Jenna absolutly loves animals!! The dogs really relish her love for them.Her is Indian Princess Jenna! She is quite the sport, always loving to be outside and wear something on her head!

Also, she enjoys being high and free like a bird!

We are so blessed that God sent her our way. The adoption was finalized a few weeks ago, so she is officially ours. Praise the Lord!!

If you would like to follow our African adventure, please check out www.followingGodinAfrica.blogspot.com

Hello Everyone,

I am in Centralius (sp) Washington right now. Centralius is located about 2 hours south of Seattle. My family is here to celebrate all the late April birthdays and Kayla's 11th birthday + my 18th birthday!! We had a great drive listening to story tapes almost constantly!! :) It really helped us pass the 6 hour drive. We are going to be leaving for home tomorrow.

We were able to take this trip thanks to Cherish, Jenna's Aunt. She is staying at our home taking care of our many animals. Kasaw, one of my Alpine does and a few of the babies came down sick two days before we had to leave. What bad timing!! I am thankful that Cherish knows about goats and will be able to take care of them well.

Hasta luego!

Corbin, my brother, & I are planning on leaving for Africa on September 15!! We are very excited........& a touch nervous :), but I think that it will be a great experiance. We will fly out of Seattle & land in London. There we will meet up with the Bentons, a family that we have been friends with since I was 7 & who have been missionaries in Tanzania for 6 years.

After we meet them in London, we will get on another plane which will take us to the Rukwa Valley in Tanzania. We will spend a month there ministering & playing with the African children, helping a missionary doctor, & possibly teaching English.

Then we will meet up with Uncle Steve & drive to Lusaka, Zambia and spend a month there.

Corbin & I are really excited to have this opportunity to see if God wants this for our lives. I have been interested in being a midwife/missionary in Africa for a while, so this is a dream come true!!

We have bought our tickets & are now in the process of deciding about shots. I will try to keep you all updated as we make plans and see how this process unfolds.

Here is Lacey, my new horse! She is very sweet and well-trained. I got her a couple weeks ago, but wasn't able to ride her but once as we noticed that she had a funny gait-almost like a limp-with one of her back legs. We had the vet out on Friday, and she informed us that Lacey had 'string halt', which occurs sometimes when a horse hurts their leg & tendon. She reassured us that I could still ride her & that it shouldn't get worse! I was so grateful!! I am now riding her almost daily & really enjoying it. She is a little spirited, but I can still control her easily. It is so nice not to have to worry about her doing anything crazy. I have taken her on the road a couple of times and down our railroad tracks.

Here is Trip-Kasaw's 1st born.

Here is Emma (on log) & Boyer-Kasaw's other two kids.

Meet Oreo (on log) & M&M-Rejoice's kids

Time has flown! Deb had triplets on March 31. Those babies didn't want to leave their warm enviroment, but they are happy now to be able to play and jump around! Deb had 2 boys and a girl. The first boy was born with a front foot looped over his head. Then the girl and boy came quickly and easily. I named the girl Gracie and the boys Henry and Dirk.



April 9th showed that Rejoice and Gloria would be giving birth that day. Rejoice acted a lot closer, "pretending" to push, then getting up and going out to eat. Finally, I thought "this is it"!

But, again she waited and decided that she didn't like the idea of having babies. So, I headed into the house and watched her from the windows. She began pushing almost immediately in real earnest. I waited though for a while, as I didn't want her to change her mind again. When I did go back out, two feet and a nose were showing, but the baby was just not coming. I pulled and pulled and pulled. Still nothing was happening. I began to wonder if two kids were coming at once and I was pulling on two different legs instead. I tried to find where the legs connected and see if I could if it was one or two babies there. I decided that it was the same baby and pulled very hard on both legs. Finally the head slipped out and out came this MONSTER baby!!!!!! He was a buckling of course. Then about 30 seconds after he was born, two more feet again presented. I stood up to catch it, but the baby was too fast for me!!! It was a girl. She is big, but a much more manageble size. :)

The girl is standing up, the boy is laying down.

