Four Sisters Farm

Valentines Day 2012

2012-02-14T09:49:00.000-08:00

Pop always has been and always will be my #1 Valentine. He surprises me sometimes with his sweet, thoughtful gestures. He brought me a dozen roses and a funny card. Neither of us places a high value on flowers, candies, or any kind of gift but he knows that it makes me feel special when he thinks of me and then does something about it...whether it is a bouquet, a single rose, a thoughtful text or email, a call at just the right time, a hug when I need it most, or maybe even giving me time with other people I love (like being with our daughters/grandchildren, my folks, my siblings, girlfriends, etc.)

Something Pop did when our daughters were young was buying each of them a Valentines Day card...that blessed me and them. He did it on his own and I remember being surprised and so pleased when he did it. He continued to do it until our daughters grew up and had their boyfriend/fiance'/husband as their #1 Valentine. It still blesses me when I think about it.

Of course Pop and I love to get our grandkids a Valentine of sorts and this year, I thought long and hard about what to get. As I thought about how we feel about our grandchildren, I thought about how they make our hearts soar...that's it!! Kites for Valentines Day!!

I delivered them to the Superheroes and the cowboys yesterday and they seemed really tickled with them. (The Unconventionals will get their soon.) They don't understand yet how they make Pop and I feel so the sentiment goes right past them; but their mommies and daddies get it. I hope that when they fly the kites, they will have tons of fun whether they fly them at home or they bring them to the expanse of the farm to set sail...and I hope their parents will be blessed by the sentiment expressed by this year's Valentine gift and the love it represents...it's funny, isn't it, how physical things can make and trigger memories? Kites are special to me because when I was small, my Dad took the time to build kites with me and my siblings. So now I will look at kites fondly from memories as a child and as a grandparent. Good stuff.

Now, Bitty Princess is too small to fly kites so I found something else to express how Pop and I feel about her...spoons! That's right...she is so precious that she has Pop and I "eating out of her hand" so to speak...and for a period of time, her sweet little hands will be instrumental in her nourishment. But there will come a time when she needs to be spoon-fed and then learn how to use spoons. So Bitty Princess gets spoons for Valentines Day this year. I hope that when her daddy and mommy use these to feed her, they will think of how much we love their Bitty Princess...and them.

I am thankful that God is LOVE and that we can share it so freely because of His great love for us. Happy Valentines Day to our readers!!

The "Almost" Adoption

2012-02-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

We have one adopted grandchild. A grandson. Q is an incredible addition to our growing family. He is adorable, fun, happy, and just makes us smile...and laugh. We cannot imagine life without him. His adoption by Farm Chick at Heart and EJ has given us much insight into how God feels about us (His adopted kids). Our lives are richer now than we could have ever imagined. Before his adoption, I didn't know how I would feel about him. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be as attached to him as to our biological grandchildren. When he came home, all my fears melted into a puddle of quickly evaporating nothingness. Pop and I were smitten from the beginning with a precious baby boy given to us by God. What a blessing!

When Farm Chick and EJ received a call on Christmas Eve 2011, we were so excited at the prospect of another adopted grandson! There were some reservations with the little fellow's mother that they shared with us...things that made us think she might not follow through with her resolve to place him for adoption. We loved him anyway and anticipated his arrival. Farm Chick and EJ met Baby C's birth mother and loved on her as God called them to do.

As with each of our grandchildren, Pop went on a bear hunt to find the perfect "Pop Bear" for Baby C. He and I looked at about six bears that were all the "same", but anyone who truly looks at teddy bears knows that they each have different faces regardless of the fact that they are all cut and sewn from a single pattern. We studied each face and chose just the right one...then we waited.

