Simplicity

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Confucious

Well, isn't the above quote the truth, heh?  I know from personal experience and from the previous job I had that life has gotten way too out of control.  The things that people freak out about on a regular basis and the supposed "necessities" we have all become so used to thinking we need have gotten way out of hand.  Oh don't get me wrong, I like to be pampered and spoiled on occasion too but people in general have gotten to a point where if they can't get their massages in every week or can't find a way to get out of the house for a night on the town without their significant other and children each week they are bitching about it.  The word spoiled comes to mind and it was working around people and customers (not all of them) with those outlooks that was part of my deciding factor as to switching jobs and working full time at the farm.  Although the farm is full of a lot of physical work and not easy, it really doesn't get much simpler than this and I have already noticed a huge change in me and how simple life can be and how your outlook on everything really does begin to change.

I know one of the first things people had opinions about when I decided to change jobs was "How will they afford it?"  Well, I can tell you, changing jobs has saved me money in many different ways.  There is no longer that need to impress people like at my old job.  My husband has seen me at my worst so he doesn't expect me to be all dolled up in the barn and well we all know that the cows could give two shits about my appearance.  So, with that said, I no longer spend a lot of money on makeup, hair spray, mousse and expensive perfume.  Oh sure, I use it on occasion when I go to run errands and out places but seriously, the supplies last A LOT longer than before.  And I can tell you, when I get home, I hit the shower and my hair is pulled back immediately for the day and no makeup applied and I have the au naturale look going on.  Works for me.

And as you can see.  Pretty much every day it is sweatpants and a sweatshirt or t-shirt for me.  No need to complicate things by deciding what to wear, nobody is here to see me other than the hubbie and kids so we're good.  And when I know I am going back to the farm at 3 pm, there is no reason to fix myself up only to get all dirtied up again later.

Side note - I would not normally wear a sweathshirt with birds and flowers on it, but it was a gift to our daughter and she didn't like it and it's all about comfort for me now and it's warm.

I've also saved a ton of money by not needing to buy nice clothes so I can look all professional at work.  The last time I entered a Kohls department store to buy anything was when we did our Christmas shopping and I don't think I bought myself anything.  Obviously I don't have to spend a fortune on good clothes for in the barn and if I buy a few pairs of jeans and some shirts at the local Goodwill store for $4 each for in the barn we're set.  Trust me, huge savings there!!!

And....because I have a closet full of nice clothes from my last job, if I do go out on the town or to church I have plenty to choose from.

I've also noticed a significant savings by not stopping at the local gas station on my way to work each morning for my cup of half cappucino/half coffee and a donut.  I would also stop at this same place roughly three times a week for lunch and now anything I am eating now is being made at my own home. 

I think the biggest change I've noticed is the fact that I don't really want to go places to spend money once I get home from the farm.  Seriously!  If I get up at 3:55 am to go to work and get home about 9-9:30 am knowing I will be going back again at 3 pm, the last thing I feel like doing is getting myself all dolled up to go run errands and have to rush back so I don't.  I also have Luke to think about, as he no longer goes to daycare (another big savings), and well going anywhere to run errands with him makes errands a lot more difficult so I put things off as long as I can before going.  Before I had a bad habit of running to Walmart because I needed one thing and then I would come back with five other things I didn't really need.

So, in a sense, I'm kind of becoming a hermit and I'm okay with that.  My life revolves around my kids, the hubby and the farm.  I don't feel the pressure to impress anybody anymore.  I am who I am.  I'm pretty much as simple as they come despite what some people may think.  My days consist of the following:

Finger painting with Lukas.

Watching little Lukas play dressup.

Keeping the house clean with my little "helper".

Appreciating all of the beauty around me each and every day while working around the farm and experiencing life as I know it.  My simple life.

Surrogate

Surrogate - to put in place of another; substitute.

So, I am approaching the age of 40 and have given birth to 4 wonderful children already at this time in my life, and never would've guessed that at this time I would be taking care of so many new babies on a daily basis.  Oh no, I haven't started a in-home daycare or becoming a foster mother or anything, but I have become a surrogate Mom to many adorable baby calves around the farm.

This morning while walking outside to bring down the second group of cows to come into the barn to be milked I thought I was seeing things.  You have to cut me some slack, it was early (about 6 am), it was still dark outside and because I get up so early now I was likely still not fully awake so it's possible to see things that may not really be there.  But I wasn't really imagining anything, out in the cowyard, surrounded by a lot of curious cows was a tiny little calf who just greeted the world.  Like that sight wasn't surprise enough to me, but as I continued south through the cowyard I spotted another one!!!!  Twins!!!

