March 2024

March 2024
Over the years, we've always compared our family life to a wagon train heading west. Just as everyone had to do his part to get to Oregon years ago, so everyone in our family must do his/her part to make our journey through life successful. If somebody climbs in the wagon and lets the others do the work, we just don't make any progress. We all have to pull our weight and work together. Along the trail we find lots of pebbles that make for a smooth ride and some bigger rocks that jar us a little; we hit the occasional pothole that can slow us down. But if we purpose to search diligently, there are countless gold nuggets and precious gemstones along the way as well. This journal is an attempt to preserve some of those precious moments for our children, and our children's children, as together we travel this trail called life.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11


Friday, May 7, 2010

5-7-10 Visit to the Vet

Not quite a routine Friday. Boys milked in the morning, then Levi took Jesse to Uncle Randy’s for the day before coming home to take his geometry test. 98%, wow that’s great! 6 lessons and 1 test to go. I think we’re going to make it. 

And the rest of us took Rascal to Dr. Jessica Pallen (Hoerr Veterinary Clinic) for her shots. And Rascal did NOT want to go…she was scared stiff. After she would NOT get in the van until Levi almost lifted her in, and she was snapping to boot, I asked Levi to go with us…I wasn’t trusting her while I was driving. So Levi went with us and then came back home to take his test while we did our business with Dr. Pallen. Rascal was a mess; she wouldn’t move. She’d never been in the van before, and she’d never had on a leash before, and she’s just a more timid dog than our first Rascal. We eventually got her out of the van, and then out from underneath the van, and then over to a grassy spot where we just sat and petted her until Dr. Pallen came out. When Dr. Pallen saw that Rascal wasn’t moving anywhere, she quite deftly put a muzzle and a choker collar on her and ended up lifting and carrying Rascal into the exam table. She thought Rascal would settle down a bit more if all the kids weren’t there, so they all waited just outside the office. And Rascal was just trembling on the exam table; but she only lunged once, when Dr.  examined her ears.  I explained that in the last couple of weeks our boys had pulled a few ticks off her ears; and she had shown some uncharacteristic aggression ever since then. Before I paid all that money for her shots and Frontline Plus, I wanted to know if this recent aggression was going to last. Dr. thought absolutely not, considering she’s got hormonal changes as she enters dog adulthood, and she may be in heat which could also trigger such uncharacteristic behaviors.  Plus the tick deal was kind of throwing her off too. So I practically laid across Rascal’s front half while Dr. did the shots, and Rascal really did pretty good for that part…not even a flinch.  We were just done when Levi left home to get us, and Dr. carried Rascal outside for me, back to the grassy spot where we first sat. Meanwhile, I know how Henry felt when Mudge was done drooling on him.  I felt like I was covered in dog slobber, which kind of very much grosses me out. Oh the things we do for our kids.  I paid the bill, Levi  picked us up, Dr. put R. in the van for us, and we headed home, adventure over, and this mom worn out!

Lunch right away; Levi went to Precision for a potluck then worked. Many jobs here after lunch…major catch-up. Josh never did take a morning nap, but he was a good little guy (outside, of course) nonetheless.

Playtime, choretime, suppertime, bedtime.

Oh, well, I guess in between choretime and suppertime, I graded Levi’s test and helped him with the 1 he missed. In between suppertime and bedtime, Dad and I did a couple errands in Morton. Beyond that…everyone did Friday Jobs, and I managed everyone and settled disputes.

Everyone’s in bed now, and my eyes keep  succumbing to gravity, so for this time, that’s all.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Ruth! I've enjoyed reading your blog for the past several days.

    Somewhere along the line, you mentioned that parenting teens was not the nightmare that some had “warned” you about. (not a direct quote from you, but you know what I’m talking about…). I so agree! Some people look at me with panic when I tell them we have 3 teen-aged daughters. It’s a wonderful phase of parenting! And I don’t like that people expect it to be terrible. (Ever heard of self-fulfilling prophecies?) There’s a real joy in the changing child/parent relationship that comes and especially as we get to watch/help their faith and walk with the Lord grow. I’m enjoying this time (most days!).

    Diane

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  2. You are so right, Diane; so
    many people expect it to be terrible and they're right - it's a
    self-fulfilling prophecy. It just grieves me to hear talk like that...I
    believe it's a lie straight from satan. I know our last chapter isn't written yet, and we have our bumpy times as you
    certainly do too, but for the most part we have enjoyed our 4 years of
    parenting teenagers. They are a blessing to us.

    ReplyDelete