How farming can be soul crushing and uplifting at the same time...

It was one of those nights last night.

You know...the one where you work your butt off and everything unravels in front of your eyes.

We needed to move the cattle across our driveway and into a new paddock.  Jon had everything set up to go and the cattle were hollering to move.  We had made an alleyway for them to come back and get water, because we don't have water access on that far pasture.  Well, all it took was one heifer to unravel everything.  She went straight through our wire fence, snapped it and the rest followed suit.  Thankfully our lead cow kept following me with the bucket and we were able to get them into the paddock soon after.

"Thank the Lord...we are done..." were my thoughts.  And I was wrong...it was going to be a late night!

The bulls then decided that they were going to move themselves.  Our big bull, Wooly Bully, hopped right over the fence and was helping himself to some grass.  Jon quickly went to get some more polywire so we could round him up.  Then our little bull, Boy George, decided it was time to kick up his heels and charge after Jon.  I am so thankful that bull decided to stop at the polywire, otherwise Jon could have been hurt. 

With some quick work, swearing, sweating and some running, we quickly got another DOUBLE polywire paddock around them.  And they were just as happy and content as ever.  Our fence hasn't been as charged as it should be, so that was another aggravating thing last night. 

What's the soul crushing part?  The fact that no matter how prepared you are with animals, they will find a way to destroy what you've set up.  The cows got out AGAIN last night and we just left them. Sometimes you just have to call it a day.  It also sucks to see your husband put his head down on the four wheeler in a defeat.  THAT my friends is the soul crushing part.

What's the uplifting part?  A thunderstorm rolled in last night cooling us off.  We were able to get all the animals secure and not a couple minutes later it broke loose.  Sitting on the porch, watching the thunderstorm, while my husband is in his underwear and I'm wearing his work pants....now that's uplifting.  (May I remind you that I'm four months pregnant and if you want to see a crabby lady, just try and squeeze me into my old work pants.  It's just not happening.  So, I wear Jon's!) 

I once described farming as a roller coaster.  In town, your life can also be a roller coaster, but on the farm the highs are much higher and the lows are far lower than you can imagine.  But somehow we dig deep and carry on.

I always like to imagine what God's thinking at that point in time, when my husband is swearing at the cows and all I want to do is take my hot sweaty pants off.  I imagine it goes likes this..."Okay kids, you've had enough.  Here comes a thunderstorm to cool you off since I know you don't have air conditioning.  Sit down, relax and enjoy the show.  And for goodness sake, before you go to bed go turn the generator on...you numbskulls are about to run out of power."

God has such a great sense of humor...