The Lamb that Fate Brought.

     You know, usually I'm straddling the fence when it comes to fate and whether I believe it.  Same thing with karma, although I have hoped it's real, because I'd like karma to have taken a big chunk out of some well deserving back ends over the years.  Right now I've taken a leap off the fence and onto the fate must be real side.
     Yesterday started out as any other day around here with chores, breakfast, and starting school.  While Young'un was working on his spelling I decided to check the email.  There was one in among all the junk I've been recently inundated with that had the subject line "Bottle Lamb" from another Icelandic breeder.    
     Come to find out, the family had a lamb that was born on Sunday that needed bottle fed and they wanted to know if we were interested in buying her because they weren't able to do the bottle feeding, which I totally understand.  Now I know you probably think I said a big, "Yeeeeehaw!" tossed the kids in the car, and sailed on over for her, but I didn't.  I decided to be practical about it (yes, that does happen on occasion) and called Hon to get his thoughts on the matter.  You see, the family with the lamb was a good three hours from here, so they weren't just around the corner.  The other thing was that Hon happened to have to go up there yesterday afternoon.  He's never been up there before, and who knows if and when he ever will again, but as fate would have it, he was to be in the same area.  I know...weird, huh!  
     Hon and I talked about bottle feeding duties, as it's not something we've had to do here before.  I also talked with the kids and we decided with all of us pitching in we'd do a fine job of it.  So, that was that.  We decided to bring that little ewe lamb home.  Funny thing about Hon being up in that area was what he went up for to begin with didn't end up happening.  If he had known before the trip that he didn't need to go up there, he wouldn't have.  See.  Fate.  Totally.
     Last night Hon got home and he and Eldest went out to put together some one lamb accommodations for the little gal in the stall Dandy is in with her twins at the moment.  That way she would have some nearby company, but not tick Dandy off by trying to get under her for milk.  We were told she wasn't taking a bottle well, so when it came to bottle feeding time, we didn't know what was going to happen, but she took to it lickety split.  Man oh man can that girl suck down the bottle!  I swear I'm going to time her on it tomorrow.  From then on, we were hooked...smitten...head over heals!
     This morning Hon and I went out to give her a bottle.  We actually discussed who would be the one to give it to her; 6:00 a.m. and we're fussing over who got to do it.  We shared the responsibility, by the way.  This afternoon Young'un went with me and he fed the little lamb.  This evening Kid was out there with me to feed her.  Hon said he's going to go check on her this evening before he goes to bed.  Basically, she's getting a lot of care.  I think we're spoiling her.  Oh shoot, who am I kidding.  We are spoiling her and I have to keep telling myself and the kids she's not a puppy.  I took her with me in the back pasture for a bit this evening so Minnie and Trixie could check her out because I'm worried that she doesn't have a mama sheep figure for guidance.  I'm hoping that maybe Minnie and the lamb will become friendly since I don't think Minnie is pregnant and I think she'd be a good role model....not to mention Minnie is a tiny ewe.  What can I say, I'm a mom and I can't help but worry about the lamb and her welfare for when she's out in the field.  Besides, it's fate.
     So, there you have it.  Our new lamb that fate brought home.  Young'un, by the way, named her Crystal when we were tucking him in this evening.  I think she's a great addition to our farm and Kid has visions of taking Crystal to the fair as part of his breeding project this year since he's helping raise her.  Yup, it's fate.  I'm sure you'll be hearing more about Crystal as she grows up.  Smiling & Waving, Sharon 

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