I had to leave in an hour to pick up my new buckling. My buck was getting too intertwined in my lines, so I needed a new one. Gloria was eating, but beginning to act much closer. I wasn't sure if she would wait for my return or not.



Linda had 6 bucklings for me to choose from and 3 doelings. One of her goats had given birth that day to quads!! I looked all the babies over carefully and finally decided on a girl from the quad batch and a boy from the Dam who produced the most.

Here is the buckling.

Here is my doeling.

When we got back home, I hurried over to where Gloria stood------there was a dear beautiful BIG buckling standing next to here. Gloria is a pretty small goat and when she was pregnant and I would feel for babies, there was "baby" all over in her belly. This boy is a big one. Not quite as big as Rejoice's, but big nevertheless.

I thought that I was done for a week, hadn't I just added 5 babies to my herd in one day? But, Hazal began acting really strange two days later. I thought something was wrong with her as she didn't eat or drink anything. I was getting a little worried. The next morning, she still wasn't eating or drinking. Her ligiments were still there, her udder was tight, but there wasn't much milk in there, and she wasn't due for at least 3 more days. I left with Grandma and Mom to pick up some medicine for her and when I got back, changed and headed out to give her the medicine. I noticed that there were some brown shapes over near here and when I got up to her, there were 3 babies. One still had a the sac over his nose, so I reached down and pulled it off right away. It was too late, he had died. The other two kids were doing okay. There was 2 boys and 1 girl in that batch. The boy that died was solid brown. I find it really interesting that she had three. She is deep, but I thought that there was room for one normal sized one or 2 small ones. Not three!! 'Course the girl only weighed 4.8 pounds and the boys weren't much bigger!! The surviving ones are doing really well. In 3 days, I have added 7 babies to my herd!!!



Only one more goat to go, and she is looking really close herself!! Quite busy to say the least!!

Here is a Colloge of my baby goats!!

First of all, I want to praise the Lord for finding a home for all my baby boys!! Two went to Grandma Krous as future pack goats and the rest went to Robyn, who had bought one from me 2 years ago. So now, I only have the 2 Toggenburg girls!!

Valentines gave birth yesterday at 11:30 p.m. She is one that likes to drag out the early part of her labor for as long as she can. At 7:30 am, the ligiments had disappeared and her udder was getting bigger. Around 10 am, her udder was beginning to fill. Later that day, things looked like they might be progressing a little faster, but then she settled down and it wasn't until 11 p.m. that she began to push. After several pushes, I reached in to see why things were taking so long- another breach baby. I tried to get the back legs out, like I usually am able to, but she was too tight and I couldn't get a leg. So, I pulled him out in breach form. Yes, it was another he!! He was very floppy and could hardly keep his head up. I massaged him quite firmly and he began to show a little progress. Valentines pushed out another boy, this one in normal position, but he had lots of fluid in his throat and possibly his lungs, and it took awhile before we were past the danger zone. They are both doing well now. The first one has really tight tendons in his legs, making it so that he can't stand or walk really well, but he keeps on trying. These boys are also sold to Robyn, the lady that bought all my other boys. She will be picking them up in about a week.

This is my "bummer lamb"!!

Mom holding one of Birch's babies.

Stilton, Dakoda, and myself.

