I have had a rough past few days.
We were informed that Tony's foster parents have decided to adopt him. :-( I am pretty devastated by the whole thing. The adoption "journey" isnt for the weak... that is for sure!!!
When I found out, I am pretty sure my heart skipped a few beats... and I went into denial. The news was confirmed yesterday... and I am slowly coming around to the fact that, that adorable little guy wont be calling our house, "home".
It has me feeling all kinds of different things... I am mad, because this family could have adopted him at any time over the past 2 yrs, and they didnt. I am upset because we are back to the beginning and cant recover any of what we spent. Yes, we were made fully aware of this at the start of the process... but that doesnt make it any less upsetting.
I am also happy. I am happy that Tony wont have to make the transition into a new family. He wont have to feel scared or confused... or worry if a new family will take care of him properly. In the big picture... this is what is best for him.
Stacy and I have talked about our plan... and how we want to proceed... what we should do next... Quit, move forward, give up, continue to on this journey...
I spoke with an awesome woman at the agency we are working with... we do plan on moving forward. And she thinks she does have some options for us... and more than likely we will have a new addition or 2 by spring.
I will be cautiously optimistic... time will tell. I believe that God will put the right child/ren with us... in his own time. Everything happens for a reason and the timing was just not right yet.
In the mean time... I will NOT be looking at ANY adoption website!!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
11/24/2013
It is a whopping 19 degrees out this morning!! I took the pigs out... and they didnt even want to be out there!! I no sooner put water in their bowls, and it started to freeze!
It made it pretty damn clear that I NEED winter cover-alls. I was using my hunting ones... but since I am actually hunting this year...I am not "allowed" to wear them out for animal care. It almost kills me to have to go and buy another set!! I guess I will pull out my TSC 10% off coupon and suck it up to stay warm this winter. :-/
Stacy's tractor is frozen too. It wont start and he is NOT a happy camper!! He has some yard clean up to do... since they worked on the roof yesterday and everything ended up in the side yard (extra metal scraps, the chimney they tore down & screws).
They did manage to get roofing on ALL of the actual house roof!! WOOO HOOO!! We just have the side kitchen yet (which was a porch) and the front porch. I am sooooo happy about all of the roof progress!!! It took 2 yrs for us to get a front porch, and this is the second fall that we have had the roofing laying in our yard.
There isnt going to be a "family dinner" today. Instead we are all going to go out to the gun club and shoot hunting rifles! :-) I sure hope the sun warms us up some!!
I finally got most of the rows back on the blanket that I had to rip out the other day... all because I some how managed to add 3 stitches and it would have drove me crazy if I wouldnt have fixed it. This is what happens when I crochet AND do a million other things like help with homework, carry on a conversation and try to keep up with what everyone is doing! LOL!!
I didnt sleep all that well last night. I am really hoping that tonight is different. That is 2 nights in a row I was up and down all night! I HATE when that happens.
Nathan spent the weekend with Debbie. He will be home around 11 to go shooting with us. He is always a real "joy" when he comes home. She doesnt follow our strict NO DYES rule... so it takes me DAYS to get him back on track.
This week is THANKSGIVING!! I cant believe how fast the year has gone. Next weekend this time I will be up to my eye balls in Christmas decorations! LOL!! I wish we were able to spend Christmas week at the cabin again... :-( Last Christmas was such an amazing trip. The snow was perfect... all 18 inches of it!! Hunting was fun... but the kids are severely allergic to whatever wood is being burnt up there... and since it is a mix, we have no clue which on it is.
I guess I should get to work! I have body butters to whip up... for Christmas gifts and a special blend for my piggies. Then I need to get started on some special crocheted gifts.
I officially started my Christmas shopping on Friday... I ordered my first gifts!! :-) I hope to have the rest all done this week... then I dont have to worry about it!! It will be smooth sailing into the Holidays at our house. I know my shop will be pretty chaotic and busy... usually is over the Holidays. Everyone wants pretty pups when people visit for Christmas!! Let's hope they dont wait until the last minute... Because I WILL be closed for the 2 weeks over Christmas and New Years this year!! I have some changes I want to make... I am going computerized... for billing and scheduling!! EXCITING!!! I just hope the "growing pains" arent too awful. LOL
It made it pretty damn clear that I NEED winter cover-alls. I was using my hunting ones... but since I am actually hunting this year...I am not "allowed" to wear them out for animal care. It almost kills me to have to go and buy another set!! I guess I will pull out my TSC 10% off coupon and suck it up to stay warm this winter. :-/
Stacy's tractor is frozen too. It wont start and he is NOT a happy camper!! He has some yard clean up to do... since they worked on the roof yesterday and everything ended up in the side yard (extra metal scraps, the chimney they tore down & screws).
