Something's Hatching

Freebie Friday

It is about 1 pm here and it has already been an interesting day. We live on a small hobby farm with chickens, goats, rabbits, dogs, and cats. We are pet people. We bought our chickens as 1 week old chicks a little over a year ago. We have four hens and two roosters. A few weeks ago, one of our hens became broody and started sitting on her eggs. I decided to let her sit and see if any of the eggs would hatch. Unfortunately, I didn't keep good record of when the eggs were laid so I don't know exactly when they should have been hatching. Yesterday three of the chicks hatched, but didn't make it I think because of our not-very-nice roosters.

Anyway, I decided to try hatching the rest with a heat lamp because I knew if I left them, the roosters would end up killing all of them. I did leave one egg with the mama hen, so she would have something to sit on. Well, I woke up this morning around 7 am and...

That's right! Hatching...I repeat, we have hatching! I noticed two little eggs had pipped. I heard chirping from one of them and thought I was crazy, but after looking it up apparently once the baby chick has broken through into the air sac inside the egg you can hear it. About 4 hours later, another egg had a pip in it. So, as of right now, we have 3 chicks beginning the process of hatching. We are so excited. Since it is warm where we live right now, we have them just outside the front door with a heat lamp on them. The kids have been sitting just inside the glass door looking out and watching them. I have been telling them it is going to be a while and that God is helping us practice patience with these little babies, but they are bursting with excitement.

I am so excited to share this experience with the kids. I know this will be something they will look back and remember when they are grown. We will talk about that time we hatched chicks on our front porch. It is a thrill making memories with them. This experience was the inspiration for the freebie today! This freebie is for teachers hatching eggs in their classroom, parents hatching eggs with their kids at home, or hobby farmers like myself. It is a chick hatching record sheet that I should have thought of used since the beginning of this journey (maybe next time!). I have also included a sheet for kids to fill out on the life cycle of a chicken. You can get this freebie here.

Also, just FYI, I intend on updating this post with new pictures as the hatching progresses. Keep checking back if you would like to see some pics of adorable fuzzy baby chicks!

Update: A few hours after I posted, this little one hatched. It is happy and healthy. We lost one of the babies that had started hatching, but we are hoping that we will be getting more in the next couple days as these eggs were laid on separate days. It has been an exciting adventure today!😁

Remember the First and Last Day of School with this Freebie!

Freebie Friday!!!

Handwritten signs I had made before I made the digital one.

Yesterday was a pretty emotional day for me. It was my boy's first last day at my school. He has had such an awesome year and was blessed with an incredible 2nd grade teacher. During the course of the school year, A was diagnosed with ADHD and was confirmed to be on the Autism Spectrum. Through this journey, I have learned a lot about how to be an aunt-mom to him in ways that work best for him. It has mostly been trial and error (mostly error), but we have come out of this school year both knowing more about how uniquely God created him and knowing more of how he learns best.

Some parents may be afraid to hear either of those diagnoses, but I will be honest. I was a bit relieved and a little excited. I know that sounds strange. As long as I have known A, I have known that he struggles a bit more than other children his age with social skills and attention. School has been difficult for him, not academically, but in other areas like conduct and work ethic. I was afraid that the older he got, those areas would eventually affect his academics if they weren't discovered and treated in some way. Once A was diagnosed, we were able to put treatments and accommodations into place that have really helped him become the successful student he always wanted to be.

I am incredibly proud of him and the work he has put in this year. I am excited for his future and next year as he becomes a 3rd grader, the grade I teach. Each day he inspires me and encourages me to be my best self. He has great things to say and loves to life. He is full of life. I will never regret the day I brought him home with me or any of the legal dealings we have had to gain guardianship of him. He has filled a hole in our home and our hearts that we didn't even know was there. He has a heart for God like nothing I have ever seen before in a child and I know that God will do absolutely incredible things with him one day.

In honor of this sweet boy, I have created a first day and a last day sign for documenting and remembering the first and last days of school. You can get it for free by clicking the link below. I have him hold it in front of him and take a picture, so at the end of the year we can see how much he has grown and changed. Hope you enjoy!

Get the first and last days of school signs free here.

Remember to rejoice in the truth of Christ today!