Farm Chick and EJ got another call...Baby C would be remaining with his birth mom. We felt like God had somehow prepared us ahead of time. In spite of loving him and anticipating his arrival, there was always prayer that God would do what He deemed best and those prayers were answered when the call came. There was sadness, but there was peace. There was joy knowing that Baby C's mother loves and wants to do the hard work of parenting him. I was okay with that...then I caught a glimpse of Baby C's pop bear sitting on my loveseat and fell apart. I grieved for him, knowing that he would not be a part of our family. The grief I felt caught me off guard...it was similar to the grief I have felt when our daughters have miscarried early in several of their pregnancies. It was like a wave that toppled me over for a brief period of time. I cried...then I found my feet once again on solid ground. I find solace in knowing that God's plan is infinitely better than any plan I can conjure up.

I knew that Farm Chick was putting together a box of things to be mailed to Baby C's mother so I asked if she would include Baby C's pop bear with a letter from me. I thank God for what He is doing in the lives of His beloved children...including me. I will always remember Baby C and will think of him on his birthday each year. I pray that God will provide for him and his mommy richly and that He will rain down blessings on them.

--------------------------

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.

Romans 8:14-16 (NIV)

The Easiest Floor Ever!?!?

2012-02-03T08:04:00.000-08:00

Pop and I decided on some resilient vinyl plank flooring for all but the bedrooms in our farmhouse.

My sister and her hubby were working on a kitchen/dining room/living room renovation and she introduced us to this product (Allure Ultra). It looks great in their space so I started researching and found that there just isn't anything else on the market quite like it...it is waterproof, requires no underlayment, doesn't have any adhesive...and as they say it is "The Easiest Floor Ever!"

Pop did his usual research and preparation before we began laying the flooring. He fixed and leveled the sub floor, then figured out the best place to begin laying "The Easiest Floor Ever!".

We knew we had some challenges ahead of us; but since it is "The Easiest Floor Ever!" we figured we could handle it...and we did...with some help from some of our sons (acquired by marriage)...but we did figure out that it really is "The Easiest Floor Ever!" IF:

your walls are completely square,
you are laying out only one room without anything to cut around (like pipes, toilets, heat vents, etc.),
you figure out the best angle to make each plank click to fit, and
all your cuts are perfect.

So...having said that, we are very happy with the results. I think it will be easy to care for and will stand up to the amount of traffic we will have on it (11 grandkids and counting). It has a lifetime warranty for residential installation so we figure we won't ever have to replace it. We joked with the boys that someday they will probably be tearing out the very floor they were helping to install because Pop and I plan on still having it in place when we go live with Jesus!

We are working on the doors and trim now and have scheduled the carpet layers for the bedrooms. Pop and I even went ahead and purchased a KING size bed for our new room!!

Stay tuned for future updates! We're getting there!

Our Baby has a Baby

2012-01-22T12:46:00.000-08:00

God has blessed Pop and I so abundantly with our "grandblessings'! I feel especially blessed to have been present at the all births of of our grand babies (except our sweet lil adopted Q)...even when we were living 1300 miles from our family. God just seemed to orchestrate everything and Bitty Princess' birth was no exception. The waiting room was full of Bitty Princess' "fan club members" as they anxiously awaited her arrival. Romeo's parents, Pop, and Pretty Princess' sisters were all there.

I was so impressed with our youngest "kids" as they awaited the arrival of their first baby. They were very well prepared. They asked intelligent questions of the medical staff and had their birth plan firmly in mind. Things rarely go as planned for childbirth and as things came up, they readily made adjustments and maintained a calm, controlled attitude...but it wasn't just about their attitude...it was about who they are in life. They did all they could do and then trusted God with everything else.

I think Pop and I have the most incredible sons (in-law) on the planet. They love God, their wives and their children. To have witnessed them in action in labor and delivery is something I feel honored to have seen. Romeo was incredibly tender and attentive to Pretty Princess. He worked hard to do everything she needed. He made sure she was covered and comfortable (as possible) when various tubes were moved, monitors adjusted, and procedures performed. He got her ice chips and whatever she asked for. He ran interference with staff and family. In general, he did everything in his power to be the protector and provider for his little family. What an incredible blessing!