Stilton's udder began to fill up on Tuesday and her ligaments disappeared towards night. She was acting very lovey and wanted me near here. The next morning, her udder was fuller and she was baaing more often. I checked on her often during the day. Nothing much changed, until around 5:00 p.m. Then she began doing little pushes, so I stayed by her side. I moved Stilton into another pen, because she was in with all the other goats and I wanted to be somewhere where I wasn't worrying about other goats bothering us. I would have moved her into the birthing stall, but since Birch was sick, she was in there. So, I moved her into another pen. Stilton had no interest in going into the barn, so she went behind the barn and begin pushing. I didn't necassarily want her to give birth on the grass and dirt, but I didn't want to move her when she was pushing. So, Stilton had her first baby laying down on the grass. The baby was born with a nose and one foot presenting. The other leg was alongside the body. I looked to see what it was-a girl!!! I named her S. Dakoda. The "s" is in honor of Stilton and Style's first initial. I picked up Dakoda and moved her into the barn. Stilton followed and began licking Dakoda. Dakoda attached herself very strongly to me and even though I am not bottlefeeding her, she loves to come stand by me and 1/2 hour after she was born, she came and layed down beside me!! Right after Stilton had Dakoda, it looked she was bleeding more then she should have. I was concerned as I didn't know how to help her. Not to long after, Stilton pushed out a normal-presenting girl!!!!!! I named her S. Caroline. I was hoping that this was the last one, as I still thought that Stilton was bleeding, and her belly hadn't been to big to begin with, so I figured this was it. No, there was another one. A big one. A long-legged one. I knew that he was very long-legged as he was born as a footling breach (meaning that one back foot was presenting). I reached in and rearranged him so that both feet were out. Then helping by applying traction when she had a contraction, he was soon born. Mom came up with the wonderful idea of naming him Charles to go along with Caroline! I nicknamed him Charlie. All four of Charlie's feet aren't right, but in the past, my other goats that are born with this condition, straighten out in a few days. It is almost like their tendons are a little weak or that they layed funny while in their mother. Stilton rejected Charlie, so he is my "bummer lamb"! The other two, I am letting nurse for a few days to cut down on my time out there. It is taking me about 4-6 hours to do everything!! And this is only 1/3 of my goats due!!!

One of my friends came over today, the same friend who sold me all the Toggs that I own, and she said that all the Toggs are very conformationally correct!! I was SO pleased to hear that. I had thought so, but to hear someone say that, who was very big into showing and learning about conformation, is a real blessing.

Birch went through a rough day yesterday, but by evening, she was back to normal!! Praise the Lord for making her well and for some girls!!

Meet Lightning....

 

Meet Coal....

 

Birch had her babies on Sunday. Her udder had filled up and her ligaments had disappeared the night before. I checked on her a couple times during Saturday night and didn't get much sleep, but no babies. The next morning, she began to lose some fluids, so I expected babies shortly after. Still hours passed. I had to leave at 1:00 to see some friends, so was hoping that she would give birth before then. When it was around 12:30, I took her for a walk to the mailbox and back. Nothing much happened with that, so close to 10 minutes before we had to go, I began pretending that I was milking her. Immediatley, she began acting like she wanted to be able to lick her baby and 5 minutes later, she began pushing!! She pushed out her Coal, at 1:00 and Lightning at 1:10. They are both doing really well. Lightning wanted to nurse, but I have him on the bottle now.
Birch was doing really well, but today, she got a bad case of diarrhea. She was acting dejected this morning, but is beginning to perk up.

It has already been a over a week since Grommette had her babies! My, how time flies!
Valor is the smallest and lightest of them all.
Victor is growing rapidly and is absolutly adorable-well, actually they all are. :D
Vincent is probably around 15 lbs. now!! He has been nursing on his mother, but recently Grommette has decided that she doesn't want to have the babies around, so I am going to begin bottlefeeding him. Grommette is doing well. She has recovered from her birth quickly and easily.

I found out yesterday that Birch is actually due on the 8th of March and Stilton on the 9th. So that means that Birch is two days earlier then I thought!! I am getting very excited! :)

Birch's udder is beginning to fill up slightly. She is as big around as Grommette was, so I am thinking three big ones or I am hoping 4 smaller ones. I am hoping for the four!! :)

Stilton is about as big around as Birch was too! Her udder isn't getting bigger though yet. I am beginning to keep my eye on them though.

Here is a vidio of Jenna's 1st birthday!

From Feb 21st 2009

 

 

 

Are you ready for Grommette's story?! :)

On the 17th, she was starting to act uncomfortable. Her udder was beginning to fill with milk. I had some friends over, who were hoping to witness the birth, but when the time came that they had to leave, she still had not given birth.

One of my friends, Michelle, spent the night, hoping that she would give birth in the morning. Grommette had always given birth in the morning, but this time she seemed to want to prove me wrong. :)

Michelle had to leave to do her piano lesson, and Grommette still hadn't given birth. Her udder was completely full and her ligiments had disappeared and she was very, very uncomfortable, but still no baby.

