Can't Take Everything

Spring was finally coming to the little farming community hidden in the Western United States. It was a harsh winter, not only from the abundant snow and cold temperatures, but also financially. Kevin was busy moving hay bales from the barn out to the cows and horses so he could easily feed them. Hay had gone up and after a bad harvest last fall he had to buy what he didn't produce for his livestock. Fuel had gone up as well. Farming was in Kevin's blood but it was hard times like this when he thought of his family, a wife and single daughter. As he hooked another ton bale and his mind wandered to provide for his family, a little brunette came running into the barn.

Was it 3:00 already? Where had the day gone?

Cheyenne always came to the farm after school and the bus was prompt to drop her off at 3:00 every day. Manda, Kevin's wife, would still be at the courthouse another two hours and even though she didn't make much, she got benefits and insurance. Those were important. Over the winter Manda's paycheck kept them afloat but that was starting to wear thin as well. Cheyenne didn't know any of this, but what 8 year old would?

The little brunette was always good to stand far from the equipment when in use and waved some papers at her dad. A big smile was plastered on her face and it looked like the papers had some drawings on them. Another school project that Cheyenne no doubt put all her effort into. Kevin stopped his tractor and threw open the door that would invite his young daughter to join him.

Eagerly she climbed up the steps and threw her bookbag on the ground before finding her designated seat on the side of Kevin. "I got an A on my report," she declared. "Mrs. Jacobson said it was the best report she had ever seen. Of course she says that all the time, so I don't know how true that is."

Cheyenne was a talkative, outgoing young girl and it always brought a smile to Kevin's face. While his daughter talked, he closed the door and returned to moving hay bales. "What was your report about?" he questioned.

"Tapirs!" Cheyenne showed him the paper she had been waving earlier.

The paper held a drawing of an animal Kevin had never seen before and it was colored in with a brown, sparkly gel pen. For a third grader it looked really good, or maybe he was biased. "What is a tapir?"

Cheyenne looked at her drawing and grew even more excited. "It's a rainforest animal. We were learning about the rainforest in school and we had to pick an animal to do a report on. I picked the tapir. They kind of look like a pig, but they have this funny looking nose, and some are brown. Some look like those Hampshire pigs we have. You know, black and white? Anyways, there are four species and ALL of them are either endangered or vulnerable, which means they could become EXTINCT if we don't try to help them."

Kevin just smiled as Cheyenne rambled on and on about this report which he knows is similar to how she presented it in class. He knew that she had made a poster board and written a great report with the help of her mother that probably had every piece of information in it that she could find about this animal. She loved animals and held onto everything that he told her about the cattle, horses, sheep and pigs that were on the farm. She studied breeds of dogs and cats in her free time and drew up plans on how she was going to raise every single animal breed on her farm. She even studied birds, exotic animals, and small pets like hamsters that he never had interest in, but she did. Animal Planet was regularly on their T.V. and the computer was always on another animal that Cheyenne wanted to learn everything about.

"Mrs. Jacobson told me she wants me to do another report on another animal and enter it into this State Science Fair." Cheyenne held out another pack of papers that had a note from her teacher written on it.

Kevin set the bale of hay down in front of his cows and stopped his tractor to get a better look at this note.

Cheyenne is very impressive and is dedicated to education. She has excelled at EVERY assignment I have given the class and I feel that she has a real chance to win in this State Science Fair, or at least be very competitive. Attached is all the information about this Fair and it is usually for older grades, but there have been instances of younger kids entering. She is a very bright kid.

She is a very bright kid, Kevin thought. There was natural talent there, yes, but really it was her passion, hard work, and desire to want to learn more that helped her excel. Cheyenne was still learning to write and read. Mathematics seemed to be a little difficult. She might have been a little above grade level, but a Science Fair for older grades worried Kevin. How much older? What if Cheyenne has her heart set on winning and doesn't? What if they do something wrong and she is disqualified? Would this really be good for his daughter?