The newborns!!!

It's funny how my natural instinct takes over to want to take care of these little creatures and make sure they aren't harmed.  Initially I thought there was no way I could carry them the distance I needed to so that they would be inside the barn where it was warmer and not have a chance of being stepped on by the bigger cows outside but when Jeff didn't have the time at the moment to do this for me I decided "when there's a will, there's a way" and I walked out there with the mindset that I was going to "DO IT!"

With all my might I picked up the smaller of the two first and it seemed pretty easy and despite her being wet yet and a tad full of cow manure from being born out in the cowyard, I hauled her into the barn.  I was quite dirty after this and I'll admit, the second one seemed a lot heavier to me but again I was determined and got him into the barn too.  So damn cute!!!! 

Along with these two little ones I also have 12 larger calves in the two pens in the barn and 6 smaller ones (5 in huts outside and 1 inside by the twins) who are depending on me to be their surrogate Mama and feed them each day and I'm happy to be there for them.  It's my nature.

Oh sure, these little ones aren't going to give me hugs and make me pictures for my fridge or anything but I do guarantee that they will slobber me with a ton of wet kisses whether I want them to or not and I feel obligated to make sure they stay fed and are loved.

They likely don't realize at all what love is I guess, but I do, and that's what makes this part of my job that much easier for me.  They're kind of like my own kids, except thankfully for me, my kids are potty trained :)

Saddened

My heart has been heavy all week.  Not because of anything that happened to any of my loved ones or myself but because of that horrible accident in Campbellsport that claimed the lives of three beautiful and young high school girls.

I didn't know any of them personally, I had seen Caitlin briefly once about two years ago at Rocky Roccocos in Fond Du Lac with her Dad.  Jeff and I know her Dad as he sells us supplies for the farm and ran into them there when out Xmas shopping one time.

Strange thing is, her Dad had just been at our farm on Friday and spoke to Jeff and I for about an hour while we were doing afternoon chores and we were talking about our children and sports and everything.  It seemed so ironic to me that within 48 hours of shaking his hand and having a conversation about where exactly he lived and everything that I would read about this horrible accident.  My heart immediately ached for him and his family as he truly is a genuinely nice person.

After the intial news online and Facebook I had read posts made by people questioning the time of the accident and pointing fingers at these parents and what not asking why they would let their kids out at that time of the night.  It made me sad that people are so quick to "judge" a situation and circumstances and people in general.

I mean, come on!  We were all young once, just like these girls, and made some bad decisions and so on, and I can tell you for a fact, whether or not my parents knew it, there were times in high school when I said I was somewhere I wasn't, there were times I was out way later than I was supposed to be doing something foolish but fun!  Heck, I see a lot of adults making real dumb decisions everytime they leave the bars or bowling alleys on the weekend and choose to drive home but fortunately for most of us the outcome isn't so sad.

All I can think of is the pain these poor families must feel and for the surviving passengers of the vehicle how difficult moving ahead in life could be for all of them.  The poor girl driving is going to live with the guilt of this for a very long time and I can only hope and pray that God gives her strength to get past everything and looks towards her future.

This is truly another story in life that doesn't seem to make much sense but reminds us that there is a Higher Power in charge of it all.  As hard as it can be at times we need to try to understand and keep our faith and in this case don't assume or judge these precious girl's actions or the parents involved.  Any one of us could fall into a similar situation in our future and I can only hope that people decide to show support for my loss rather than question why I didn't have my child strapped to her bed all night and not out having a good time with her friends and exploring life.

I stopped and thought about it.  There have been many times where my 13 year old daughter had spent the night by a friend's house and I just assume and hope that they make good choices and don't do anything stupid.  But at the same time I do know that kids will be kids and they could easily sneak out of the house and test the waters of life.  I've personally done that, so I know.  And if they decide to venture out, well, you pray that God keeps them safe in whatever way he sees fit.

Pray for these families, pray for their friends, pray for that community as it has to be one hell of a blow to their system.  Beautiful, intelligent girls with so much passion for life........so, so sad.

Oh, and yes, use this opportunity to speak to your own children about the dangers of speeding and not wearing seatbelts and last but not least hug them, love them and tell them all the time.  One just never knows when will be the last time.