I was beginning to wonder if the baby was not postioned correctly. Then the Arndts dropped by to see her. Just as they were getting ready to leave, Grommette had a hard contraction. They decided to stay awhile longer, as she always gave birth in the past within 20 minutes of those hard contractions. 45 minutes went by, then she began having contractions that were getting closer and harder. Still no baby. Mom went in to call the vet and get Olive Oil, while I donned on some gloves. I decided to go in then and see what was up. I felt a rump-it was a breech baby. No wonder it took so long for her to have it!!! The baby was quite large and I feared that it would get stuck as it was barely fitting. I reached up further, grabbed a back hoof and pulled it out. Then I pulled the next back hoof out and the baby slipped out. He was HUGE!!!! He is perfectly fine and healthy. I named him Valor.

Then a little while later, I saw two hoofs. I looked closer and saw that it was the back feet and that the baby was upside down! I was a little nervous. My friend had a goat that was born this way and it was all deformed, so I was thinking that possibly this one was too. Grommette began to think about having it, but every time that she would lay down, Valor would baa and she would go lick him. Finally, she laid down and had a contraction. Just as the baby was born up to it's umbilical cord, the electricty went out!!! Dad slipped a headlamp on my head, so I could see what I was doing, while he went out and tripped the switch. That brought the light back on. Victor was born soon after as healthy and normal as you could get! :) He was slightly larger then Valor!!

I was very happy with these two and didn't want to have to go through the "pulling babies out" process. But, I felt Grommette and there was another one waiting to be born. I wasn't too excited about it. Then about 45 minutes later, she began pushing again. I reached inside right away, so I would know what to expect with this one. What I found was something that was soft and yet hard at the same time. I began to think of what it could be, but couldn't decide. Then a few contractions later the "baby bag" began to show. Duh!!! The sac hadn't broken, so I should have known. That was so silly of me, yet I had never felt the amniotic sac before when it was still inside the mom, so I suppose that I wouldn't have known. Anyways, this baby was so big that I had to break the sac just to let him be born. Yes, it was another boy. He was healthy, strong and was even larger then Victor!!! I named him Vincent, just to confuse everyone! :P

I figured out that if they were 8 lbs each, which I think would be the minumum, that would have been about 30-35 lbs of babies!!

They are all doing well. They are a dark chocolate brown with the white markings of a Toggenburg. Vincent has waddles, which are little balls of skin covered in hair which hang from their jaw bone near their throat.

 

 

 

Grommette is only 6 days away!! I am very excited. Her udder is starting to get bigger. I will be sure and post lots of pictures on here when the babies are born.

Grandma is coming over tommorrow. She is flying in from Salt Lake City, Utah for a visit. We are going to have a baby celebration shower while she is here to celebrate Jenna's arrival. So, tommorrow we are going to go shopping!

Please check out my buyNsell blog. The link is www.joyfulmeadowgoat-buyNsell.blogspot.com I will have some pictures of the babies on there and also pictures of the babies or does for sale.

Hasta luega (until later

Yes, those were moose!! They stayed on our road for about 2 days, then we thought that they were gone, but Mom on her way home today, saw them running along our train tracks. They were being followed by the train, which I think that the moose thought was out to get them! The train had to slow down to a crawl, so as to minimize hitting them.

Oh, by the way, on the way to ski lessons, we counted 175 deer last time!! Some were in a neighborhood eating the dead grass in someone's yard. But most were in a wooded canyan that we go through on our way to Mount Spokane.

LOOK AT OUR NEW NEIGHBORS!!


THEY MOVED INTO A VACANT HOUSE DOWN THE ROAD. WHILE THERE THEY TOOK THEIR TIME TO PRUNE ALL THE TREES FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WOULD MOVE IN AFTER THEM. THEY ALSO PRUNED OUR NEXTDOOR NEIGHBOR'S TREES.


















VERY NICE NEIGHBORS, AREN'T THEY????????!!!!!!!!