It happened one day...........

Many of my friends don't understand me.

"Goats?!?!?"

"Why on earth would you want goats?!? They eat EVERYTHING!"

It all started last year when I got my children involved in 4H. My original plan regarding 4H had to do with chickens and sheep. I love chickens. My kids love chickens. I love sheep. My kids aren't all that smitten with sheep. While we were at the first 4H meeting the leader just happened to mention that our club would be having a goat group. I asked if they might have a sheep group. I was hoping my kids would be interested in wool sheep. But oh no, that wasn't THEIR plan after they heard the word "GOAT"! It took Daddy 6 months to say yes to their pleadings for goats. He joked with them about getting plastic goats (think: plastic flamingos)to put in the front yard. This went on for months. He REALLY didn't want goats. I REALLY didn't want goats (at first). He finally consented and we acquired 2 twelve week old Nubian doelings.

I WAS HOOKED!!!

I never thought it would be possible but now I'm a goat-a-holic. I've even gone so far as to volunteer to be the 4H Goat Project leader for our club. And now here I sit. Boy, did I get myself in to a mess!

I absolutely love goats! I'm even getting my very own goat. I love the Oberhasli breed and for Mother's Day I told my husband that I wanted an Oberhasli. He shot me a look and asked if there was anything else I might like instead. "No, I really want my own Oberhasli and I've found just the one." He looked doomed. He said he'd think about it. I bribed the kids to make sure Daddy knew that I wanted this Oberhasli and that it would make me REALLY happy if I got a "yes" out of him as my Mother's Day present.

Mother's Day dawned beautiful and sunny and they all marched in with their offerings. There were a few cards and a pot of beautiful yellow tulips. I wasn't expecting them to march in to the bedroom with an Oberhasli but part of me was secretly hoping. The pot of tulips had a little card and on that card was written:

"Yes. You can have your goat."

I am thrilled! She is a two year old milker out of one of the best herds in the country. She was linear appraised for the 2nd time just a few weeks ago and she scored V E V + 84. She came up 5 points from last year. She is beautiful and will do great in the show ring. I'm hoping to have her home around the first of June.

Her name is Arra and, yes, I'm completely smitten already!