We finally got our Goats! We are so excited, Tim built them a special Hay Rack, so everyone had a place to eat. He moved the fence feeders down where they would be able to spread out. And now he is fencing to make their area a lot bigger for them to graze.
So I decided Tim was doing all these wonderful things for them, that I would also spoil them a little by taking the goats a treat! I mean after all I give our dogs a treat, how hard could it really be?
Tim was always with me when we feed the goats, however this is a snack, nothing like the feedings. So off I went with my box of Vanilla Wafers!
When I got to the fence I noticed it was a little awkward opening and shutting the gate with the goats all around me, but I did it. Confidently I thought, "I got this!" So in my infinite naivety, I proceeded with a big smile on my face to open the box and hand them a cookie one at a time. I stuck my hand into the box pulled out a cookie.........

The next thing I saw was sky and I could feel and see all the goats around me. I heard the sound of tearing paper. I immediately rolled over and got to my feet, just in time to see the box torn open and vanilla wafers flying through the air! I went over picked up the trash, put my jacket back on. (I only had one arm in), put my hair back up in my clip, brushed the dirt and hay from my clothes and walked back up to the house. When I reached the porch, I turned and looked around humiliated that someone might have seen what had just happened!

I never talked about it until now, and I pretty much always go with Tim to feed. But when I'm ready and I go the next time to give them a snack, and there will be a next time, I will be ready!
After all I raised three kids, didn't I? How hard could goats be? Then my mind flashed back to raising the kids, silently I groaned.

My husband Tim and I had finally started cleaning the back of the property where our house would go. He was clearing and cutting tree limbs along the road, when he found a green snake in one of the trees. He is telling me this while we are eating lunch. Well I nearly choked, as I asked, "Do snakes get in the trees?"
Tim replied, "Lauren, they almost never do, it's been years since I have seen one." I relaxed.
Two weeks later we were sitting under one of the shade trees admiring the work that Tim had done. Suddenly I begin hearing Ping, Ping. When I looked over to where the water bowl was, I noticed bark was falling into it. I slowly looked up and there in the tree was a snake. Now mind you, not a little green snake, a huge snake, what color I could not tell you I didn't stay there that long. I started shouting to Tim as I was running, "I thought you said this hardly ever happens?!!"
But was he listening to me no, he was too busy trying to knock the snake down! When he finally came over to the truck I was crying. "Are you leaving he asked me?"
"No! I can't I said, I need my keys and they are back there on the table."
Tim asked, "I thought you weren't leaving?'
I started crying again, "I'm not I just need to roll up my windows, because I am under another tree!"

Well we were finally settled in several months later when Tim came in one evening stating he heard some hogs. And he was going to have a look, and did I want to come? 
"Well do they attack, I asked."
"They almost never do, they are more scared of us. I haven't heard of anyone being attacked in years." Tim replied heading out the door.
"Ok let me get my boots on and I will meet you on the porch!"
As I walked to get my boots, I begin to think....wait the snake, didn't he say that about the snake. I think he said that hardly ever happens, haven't seen in years. I opened the door and told Tim to go on without me I had changed my mind. 
As I shut the door and watched him go off without me. I smiled to myself and thought Don't think so, I am so not falling for that again!!! 

I always thought I was a country girl, and no one could tell me any different. I wore boots and jeans occasionally . Come on now, that makes me country, Right?
As we pulled up to the last property on our list, I groaned inside. The land hadn't been kept in years, trash and brush piles, tall thick grass was growing everywhere and around everything.
Tim took my hand and we proceeded to walk a path to the back of the property, when two deer jumped in front of us. They were as surprised as we were. They turned and ran up the property never looking back. Tim and I turned to each other and smiled.
The further we walked I could see that the property needed a lot of work. But I could also see the beauty of it. Wildflowers everywhere, big trees, a pond, and a barn. Everything we were looking for. We had found our home.
As we turned to go back, I was blissfully happy, this was going to be great. I couldn't wait to get our house, open the windows on a cool day, sit on the front porch in our rockers, drinking hot tea and watching the deer.
Suddenly Tim let go of my hand and ran forward, he was looking around, he said "Stay there, I am going back to the truck for the hoe, I just saw a copperhead!" Well I didn't even respond as I ran past him to the truck. As I was running I decided that maybe I wasn't as country as I thought I was!
Tim helped me into the truck, while assuring me he wasn't going back to look for the snake, but he did want to go look at the barn. Reluctantly I said okay.
While Tim was exploring the barn, I begin to think. I'm a nurse, I have worked county emergency rooms. I have seen and touched things that no one should ever have to know about! I can do this! Taking a deep breath I tell myself again, I can do this!
Suddenly the biggest grasshopper in the world jumps on the windshield! What is this place Fear Factor! I am deathly afraid of grasshoppers, I hate them! I am still staring at it when Tim climbs into the truck.
Tim is smiling and telling me everything he thinks we can do with the land. "Babe, we found it!"
I smile slowly at him and think as he starts the truck. I just need to tell myself over and over, I am a Farmer's wife now, and I can do this! Right