I would not consider myself to be
obsessive-compulsive…much. However, from time to time I latch onto something
and simply cannot let it go. Is it just me, or can anyone even say, “Let it go”
without singing it? Sorry, I digress. It gets so bad sometimes that I literally
dream/day dream about my obsessions. I find myself planning my life around
these obsessions as if they were a reality. Most of the time, whatever I happen
to be obsessed about is the very thing my husband despises or at the very least
is the last thing he would ever want.
When my oldest was a toddler I just
knew that he needed a sandbox, and my husband was even more certain that he
definitely did not. I pushed and pushed, but his answer was firm. So, he went
away to OCS…and Lance magically got a sandbox. When Steve got home and he saw
how much Lance loved the sandbox he finally agreed it was a good purchase. That
same sandbox lasted us through our middle child who literally depended on the
sandbox to help him deal with life. I would say that was an obsession win!
There was another time that I was
obsessed with Chihuahuas. I simply had to have one. A friend of ours adopted a
Chihuahua from the SPCA that was pregnant. We agreed to take one of the
puppies. I was so excited and so were the kids. We got to see the little puppy
a few times after it was born. A few days before we were supposed to bring it
home it died. I was devastated. I immediately got on-line and began searching
for Chihuahua puppies in my area for sale. After finding some near by I called
my husband, and the first thing I said was, “Are you going to do the right
thing?” Needless to say, we got a precious little puppy that day who turned out
to be one of our best pets ever.
My latest obsession is chickens and
horses! I love them, need them, and must find a way to have them in my life.
Two of my kids take horseback riding lessons once a week. The sweet girl who
teaches the lessons also happens to have chickens. The three of us love, love,
love going to her house each week so we can pretend they are all ours. We get
to see the chickens, care for the horses, sometimes search for eggs, and ride
the horses. Every Tuesday, all is right in our little world as we spend time
with the animals.
Watching my kids interact with the
animals has only made my obsession worse. My middle son has some special needs,
but there are times when I watch him ride a horse that he seems just like
anybody else. It is as if his special needs have melted away and he is
functioning normally. This makes my heart soar and my eyes fill with tears of
joy. I want him to have more of that in his life. He truly loves the horses and
thoroughly enjoys his time with them.
My toddler loves animals more than
anyone I have ever met. She loves ALL animals. When I ask her what kind of pet
she wants, her reply is “lots and lots of animals!” She lives for Tuesdays when
we can go see the animals. She has no fear. She will walk up to the horse, grab
the halter and pull the horses face to hers so she can give it a kiss. When she
is around animals, she simply comes alive.
I have seen my kids learn
responsibility, self-control, confidence, compassion, and so much more because
of their time spent with their lesson horses. My middle son really struggles
with self-control and self-discipline. When he is riding a horse he has to be
in control of himself if he expects to be in control of the horse. He has to
trust the horse and the horse has to trust him. Both of my kids tend to be
pretty impulsive, but handling the horses forces them to stop and think before
they act or react around them.
Now, about my chicken obsession. My
family eats lots and lots of eggs, and I mean lots! My oldest son alone can eat
6+ in one sitting (football players can put away a serious amount of food). I
don’t know if you have priced pasture-raised, no growth hormones added eggs,
but it is truly outlandish! How great would it be to just go out in my backyard
and collect the eggs everyday for breakfast? Super, super great! Plus it would
teach my kids responsibility as they help me maintain the chickens and their
coop. I see this as a win no matter which way I look at it.
My husband is not nearly as excited
about the animals as we are. We have tried to talk him into chickens and he
refuses. He keeps telling us something about it being against the HOA or some
kind of fiddle-faddle like that. For some reason he doesn’t think the horse
will work in our backyard with the pool either. I think he is just being
difficult. Would it be wrong to start a “go fund me” account so I can raise the
money to move out into the country and buy all the animals my heart desires? I
feel it is a worthy cause, don’t you?
I think I was born to be a country girl
on a farm. For some reason it just hasn’t happened yet. It took God and me nine
years to convince Steve we needed a third child in our family. It took God almost 30 years to fulfill His
promise to me that I was going to be a pastor’s wife. I wonder how long it will
take to convince Steve about the chickens and horses? Anyone want to place a
bet? All money will go towards my farm.