They did manage to get roofing on ALL of the actual house roof!! WOOO HOOO!! We just have the side kitchen yet (which was a porch) and the front porch. I am sooooo happy about all of the roof progress!!! It took 2 yrs for us to get a front porch, and this is the second fall that we have had the roofing laying in our yard.
There isnt going to be a "family dinner" today. Instead we are all going to go out to the gun club and shoot hunting rifles! :-) I sure hope the sun warms us up some!!
I finally got most of the rows back on the blanket that I had to rip out the other day... all because I some how managed to add 3 stitches and it would have drove me crazy if I wouldnt have fixed it. This is what happens when I crochet AND do a million other things like help with homework, carry on a conversation and try to keep up with what everyone is doing! LOL!!
I didnt sleep all that well last night. I am really hoping that tonight is different. That is 2 nights in a row I was up and down all night! I HATE when that happens.
Nathan spent the weekend with Debbie. He will be home around 11 to go shooting with us. He is always a real "joy" when he comes home. She doesnt follow our strict NO DYES rule... so it takes me DAYS to get him back on track.
This week is THANKSGIVING!! I cant believe how fast the year has gone. Next weekend this time I will be up to my eye balls in Christmas decorations! LOL!! I wish we were able to spend Christmas week at the cabin again... :-( Last Christmas was such an amazing trip. The snow was perfect... all 18 inches of it!! Hunting was fun... but the kids are severely allergic to whatever wood is being burnt up there... and since it is a mix, we have no clue which on it is.
I guess I should get to work! I have body butters to whip up... for Christmas gifts and a special blend for my piggies. Then I need to get started on some special crocheted gifts.
I officially started my Christmas shopping on Friday... I ordered my first gifts!! :-) I hope to have the rest all done this week... then I dont have to worry about it!! It will be smooth sailing into the Holidays at our house. I know my shop will be pretty chaotic and busy... usually is over the Holidays. Everyone wants pretty pups when people visit for Christmas!! Let's hope they dont wait until the last minute... Because I WILL be closed for the 2 weeks over Christmas and New Years this year!! I have some changes I want to make... I am going computerized... for billing and scheduling!! EXCITING!!! I just hope the "growing pains" arent too awful. LOL
Saturday, November 23, 2013
11/23/2013
The guys are hard at work on the roof. We are sooo close to having it done!!
Today they are removing the chimney from what use to be the summer kitchen, but is now my laundry room. Finally figured out where the previous people had the dryer vented to... the chimney! LOL! Since we werent sure, Stacy put in a new vent when we first moved in.
After the chimney is gone... they will be installing the roof on that part of the house! After that... only my side kitchen and the new front porch will need done!! :-)
I can not tell you how much of a relief it will be once the roof is 100% complete... and not laying in our yard!! It will be one more thing checked off the "to-do" list that we need to have done before we bring home a new child!
Hunting season is fast approaching!! Mine and Nathan's guns finally came in. We will spend tomorrow sighting them in!
BUT, before I can worry about hunting season... We have to make it through Thanksgiving!! We are hosting dinner, as is our tradition! Only this year... I am not making EVERYTHING. This is a huge change for me... since I LOVE cooking all of dinner for everyone! We have just been saving and pinching in every area... since we will need to be providing for another "special needs" child soon. There is so much that we will have to have and buy... I just want to make sure the money is there when we need it.
I have decided to go without so much... and it is soooo worth it, and really not a big deal!
I gave up my satelite radio...which I do miss, but I am not in my car for huge periods of time every day... so no biggy.
I cut down on my Icee runs... except on high stress days... then I NEED them...LOL!! It helps that BK is having trouble keeping the machine working...so even when I do have a weak moment, 75% of the time the machine is down...LOL!!
