Good moms are a treasure, no matter what species they are

It's mothers day today, and although I don't have any children, I somehow wound up with two kids. We now have a second bottle baby goat named Shrimp Salad (I did not come up with that name.) This morning I went to feed Shrimp Salad and Lady, the other bottle baby who we weaned a month ago, was vigorously licking the droplets on the outside of the bottle as the other kid suckled on the tit. It was adorable. Now I have two shadows in the barn that follow me around everywhere.

Shrimp Salad trying to suck on my face

As I fed the animals and checked on everyone in the barn I reflected on how some animals, just like humans, make better mothers than others. For instance, both Lady and Shrimp Salads moms abandoned them, obviously not a good mom. But then I see a goat mother continuing to nurse her two big and active boys even as she becomes anorexic looking. Or, I will see the moms curled up with her babies when it's cold outside or calling to them in the fields to make sure they are close by. As for pigs, you have the awful sow who rolls over her piglets, but then you have the sows who do not move for days, neither eating or drinking, so her babies can feed. And just try picking up a squealing piglet. You will hear a half-roar-half-grunting bark emanating from big mama, throw in some foaming at the mouth and it makes for a hair raising sight.

Not all mothers are born with maternal instincts but some were just made to have children. I have been very fortunate to have two wonderful mothers in my life, my step mother and my mother-in-law. A great mother is loving, nurturing, and someone whom you aspire to model your life after. They have never rejected me, no matter what I've done, never tried to smother or snuff me out, and they would do anything to make sure I was warm and fed. What more could someone ask for?