How did we get here? Part 2
I could have chosen not to check the cows that evening. I was sick, weak, and out there in day old pajamas.
It was amazing David had any cell service at all - let alone enough to converse. What were the chances that everyone was so close by and had time to help me?
What could have easily turned into a tragic loss, never took a turn for the worse. God's hand was in it all.
Ok. What next God?
Those throw away words that came out of David's mouth replayed over and over in my head.
I reasoned with myself.
Let's get through the night.
I was out there at 6:40 the next morning and there he was up and nursing.
The words soon returned to my mind.
David arrived home three days later and I had him meet me at the lot. I couldn't wait to show off my little guy and ask David his thoughts.
I exclaimed, "Here he is! Show bull of the year!" He looked at me like I had just spoken the most unbelievable words he had ever heard.
He knew I wasn't joking, though.
"Are you crazy? He is three days old!" Then the calf criticizing commenced. There is no such thing as a perfect calf, but David Taylor finds every last fault. He finally looked at me and said, "We will see."
All winter we "saw". I talked David into bringing him to the show barn with the expo calves. As we were loading them up, David stood behind, ready to push him up on the trailer. He turned, looked at me, then said, "Ok, Amy."
The best two words that have come out of his mouth since "I do."
The stipulations were spelled out and we still had to wait and see. I began to pray. I asked God if I was being over the top and obsessive or if this was something we needed to do. This would be no easy feat - a time consuming process involving daily care and dedication, extra travel and time away, and extra money spent to play the points game.
One Sunday morning, David had left to feed and I was getting ready for church. I began to talk to God. I had my praise and worship music on and I just talked and listened. I prayed again for clarification and He told me this was something we were meant to do. As soon as I heard God speak, the song "Build a Boat" by Colton Dixon came on - my mantra for this season of life. Tears started rolling down my face and I started singing at the top of my lungs.
In the car, after lunch, I told David point blank that this was happening. I had already began to refer to it as Bull Tour 2024. He had one demand. I had to be the one to ask Pap.
Going through with this meant David would be away from the farm - his job - more than usual this summer. There would be more cost in feed to get him to such a high level of competition we rarely strive to obtain with our bull calves.
A pit entered my stomach as we pulled in at Pap's house. We sat down in the living room and quickly started an unrelated conversation. The room eventually quietened and David started staring a hole through me.
He began with "Pap, Amy has something she wants to talk to you about."
Gee... thanks for that introduction...
After laying it all out with David's random but supportive comments from the peanut gallery, Pap agreed to give it a go. We were instructed to get the feed now and get on it. More stipulations were of course put into place. This adventure was dependent on the hay season, family health, and whatever events may occur between then and show time that would require David to stay back.
Spring came and the mercies were abundant. Everything I prayed for - and somethings I didn't - were all taken care of. Every weigh milestone had been met. We had the privilege of selling his full sister as the top lot at the Kentucky Beef Expo - which provided us with some extra cash we were not expecting. God never told me that we would win, but he told me this was an adventure we were to pursue.