I also cut back on the data plan for my phone. I thought about switching back to just talk and text... but I use my phone to make bank deposits and keep my shop appt book and the kid's activity calendar... plus notes and lists that get me through day to day life. I would seriously be lost without the features of my smartphone and it's apps!! Now if I could just get my hubby to cut back on his data usage...which is an ongoing battle!
We have opened up more of the house to the coal heat, by cutting our existing doors into dutch doors!! I LOVE THEM!! It keeps dogs contained without blocking the heat flow!
I make as much of the things we use as possible! Laundry detergent, fabric softener, snacks, breads. I make very few things out of a box.
AND... we have become a whole lot more resourceful or finding things that work, instead of buying new! Like the piggy pen we built last night!! Skids, stall mats, cinder blocks and an old dog kennel... all things we had laying around (except the cinder blocks... they came from Stacy's dad!)
Anyway...
I am completely fascinated by these pigs!! I cant believe how smart they are... and how loving they are! They have feelings and emotions just like ppl (proven fact)!!
I went and talked to some very knowledgeable pig ppl today... got some tips and tricks... so I am pretty excited about that! I just wish I could get Wilbur (yes, changed his name AGAIN...LOL) neutered. I cant stand how smelly he can be... especially when he catches sight of Piglet!! YUCKY!! Makes it hard to spend extra time with him... getting him use to people.
I LOVE the piggy pen Stacy and I built last night!! Easy to clean and they wont be able to let themselves out when I cant be sitting right next to them. I just need to find a FREE dog house, or build one from stuff we have sitting around!! That old truck cap may be a perfect resource... if the guy who wants to buy it never comes for it!!
I am going to try putting together a homemade coconut oil mix to battle Piglet's awful skin... plus I went and paid the $4 for Horse de-wormer just in case she has mange or mites... or whatever else could be causing it.
I got some GREAT pointers on helping Piglet drop weight without making her feel like I am torturing her or starving her! She is already shedding some pounds... her chins dont drag on the ground anymore, and you can see some extra skin hanging under her belly now. But she still a lot of fat rolls and there is no sign of hip bones!!
I am pretty sure we are past the "sugar crash" stage of getting her off the buffet of apples she was accustomed too. Her temperament is way more pleasant and she comes up to me for belly rubs and to be petted. Before she was just plain pissy!! LOL
Yes, I am probably a bit obsessive about these pigs... but they are just so cool!
The kids are all doing well. Brittany is adjusting to less cheerleading, now that football season is over and she didnt do winter cheer because of all the adoption stuff. It is nice having her home too.
She made HONOR ROLL for the first marking period! I am so super proud of her!!
Courtney got some great news too!! Her official start date at HGA is January 13th!! Which means we will be taking her up the Saturday before!!! I am soooo very proud of her, and excited for her!!! It has been a loooong battle, getting her in there.
Once we get through holidays, we can start packing up necessities and things.
Oh yes... Christmas... fast approaching!! I am doing a lot of homemade gifts, as I do every year. I am also letting the kids have more of a say in what they get this year. Usually it is a huge surprise Christmas morning... but they are all getting older now, and like what they like... not always what they end up with. LOL
Monday is Nathan's Turkey luncheon at school. I am in charge of the gravy!! They are making 4 20lb turkeys for this gathering... I guess it is going to be HUGE!! Stacy was suppose to attend with me... but since the guns needed sighted in, we opted for him to be off tomorrow. Instead, I will be taking Courtney with me to lunch! She just doesnt know it yet...LOL
It will be fun to gather with Nathan's school "family" for lunch!! I am so very thankful for NDCS... they have gone above and beyond with Nathan. Every one of his teachers are WONDERFUL and I have a great, open line of communication with them!
I better get into the kitchen. Nathan brought home a ton of bananas from something they did at school during the week. He had plans of me making banana bread with it... so that is what I will do! :-)
I also have to make sure the soup is hot when the guys want to eat lunch. AND deal with some clutter!
Today they are removing the chimney from what use to be the summer kitchen, but is now my laundry room. Finally figured out where the previous people had the dryer vented to... the chimney! LOL! Since we werent sure, Stacy put in a new vent when we first moved in.
