WAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

I GOT A RAISE!!!!!


Last fall I learned that the law firm I work for was splitting up, there was a strong possibility I would be losing my job by the end of the year... BUT I got hired on by the big firm that the one partner was going back to, which was taking over the lease. So I had guaranteed employment till the end of the lease, which was up in June. I got a letter to that effect, through May 31. Then it was discovered that the lease was up the END of June, not the beginning, and got written confirmation until June 30. No guarantees after that, but they said we would take it month-to-month... and they did negotiate a 3-month lease extension so I am comfortable about working through September 30... my direct supervisor keeps saying don't worry, but he is no longer the one in charge so yeah, I do worry... with Randy still out of work, I NEED this job. In fact I sent out 140 resumes last fall and I got NOTHING back... scary!!!

Today I got an e-mail from corporate that I got a raise! So WAHOO I am doing a happy dance, this bodes well for the continuation of the northwest branch office, of which I am the only staff!

THANK YOU GOD!!!

But please, continue to pray for me in this regard... I cannot totally relax until I get written confirmation that this office is NOT closing...

The Conversion (Part 4)

THE TRUCK IS HOME!!!!! WOOT!!!

WAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOO got a call from Randy about 4:30, he was driving the truck home!!! And of course I had a dinner to go to after work tonight for someone that is moving away... I was hoping I would get home in time to take pictures before dark!!! If not I could do it in the morning before work, and hopefully have time to download and upload them before I have to leave (we are taking the truck to get the hitch installed first thing in the morning!)

Well it was only DUH for a short time, then it occurred to me that RANDY could take pictures before it got dark!!

So he parked the International in line with the rear of the Dodge...


And in this picture you can see how the International is just a tad longer than the Dodge!


I sure wish we had thought to park both trucks even at the nose and show how much longer the big truck was... but we didn't think of it. Wouldn't that have been a good before and after???

Quite a bit taller though


Current view from the rear:


For comparison, the picture posted earlier BEFORE the frame rails were cut:


Another good comparison pair... remember BEFORE?


And now, AFTER:


By the time i got home and fed it was dark so no more pictures but yes I did climb in and sit behind the wheel for a few minutes lol...

And this is where the hitch will be attached - TOMORROW!



And thanks a ton to my friend Pat who is meeting me at B&M and taking me the rest of the way to work since Randy has to help his little brother {and no he isn't real happy about that he wants to play with the truck lol}

Foxy's Foal Arrived!!!

Only got 4 hours of sleep Saturday night, had a funny feeling about Foxy and that full mooon... sat up with her for a long time but nothing... last night I still had that funny feeling so I checked her right before heading to bed at 10, she was nibbling hay again but had been laying down (dirt and hay etc. on her side), checked under the tail, no leaking... she felt warm and sweaty, kept my hand on her side for a bit but felt no contractions, and with work today I went to bed... but asked Hilary the night owl to check Foxy before SHE went to bed... next thing I know there is a knock on the door, Hilary says "Mom, Foxy is down" - HUH? What do you mean Foxy is down??" "What do you THINK I mean, Foxy is down!" Look at the clock, 12:30... So I scrambled into some clothes, grabbed the flashlight and camera I had placed by the door, and scooted myself out to the foaling pen... where I saw this:

Things went real quick, I took a lot of pictures but since they are kinda graphic I will only post a few... here we have 2 hooves, perfect so far...

And the head, hurray everything is lined up perfectly!

And I took a few short videos in between pictures...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiKQO4OAa88

Still pictures get a flash, no light for the video and even with 2 flashlights as spotlights, sorry it is awful dark... I am sure she was in labor for a bit before Hilary went out, but from "bubble" to "baby" took less than 5 minutes!!

And as soon as baby was out, Foxy was up!

Something different here, usually when mom gets up the cord breaks and we have "yuck" hanging out the back of mom for a while, waiting for the placenta to deliver, but this time, when Foxy got up, the whole EVERYTHING came out in a gush, and it was the poor baby who was stuck dragging it around for a bit...
Let mom clean up for a bit...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvaRfNw8hcQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPbYyVP74QI

At this point I just HAD to check under that tail... ONE HOLE, it's a BOY!

Trying to stand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GeyJi4BTDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GeyJi4BTDY

And he's up!!!

Yup definitely a boy!

Hilary's comment at this point: "Wow I've never seen a brand-new weenie before!" - almost had me busting a gut!!!


Trying to nurse off the FRONT of mama...


Trying to nurse off MY LEG!

Trying to nurse off THE FENCE!!!!

A break for mama kisses!



Getting closer...

Almost there...


And he's got it down...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSqYDZqic0s

Oh that face...


He nursed 4-5 times and still no poop... by this time it is 2:30, I am getting pretty tired but I need to make sure all is well so I keep watching, he has made several trips to the "potty corner" (mama keep a very clean pen!!) and finally... exactly in the right place!!

So off to bed I went!!!

Some dry pictures in the daylight this morning...

He's got mama's soft, kind eye...

Last night (well, EARLY this morning) he seemed quite the little pistol... even trying to throw little bucks before he was steady on his feet! But now he is an absolute cuddle bug! In fact he makes it hard to take pictures...









http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pS6ZoCelQA

Cute little bum!!

And WOW it appears he could be gelded ALREADY!!! Not that I would do that to him... but everything is there!


He's an old pro at nursing already... you should hear him slurp!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9izMx7SwY3o

Doesn't this just make your heart swell? Foxy is an AWESOME mama, and it's so cute, she talks to him every couple of minutes... nicker nicker... even when eating, in between bites!



Off to explore his little world...

Moonlight Ride

Just a few pictures of our moonlight ride from last night :) what a lovely night!

The Conversion (Part 3)

No new truck pictures until we bring it home, which should be Tuesday!

In the meantime, this is the "flatbed" that Randy found for a better price than he could buy the steel to build one... just have to remove those nasty wooden sides and the floorboards and replace them with the diamondplate he has stacked behind the shed :)



And I thought I would show you the sleeper that will be mounted AND PAINTED! (Green is NOT my favorite color...)



Looking inside - this is the ceiling with the light


Just to keep you from wondering what is happening with the truck :)