Happy Moo-thers' Day

For a couple years now I have been asking the relatives to phone me when one of their cows is calving. I'd never seen that before and I thought my kids might like to see it too. Tonight, on our way home from a birthday party we got a call from Curt's cousin Jeff to get over to their barn as they had a mama who needed some help birthing. The waters were stained and they were going to pull the babe. We were just passing Curt's other cousins' farm only a mile away so turned around and made a B-line for the barn. By the time we arrived, Jeff was up to his shoulder in (*ahem*) cow, and was looping a slip knot over the front hooves of the calf. My kids stood and stared. Curt started to narrate: "Now kids, this is JUST EXACTLY how mom had you guys." Yeah right. Thank goodness NOT!! Jeff started to pull. Much gore began to emerge. Sadie was a few feet away from the action on the other side of the metal fence and as soon as the hoof emerged cooed "awwwwwww! cuuuuute" (haa haa!) Then the cow let loose with what i thought was amniotic fluid.
me:"Back up kids, so you don't get splashed with amniotic fluid...Is it usually that color?"
jeff:"Umm, Yeah, that's not amniotic fluid."
me:"Oh."
kids:"What IS it??"
... you get the gist of the "details"... i won't go any further.
Jeff's dad came in and directed the kids to get right in the pen as fast as possible so they could get a front row seat for the actual "birth". We were only there about 2 minutes when the calf came catapulting out and sliding across the floor only inches away from our feet. I'm glad i didn't wear flip flops! We got out of the way for the mama and the baby to be brought out into the open pen. The mama followed Jeff who carried the babe. She was POURING milk out of her one good teat. (three of them are useless) It was like she was blind to the rest of us as she focused in on her little one to lick it clean. All the while, her milk continued to pour. I know that feeling. Sometimes just thinking about my tender babies causes "let down" Amazing to see that in an animal. Amazing. Suddenly she noticed us. She turned fierce and threatening. We went from "Awww to AAAAHHH!" and exited in a timely fashion to the opposite side of the fence. Birth, no matter how sterile or how non-sterile, human, or animal...is shockingly mysterious and miraculous. God is interesting...the way He has created *life* is interesting...Makes me wonder about Him to see that tonight.