After the chimney is gone... they will be installing the roof on that part of the house! After that... only my side kitchen and the new front porch will need done!! :-)
I can not tell you how much of a relief it will be once the roof is 100% complete... and not laying in our yard!! It will be one more thing checked off the "to-do" list that we need to have done before we bring home a new child!
Hunting season is fast approaching!! Mine and Nathan's guns finally came in. We will spend tomorrow sighting them in!
BUT, before I can worry about hunting season... We have to make it through Thanksgiving!! We are hosting dinner, as is our tradition! Only this year... I am not making EVERYTHING. This is a huge change for me... since I LOVE cooking all of dinner for everyone! We have just been saving and pinching in every area... since we will need to be providing for another "special needs" child soon. There is so much that we will have to have and buy... I just want to make sure the money is there when we need it.
I have decided to go without so much... and it is soooo worth it, and really not a big deal!
I gave up my satelite radio...which I do miss, but I am not in my car for huge periods of time every day... so no biggy.
I cut down on my Icee runs... except on high stress days... then I NEED them...LOL!! It helps that BK is having trouble keeping the machine working...so even when I do have a weak moment, 75% of the time the machine is down...LOL!!
I also cut back on the data plan for my phone. I thought about switching back to just talk and text... but I use my phone to make bank deposits and keep my shop appt book and the kid's activity calendar... plus notes and lists that get me through day to day life. I would seriously be lost without the features of my smartphone and it's apps!! Now if I could just get my hubby to cut back on his data usage...which is an ongoing battle!
We have opened up more of the house to the coal heat, by cutting our existing doors into dutch doors!! I LOVE THEM!! It keeps dogs contained without blocking the heat flow!
I make as much of the things we use as possible! Laundry detergent, fabric softener, snacks, breads. I make very few things out of a box.
AND... we have become a whole lot more resourceful or finding things that work, instead of buying new! Like the piggy pen we built last night!! Skids, stall mats, cinder blocks and an old dog kennel... all things we had laying around (except the cinder blocks... they came from Stacy's dad!)
Anyway...
I am completely fascinated by these pigs!! I cant believe how smart they are... and how loving they are! They have feelings and emotions just like ppl (proven fact)!!
I went and talked to some very knowledgeable pig ppl today... got some tips and tricks... so I am pretty excited about that! I just wish I could get Wilbur (yes, changed his name AGAIN...LOL) neutered. I cant stand how smelly he can be... especially when he catches sight of Piglet!! YUCKY!! Makes it hard to spend extra time with him... getting him use to people.
I LOVE the piggy pen Stacy and I built last night!! Easy to clean and they wont be able to let themselves out when I cant be sitting right next to them. I just need to find a FREE dog house, or build one from stuff we have sitting around!! That old truck cap may be a perfect resource... if the guy who wants to buy it never comes for it!!
I am going to try putting together a homemade coconut oil mix to battle Piglet's awful skin... plus I went and paid the $4 for Horse de-wormer just in case she has mange or mites... or whatever else could be causing it.
I got some GREAT pointers on helping Piglet drop weight without making her feel like I am torturing her or starving her! She is already shedding some pounds... her chins dont drag on the ground anymore, and you can see some extra skin hanging under her belly now. But she still a lot of fat rolls and there is no sign of hip bones!!
I am pretty sure we are past the "sugar crash" stage of getting her off the buffet of apples she was accustomed too. Her temperament is way more pleasant and she comes up to me for belly rubs and to be petted. Before she was just plain pissy!! LOL
Yes, I am probably a bit obsessive about these pigs... but they are just so cool!
The kids are all doing well. Brittany is adjusting to less cheerleading, now that football season is over and she didnt do winter cheer because of all the adoption stuff. It is nice having her home too.
She made HONOR ROLL for the first marking period! I am so super proud of her!!
Courtney got some great news too!! Her official start date at HGA is January 13th!! Which means we will be taking her up the Saturday before!!! I am soooo very proud of her, and excited for her!!! It has been a loooong battle, getting her in there.
Once we get through holidays, we can start packing up necessities and things.