The labor and delivery was bathed in prayer and at one point, Pretty Princess was surrounded by waiting grandparents and family members praying for God to make the labor progress quickly. Several times as Pretty Princess endured, Romeo prayed over her as he and I tried to do everything we could to help. At one point when things seemed to be stalled, family members in the waiting room prayed for progress in the delivery as another waiting family sympathetically looked on. One particularly sweet moment, as our Princess labored in pain, I watched with my heart nearly bursting as Pop tenderly laid his hand on her head and silently asked God to help her and Bitty Princess through the delivery. The calm and peace that came with this quiet act seemed to fill the room.

It was a long, difficult labor that could have quickly led to a c-section but Pretty Princess powered through and Romeo supported her in every way. Pretty Princess should probably be renamed "Warrior Princess"! The end result is our beautiful, healthy "Bitty Princess" who is joyfully welcomed by the whole Four Sisters Farm Family.

That night Pop and I prepared for sleep after a long and hard day. He wrapped his arms around me as relief washed over me. I expressed that with each birth I have witnessed, I am reminded just how fragile life is and have to thank God for what He has done. As Pop held me and tears of gratitude streamed down my face, he quietly lifted his voice to our Creator, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen."

This grammy has so much to be thankful for. Thank You, God.

Welcome Bitty Princess

2012-01-17T14:18:00.000-08:00

"Bitty Princess" - born to Romeo and Pretty Princess.
Welcome to the Four Sisters Farm family, little one!

Proverbs 17:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Children’s children are a crown to the aged,
and parents are the pride of their children.

Firm Foundation

2012-01-08T23:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Pop and I worked on the floor of our farm house. We had a few squeaks and some loose nails and screws as well as some "toe stubbers" where the seams were uneven.

We are preparing to put down a new floor in the house and as Pop says, "Every little thing in the sub floor will show up in some way in the new floor." So we set about pulling out old staples from previous floor coverings, hammering down loose nails, and screwing in loose screws...all in preparation for a new sub floor layer of thin pressed wood that will cover over the imperfections of the old floor and provide a smooth foundation for the new flooring.

As usual, I began to ponder what I was learning in our physical world and how it relates to our spiritual world. Just like sub floor in our old house, a firm foundation is crucial for us as we "build" our lives...every thing we think, believe, and act upon has to have some basis. If our foundation is shaky or built on things that are untrue, anything we build on it will not last.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 says, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Life at Four Sisters Farm (including the renovation of the farm house) has been full of spiritual lessons for me. Learning those lessons along with all the hard-knock lessons that come with renovating an old house has somehow made the work more enjoyable.
Some days are more enjoyable than others and some days it seems everything goes wrong, but as Pop and I sat and looked out the front window and imagined ourselves in our "new" living space, all seemed right with the world.

Thank You, God! Help us to put our hope in You who riches provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Help us to do good, to be generous, and willing to share what you have given us in and around Four Sisters Farm. Thank You for the treasure of a firm foundation so that we may take hold of the life that is truly life!

Cinnamon Rolls for Lunch?

2011-12-30T15:15:00.000-08:00

A longtime girlfriend of mine came to Four Sisters Farm for lunch today. (She is in the pic below with her two precious children.) I have missed her SO much and am grateful for her visit. We got acquainted when our families attended the same church years ago. She is precious and loves the Lord with all her heart, all her mind, and with all her soul...and she loves the people around her the same way.

One of my favorite things that happened several times when we were together with others who didn't know us well...someone would ask if she and I are sisters and I was quick to reply "Yes! We have the same Father!" Of course, then I explained that I meant God our heavenly Father. It blesses me to know that people see something similar in us because I think she is so awesome!!

