I miss J.

A boy and his bird

J. is learning to spread his wings and is growing up. Sad to say, but he is. He is off at 4-H Summer Camp this week until Saturday. When he gets home he has less that three days to get ready for our Jr. Fair. He has entered many things this year. Some that he has done before...Poultry and Home Arts (the kid is an outstanding baker) and some new things... Dog, Pygmy Goat, and Sheep (finally!) that he is doing mostly reluctantly. We talked about it through the year that he needs to try to be more well rounded and show other things at the fair. His Poultry Leader and mentor has him help her out at her house once a week or so training her Pygmy Goats and helping her out on with her menagerie of animals. That is where he learned about the Goats.

He also is coming home to a yard work job and in two weeks a pet sitting job. Another friend told me that she needs to talk to him about hiring him to help her out with her animals (she has a petting zoo...no really, you can hire her and everything and an animal rescue) and yard stuff.

This kid is a such hard worker and we rely on him so much. Someone said it is a good thing that he is going away so that I can appreciate what he does. Trust me, he doesn't need to go anywhere for me to realize all that he does here. It isn't that I can't do it without him but it is just so much funner with him here. Plus, can we be honest, I don't like feeding all his birds. His parrot, Hawk almost bit me. I think Hawk wants him home, too.

Sometimes I think I can hear him calling me, but then I realize that it is Hawk the parrot, who has learned to say "Mom" in J's voice. First it was funny, then annoying, now this week, a little creepy.

J. is a really good kid and I almost feel bad that he is going to be coming home to a week of hard work and hustle (almost) but he can handle it.

I really miss him.