Preschool for Goldie

We have all been in this position - it is time to send your little one to daycare or preschool. You prepared your little one, got everything ready and spent hours, days or maybe even weeks convincing yourself you where doing the right thing... You worried, cried, tried to come up with reasons not to do so but in your heart you knew it was best.... Now it has been over 20 some years since I had to do this with my two legged sons but today all those feelings came rushing back... Yes, this afternoon Goldie had to go out to the barn to start her life path as a GOAT!!! I gave her bottle to her in the barn and sat there while she got use to the sounds, smells and activity level. I then put her in the pen with Opal, Wynonna, Max , Olivia (which I had just reapplied a new cast on her leg which is doing well) and told Chief to sit and watch... I walked out of the barn and then stood outside the door just like I did all those years ago when I placed my oldest son Nick into his first day care. I stood holding my breath as if he could hear me and waited to hear him cry but Nothing!! Here I was doing the same thing but for a little goat baby... Motherhood never ends! I stood for about 10 minutes peeking in but out of sight of the babies to see what was going on. Just like in the human daycare the other goat babies sniffed her over (now I am not saying that the human kids sniffed Nick but you know what I mean), touched her to see what she was about and then went about their business of nibbling on the hay. Goldie looked around a bit lost but just like my son did Goldie immediately walked over to the group and started doing what they where doing... She did not even notice I was not in the room. I DID MY JOB CORRECTLY! As I walked back to the house I must admit I felt a bit rejected. Surely I was more important to my kids (both two and four) then just a meal provider. Did I not serve a more vital role then the maid, nurse and food service provider?? Then I remembered my job as a MOTHER is to make my kids stand on their own - understand that they have the tools to be separate from me and thrive. By the time I reached the shop door I had a big smile on my face - I heard in my brain "Good Job Grace" besides I will be back in four hours to do bottles all around. See for a while they will still need me for that but they also have each other and they are going to be just Great! Now it is time to do the bathroom floor goat towels, bleach the floor and put away the space heater. Preschool is now open and we all will be just fine.