"Dad, are you listening?" Cheyenne asked.

Kevin stopped and looked over. His daughter had continued talking even after he started to read the note. "Sorry, I wasn't."

Cheyenne shook her head and smiled, knowing this was a regular occurrence. "I'm going to do this report on Barn Owls," she told him.

"Barn Owls?"

"Yeah! It's March, and I haven't seen any this year yet, but we usually get a pair that nest in the top of the Barn. They are there all summer and they are really, really cool. I talked with Mrs. Jacobson and she said maybe I could do a live webcam of nesting owls like they do online and that could be part of my report. So we need to run to the store to get some webcams and we can hook it to my iPad so I can see what's going on. The Fair isn't for a couple months so I think I can get everything I need."

As Cheyenne continued talking about her project, Kevin continued to worry about this Fair. They were already dipping into their food storage to try and save some more money. How much did a camera cost? Does it cost money to enter into the Fair? Would they have to travel? There was a lot of questions.

"Sweetie, I don't know," Kevin cut his daughter off as he shook his head. "I need to talk to your mom and teacher about this first. Maybe read these papers too. This kind of seems like a big deal."

"But DAD! It's an opportunity to learn."

At that moment Kevin could hear his wife saying that exact same thing. She had always told their daughter to look at life as an opportunity to learn. Cheyenne took that to heart as she repeated what was said so much in their home. It's an opportunity to learn. That in itself was enough reason.

Kevin smiled and gave Cheyenne a big hug as his worries melted away. He believed in education and was always seeking knowledge that could help his life, his farm, and his family. "Okay. I guess that means we have to run to the store."

Cheyenne grinned from ear to ear and started packing her things back in her bag while Kevin parked the tractor in the barn. Peeking at the rafters he could faintly see the remnants of nests in the past made by owls. Even if it was going to cost him some money that they didn't really have, he prayed that another would show up soon. He was blessed with a bright, curious daughter and he wanted to give her what he could.

Kevin then spent the rest of the day driving to the store, talking with the salespeople to find the right camera for the operation, driving back, and then climbing into the rafters of his barn to place the camera. Cheyenne continued talking about what she wanted to do for her science project and would fill page after page of ideas of her notebook. Manda would come out with some hot chocolate as the temperatures started to drop and she would give a knowing look to Kevin about the added expenses and Cheyenne's excitement.

Hours passed before they got the live feed hooked up to the iPad. Nothing would happen for over a couple weeks, but Cheyenne would never despair. She only continued to draw out ideas, do research, and continually check the iPad for any change. The family would dig deeper into their food storage to pay for the camera but it was worth it. Kevin and Manda would look at the packet of papers to make sure they were on track for the Science Fair at the end of May. Mrs. Jacobson would keep them in the loop about registration, when papers and posters were due, and how to conduct and record everything needed. It was a lot and Cheyenne didn't know how much work her parents were putting into this, but it was worth it.

Spaghetti boiled on the stove as Kevin put on his jacket to do evening chores. A poster board was sprawled on the floor and Kevin could see words like "Hypothesis" and "Methods" cut out and ready to paste onto the poster board. Cheyenne was busy working away.

"Mom!" she yelled before Kevin exited the small house. "What was that work again? Knocked earn all?"

"Nocturnal," Manda replied from the stove as she prepared the same meal they had previously eaten 3 times that week.

Cheyenne would shout something else, but Kevin had to hurry. There were hungry animals that needed some feed. The air was warming, but it was still a bit chilly. He couldn't turn on the irrigation yet, which would lead to desperately needed hay and grain to sell and use for his farm. There were some litters of pigs due soon, and lambs could be sold in a few months' time. Money would be coming back, they just had to get through a little more time. As these thoughts came to his mind and he hurried to do the chores before nightfall came, he heard something that made his heart jump with joy.

The call of a Barn Owl.