Oh yes... Christmas... fast approaching!! I am doing a lot of homemade gifts, as I do every year. I am also letting the kids have more of a say in what they get this year. Usually it is a huge surprise Christmas morning... but they are all getting older now, and like what they like... not always what they end up with. LOL
Monday is Nathan's Turkey luncheon at school. I am in charge of the gravy!! They are making 4 20lb turkeys for this gathering... I guess it is going to be HUGE!! Stacy was suppose to attend with me... but since the guns needed sighted in, we opted for him to be off tomorrow. Instead, I will be taking Courtney with me to lunch! She just doesnt know it yet...LOL
It will be fun to gather with Nathan's school "family" for lunch!! I am so very thankful for NDCS... they have gone above and beyond with Nathan. Every one of his teachers are WONDERFUL and I have a great, open line of communication with them!
I better get into the kitchen. Nathan brought home a ton of bananas from something they did at school during the week. He had plans of me making banana bread with it... so that is what I will do! :-)
I also have to make sure the soup is hot when the guys want to eat lunch. AND deal with some clutter!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Rollercoaster
Our lives have been such a roller coaster lately... at a bunch of different angles.
The one that sticks out most in my mind... is the adoption process!!
I have to admit... I have learned a lot about myself, my past, and my abilities through all of this. I have also learned a bunch about my husband.
I have always looked at my past as something to not be so proud of... to keep to myself. It turns out... all of those things I have been through and battled make me a much more desirable parent!! Who would have thought!! I mean... The entire time I have been a mother (the past 21 yrs) I have had at least one person tell me I was doing things WRONG! Our adoption counselor looked me in the eyes one day... and told me to think about that...really think. I have 4 amazing kids, who are doing great things... because of me and the way I have parented them!! Did I make some mistakes... of course. ALL parents do!!
Stacy and I want to add to our family so bad!! We have done EVERYTHING we have been asked to do. We have come up with care plans for a special needs child... we have come up with back up care plans for a special needs child... we have come up with back up to the back up plans!!! We have asked carefully picked family members if they would step up and help us if we needed that help... and asked them to obtain all of the required clearances. We have had our kids, still at home, get clearances.
We have researched, learned, and gone over all kinds of possible care needs.
It seems like we just keep going and doing... and we still dont have a new little person in our home yet!! :-(
I absolutely hate that a part of the reason for that... is it is such a money racket!! Of course, the process takes some time... we understand that. But at the same time... it is coming up with the required fees to get the training... get the special approvals... have what we need on hand... and all of the "fun" stuff needed to adopt from out of state.
It is pretty sad that the way the "system" works is that if we were going to adopt from the PA foster care system... they would PAY US to do so!! BUT... take it out of state, even with a special needs kiddo... it costs us an arm and a leg! I think that is what makes it all the more frustrating!!
We have had a bunch of ups and down through this process... at times I wonder if it will ever really happen. Will all of this hard work and saving ever give us what we are looking for...?
I just have to never give up hope and truly KNOW that it will all work out in the end.
The one that sticks out most in my mind... is the adoption process!!
I have to admit... I have learned a lot about myself, my past, and my abilities through all of this. I have also learned a bunch about my husband.
I have always looked at my past as something to not be so proud of... to keep to myself. It turns out... all of those things I have been through and battled make me a much more desirable parent!! Who would have thought!! I mean... The entire time I have been a mother (the past 21 yrs) I have had at least one person tell me I was doing things WRONG! Our adoption counselor looked me in the eyes one day... and told me to think about that...really think. I have 4 amazing kids, who are doing great things... because of me and the way I have parented them!! Did I make some mistakes... of course. ALL parents do!!
Stacy and I want to add to our family so bad!! We have done EVERYTHING we have been asked to do. We have come up with care plans for a special needs child... we have come up with back up care plans for a special needs child... we have come up with back up to the back up plans!!! We have asked carefully picked family members if they would step up and help us if we needed that help... and asked them to obtain all of the required clearances. We have had our kids, still at home, get clearances.
We have researched, learned, and gone over all kinds of possible care needs.
It seems like we just keep going and doing... and we still dont have a new little person in our home yet!! :-(
I absolutely hate that a part of the reason for that... is it is such a money racket!! Of course, the process takes some time... we understand that. But at the same time... it is coming up with the required fees to get the training... get the special approvals... have what we need on hand... and all of the "fun" stuff needed to adopt from out of state.
