as a flight back to the house since he was leaving, BUT she had folded herself up in a heavy-framed chair and by the looks of it, she'd broken her finger. It's gonna be all right though and she's "hold up" on the rug in front of the TV with some blocks and a blanket.
Macklynn and Trevor have run back and forth playing the Wii at his home and ours as the countdown continues to the move on Wednesday back to the South Carolina beach that endears them. I'm sure that when he's older, Macklynn will think back on these summer days of fishing, swimming, and playing games ...and smile. I hope caring for his new calf will ease the separation and that taking one of our kittens, that were born at his place, will give Trevor a compadre 'til he makes a new friend. It's time for Macklynn to write and what better reason than to keep in touch with his first friend?
Speaking of the calves, the day we got them this week will go down as one of the hysterical Harper memories. When the call came that they were available, Mike was out of town and the hitch had a stripped bolt, so we grabbed a tarp and headed that way. We sealed the deal and to the astonishment of the dairy farmer, got 2 of his Holstein calves into the back of our 2011 minivan ;), along with a couple of kids. We took the gravel road home uneventfully and went back for the other 3. I have been asked about any "accidents" and have stayed off any truth telling until now. The dirt road is hardly a mile long so I thought surely we could make it back again without much drama, but one of the calves stood up and ...squirted ...straight out and right onto McKala. They had just fed them afterall. I couldn't even see her in the rearview mirror for my tears pouring out in laughter. In a rare exception, I had let the kids ride without seatbelts, so before I could think to roll down the windows, they had their noses pressed against the glass pleading for relief from the smell, which just added to the comedy.
There's plenty more to tell but I, God-willing, can do that as the calves and the kids grow. Lying in bed night before last, I mulled over what's led to this point. Life has been in overdrive so long that I was afraid some memories were lost. You see, we've owed the kids a lot of money for a long time. I have lists of whom and what we owe, but the memories attached are fuzzy sometimes. In old times, I know that each family member gave what they could to the survival of the household and that was commendable, but much of our kids' was saved birthday money and the like. One particular memory stood out for me the other night and tears hit the pillow. After Mike had his emergency aortic bypass in 2008 and before we were able to sell our mountain home and property, we couldn't come up with a severely deliquent payment on the mortgage. We had exhausted all resources, sold a framed print, but still couldn't meet the total. Miranda came forward at 12 years old with all the money she had, $175.00, and in all sincerity offered it, not knowing if she'd get it back. They've all waited patiently for repayment, 100s of dollars. We've learned how to be "without" through all this (things like traveling, nicer cars, and pretty rooms) ...and at the same time, seen God step in and provide us "with", when there was no other explanation than His presence that the world could offer. Michael and McKala have decided to use their payback money wisely to make more money. They're getting 4 more newborns, so the $50 a calf plus $61 a bag of formula for each calf is quite a chunk and I could've offered it to another source, but I ask her forgiveness and hope she sees the timing of the kids repayment as a good thing ...and that hers is coming, if it's the last thing I do.
This week someone divulged to me that they're at the point of losing the home they've raised their children in. The thought wrecked her face and it took me back to where we were in those Blue Ridge Mountains and how I wondered if we could recover after a hit in every financial way. I knew God would make it okay, but those of you, who know us well, know that He not only did that, but also restored the sweet "way of life" that we left behind. We're renting a house and a tractor-trailer (and even a motorcycle and jet-ski from time to time :) ...and you know what? That's more than okay.
Right now, I have a corner of the counter with clutter to clear, a colossal mound of clothes to closet, and chip-encrusted chicken to cook. And that's okay, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment