If you were driving down the Kiowa-Bennett Road you might be distracted by the thoroughfare as it zips across the country, the rising speed limit sign ahead.  But, if you were to look quickly to your left before leaving the town you might startle yourself wondering if you just saw what you think you saw.  A puppet?  A marionette?  A Jim Henson creation?

I, myself, walk past the back door, catch a glimpse of them in the back yard in my peripheral and have to look again.  “Dad,” I announce, “We have alpacas in the back yard!”

They love Doug.  He is the keeper of the hay.  The keeper of the morning grain.

They also love my friend, Kat.  When she comes over she is rewarded with kisses from Natale (the brown one).

“Which one is pregnant?” Kat asks.

“The white one, Katrina.”

“Then the black one is way too fat!”

Indeed, Loretta is a little short and chunky.  Maybe she is a stress eater, I do not know, but we are working on trimming her waistline.

Katrina is going to kid next month or early March!  Even though I know she will likely do quite well on her own giving birth, we have to be ready as goat mid-wives, an occupation that may not be recognized on our tax return, but a job description of a farmer nonetheless.

• Paper towels
• Iodine or betadine (very important to dip the umbilical cord in)
• Snot sucker to suck out their airway
• Ob gloves just in case

This is the list Jill gave me.  I am as nervous as a first time mother!  Last year we waited impatiently and excitedly for Maryjane to be born, this year we wait on goats.  Twins perhaps?  There will be a tremendous amount of cuteness over here, folks.