It is hard to believe that I have been home for almost two months. It is the longest that I have been home in almost 2 years. During this time I have started another flock of guineas and chickens, planted herbs in my green house, performed fall cleaning/clean out of our home, baked bread weekly, became a new puppy parent (more about him later), joined an outdoor exercise group, and have been nursing a litter of orphan kittens from one of our barn cats.
Nursing a litter of orphan kittens is one of my least favorite projects. They require an immense amount of care (beyond what puppies require). They are not able to urinate or defecate without assistance (they will die if you don’t perform routine stimulation), they require feedings every 2 hours (the formula recipe that I use is incredibly messy and sticky), and you quickly become covered in cat scratch marks from their little claws. They are like velcro. As you feed one kitten, the rest crawl up your back, your legs, your arms (whatever they can grab on to), all the while screaming in their high pitch mews. Then, you have the increased laundry because of bedding changes with each feeding, to keep them clean (and clothing changes after each feeding due to the mess). But all of this is better than listening to their desperate pleas of hunger and cries of suffering. I have said before that I can’t tolerate anyone/ anything being hungry or cold. So I always feel a deep sense of obligation to help them. They don’t always make it without their mama, but I try to give them the best chance possible because they deserve that.Watching them grow and reach developmental milestones (purring is my favorite) is wonderful, but it is heart breaking when they don’t make it. Death on the farm sometimes seems constant and continuous despite the best efforts (that’s a part that I don’t miss about being home).
I have been working PRN at the local hospital which I am excited about. It fulfills my need to work in my community. It is something that I have never done before (I have always commuted). It feels good to provide care to those people that live and work in our little town. But I have not been able to secure a full time role here. There aren’t very many opportunities when you live in a small town. I knew it would take time to find the right role, but I have grown somewhat impatient and desperate with the process.
I was offered another travel Interim Director role. To be honest, I had no real intention of pursuing it (I don’t want to leave home again). However, the more details that became available and their desire to meet my holiday/vacation requests along with other entreaties (Wookie gets to come with me to work again!) made it seem like the best decision. And, guess what? We finally found a dealership that would help me with my car. It is finally repaired! I have said before that I would wait to see what God had planned for me and gladly follow wherever/whatever it is. I prayed hard about the decision. When it became clear that it was what He wanted, I cried, kicked, and screamed (figuratively speaking). I am not proud of that, but I somehow thought He would provide a local position for me that would allow me to stay home and do what I wanted. Do you hear all the I’s/Me’s in this statement? Who has ever been truly happy when only considering themselves? I don’t know anyone. And, although I am trying to accept the fact that I am leaving home again, I think what helps the most is to know that everything happens for a reason. I may never really know why it is His plan for me to go to the next destination, but I can be assured that there is purpose in it, and it is bigger than I am. And, I am grateful for this next opportunity.
Of note: I have knitted Wookie some new sweaters for this new adventure.
Leave a Reply