Tonight we loaded out chickens from our garage brooder to the pasture. Something we’ve done for years and years now, but with Madeline’s graduation imminent I guess I’m even more nostalgic than usual. I started thinking about how this chore has changed over the years. The 5 of us used to do it together. There was a lot of laughing, also some complaining, and when we were about finished the kids would run off to play in the creek.
Tonight it went like this. Matt got off work at 4:00 and picked Rafe up from school because he stayed late to work on his art project. Olivia’s been battling hip issues so wasn’t able to run track this spring. So she was home after school, but Madeline was at track practice. So once they had the trailer hooked up and ready to go I wrapped up my work day and the 4 of us loaded the chicks into the trailer.
About that time Olivia had to leave for softball practice and Rafe had to get ready for his band concert. But Madeline was just coming down the road on the way home from track practice, so she just kept driving and met us at the pasture. The 3 of us unloaded the chicks into the shed for the night. Then Madeline left again to go to her boyfriend’s house, Matt went back to the house to clean up the now-empty brooder, and I took Rafe to his band concert.
There was still laughing, not nearly as much complaining, and we’ve got the process so down pat that load up and load out only took about an hour. Kids grow, things change, but mostly I’m just feeling grateful that the three of them still make the time for this.
