Welcoming Olivia and Ferdinand to the Noll Farm

In Farm Life by Laura CrossleyLeave a Comment

I try to keep an eye out for the days that really feed your soul. The ones where things just kind of magically fall together and suddenly you find yourself in a moment that reflects exactly what we’ve been working our butts off to achieve.

Today was one of those.

This morning, my mom interrupted her grocery trip to go shopping with me and the kids. Joe dropped her at our house with the agreement that I would bring her home to Winchester when we were done. Late in the afternoon, while we cruised back to her house, my cousin Kristin texted. I told her I’d stop by when we got to town.

At Kristin’s, the kids played and we sipped wine while catching up for a bit. While there, my brother texted that we should come to his farm to meet Olivia.

In the most serendipitous series of events, we ended up with all of the kids – Rhett, Tanner, Mason, Isai, Elin, Brooks and Miles – climbing the new pens set up at my brother’s farm.

They had just gotten home with Olivia – Taylor’s mom’s mini pig. The sweet girl wasn’t shy as we gathered around to oogle at her. Isai was completely smitten. He kept jumping between the pig and bottle calf pens. Rolling in the dirt. Climbing across the hay. Sliding between the rails.

The kids were having a blast climbing the gates and hopping across the hay bale inside. They pet Ferdinand and watched Olivia as she made herself at home. Rhett and Tanner showed off the brushes for Olivia. Tanner proudly told us about feeding Ferd. Those boys were over the moon to show off their farm.

It was completely happenstance that our gatherings snowballed that afternoon. It was totally random that we were in the places we were – free to go about doing whatever we wanted. That feeling has been fleeting since we had our kids. Now that they’re getting older, it feels a little easier – but the opportunities aren’t often there. Everyone is just – so busy.

Which makes me even more grateful for moments like this. Where we all end up together. On the farm. Just like we hoped to be when we moved back to the country.