First Week

 The first week was spent mostly in this chair. I traded out some of the sitting with this most excited big sister. She is very patient and just sits nicely with him. He is pretty content to just sleep on in her little lap.

This is the largest age gap we have ever had. She is kind and gentle with him just wanting to help however she can. Mostly she and Merle just play together whatever they dream up. They aren't terribly messy or naughty for the most part. When their energy levels get too high we send them outside and they play with the dog or find other adventures to carryout. Everyday they go with Aliza to water and can run and climb at will for 2-4 hours depending on the day. My must have early feeding supplies the bottle for him, water for me, pacifier etc etc. Whatever it takes to make the baby grow. 

I get antsy sitting for days on end and decided to try some time outside. I was dismayed to find the cows also on a run about the neighborhood. I called for help as I watched 200 cows run from a far corner to the open spot in the fence then through a ditch and or running down the lane to invade the neighbors fields. 

Help came and mounted the trusty four-wheelers. Being newer herdsman they had to learn and or be instructed some on proper positioning to gain the desired results of cows back in the pens. The corners, and canal made for challenging obstacles when cows don't understand english and people aren't fluent in moo. 

Aliza helped in her dress and Anna came to offer more support. Finally the cows and people all got together in the same pen and all was well. The fence was finished- some like to leave 10 feet or so wireless this year- and life quieted back down. 

This little cowboy slept through it all and was none the wiser when we got back to our chair. I surely enjoyed the sunshine and fresh air. But not the adrenaline rush of watching helplessly as 800 other legs ran out of bounds, and as 3 four -wheelers worked back and forth trying to coral the herd. Jake and I did hold one side of a line while cows were balking about crossing back into their pen. I'm not as confident with a baby on my tummy when working cows. 

Majority of the time we rested and watched in the first week but there was that half hour of excitement. As I look at this little man and yet my mind is mostly consumed with the older kids in my brood. The ones making big decisions, living out of my reach, the ones that have other problems to address from pronunciation, to talent development the problem with sitting is so much time to think and hands literally tied down from doing much. But I know we are blessed. The conundrum of being the youngest in a big group is there are a lot of examples being set and lives lived to learn from. We shall see what roads this one chooses and continue to pray for all those ahead on their respective journeys. I'm often overwhelmed with the mass of it all. One step and day at a time working to have faith God is in the details of each life. We have been blessed and I'm sure that pattern will continue. Life is good.