No flash backs of the constant meow would surface after we touched the fuzzy soft yellow feathers. Well...not for me anyways...I always wanted a pet duck as a kid.
On one of our million stops,(since Kevin is incapable of driving for more than two hours with out stopping, because he has to see what every strange town has to offer), on the way to Kansas City three years ago, for Easter we pulled over to a Farmers Market where they were selling baby ducks and chicks. Of course, I know Kevin gets the blame for all of this, but his little secret is that I begged him to buy a few of these ducks and chicks. Of course, Kevin knew he had a way out of us keeping them, so he said, " Yes! Great Easter gift for the nieces and nephews." No thought to calling his siblings to get permission, or ask if they had a place to keep these farm animals. He figured they would love it, that is the funny part.
The next six hours we could not stop laughing. Well I couldn't, and I know Kevin laughed a lot too. I put a duck and chick on each of his shoulders and watched as the passing cars looked over to a man with waterfowl on his shoulder, driving down the highway. I laughed as Brooke ( three years old ) had a perfect little duck seat. (Her cup holder attached to her car seat.) Brooke told me for months after we got rid of the duck, that her cup holder wasn't for a cup, it was for a duck!
The cheeping was nothing compared to the meow of that cat. We stopped as soon as we could and got a heating lamp, a big container, food and water for our feathered passengers.
Everyone loved our Easter gift. Okay..... well not at first. Everyone was a little upset that we didn't ask, but it turned out okay. Three years later, feathered friends still continue to be a family affair for us. And three years later, Kevin's family still reminds us not to bring any live animals with us to visit!
This year I had to share this experience with more than just our family. Brooke and I snuck out of the house one Sat. to scope out the duck situation at the local farming store. It was a few weeks before Easter so I didn't even think they would be in stock yet. I was surprised when they told me that they had just sold the last duck they had, and that they didn't know if they were going to get anymore this year?
No, that was not an option for me. I drove another few miles to another farming store, where they told me that ducks were in high demand this year, and that all the stores were having trouble getting more in. No, that was not an option for me. I called at least eight farming stores up to a forty five min. away and asked to be put on a list of the first person to call when they got the ducks in.
You know if someone had heard me on the phone that day trying to find some ducks, they might have thought I was extorting ducks, or that I was planning to open a small business of exporting them, or maybe they might think I had a webbed foot fetish. Well, if they had seen my children's beautiful smiles, and if they knew me, they would know that there was no way I was missing an opportunity to see my kids, and some more beautiful children smile and laugh.
I got the call that the ducks had come in, and they asked me a few times if I really wanted them, because they told me again they had a lots of people coming in an asking about them. I assured them those ducks need not imprint on someone else, I was on my way.
Kevin couldn't come with me this year to pick up the ducks, and I am telling you he missed out on the biggest laugh that Will has ever bellied up. It was hysterical. When he saw the two large bins full of chicks and ducks he actually lifted his hands in the air, put his head down, closed his eyes and began laughing. Brooke then started laughing too. It was so funny!
We got a childrens out door playhouse a few months prior to this that ended up being perfect for the ducks to live in. It was easier to clean up this year because all we had to do was move the playhouse to another part of the patio and hose it off. Their swimming pool was a sand box we got free from a neighbor.
We took the ducks to the church Easter egg hunt this year to share the joy, and it was a hit! We had literally one-hundred kids lined up to see and take pictures with these ducks. It was so neat to share this excitement. This will be the plan from here on out!
We can't wait for the ducks again next year!!!!! Hopefully these ones will come back to our lake and we will see them too, since that is where we released them.
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