Emily's Party and a Veterinary Moment

Emily had a party this last week, and I don't think the house had been that clean for a very long time. The girls washed walls and ceilings, and I even scooted out the stove and cleaned behind it. I wonder why I did that, because none of Emily's friends were going to look behind the stove, for sure. I guess it was so it really felt clean, all the way.

I didn't know that having a teenager throw a party was so stressful! There was a lot to think about and do, although Emily handled most of it herself. She had eight people over, I think, which was plenty with Caleb and Hannah also there. There were both boys and girls. We don't have a very big front room, but they still managed to play Twister. It was wild!

The silliest thing that happened was that right before the guests arrived, one of the kids discovered that our adopted goat, Joey, was ill. We brought him in the house because it was raining and muddy outside. His tummy was very big, he was definitely in distress, and he was loud! As the guests came into the house, they naturally came through the kitchen into the laundry room to take a look at what was going on. I guess it was somewhat of a novelty to see a goat in the house on its deathbed. I went and looked up some goat illnesses on the internet and decided he had frothy bloat--bubbles in his stomach that are too small to burp up, caused by eating too much moist, green feed. When that happens, it is almost like the effect when you pour pop too fast---the bubbles keep expanding, and eventually it puts pressure on lungs and other organs and it causes death. The website said to treat the goat with Milk of Magnesia. Milk of Magnesia?! I don't have any of that! All the while the party was still going on, with Joey bleating loudly. I called the neighbors for Milk of Magnesia and met their grandson at the fence for a quick handoff. I forced poor Joey to swallow some of it, while he grunted and groaned and gasped and bleated. Poor goat. I was too late; it was only a few minutes later that he left us permanently.

So, that was that. I found myself with a dead goat and had to get him out of the house past the room full of partying teens. Hmm. I wrapped him in a towel from the dirty laundry and quietly tiptoed past them down the stairs and out the front door. They were too delirious to notice me, thank goodness.

The party continued and eventually they turned on the movie, "Bolt." Emily loves that movie. Russ and I and all the kids ended up watching with all the teenagers, which made for one seriously full room. Cramped and cozy. At 11:30 I called time to go home. Emily's friend, David insisted on vacuuming before he left (thank you!). There was an outpouring of good will including several hugs, and then they piled in cars and left.

What excitement and adventure. Emily is a good kid, so I guess I don't mind having some of her good-kid friends over for a little fun. Next time this happens, though, I hope there won't be any veterinary emergencies.