Let me start by telling you that today I am a 47-year-old, fully functioning, employed, mother of four with a husband and a home. None of that mattered on my way to adulthood when a llama kissed me, and I fell in love. That llama kiss – that changed the course of my life. Or, perhaps, it defined it.

His name was Snickers, and I loved him with every ounce of my newly nurturing stay-at-home-mom soul. It’s true my days were filled with diapers and formula and laundry and all of the other things required to keep up with two boys under two, but that llama filled my scrapbooks, my dreams and my vision. Somehow, I knew he was to be my future.

Up until that point, I had been, was and am a writer. When that llama kissed me a part of my being stood up and shouted, “Hey you! You are going to be a llama farmer one day!” There was no explanation for this joyful outburst. No singing angels or white clouds just the facts as spoken from the depths of my heart.

As it is wont to do, life continued to happen. I added two more children to my brood, obtained a part time writing gig, and had a very happy life. Still, a piece of me yearned for that llama. At every opportunity, I would peruse the library shelves for information on llamas. And when the Internet came to my home and I could research daily, well, let’s just say the entire world opened up. I had picture of llamas on EVERYTHING! I owned two greyhounds, two cats, a bird, scores of fish and many other critters with fur, but a part of my being still cried out for llama llove.

I wrote often. I wrote about many things. Then it happened.  I got the most amazing assignment EVER – I was going to take a hike with a llama and write about the experience. I was getting paid to llove a llama for the day and write about it. Ah, the joy, the bliss, the never-ending dreaming that those pictures and that story brought to me. Still, life continued without my llama.

Soon, my mom was diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, and life took a turn. She was sent to hospice, and quickly passed on. After her passing, I became a hospice worker along with my greyhound Leo. Leo and I loved our patients, but I still believed there was more. I believe my mother’s passing opened a door.

Fast forward 10 years. My children now nearly grown – two in college, two still at home but independent, another writing gig and a deep understanding that life doesn’t last forever. Lamenting one day to a girlfriend about my llama llack, she decided she had had enough!

“For crimminy sake, ” she said. “Pick up the phone TODAY and find yourself a dang llama.”

She said it out of frustration, but she sparked me to action.

In minutes (ten to be exact) I had found a farm less than 15 miles away from me that raised alpacas. Now, granted, alpacas aren’t llamas but they are close and the owner was willing for me to come to his home that very hour!! In fact, when I asked him how he came to be involved in raising alpacas, he told me a story.

“Well,” he began. “You will likely think I’m crazy, but the first llama I ever met kissed me and that changed everything…”

Then and there, I knew I had found my forever farm and my future.

To say I was in heaven is scratching the surface. I couldn’t breathe I was so excited. I hopped in the car and headed off. Soon I was face to face not with one llama but 37 alpacas, and a farmer who wanted to help me achieve my dreams.

As fate would have it, I was between writing gigs and had experienced a great loss of self at this time. I was struggling with my photos, my words and my heart. I felt nothing I did was good enough. A friend’s words, a spark to action,  and the door opened, and in walked an alpaca and a friend.

At first I was skeptical about this new friendship with both man and beast. Now, six months later, I am the proud owner of two alpacas, and more are in my future. I spend many of my days at my friend’s forever farm. I have been to the guard llama training society, and I have a plan for a new home with more land. A real plan. A plan that was set in motion on my way to adulthood when a llama kissed me and I fell in love.