Lost Time

There are so many posts that I should have written over the last couple of months that I didn't have the time or energy to write.  Late last fall I talked about the cancer diagnosis in our family.  My father-in-law made the decision to pursue a treatment option out of state.  The treatment schedule started the second week of January and lasted until the last week of February thanks to the winter storms that closed down the clinic more than once.  In addition, my dad was still dealing with the follow up to his health scares of December.

My cousin took a job as a truck driver which is more of where his heart is than working in the shop on the farm during the winter.  He still helps us on his days off if we want it and boy did we appreciate the help when he was here!  It seemed he was always here right before or at the beginning of a storm.  

With the 2 of them gone, that left 2 of us to do chores every day.  I am really not sure where January and February went.  They really seem like a blur of kids activities, managing meeting schedules, calving, snow and ice.

The following phone calls that are usually held between the Farmer or I and his dad were not an option in January and February:

• We were up watching 2 heifers calve from 2am to 4 am.  Would you mind checking them this afternoon so we can take a nap?
• We have a heifer that needs a C-Section.  Can you watch the boys, so I can go to the PTO meeting while The Farmer takes her to the vet?
• Can you check over the calves in these 2 pastures while we do the others?  The -10* temps doesn't give us much time to help any of the calves born this morning.
• We would love it if you brought pizza out tonight.  I have no idea what we are going to eat. (Thank goodness for TV dinners and Blue and Gold Chicken Strips from the FFA chapter fundraiser.)

Thanks to some help from a wonderful friend who covered the feeding routes and my parents baby sitting the remaining 9 heifers, we went as a family to the Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas.  For those of you that don't know, this is where the annual meetings for the corn, soybean, wheat and grain sorghum growers are held.  I didn't realize how much we needed this down time and together time until we left.

I usually write lots of blog posts, edit pictures and catch up on computer work while on long road trips.  I had a whole folder full.  I got through 4 pages of cattle records.  I had planned to get through it all and write several posts.

 The boys sat through meetings that no kid should have to sit through like 2 hours of political platform discussions for soybean farmers.  They did amazingly well.  In fact, there were men in the room that didn't realize they were there.  Thanks to an awesome friend they were rescued from other boring meetings and went to see the Farmland movie and took a boat ride on the River Walk.

We came back right though the middle of an ice storm all the way from Dallas.  Helping the hubs navigate the icy roads was not any fun at all.  Keeping the boys quiet, so dad could concentrate became a challenge after 12 hours on the road. 

I am slowly catching back up with life.  I haven't seen very many friends unless they were at basketball games or volunteered to come help open gates while I fed.  I feel like what the kids have done in school has taken a back seat to the chores and calving.  The boys did great taking care of the homework when we were trying to keep calves warm.  I on the other hand did a terrible job of remembering to sign where I was supposed to each day to certify their reading minutes.  I am ready to be mom again.  I am ready to have a few free minutes here and there, right after I get rid of the "Commodity Classic Crud" that I understand many of us are battling.  The doctor today confirmed a sinus infection, bulging ears, red throat, and lungs that sounded like I should have a terrible cough. 

I feel I am getting my precious time back just in time for the Spring Field work to begin.

-A Kansas Farm Mom