Yes, today is my older brother’s birthday. Rex is two years older than me today. He is credited with teaching me more wrestling moves than I ever wanted to learn. But they’ve come in handy with my own boys. Everytime I start putting a move on my boys, they are always surprised that old mom can be that tough. In fact, I took my 14 year old down the other day and both of us were equally surprised! Anyway, my brother has a beautiful wife and two great boys. Happy Birthday Rex!

This morning the milk tester came. He comes once a month and weighs the milk that each cow is giving and then takes a sample to see how much butterfat and protein each cow is giving. They also test for how clean the milk is by testing the somatic cell count. It’s always fun to have the milk tester come, he delivers the news from other farms around the area. Some would call this gossip, we chose to call it “sharing information.” Gossip sounds better by another name. 🙂 I’m kidding about that, really we do talk about other farmers, how many cows they’re milking, who lost hired help, who’s expanding… etc. Well, I’d better get breakfast on the table and get these kids moving…and get my coffee perking!

It’s been a boy kind of sunday with four extra boys at the dinner table. They are so full of life with lots of stories of their adventures with each other. Ranging in age from 9-16, they all get along and have a great time when they get together for a pick up game of basketball in the barn or whiffle ball in the backyard. They are such a hoot. But this morning in church I was reminded of something I thought was impossible that became possible this week, but only by the grace of God. I sent a story out to a paper in Kansas called Grass and Grain. I had never sent anything to this paper before and they had no idea who I was. After bugging the editor for a couple of weeks, I figured there was no way she would buy my story. When I sent my final email to her, she said she would take the story! I was so excited. But like I said, only by the Grace of God.

Bobby took off for Springport for JW’s baseball tournament, Sarah went to Coldwater with a friend to a volleyball tournament and Luke, Jake and I went out to breakfast. Then we went froggin’ around for awhile. We walked down the streets of Jonesville, they were having a festival this weekend. Then we went picked up Brad and went to the store. Because the boys wanted to warm up before their basketball tournament, we went to an elemetary school and they played while I talked on my cell phone! For the rest of the afternoon, I sat in a chair watching six games of basketball while getting baseball updates on the hour. At chore time everyone arrived back home with lots to tell about their day. Luke’s team won 4 games, and lost 2. JW’s team won their first game and lost the second. The team Sarah went to support won the whole tournament. Jake…well, he was Luke’s manager. It was a fun day, but it was nice to get back home and the cows were glad to see us, I only had to go get two cows from the pasture…that’s pretty good odds. After chores the boys had to go work for the neighbor and Jake helped another neighbor unload hay. These farmboys go and go and go….

Bobby took off for Springport for JW’s baseball tournament, Sarah went to Coldwater with a friend to a volleyball tournament and Luke, Jake and I went out to breakfast. Then we went froggin’ around for awhile. We walked down the streets of Jonesville, they were having a festival this weekend. Then we went picked up Brad and went to the store. Because the boys wanted to warm up before their basketball tournament, we went to an elemetary school and they played while I talked on my cell phone! For the rest of the afternoon, I sat in a chair watching six games of basketball while getting baseball updates on the hour. At chore time everyone arrived back home with lots to tell about their day. Luke’s team won 4 games, and lost 2. JW’s team won their first game and lost the second. The team Sarah went to support won the whole tournament. Jake…well, he was Luke’s manager. It was a fun day, but it was nice to get back home and the cows were glad to see us, I only had to go get two cows from the pasture…that’s pretty good odds. After chores the boys had to go work for the neighbor and Jake helped another neighbor unload hay. These farmboys go and go and go….

While things were sparking at the baseball diamond, back at home, things were happening too. When I came home to milk after the fourth inning, I walked in the milkhouse and heard the cows mooing. I thought it was odd that they were so noisy. It was when I heard paper rustling that I figured something was up. When I walked into the stable, I was met with a yearling heifer trying to eat all the milk replacer. I took a look around and saw all the heifers miandering around the barn looking for trouble. The hay cart was turned over, there were heifers with their heads in the grain cart, others were knocking over anything that would move, it was like watching a bunch of toddlers playing in McDonalds playland. Those heifers were everywhere. After chasing them all back out to pasture, the clean up began. The rest of the family was home before I even put the first milker on, which meant, I had help! I guess the heifers caused me some work, but also got me some help!

While things were sparking at the baseball diamond, back at home, things were happening too. When I came home to milk after the fourth inning, I walked in the milkhouse and heard the cows mooing. I thought it was odd that they were so noisy. It was when I heard paper rustling that I figured something was up. When I walked into the stable, I was met with a yearling heifer trying to eat all the milk replacer. I took a look around and saw all the heifers miandering around the barn looking for trouble. The hay cart was turned over, there were heifers with their heads in the grain cart, others were knocking over anything that would move, it was like watching a bunch of toddlers playing in McDonalds playland. Those heifers were everywhere. After chasing them all back out to pasture, the clean up began. The rest of the family was home before I even put the first milker on, which meant, I had help! I guess the heifers caused me some work, but also got me some help!

Yesterday was a busy day, but we got it all done. After a morning of errands, I got half the lawn mowed and then it was time for my sandwich delivery, dinner and off to the game and home for milking. The boys managed to mercy Burr Oak, but now without incident. Our coach got thrown out of the game after getting upset with the ump because he changed a call after the opposing team’s coach argued with him. If it had been me, I would’ve thrown him out long before the ump did. Blue gave him way too many chances in my opinion. It was when our coached took his finger and poked the ump in the chest that I would’ve just ejected him. In the end it was good entertainment for the record crowd on hand. The only hitch now is our coach has to sit out a game and they are playing a tournament today. The assistant coach would normally take over, but he’s got a day job and has to work. So now the athletic director has to coach, he will be a great substitute, but he was going to coach his son’s three on three basketball team today at their tournament, in which my son, Luke is also playing. So let it be said, our words and actions are sure to set off a chain of events, good or bad.

Yesterday was a busy day, but we got it all done. After a morning of errands, I got half the lawn mowed and then it was time for my sandwich delivery, dinner and off to the game and home for milking. The boys managed to mercy Burr Oak, but now without incident. Our coach got thrown out of the game after getting upset with the ump because he changed a call after the opposing team’s coach argued with him. If it had been me, I would’ve thrown him out long before the ump did. Blue gave him way too many chances in my opinion. It was when our coached took his finger and poked the ump in the chest that I would’ve just ejected him. In the end it was good entertainment for the record crowd on hand. The only hitch now is our coach has to sit out a game and they are playing a tournament today. The assistant coach would normally take over, but he’s got a day job and has to work. So now the athletic director has to coach, he will be a great substitute, but he was going to coach his son’s three on three basketball team today at their tournament, in which my son, Luke is also playing. So let it be said, our words and actions are sure to set off a chain of events, good or bad.

What I really wanted to say in that last post and forgot was how good the band sounded. The band director in our little school system is amazing at getting a great sound out of the students. None of them take private lessons, they just do band one hour a day. So I attribute their wonderful sound and solid musicianship to the teacher…he must be doing something right. I only have one complaint…the trumpet section needs to quit chewing gum during a concert! 🙂 What a hoot!