Anyone else have a birthday on or near a holiday like my sister? Everyone seems to think that because you have a birthday on or near Christmas that it is always just lumped in with everything else, but not so in our house growing up. We always had a birthday party two days before the ultimate birthday party on the 25th. I am sure some people get gypped out of a party but I can’t ever remember that being the case when I lived at home. Of course now, she and I would rather not remember the fact that we are yet another year older so it has a little bit different meaning than when we were 12.
The simplicity of being 12 is long gone now but in my mind, a lot of the time, that is how I think about the two of us. Unaffected by the scars of life and complexity that comes from being almost 40, waiting for it to snow so we don’t have to go to school, relaxing summers when it never seemed as hot as it does now, and of course waiting up all night for Christmas to finally arrive the next morning.
So, happy birthday Sarah, I love you. Yes, you are now one year closer to 40, just like me.
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We finally have a foster placement! Governments move to action so quickly! A mere 15 months after our training the state of Alabama has finally decided to use the training (they paid for) and send us a (temporary) placement. This is Layla. She is 10 months old. We don’t know how long she will be with us but she is fitting in just fine. We’ll keep you posted. -The Marchios
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What’s a farm without animals, I ask? (Dad says it’s ‘perfect’!) We now have temporary custody of yet another Lucy. Nancy (Chris’s mom) asked us to puppy sit her stray houseguest for the weekend while she was at work. The puppy’s name is Lucy and she came for the weekend and is still here. (Imagine that).
Chris is training her to be a guard dog. Her first day on the job guarding the ducks she grabbed George by the throat. She attempted to guard Lucy (the goat) but Lucy didn’t feel she needed guarding so she lowered her head and made a brief charge at Lucy (the dog).
Ah well. The first day on the job is always the toughest. She has learned not to chase the ducks and is terrified of the (electrified) goat fence. (Everyone has to learn that one the hard way). She has taken to sleeping on the front step at night guarding the door and (hopefully) looking out for predators. She appears to have a brain, or Chris would have sent her packing Sunday night.
Duck update: After Flower’s demise we lost Duncan the next night and Quacker the following night. We released the ducks in a desperate attempt to keep them from becoming ‘sitting ducks’. We have gone a week now with no deaths and the ducks have even had the good manners to stick around. We are down to three (George, Mac, and Brownie). With luck, they will not all be of the same gender; they will stick around until spring, and they will bear some off spring to make up for the other 7 that have gone to the next life. If all three of those things happen, count it as a true miracle from God.
Blessings to all.
-The Marchios
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Let us all draw upon our fond memories of Flower to help us through this difficult time. How can I possibly put into words how much Flower has meant to us these past three weeks? Has she actually been here a whole three weeks yet? Well, she is off to meet her maker and quacking and swimming freely for all eternity. (I’m sure there is a cryastal lake in heaven just for ducks).
Flower, you may recall, was Martha’s duck. She is grieving in her own precious way. Mom pulled up for a visit this morning and Martha promptly announced, “Flower’s dead. Someone ate him”!
The investigation into this murderous family rampage has just begun and we will keep you posted when we are able to identify the assailant. In the mean time, you might say a quick prayer for the remaining 5!
Blessings
from the Marchios
