loving tirolean: A Kick In The Pants : weekendcowgirl.com

Saturday was going to be just any old day?until we woke up to find our precious Amy donkey had passed away. Next to her was her precious little 20 day old foal. Our world crashed into a nightmare that day and the kick in the pants was swift and powerful and frankly it will be a long time until we find the world normal again. The tears are plentiful, painful and full of?sweet?memories.

I know many of you might be thinking that this is just a farm animal and we need to get a grip. Hey, I grew up on a farm and animals came and went, but even as a little girl the ?inside pang? was always there for any of the farm animals, pets or even our dad?s exotic birds. Losing our horse, Tony, was hard. Losing our collie was hard. Losing cows and calves were hard. Since then every single dog and cat have brought us immense sorrow and pain. They have been entwined in our lives and they have been loved as well as given us total love.

This story started about six years ago when we decided we wanted a donkey to protect our goats. At the auction I made a connection with two donkey sisters who looked into my eyes with that look ?please bring me home?. They did not look like they had been treated very well so of course they came home with us. We also brought a couple of other donkey?s with them. Amy and her sister Emy were so happy to have a good home and I know they they loved every single day at our place. Two years ago Emy left us and I thought my heart could never hurt like that. Saturday I found the pain no one wants to feel and it was so much worse because Amy left behind the sweetest little boy. Two and half weeks ago when she gave birth we knew she not well and just hoped she would live long enough to wean her baby. She was so proud of her baby and she worked so hard to get the baby up so she could show him off to Cowboy. For 20 days she was the best loving mother you could ever imagine. On Saturday it simply shattered us to find her baby next to her lifeless body. The pain is unbearable and it will be a long time before we find normalcy again. You cannot underestimate the impact of an animal on your life.

Cowboy began bottle feeding Amy?s little baby boy. This story has so much drama. As most of you know I was in an accident here at farm on April 1st which resulted in a really bad ankle break. Today I finally am able to start intensive physical therapy and it was evident I could not be there for Amy?s baby as I am just now getting back on my feet. On Saturday the panic hit that?we needed to find someone that could bottle feed this precious fluff of fur. Fortunately for us we contacted a dear friend who lives on a ranch. Their three kids have raised show goats since they were little and they immediately said they would take him on. Cowboy delivered him yesterday with formula in hand. He has a lovely new place to grow and eat and is living with the new little show goats who are babies themselves. His main caregiver is one darling nine year old girl who is wise beyond her years. Within minutes she had bathed her new little donkey friend and had him on a halter! He is going to be so very lucky to have this new friend give him the care he needs. And living with the goats will be a good thing. When Cowboy found Amy and her baby right beside her our goats had grown close and were doing their best to protect the baby. They did not leave the baby donkey?s side all day. That alone made me cry.

We named Amy?s baby because we wanted his caregivers to have a name. His name is Andy and he is so very cute and we love him special because he was Amy?s special gift. As with any animals in this situation we know that something could happen and he might not make it, but our hearts are so full of gratitude of one little nine year old that is going to do her darnest to give?Andy?a chance?at life. She won our hearts years ago and is a very special little girl. Hope is a special gift and she does not know that she has given us the gift of hope.?What more could anyone need?

Yes, we got a big kick in the pants and we also know a little time will make things better, but we are not to that point yet, On the upside we have two other mama?s with two precious babies and we can give our energy and attention to them. We always tell our friends you have never been loved until you have goats and a donkey or two?

Our Sweet Amy