Farm Love and Melting Hearts

I absolutely love the chance to take Kiefer to the Atchison County Fair each summer. It's a great opportunity to reminisce about my childhood and show Kiefer the animals that kids raise to bring to the fair. I love our suburban life, but I sure do miss going back to the farm. I would not trade growing up on a dairy farm for anything in the world. Granted, I didn't have to do anything (sorry Dustin...you got stuck with all the chores that required any real work!) But I have the best memories of adventure and fun on the farm including one where I follow flocks of baby chicks around our property seeing how close I can get, knowing I will never actually catch one.

This weekend we visited the Nebraska State Fair. Most importantly: the birthing barn, a small facility on the fairgrounds where mothers and newborn baby farm animals reside. Not only was the State Fair a major step up in the "see lots and lots of animals" department from the County Fair, but this mother and new baby thing serioulsy took the fair-going experience to the next level! Kiefer got to touch a piglet that was one day old. Fascinating. Not to mention extremely cute.


But the crecendo moment topping all State Fair experiences (well, a close tie with the bumper cars according to Kiefer) was holding a one day old baby chick. They literally were hatching on the spot and this sweet little guy was taking in his second day on earth from the palms of little eager hands wanting to love him to pieces. Cupping his hands around the chick, Kiefer stared in total adoration. Honestly, I wasn't sure we would be able to give this one back.


"Oh, mom. I want one of these babies. I really wish we lived on a farm so we could have baby am-ni-luls......." [aaaand insert heart melting here]

Which leads me to the second 1/2 of this story. On our drive home from Nebraska, Kiefer randomly said something very sweet - maybe it was an unprovoked "I love you, Mom" or something of similar nature. I can't even remember. The part burned into my short-term memory was this:

"Ah, Kiefer - you are breakin' my heart. Well, maybe that's not right- more like that MELTS my heart...!"

"But MOM, if your heart melts you will die!"

(Oh, my......!) "Wow, good point - ok - what I mean is that you said something really nice and it made my heart feel good, so how about 'that makes my heart smile'?"

Then a scary Star Wars voice answered from the back seat "I'm gonna shoot your heart with fire, Mom! Pbbbccchhhooo! Ppppbbdhdcchooo!" Well, I guess I lost him at my attempted heart melting explanation. He is still a boy, afterall... but I love the moments when his sweetness melts my heart - and makes it smile! xoxo, Kiefer - I love you little man.