[Jacob-list] weird sheep encounters

[SJohn21855 at aol.com]

Hi all,
 I recently took a trip to Watertown, WI to pick up some sheep and a llama 
from Bullthistle Farm (Karen Kerr). It ended up being a really strange trip 
and I thought some of you might enjoy hearing about it.
 We finally got the animals loaded around 8:00 PM on Saturday evening. We put 
two llama's in the front of the trailer and a four horned ram lamb (what a 
beauty!!!!) in the back of the trailer. The Black Cots ewe went into the back 
of the truck. My two grandsons (7 and 4) and I made it to the hotel around 
9:00, swam, ate pizza, and went to bed. The phone woke me up at 3:30 AM. It 
was the front desk, it seems someone had checked in and told her that there 
was some kind of "weird animal" walking around the parking lot and she 
thought it might be one of mine. Sure enough, I got out there and it was my 
ram. Some kids fessed up to the desk clerk that one of their friends had 
opened the trailer door and let him out.  Anyone who has bought sheep from 
Karen knows that her sheep are raised with love and are gentle most of the 
time. Well, in the dark, in a parking lot, close to a main hwy. he was a 
little leery of me. So after going around and around the trailer for about 
twenty minutes I was a little flustered. I stopped and said "Lord, I know 
it's a lot to ask, but, if that little ram would just jump into the trailer I 
would be so grateful". No sooner had the words left my mouth then I heard the 
pitter patter of little feet on the trailer. I walked around and sure enough 
he had jumped into the trailer and was standing there looking at me as if to 
say "well, are you going to shut the door or what?" I shut the door and went 
back to bed shaking my head. End of story, right? NOT!!!!!!
 We got up at 6:00 to get an early start for home. We had a large detour to 
go through and made it to the Interstate around 9:30. About seventy miles 
from the motel we stopped at a rest area and I got out to check the trailer. 
Unknown to me there was a small sliding door in the big door of the rented 
trailer and evidently the boy had opened it first and not shut it all of the 
way. It had come open in route and once again the ram was out, somewhere 
along the road. I had to drive about twenty miles further to get to an exit. 
I turned around and headed back looking for road kill. I was so upset. When I 
got within about 10 miles of the motel with no sign of him, I stopped at a 
sheep farm to see if maybe he had gone there. No, they hadn't seen him, but 
they had been over by the motel and had just gotten home and there was no 
sheep laying on the road. So I decided he must be alive, I left them my 
number, called the sheriff dept. and left my number and called Karen and left 
a message and headed for home. About two miles down the road I glanced over 
into one of the yards and there was a man walking across his yard with my 
little ram following right along behind. He must have thought I was crazy. I 
blew the horn, hung out the window and yelled "That's mine!!" What a dork! 
Anyway, I went over and the ram came right to me, I caught him and looked him 
over and there was one little scratch on his nose. Not even any chips on his 
horns! We decided to call him Jedidiah - it's from the bible and it means 
"loved by God". We all agreed that he fit the bill.
 No other mishaps and we got home and unloaded and everyone is settled in and 
happy. Every time I look at that ram I am amazed all over again.
 Sorry this is so long, but I thought it was a good tale, I swear it's the 
truth. I called Karen to let her know that I found him and she said "you are 
so lucky, you are the luckiest person I know".  I am richly blessed, He has 
been faithful.
God bless,
Shelly
Wooly Acres
Jacobs, Black Cotswolds, Icelandics, Angora rabbits, Guinea fowl, chickens, 
assorted cats and dogs, llamas, and one lone Alpine milking goat (Molly Mouse)