Wow.  This post is titled WOW.

For the last three days as the drama of the cow and my uterus have unfolded, through my tears and fever and weeping and fear, somehow the essential thing happening escaped me.  Today, I milked Elderberry in 45 minutes, got a gallon and a half of milk, and she never kicked me once.  All of that would have been enough.  I'm feeling pretty good about all of that.  Though, my fore arms are so sore I can barely type.  My fingers are literally shaking on the keyboard.  Still, Elderberry and I are doing it.  And the children and the goat are doing it.  And that is something I was not sure of three days ago. So that is good.

I got home.  Put the milk up.  Poured a big glass and took a sip.  Okay?  WOW.  Seriously, wow.   I had to run upstairs and make the kids taste it.  How had I not really tasted it before?   Oh my GOODNESS!  WOW!  This milk is so sweet.

I don't mean sweet like an athletic victory, though it is.  I don't mean sweet like a spiritual victory over self doubt and fear, though it is.  Mean SWEET.  Sweet like there is sugar in the milk.  Sweet exactly like Mother's Milk.   And human mothers have very sweet milk.  Did you know?  You should taste your own milk when you are a nursing mother because the sweetness lets you know you are getting enough vegetables in your diet.  The healthier your diet the sweeter your milk.  Pretty cool, huh?

How is it possible that a creature I was so afraid of and mad at has given my family this sweet sweet sweet gift?  How is is possible that the general population ever agreed to trade this wholesome amazing thing, this sweet fresh milk, for what they get in the store?   And well, just  ......... WOW.