Miracles, Major and Minor

We've been a little busy this week, getting used to a new schedule. I managed to acquire a horse for me, so Mary isn't out riding alone. Between the two of them, there's a little more to be done and a little more to worry about. Mine is Hope, a retired track horse/brood mare. She and Wakiya have become very friendly, so things are good there.

Mary joked that she should have named her horse Change, so we could have Hope and Change.

Last weekend provoked some observations, some of which might be considered miraculous.

7 children from 3 families, ranging from 5 to 14 years in age; nothing more serious than a bumped head. No fighting, no whining, no pouting.

Husbands who made and delivered coffee, wives who made and delivered food. No fighting, no whining, no pouting.

Even when the weather was nasty and two husbands, wanting to go home, deferred to their wives and didn't road-warrior it out of there.

2 daughters who organized and prepared dinner (think lunch, some of you) while the moms were out taking April to her new home. It was delicious.

A 14 year-old offering to tuck in and pray with the rest of the kids one night, while moms and dads visited.

The quiet hum of The Lord's Prayer coming up the stairs from the bedroom moments later.

The cow didn't calf. -whew-

Kids negotiating over who would be the lucky one (and they meant it) to get up at 3am to help feed baby goats.

Three families contained by the weather in a Midwestern ranch house for three days.

Friendships intact at the end of the weekend.