Celebrating Two Years with Pasqualina
Pasqualina's baby bottle
Two years ago today, my heart changed forever.
We hadn’t planned on getting goats, so we had absolutely nothing prepared when one of P’s friends offered him a month-old kid*. You see, P had mentioned in passing several months prior that maybe someday we’d like to have a goat or two — and then as fate would have it, one of his friend’s does had triplets but only enough milk for two. Pasqualina was the runt, and his friend wasn’t much interested in bottle-feeding. P couldn’t say no.
Thank goodness.
After meeting Pasqualina, I ran to the pharmacy to buy a baby bottle, and that first day was one of the most challenging of my life. Pasqualina needed to eat, but she was terrified of me, and I ended up wearing *way* more milk than made it into Pasqualina’s kiddie tummy. I don’t think she drank any milk at all that first day — and barely any the second or third days either. I was so scared I’d show up one morning to find her collapsed in a heap.
Yes, she was a stubborn little thing, surely holding out for her biological ma’s udder, but I was her only choice — and she obviously wasn’t too happy about that. But then one magical day, she took the bottle.
I can’t describe how triumphant I felt when she finally stayed put in my lap and drank and drank and drank. And then fell asleep in my arms for cuteness effect.
I never imagined how intelligent, caring, cuddly, and downright fun goats could be — and I certainly never envisioned myself taking care of them. But life has a funny way of giving you what you need when you need it, and so I thank you, Pasqualina, for finding us and bringing us so much love and joy (and Pinta — last year at this time, Pasqualina was pregnant!).
Pasqualina and her birthday banana
I’ve always been an animal lover, but this kid? She’s something special.
*Since we don’t know her exact birthday, we celebrate today as if it were.
8 Responses to “Celebrating Two Years with Pasqualina”
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GoatSpotting!
Goats that readers have spotted out and about. Send your photos to michelle(at)goatberries(dot)com!
Ach. They grow up so fast. Sigh. It seems like yesterday to me.
I know! Even Pinters isn’t a kid anymore….
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Oh my gosh! I’m nearly in tears (if I wasn’t currently amoungst many male sales people, I probably would be crying!) You two were just meant to be kid & maaaa!
Hahaha let it out, Beth…just maybe at home is better 😉
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So sweet.
She really is a sweetheart 🙂
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So lucky she started nursing–some of them can be so stubborn they’d rather die than take the bottle. She certainly is beautiful, and goats in general have that unique way of changing hearts forever.
Lucky indeed, Teresa…she had me worried for a while!
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What a wonderful story!
I’m doing the same thing at the moment, bottle raising, and it’s wonderful…scary….fun…..and heart-changing………..
Thanks for sharing!
🙂
Your Darla is just darling, Mimi!
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Hi Michele– what a happy accident– just followed a link from Theresa Perin right to you and am pasting in my link to my poem Odysseys Weeps. Are there other americans/English-speakers in Calabria– I subscribe to the newsletter La Rete per la Calabria and have blogged about Amazzatecci Tutti et cetera. I’ve been trying to find an old love in Reggio forever– I was there in 74. Here’s link to my poem– share but please credit to me with link to La Parola Vivace– probably not correct grammar but I love the phrase…xxx Jenne’ Andrews, Colorado, USA– http://parolavivace.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-poem-for-new-week.html
So pleased to “meet” you, Jenne; there are some other English speakers in Calabria, but we’re kind of spread out except for in a few places the Brits seem to have taken over 😉
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What a special post! I smiled at that photo of your precious P. eating her banana!
How lucky you are to have her and she to have YOU!
Happy birthday, Pasqualina – you old goat, you! 🙂
Thanks so much Farmgirl!
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OH what a wonderful story…i am an animal lover & how wonderful of a person you are to save Pasqualina…God bless the both of you!!!!
Thanks Mariann! She’s such a joy 🙂
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