Kevin was in the barn and he peered through the rafters to where he put that camera and he could see a pair of Barn Owls making a home where so many others had done before. They were looking back at him, unafraid as they surveyed the area. He couldn't finish up the chores fast enough before hurrying into the house to tell his daughter.

"Cheyenne, check your iPad," he announced. Cheyenne looked up from her poster board with excitement before grabbing her iPad off the computer table. She flipped it on and navigated to the camera app. There, plain as day, were the two owls in perfect focus.

Cheyenne squealed. "I knew they would come. I knew it!"

Manda hurried over to have a look as well and she congratulated her daughter while giving her husband a hug. "Good job," she whispered to him.

Again weeks would pass and the family prepared for the science fair. Cheyenne worked furiously and changed her mind many times to make the perfect poster. Manda would sit with her for hours to write up the paper that went with this science fair project. Kevin would walk by where the owls made their home and smile every time.

Bills continued to pile up. Payday was getting closer but still seemed so far away. Pigs were born, lambs were fattening up, calves were growing, and irrigation finally was turned on. The science fair was right around the corner. They could make it a little longer.

One evening after chores and after dinner, Kevin came out to get a glass of milk before dinner and he found his daughter sitting in his recliner, glued to the iPad.

"Time for bed, Chey. You know the rules."

"I know," Cheyenne replied quietly. Her voice lacked the regular cheerfulness she usually had. "Can I stay up a little longer?"

Kevin looked over at her and could tell something was bothering her. "Did something happen to the owls?" he questioned.

She shook her head. "I just think tonight the eggs are going to hatch. I wanted to stay up and see them."

"You don't seem very excited," Kevin pushed further. "Isn't that exciting?" His daughter shrugged her shoulders and her eyes dropped down a little. Something was wrong. "Is there something you want to talk about?"

Cheyenne shook her head.

Now Kevin was standing behind the recliner and looking at the screen where he could see the female owl sitting on her clutch of eggs. The male was gone looking for food at the moment. The father and daughter sat in silence long enough to see the male come back with some food, turn around, and head back out for more food.

"Can I join you?" Kevin asked, trying to connect with his daughter. After a moment of silence she nodded and moved onto the arm of the recliner so he could sit next to her. Both were in their pajamas and Kevin grabbed a blanket from the couch to throw over the both of them. Cheyenne would snuggle up next to him, but she would remain silent.

Nearly an hour passed by and Kevin could feel his daughter's body shake slightly with sadness and a sniff escaped every now and then, but he remained quiet. When she wanted to speak, she would. Meanwhile the male owl would continually bring food back to the female and the female would rearrange the 3 eggs that she sat on.

"Dad, are we going to lose the farm?"

There it was. Cheyenne finally opened up.

"What makes you think that?" Kevin asked quietly.

There was another sniff and a deep breath. "I was talking to Jason today and he said his cousins are farmers and they lost the farm because all farmers are poor. Then he said they were stupid and were only farmers because they didn't learn enough in school. I told him that wasn't true, but then he said our family was poor. I told him it wasn't true and he continued to make fun of me." She shifted positions to look at her dad more directly. "I mean, I know we aren't stupid. You and mom both went to college and you're always talking about business and stuff that I don't know anything about. So Jason is stupid for calling us stupid, but," tears started to well in her eyes, "are we going to lose the farm?"

Are we going to lose the farm? That was a thought that crossed Kevin's mind many, many times. It was a business and the market was fickle. On every farmer's mind. In every producer's mind was the chance that the farm could be taken away. Real Estate was also a problem as agents made offers often for millions of dollars so they could develop sub divisions. It was a great money solver, but then the farm was gone and they couldn't get it back.

"No," Kevin softly answered. "We're okay. Mom's job helps and the farm should start making money again soon when we sell the lambs and pigs. We're not going to lose the farm."

Cheyenne was quiet for another moment as she fidgeted around. "We've eaten the same food every night forever," she said quietly. "I've noticed we do that every now and then. I hear you and mom talking about money too. I'm not stupid."

