Marriage Counseling

Jake and I have not been to official marriage counseling since we went to pre-wedding counseling with the Priest.  Since calving has started about once or twice a week I help him "kick the cow/calf pairs out".  That is what he refers to as the process of moving the cows and their calves back to another pasture.  This makes checking the cows that haven't calved easier.  It also spreads out the cows to graze this wonderful growth that is coming in the pastures.  I refer to this process as marriage counseling.  Jake and I rarely fight, however the intensity of working cattle usually helps us "work" on our communication.

Our personalities are different and they drastically flip flop when working cattle.  I am usually tightly wound and intense, however give me a 4-wheeler, a group of cattle and Jake and I am very laid back and care free.  Jake who is usually easy going, when given a 4-wheeler, a group of cattle and his wife to work with becomes high strung and eager.

 

Today like most "Marriage Counseling Mondays (it was postponed, because I payed bills and entered data for the feed yard Monday) we set out to sort some cow/calf pairs out.  Things were going fairly well, since we had successfully transferred about nine pairs to another pasture..  We had two pairs left and one of them a Shorthorn heifer and her calf we have been trying to sort off for two weeks (she is difficult).  Jake tried to get this heifer and calf to go out the gate across the road and into the pasture directly across the road.  I couldn't find him so I tried to bring this red cow and calf. She darted across the field and after we played merry go round with the hay rack and she jumped several ditches and ravines that this amateur 4-wheeler driver was not willing to cross I left her and went to help Jake. By this time Jake had this Shorthorn heifer out the gate and she was headed right down the road.  I went flying down there to help.  Without thinking I went through the gate to block the left side of the road and I wasn't even thinking about the great big hole I left for her to re-enter the pasture.  So she did and darted up the pasture never to be seen the rest of the morning (of course we didn't go look for her).  Jake was mad at me and I deserved it! He did smile though and said lets head back to the barn.  I said I was sorry.  It wasn't until after lunch did he ask me what I was thinking.  I told him my irrational thought process that really doesn't make any sense - therefore I am not sharing and I told him it was stupid and that I'll do better next time.