It is pretty sad that the way the "system" works is that if we were going to adopt from the PA foster care system... they would PAY US to do so!! BUT... take it out of state, even with a special needs kiddo... it costs us an arm and a leg! I think that is what makes it all the more frustrating!!
We have had a bunch of ups and down through this process... at times I wonder if it will ever really happen. Will all of this hard work and saving ever give us what we are looking for...?
I just have to never give up hope and truly KNOW that it will all work out in the end.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Back at it
After a 6 month break... I have decided to come back to blogging. I really dont think anyone knows what it takes to run the "Graff homestead"! With 6 kids (1 not under our roof, but living near by with his girlfriend) 5 dogs, a flock of ducks, 2 bearded dragons, and now 2 micro potbelly pigs... life is always an adventure!! Seriously, there is NEVER a dull moment around here!!!
Last evening, "Bacon" (or "Hamlet"... we are apparently still undecided on his name), the youngest of the pigs at only 4 months old, decided to let himself out of the yard!! Pigs are super smart... and I am learning that real quick! The kids and I searched Erdman for this little pig... looking in fields, yards, along the road and in the mountain. NO sign of the pig! Nathan was a complete mess... which is just his nature to panic and cry and basically completely freak out. Once the sun disappeared, we stopped searching. Stacy had a chiropractor appt... so we grabbed the spot light and looked along the way.
Of course, once we are in the chiropractor's office... my phone starts to ring!! The neighbors around the corner found the pig!! This is GREAT, you may think..... NOT when I am not home to deal with it! I called the house, Nathan answered the phone. I tried to give him detailed instructions on what to grab and where to go... and what to do once he got there. He apparently didnt hear my voice at all... and just ran out of the house with no coat, no carrier, no piggy treats... NOTHING!! I get a call from his sisters, because they have no clue where he went.
Eventually, all of the kids end up around the corner trying to catch the pig... along with some neighbors!! "Bacon" (or "Hamlet") is a whopping 40lbs at most, so he is fairly small. I guess everyone was trying to catch him and he kept darting out of their arms, between their legs and all over the yards!! Brittany said it was a hilarious sight and she couldnt stop laughing... I guess watching 2 grown ups and a hand full of kids pounce on a screaming pig is somewhat of a sight... One I wish I would have seen!!
The pig was eventually caught and contained... and brought back home. Which we are forever thankful for!!
I learned quite a lesson... it is no joke that pigs are the 4th smartest animals in existence and I better start thinking like a pig!
The first thing I need to do is put up a more secure run... inside the yard... in hopes that while outside, we have no more escapes!! Second, BUSTER CUBES!! This should keep the brainy bunch occupied over their favorite stuff... FOOD... for a bit of time, and their minds off of escaping!! Third, I need to fashion some "rooting boxes"... yes, just more hide and seek food opportunities!
"Bacon" came from an amish auction somewhere up north. He is terrified of people and doesnt have split hooves in the front. Leave it to me to find the one "special needs" pig in all of PA...LOL!!
He is a young male and I have a call in to Dr Tracy about neutering him. I am hoping he will be easier to work with once that is done! Added bonus-- he will be less stinky!!
"Piglet" is a 10 month old female. She likes ppl and food. She came from an orchard, and is extremely grumpy over the fact that she cant graze on apples & pears all day!! The sugar crash was not very funny and made her 60lbs of pissy!! She tried pushing her weight around some... but quickly learned that wouldnt work in her favor. She is starting to come around and eat her veggies... and appreciates the occasional grape and piece of banana! If you havent guessed... she is way overweight, so we are really watching her food intake... in hopes to slim her down some.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner... a week away!! We will be hosting dinner here... as is our tradition! Usually I go all out and make the HUGE meal myself... and LOVE doing it. This year is a bit different. We have been pinching every penny to make adopting (I'll talk more about that in a later post) possible. No more icees ever day or every other day... I am down to about 2 a week tops. Everything we do is more carefully planned, so we dont have to do it again... or make another trip somewhere. If only I could get Stacy to cut down on the tea and soda OR the insane amount of data he "needs" on his phone... we would be home free...LOL!
