When Things Don’t Go as Planned… Trying AgainIf you have been following along with my writing, then you know I’ve been anxiously waiting for my does to deliver. I’ve been counting down the days, watching for signs, checking udders, and imagining little hooves hitting the ground.Well, today didn’t bring the news I was hoping for.After doing ultrasounds, I found out that two of my girls, Selene and Temperance, are not pregnant. No babies. No little surprises hiding in there. Just two very empty ultrasounds.I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, and honestly, it’s not just about missing out on the baby goats. We were also looking forward to having two more does in milk. More milk for the house, more opportunities to make our favorite dairy goodies, and having that extra milk available for everything we do here on the homestead.When you raise dairy goats, breeding season isn’t just about looking forward to cute babies bouncing around the pasture. It’s also about planning for the milk they’ll eventually provide. So this changes a little more than just our kidding season plans.I’ve spent weeks looking forward to this, thinking about the babies, wondering what colors we might get, imagining those first wobbly steps, and planning for the milk that would follow. When you get your hopes up and things don’t go the way you planned, it’s disappointing.But I have to remind myself of something: at least my girls are healthy. As disappointed as I am about there being no babies and no extra milk this time around, I’m thankful that Selene and Temperance are doing well. Their health matters more than anything, and that’s something I can be grateful for today.That’s part of raising livestock, isn’t it? Sometimes things go exactly as planned, and sometimes they don’t. We can do everything we think is right, cross our fingers, and still end up with a different outcome.I’m going to let myself be disappointed for a little bit, because it’s okay to feel that way. But I’m also not giving up.We’ll try again. There will be another breeding season, another countdown, and hopefully another round of little hooves running around the homestead, followed by milk pails that need filling.For now, I’ll keep taking care of my girls, give them a little extra love, and remind myself that not every season has to go according to plan.That’s homesteading. A little heartbreak, a change of plans, a lot of gratitude, and always finding a reason to try again.