week 12: a reflection

this week on the little dream farm

As the year’s add up here on the LDF, it’s always interesting to look back at what we were doing the year prior, and the one before that.

Two years ago this week, Molly-Max and Dominic were walked up the driveway and back into the corral to the run-in shed.

Those of you who’ve hung around here for as long know that what came next was not what we expected and certainly weren’t prepared for.

This is one of my all-time favorite photos from the third night with the donkeys.

I remember the excitement Chris and I felt that next morning when we were getting ready to head out to the corral to start their first day of morning chores.

It took us a while to realize that it wasn’t that Molly-Max didn’t want to stand up—it was that he couldn’t.

I can still feel even now the way the worry and panic and washed over me…what the heck do we do?

I gave a call to our local cowboy vet. The assistant who answered the phone told me he was too booked to help but that I should call an equine veterinarian nearby in Vermont—that she’d be the best for this emergency.

After a very intense and stressful first day, the vet left us with this: so long as he has the will to want to get up it means he still wants to try. The more he eats, the better his energy gets, and the stronger he gets, the easier it will become. So long as you guys can help lift him up every day, let’s give it two weeks. If at the end of those two weeks he’s not improved, then you’re going to need to call an excavator to dig the hole and you’ll need to have him put down.”

It was such a sobering statement. We were so high on the excitement of getting donkeys even though we had no experience and what little we did know we’d read on a few blogs and in a few books. An excavator? My mind flashed to a giant hole being dug in the ground…the possibility that this day we’d looked forward to for so long could end up in such sadness.

I think this farm changed us both a little bit that day. It made us more keenly aware of the preciousness of life; of the highs and lows of farm life; of the tough choices that regularly have to be made when animals are involved.

Dominic was so patient and snuggly and steady through this entire time…I think it’s why we formed such a tight bond.

Those next two weeks felt like years as we shuttled back and forth dozens of times a day to the barn for food, meds, soaking Molly-Max’s feet, changing bandages, giving him leg massages to keep the blood flow going, and spending as much time with him as we could.

We worked so hard that first week to get him to a point where he could mostly get up on his own, as Chris had a trip booked to spend time with his dad that I desperately didn’t want him to miss.

Thankfully, even with two front-foot abscesses with major infections in both hooves, and suspected permanent damage of his hooves from what looked to be reoccurring laminitis for a number of years, Molly-Max decided he still had more in him.

Those first few days he’d lay in the barn on the beds of hay we piled high for him and he’d just stare off into space, steadily breathing in and out. I’d watch him, kiss him, tell him I love him and that I promised we’d do absolutely everything we could if he wanted us to.

About a week later, he met us in return with a determination so strong it was undeniable that he’d be ok. He wanted so badly to try. And looking back and knowing Molly-Max now for as long as we have, I think it’s that he knew we’d be there to help him every step of the way.

It was such a tender time here on the farm, but Chris and I were walking firmly in purpose—our strength as a team is that we’ll move heaven and earth for an animal in need. I was sad for us and how emotional and exhausting it all was, but I was proud as hell of the way we met the moment.

There was nothing more exciting than walking out to the barn or to the pasture and watching Molly-Max get up on his own—like he was saying to us, “No, no, don’t help me—I can do it on my own now!”

The last time our vet was here she and her husband told us they were amazed at how far both Molly-Max and Dominic have come.

It certainly has been a heck of a ride, this little dream life with our two little dream donkeys.

Last year, on the 365th day of them living here on our farm, we’d had a huge snow storm, and while I was out doing the evening chores, Molly-Max flopped down in the snow and was rolling all around like he was making snow angels in the snow.

I’ll never forget the way that made me laugh…tears of joy and relief ran down my face as he wiggled all over the place and then popped back up on to his feet all covered in snow.

Yesterday it snowed, beginning the night before and throughout the whole day—the farm covered again in a heavy blanket of snow, just like this time last year.

I walked out to the corral last night with big jugs of hot water in my hands to freshen up their water and give the boys their hay—they were cozy and warm and tucked into their run-in shed just hanging out while it snowed.

How lucky we’ve been to have landed two incredible donkeys. How lucky we’ve been to have been given all this time.

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Here’s some favorite favorites for you this week!

1. Seriously, get this hyaluronic acid serum…it’s so good.

2. Your cats will thank you for this cat scratcher…it’s a Furmer Favorite!

3. Living in this shacket as the weather warms up and it’s so good I may just get another color!

4. Got this little handled vacuum to clean up cat litter, cat hair, small messes…it does not disappoint!

5. I was talking to a friend about David’s book this week and it reminded me…have you gotten your copy yet?

*Note: Not all, but some of these links are affiliate links. That’s no matter to you, as it costs you nothing. However, if you make a purchase, we -may- receive a teeny weeny commission.

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