I hate that I feel like I am the one giving up the most... and Stacy is business as usual. He cant seem to get it in his head that he cant have it all. But that is a completely different discussion that I wont get into.
Nathan and Brittany are back in school. Nathan is attending a local private Christian School and Brittany is back at UDA. They are both doing really well!! Which, again, I will get into in later posts.
That is about all I have time for today. I must get outside to take care of animals... and the dogs are being awfully quiet, and that probably means trouble!
Last evening, "Bacon" (or "Hamlet"... we are apparently still undecided on his name), the youngest of the pigs at only 4 months old, decided to let himself out of the yard!! Pigs are super smart... and I am learning that real quick! The kids and I searched Erdman for this little pig... looking in fields, yards, along the road and in the mountain. NO sign of the pig! Nathan was a complete mess... which is just his nature to panic and cry and basically completely freak out. Once the sun disappeared, we stopped searching. Stacy had a chiropractor appt... so we grabbed the spot light and looked along the way.
Of course, once we are in the chiropractor's office... my phone starts to ring!! The neighbors around the corner found the pig!! This is GREAT, you may think..... NOT when I am not home to deal with it! I called the house, Nathan answered the phone. I tried to give him detailed instructions on what to grab and where to go... and what to do once he got there. He apparently didnt hear my voice at all... and just ran out of the house with no coat, no carrier, no piggy treats... NOTHING!! I get a call from his sisters, because they have no clue where he went.
Eventually, all of the kids end up around the corner trying to catch the pig... along with some neighbors!! "Bacon" (or "Hamlet") is a whopping 40lbs at most, so he is fairly small. I guess everyone was trying to catch him and he kept darting out of their arms, between their legs and all over the yards!! Brittany said it was a hilarious sight and she couldnt stop laughing... I guess watching 2 grown ups and a hand full of kids pounce on a screaming pig is somewhat of a sight... One I wish I would have seen!!
The pig was eventually caught and contained... and brought back home. Which we are forever thankful for!!
I learned quite a lesson... it is no joke that pigs are the 4th smartest animals in existence and I better start thinking like a pig!
The first thing I need to do is put up a more secure run... inside the yard... in hopes that while outside, we have no more escapes!! Second, BUSTER CUBES!! This should keep the brainy bunch occupied over their favorite stuff... FOOD... for a bit of time, and their minds off of escaping!! Third, I need to fashion some "rooting boxes"... yes, just more hide and seek food opportunities!
"Bacon" came from an amish auction somewhere up north. He is terrified of people and doesnt have split hooves in the front. Leave it to me to find the one "special needs" pig in all of PA...LOL!!
He is a young male and I have a call in to Dr Tracy about neutering him. I am hoping he will be easier to work with once that is done! Added bonus-- he will be less stinky!!
"Piglet" is a 10 month old female. She likes ppl and food. She came from an orchard, and is extremely grumpy over the fact that she cant graze on apples & pears all day!! The sugar crash was not very funny and made her 60lbs of pissy!! She tried pushing her weight around some... but quickly learned that wouldnt work in her favor. She is starting to come around and eat her veggies... and appreciates the occasional grape and piece of banana! If you havent guessed... she is way overweight, so we are really watching her food intake... in hopes to slim her down some.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner... a week away!! We will be hosting dinner here... as is our tradition! Usually I go all out and make the HUGE meal myself... and LOVE doing it. This year is a bit different. We have been pinching every penny to make adopting (I'll talk more about that in a later post) possible. No more icees ever day or every other day... I am down to about 2 a week tops. Everything we do is more carefully planned, so we dont have to do it again... or make another trip somewhere. If only I could get Stacy to cut down on the tea and soda OR the insane amount of data he "needs" on his phone... we would be home free...LOL!
I hate that I feel like I am the one giving up the most... and Stacy is business as usual. He cant seem to get it in his head that he cant have it all. But that is a completely different discussion that I wont get into.
Nathan and Brittany are back in school. Nathan is attending a local private Christian School and Brittany is back at UDA. They are both doing really well!! Which, again, I will get into in later posts.
That is about all I have time for today. I must get outside to take care of animals... and the dogs are being awfully quiet, and that probably means trouble!
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