Home Sweet Home

The past month I have been at my daughter’s home helping with my granddaughter while she was in the hospital and afterwards when the triplets came home. The visit was insightful as I learned their routines and way of doing things. I also learned more of their family values, which were good. The visit was good, but I missed home and being with my husband.

Once we learned there were triplets coming into the family, my husband and I made plans and prepared for the time when I would be at my daughter’s helping out. There would have to be the occasional day trip home to sell sheep and to pay the bills. We both knew there would be sacrifice in order to help my daughter and her family.

Sacrifice of him coming home to a cooked meal. Although I had cooked meals like pot roast for him when I was home, it was not our regular routine. The sacrifice of not sleeping in the same bed. I am very used to sleeping with my husband similar to cuddling up with a favorite toy as a child. He, likewise missed his wife.

The livestock and dogs missed me as well, and I missed them. The smells of the farm and noises are very different than those in town. I had to get used to the siren of an ambulance, as my daughter lives near the hospital. The sound of vehicles going down the streets during all hours of the day and night. The neighbors’ dogs barking at squirrels or cats. Different smells in the air.

A very big part of my routine I missed was sitting in my office in the morning with a cup of coffee, thinking and praying about the day while I watch the birds in the tree and my little garden. The quiet and time for thought on what I am going to do for the day was greatly missed.

I enjoyed spending time with my granddaughter. I would get her up and ready for school. On weekends I would prepare her meals. In the evening we would sit and watch television, then get ready for bed. She is a great cuddler. This time offered a great opportunity for her to get to know her Granny, and Granny to get to know her better. She also brought back memories of when my daughter was a child, her expressions and ways of doing things. At times I laughed at the memory, and my granddaughter thought I was laughing at her. I would tell her I was laughing at her mother, although her mother was not there.

A precious time spent with my granddaughter, daughter, son-in-law and babies. But, it still was not home. It did not smell like home, or sound like home. I missed the routines of feeding and talking with the animals each day. When I made my one day visits, first thing I would do is go check the sheep and horses. My husband thought I did this as I was not trusting him to do the job correctly, truth is I missed my animals, their smells and sounds.

Now that I am home for at least a few weeks, it is time to get some of the tasks done that my husband did not have the time to do. I need to clean up the yard so I can put out the few fall decorations I have. Do the dusting and mopping in the house. There are tasks that need to be done with the sheep such as trimming feet and deworming. I will also be working with a couple of horses to get them ready to sell, and a couple of dogs. I need to clean up the spring garden and get the fall garden planted. Work does not stop at the farm because I am gone for five weeks.

A lot of work to catch up on – but I am at my home sweet home.

amtolle