So is life on the farm worth it? Are the uncertainties and the learning curves worth the opportunity to work together as a family? Well, it's only been a month but let me answer that question with a shout. YES!! I asked Marlin last night if he likes working at home and being around us every day. After all, if the daddy of the family doesn't like it, it doesn't matter much if the rest of us do or not. His answer left me no doubt. The farm isn't for every family, and milking isn't for every man. Of course, we're hoping to take it much farther than just milk, but cows and manure are a very big part of the picture. The changes we've seen in the boys are amazing. Eric and Marlin have a rapport that simply wasn't there before. They loved each other but working and sweating together just does something for a relationship. They've had their moments, believe me, but the way i see Eric looking at his daddy, and the way those two belly laugh over something is worth every second of uncertainty. Zac comes in from his morning of milking, (every Tuesday Eric has off milking and gets to sleep in til his heart's content) glowing with pride over being a part.

I guess there's always reality to keep a balance. Cows get sick and die, thunderstorms go around instead of giving much needed rain, and you now understand why most farms are operating in the red. Life is like that and through it all, you keep your chin up and remember that it's worth it. We're not in it because we thought we'd get rich, (although a little money now and then sure has a way of putting a person in a good mood), we're in it because we have a goal far more important than money. So far there are 7 reasons why we're here and they're worth every second.

And for school? Someday we might actually have time to sit down and "do school" but i've also realized why farmers laugh when you talk about schedules. "School" takes a back seat when there's a calf being born or big daddy Weav needs a hand in the barn. But after all, isn't life the best school there is? A time for everything and everything in it's time.