Keeping Lily Kate

Sorry for the long break in posts. Every once in awhile we get caught up in life and just don't get around to blogging. There has been a lot of stuff that has gone on in our lives recently though. Last week we had the opportunity to keep our three year old niece Lily Kate while my sister, Dana, was away in Oklahoma cooking the meals for a mission trip team. Her husband Blake was busy working and moving the family into their new home in Ft. Worth. We are very excited they were able to purchase a new house in a great neighborhood and move closer to Blake's work. It has been a huge blessing for them.

(Lily reading the Bible to Jigs. Lily can't read yet, but the story was entertaining)

While both of her parents were busy we got to keep Lily for a few days here at the experiment station. We weren't sure how Lily was going to handle being away from her mom and dad for so long, but she took to it like a duck to water. We spent almost the entire time she was here outside running around doing something. Ronnie took Lily horse riding, they drove around on the ranger, they visited the goats, played in the sprinkler, watered all the plants, got to bottle-fed our neighbor's baby whitetail deer, and picked vegetables in the garden. She loved it! Lily ran around barefoot like a wild Indian making mud pies and "antler soup", she helped Jigs kill grasshoppers, and she even accidentally kicked a prickly pear. She's okay though.

(Lily riding JT around)

We even took her to a birthday for a friend of ours over on the Canyon Ranch and she got the opportunity to see literally hundreds of whitetail deer, axis deer, hogs, sika, oryx, fallow deer, red stag, and antelope (cantelope to Lily) as we drove through the ranch. On our way out we saw a newborn deer running beside the road. He laid down when he saw us, and I was able to pick him up and let Lily see the little guy. Her dad would definitely be envious of all the wildlife Lily witnessed on her stay with us.

(Playing in the sprinkler)

I think Lily had a fantastic time at Camp Roose and Ronnie. I know we certainly loved having her and are looking forward to the next time we get to have Lily stay with us for a few days.

Come back and see us Lily. Jigs says hi.