Kevin could feel his heart constrict a little and he pulled his daughter closer to him. They were still watching the owls, but they weren't really taking in anything that was happening. It was repetitive anyways. "You're not stupid," he told her. "Money is a little tight right now. It happens to everyone now and then. Let me tell you something though. When grandpa owned this farm, it was twice as big, but he had some money troubles and he had to sell some land. That happens sometimes. There was a time when I was ready to graduate high school that he told me I needed to go to college even though I just wanted to work on the farm full time. Do you know why he said that?"

Again Cheyanne sniffed and shook her head.

"He said that because in life, lots of things can be taken away from us. The farm, our house, our jobs, and lots more. It's a scary thought sometimes, but it can happen. The only thing that can't be taken away from us is our Education. What we learn will always be ours. Do you understand that?"

After a few moments of silent thinking, Cheyenne sat up a little straighter. "Like my owls?" She questioned.

Kevin smiled. "Like your owls. "Whether or not you want to come back to the farm, your mom and I want you to go to college, or a tech school, or some other form of education where you can learn and then continue to learn. Luckily, learning comes pretty naturally to you. Don't worry about the money, that's my job."

Finally, a small smile. "I really like animals," she said. "They make me happy. Math is stupid, but science is pretty cool."

Kevin let out a laugh and hugged his daughter. "Speaking of science, your fair thing is in a couple of days. Why don't we go to bed and hopefully in the morning we can see some little baby owls?"

"Owlets," Cheyenne corrected. She put the iPad down and gave her dad a hug and a kiss before running off to bed.

Feeling successful and exhausted, Kevin turned out the lights and made his way to bed with his wife who had heard everything. When he crawled into bed, Manda rolled over and whispered how great of a father he was and then the two went to bed.

All three owlets would be successfully hatched and Cheyenne finished up her project. Soon it was time to head to the Science Fair a couple cities away. Mrs. Jacobson would be there to help Cheyenne display her poster and hand her paper in. Kevin and Manda would walk around the Science Fair to see hundreds of posters with interesting topics all completed by older kids. It was stiff competition, but each time the couple would walk by their daughter she would have a big smile and was talking about her project just like she did at home. In the front of the display was a the iPad with the live feed of owls playing.

After the judging, the students and their parents gathered in a big auditorium where the winners would be announced. In first place was a boy whose project was on Genetically Modified Organisms, something that Kevin knew about since most of what he planted was a GMO. He got a check for $5,000 and would say something about the possibility of ending world hunger with GMOs. The crowd cheered. Second place was another boy who's project was on sustainable energy. He gained a $2,500 check and told the audience about the benefits of sustainable vehicles. The crowd applauded. Kevin rolled his eyes and asked his wife how a Prius would plow his fields. Manda shushed him.

Third place, another $2,500 check, went to a young brunette with a big smile and an iPad covered in owl stickers. Cheyenne's name was called and the crowd clapped. Surprised, but not by much, Kevin clapped loudest of all and let out a holler. Cheyenne giggled and the judges asked if she had anything to tell the audience.

With her beautiful smile she leaned in towards the microphone. "The world can take away the farm," she spoke with confidence. "We can lose our house. We can lose our jobs. The only thing that can't be taken away from us is our education. What we learn is ours forever."

The crowd applauded again and Kevin felt tears burn his eyes. Cheyenne was handed the check and the Fair was over. The family would hug and laugh and talk about the Fair the rest of the day. Cheyenne gave the check to her dad and told him that it could help with the farm. Indeed it could, but instead of doing that he went straight to the bank and opened up a savings account for his daughter. An education fund. As time went on the account grew and sometimes it held more money than any other account in the family.

Kevin was never tempted to dip into the savings account, even when money was tight. Each time he saw the balance he would just smile and know that it was worth it. Every penny was worth Cheyenne's Education. It was all hers and nobody could take that away.