Oh, Charles!

My Charles is home. He has returned to the prairie and to me-- his Caroline. The kids and dogs and I are relieved and thrilled to have "Pa" back at home after two very long weeks.

This past fourteen days have been filled with more than one exciting moment. I have always had an incredible respect for single mothers, but I have had a taste of it myself after being alone with my kids in the country. Whatever came up, I had to handle it.

I had a few minor things like the toilet overflowing, the kitchen breaker tripping a few times, driving the stick shift car in town on hills (and stalling on some of those hills), driving the giant truck in which my left leg doesn't even touch the floorboard, parking that truck in town, engaging and disengaging the four wheel drive on the truck including the hubs, multiple critters in the yard/field, and our not-too-bright kittens repeatedly needing rescuing after entering the dogs' yard.

I also had a couple of major things like the rattlesnake in the dogs' yard at 5am, my dog being bitten by that rattlesnake, flooding, and the three fugitives on the run in Colorado being caught down the road from us.

I am not sure how it is possible, but Ranger (our seven month old dog) knew that he was the man of the house while Harland was gone. He was on edge the whole two weeks, and I could almost hear his sigh of relief when Harland got home. Every night was filled with barking. Our dogs do not generally bark just to hear themselves. When they bark there is a reason. I have learned a few of the types of barks they are capable of doing in these two weeks-- much like a mother knows her child's different cries. There is nothing quite like the snake bark. Thankfully it is a distinct one. The other barks get my attention also, but it is different. I was up a few of the nights almost hourly to see what they were seeing. The moon is huge and bright right now, so they can see a LOT. We have had many, many coyotes this week along with a skunk or two and possibly a trash-seeking bear. I am so thankful that the dogs were not directly sprayed by the skunks-- if we had had to use tomato juice for the stench, Ranger would have been more like Clifford the big red dog.

It was a time of realization for me of the strength and abilities that come out when they have to and also the realization of the weaknesses we all possess. There was crisis after crisis but everything was relative. An overflowing toilet was absolutely insignificant compared with the shooting of the snake. The ability to think clearly and handle whatever arises comes from within. I was just thankful not to have wolves at the barn door or a festering infected leg wound to have to open up myself (like Little House on the Prairie).

Things are back as they should be here with my partner back on the ranch. The things that come up seem less intense with someone to share them with. In retrospect, everything seems less of a big deal. This past period in time will soon be forgotten, but I hope the kids were able to see my weakness and my reliance upon the One who is strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9 "But he (Jesus) said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."