Our Four-Pawed Guardian Angel

I was leisurely getting my day started this past Sunday morning, reading my Bible, and enjoying a steaming cup of hot coffee.  I had gotten up to refill my coffee, and to open the window blinds and let the sunshine in, when some unusual movement caught my eye.  I leaned forward to get a better look... and this is what I saw...

Our sweet escape artist and her darling little one out on the lam... and our guardian angel Annie, watching carefully over them.  I watched them through the window for several minutes, just to see what was going on.

Annie kept looking toward the house as if she knew I was watching, or perhaps she was hoping I'd catch her in the act of such great honor and devotion to the cause. 

Momma and baby were trying their wings out, and seeing how far they could go with their new freedom.  I decided it was time to quit watching, and take action.  I quickly dressed and walked slowly outside.  I knew that if I appeared excited they would perhaps run, and I didn't feel like running cross country this early in the morning.  I went and filled up a half can of goat feed and began to shake the container and walked slowly toward momma.  She ran up to me!  Wow, this was easier than I thought it would be.  She followed me right into the pen, where I was able to safely confine her and baby again.

Now, the job was to find out how they escaped and bring this scenario to a resolution.  Hmm. Looks like Annie played a big part in the escape.  She had dug a hole and gnawed through the chicken wire towards the bottom edge of the pen.  Momma Ginger had spotted this as her opportunity to eat some green grass, and help herself to the hay behind the shed.  She didn't waste any time!

Momma Ginger wasn't too happy with me, after she got back in the pen. 

She wasn't happy with  me because I stayed in the pen with her and little Rascal. 

I sat on an overturned feed bucket and quietly talked to her and Rascal.  She just looked at me with great concern.  She didn't want me anywhere near her baby.  However, I didn't listen to her, and neither did Rascal.  It wasn't long until....

 

Rascal had warmed up enough to me, to come and try to suck my finger.  He kept nudging my hand and sucking my fingers as if he thought there was something good there... lol!  I could feel the baby teeth in his mouth, but they didn't hurt.  He took my finger and kind of twisted and jerked it, as if he couldn't figure out why there was no milk coming out!

 

I

I continued to sit there and pet him when he would allow.  He jumped up into my lap once or twice, and then was off again, running back to Momma.  Ginger kept warning Rascal to stay away from me. 

Finally though, he jumped into my lap, snuggled his head into the crook of my arm, and relaxed.  I began to pet him and rub his ears, behind his head, and rub his tummy.  It wasn't long until he was arching his head and rolling over so I could get all the places that needed to be rubbed.  His eyes closed, and for fifteen minutes he stayed in my lap, snuggled and sleeping.  Ginger came over a couple of times, sniffed me and Rascal and "baaaaed".  Rascal just ignored her, and continued snuggling wtih me. 

After about 15 minutes, his power nap was over.  He got up, and jumped off my lap, and continued to hop and run and kick his little legs all around the pen.  He had just stolen my heart!  He came back to see me a few times. But, then his belly must have started growling.  Off he went to get a drink from the source that really did provide his milk.

With all the action over, I realized that all our pets, Annie, Cosmo, and Simba had been patiently watching.  Simba was exhausted with it all, and just decided to go to sleep right there.

Cosmo stayed on duty.  He was quite concerned about all the excitement.  He wasn't sure what to make of it all.  He kept whining and crying while he saw me holding little Rascal.  I think he was jealous.  Poor Cosmo.  He just doesn't understand that love has no boundaries, and just because I love little Rascal and Momma Ginger, doesn't mean I don't still love him too... but I don't think he understood our conversation.  He just was happy when I emerged from the goat pen, and gave him some loving too. 

I had made some money bread for breakfast and had it cooling before all the excitement began.  Somehow it seemed fitting that with all the monkey business we had going on this morning, that we had monkey bread for breakfast.  Not a bad ending to all the excitment!

... and the money bread never even had time to get its topping of icing before it was halfway devoured.  In fact, the icing never made it to the monkey bread... it disappeared with just a few crumbs left ... a tasty ending to all the monkey business going on ...