Friends in Need...are friends indeed!

Friday afternoon, Will came home and told me that we were going to spend Saturday morning volunteering. He had called United Way and found a place that we could take the boys and do some much needed work.  My first thought- "What about my long run?" (Selfish, but true.) He told me to go on my run and not to worry about volunteering.  He would take the boys.  Uh. Yeah right.  I can't bear when my family does anything without me and to do service without me?!  Absolutely no way I could deal with the guilt. After all, I guess I could run later in the day. So, I tapped into his enthusiasm and we headed out Saturday morning to Friends in Need Animal Rescue.

When we arrived, we were greeted by Karen, who founded the place along with her husband.  She gave us brushes and let us get in with the pygmy goats and brush them.  The boys and I were really excited to bond with the little goats but Will asked if he could just brush them from outside the gate. Too funny. After everyone laughed at him, he realized that maybe that was a silly notion and he, quite uncomfortably, came in with us. Here we are letting the goats get used to us being in there with them.

Coleman loved the goats.  There was one little goat, Annie, that loved being brushed.   Many of the animals at this animal rescue had been neglected and mistreated in the past so it was so great to be able to spend some time with them and show them a little attention.

After our time with the goats, Karen put us to work painting a couple of their new animal enclosures.  The boys worked hard and without complaining. I was really proud of them. The geese were honking away at us while we worked and Coleman said they were saying "Thank You" because we were painting their houses. I like to think so, too.

 This first one was going to be used in the goat enclosure.

This one was built for the doves.

Cooper took his work very seriously. And no complaining! That's a first for him. :)

  

So, am I glad I skipped my run to go and volunteer at Friends in Need? Absolutely! A wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning. We were blessed to see the wonderful work they do there and already have plans to go back this Thursday!