Hidden Blessings

When I pull in from work, after making my stops at the little market in New Berlin and the PO, I sometimes sit in the car for a minute or two, listening to Public Radio, watching the chickens scratching in the driveway and the kitties milling around my car.  I contemplate the first part of my day before I go into the next shift.  It wasn't too bad I have to admit.  After having one of the worst days of my education career on Tuesday, on the day of the Special Ed. graduation when parents and guests from the various sending districts were roaming around the school, my head/chest cold took such a turn for the worst I had to call in sick yesterday.   I couldn't talk anyway, which is the most important tool a teacher has - speech - so what's the use?  I spent a great deal of time on the sofa but made my way to the way back of the barn midday to check for babies.  After nine hours of cold medicine aided sleep I feel much better.  The throat is letting up and the voice is coming back.  My supervisor gave me three more aides, making a total of six aides for 7 kids.  That did the trick, along with a key student or two being absent, and allowed today to be much more manageable.  Once home and in the barn I go out and check the little ones.  Spotted little Jubilee with her mom, but where is Elizabeth, the two day old newborn?  Tried not to have a seizure and kept my wits about myself.  Peeking around every nook and cranny I saw nothing, then took a cue from Mom, who was standing up on the hay, leaning against a wall.  There in the space between two boards was little Elizabeth, napping with a few abandoned eggs laid by a hen who found the same private spot.  A couple of years ago I had a panicky time when I lost a lamb in the way back of the barn.  Again I took a cue from Mom and found little "Tank" squeezed into a two inch space between the water tank and the wall.  The little ones sure do like to hide.  All is well on the farm.