Farm

Freedom's Story

I was at a Memorial Day party when I got the message.  My Dad sent me a picture of an adorable little lamb.  Seasonally, he was born super late and my parents, who raise sheep, had not known he was coming.  The picture was so sweet.  He was named Freedom due to his Memorial Day birth and we looked forward to going and seeing the little guy.

Unfortunately, by day two, Freedom’s Mom had rejected the little lamb and my parents were in a predicament.  They were going out of town, but the lamb had no way of surviving without someone to bottle feed him.  Dad called me.  Now our property has a lot of coyotes and a little lamb could not live in anything not fully enclosed.  The only thing we have enclosed is a chicken coop- we would try that!

Well, the chickens would not have it.  Our 80 pound dog, not a big deal to the feathered friends.  But they went crazy when we introduced Freedom.  Plan B… the basement?  Why not?  The chickens are in all the time, how much trouble could a lamb be?  And besides it was 115 degrees and he had a wool coat on.  Inside was better.

We set up a small pen in the basement and that was it.  I fell head over a million heels.  Maybe it was those happy eyes, or the sweet bleet, his heart shapped nose, the precious way he bounded through the house leaping and flying with pure joy… all of it combined.  He rode with us in the van- to art camp, to grab food.  He would just sit in the kids laps and look peacefully out the window.

The kiddos set alarms to make sure to feed him on time throughout the night and he adjusted to life indoors quite easily.  He loved the sound of his bottle being made, enjoyed laying under the table when we were there or by our dog when he was feeling social.  He would chase the kids around the kitchen island and he would even position himself in our circle when we would move to the great room to do our family Bible reading. 

 In the evenings when it was a bit cooler, we would take him outside.  The kids and I would clap and sing our homemade song, “Whose Got Fancy Feet”.  He would run and jump, flail and leap, wiggling that silly tail as fast and happy as he knew how.  I think what was most endearing for me was how he would put his head on my shoulder.  When I would pick him up, it would just fall.  Almost like a hynotic trance- plop!  When he was in my arms, he snuggled right in with that sweet wooly head rested under my chin.  While I would work on the computer he sat in my lap and I sang to him… with his head near my cheek.  Freedom needed a mom, and he thought I was her.   

On a Sunday afternoon, as I walked through my kitchen, I saw my little girl playing with her squaking chickens.  I heard the lamb prancing through with his clickity clack hooves on the tile and baaing for his milk.  I listened to the boys, well, being boys.  And my heart smiled.  This may not have been how I imagined life, but I wouldn’t want to imagine life any other way.

Freedom was growing… and fast.  We would have to figure a plan and my dear husband was not ready for a full grown sheep to take the spare bedroom (although Freedom had mastered the stairs quite wonderfully).  He was now about as tame as they get.  He would follow the kids to do chores and dutifully come right back.

 

I believed Freedom wanted to be with us and I won’t lie- my heart ached.  He couldn’t just go back to his old flock.  Even if they didn’t reject him, it would be hard to fit in.  And he was used to air conditioning… In addition, I could hardly handle the idea of his mom rejecting him and then him having to adjust to a new home yet again.

I contacted the preschool where my kids had attended.  It was a lovely place filled with lovely people.  They had gardening, lots of animals and children- Freedom loved children.  But they did not call me back.  What would we do?  

We tried taking him back to my parents.  It could have worked, but it didn't seem like the best fit.  His mom did not butt him as she had before but she wasn't interested in him either.  He had become so accustomed to people that I felt he needed them.  When we left, he cried.  His desperate bleets from the pasture made me sad and I felt as though I had abandoned him.  

A short while later, the school called.  I was so excited.  We picked up Freedom and took him for a visit.  I held him and his sweet little chin nestled my cheek as it had so many times before.

He went right in the school yard gate and walked up to the children who were eager to greet him.  He chewed on a few shoelaces, embraced a few head pats and made his way to the garden area. 

He peacefully lay down.  He was not startled and he did not call for me.  His "happy eyes," as I called them, were back.  And he was home.

 

The animals all come to greet their new friend

Visiting Freedom a few months later

Freedom now goes to Preschool everyday.  He can be found hanging out with the pigs and chickens and has an amazing group of young children that surround his happy life.

We all very much miss having him with us, but he has found an amazing forever home and we will forever be thankful for having had this very special woolly friend as part of our story.