I was pleased to give her the "nickel tour" of the house because she had only been here once not long after we bought the farm; then we settled into our basement (I mean "lower level") to gab and I felt like I was talking a hundred miles an hour to try to catch up.

I had made some homemade rolls in honor of her visit and decided to make part of the dough into cinnamon rolls. I jokingly said that we could eat cinnamon rolls for lunch and skip the food that was good for us...she thought that sounded like a great idea...and we did...because we could. Ha!

Mmmmmmm. "Sister", you can come for lunch anytime!!

Buyer's Remorse

2011-12-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

Over the holiday, I went to the local variety store of my hometown with my mom, sister, and sis-in-law. Our mission was to pick out fabric for a quilt for Mom to make my sis-in-law; but of course, we had to look at other things as well and we stumbled onto this wall hanging and thought it was cute and clever and would work perfectly in the future Four Sisters Farm kitchen...I was a bit smitten and I purchased it (along with a "God Bless Cowboys" plaque that will someday hang in the bunk room).

I decided to place it in Pop's Christmas stocking hanging at the mantle of my folk's house as sort of a silly joke. Well...the way things worked out, Pop and I didn't get to stay long enough for the festivities of the evening as we had to make the several hour drive back home that night. So I loaded up the contents of our stockings into a bag and we headed on home. As we drove and I pondered the time we had just spent with family, I also pondered the sign and realized that I just couldn't do it...Pop DOES rule the roost but not in a bad way and I definitely do NOT rule the rooster at Four Sisters Farm. It would be like advertising a lie if I hung up this cutesy little sign in our home.

Some folks would think it is just a joke...no big deal...but I believe otherwise. Scripture says, "Like a maniac shooting flaming arrows of death is one who deceives their neighbor and says, 'I was only joking!'" (Proverbs 26:18-19). One of the things I told the four sisters as they were growing up is that joking always has roots in what a person really believes. I have found this to be true over and over. Sarcasm (sometimes we call it joking) is rampant in our lives these days. We hear it all around us...we see it on television in sitcoms and we refer to someone as "witty" when they have mastered the art of hurting someone in a way that makes others laugh.

I looked up the definition of sarcasm and it means "a sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remark" so I also looked up irony which means "the use of words to convey a meaning that is opposite of its literal meaning". Hmmm...so if we say things that mean the opposite, isn't that the same as lying? I think so.

I will pass on cute and clever and tell you what I really believe about Pop...he is THE man here at Four Sisters Farm. He takes his responsibilities to care for me and our family very seriously. I very happily accept my place under his leadership knowing that he has my best interest at heart. He understands that his role as a leader brings responsibility and accountability with God and his desire is please God. I know he isn't perfect and I know he will make mistakes (me too); even so, I choose to follow him.

Maybe I can find a cute, clever sign with a rooster that says something like, "He rules the roost, and I love the rooster!" That would be closer to the truth. There is plenty to laugh about at Four Sisters Farm without making fun of anyone. It is a safe place to be. It's one of the things I love about Four Sisters Farm.

Twas a While 'til Christmas

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-08:00

Twas a while ’til Christmas, at Four Sisters Farm.

Thehouse was a wreck, but we’d meant it no harm.
There wasn’t a mantle to hang stockings upon.

Oh dear! What to do? It all seemed so wrong!

The walls were all finished with sheet rock and mud.

They were primed, evenpainted, we’d hidden the studs.
We’d worked long and hard but some things went amiss.

Pop’s shoulder was injuredand would require a fix.

But Pop is so tough; that the surgery would wait

while he worked through thepain and made the walls straight.
He worked on the wiring, the framing, the floor;

he worked ‘til the doctor said,“No way! No more!”

The year had been busy with our grown up offspring

buying houses, and moving,and fixing their things.
They had helped us so much; gave the time they could spare.

“God bless them. We’regrateful.” was often our prayer.

We had put down lush sod for our lawn in the spring

then summer was hot, and norain did it bring.
The garden, though watered, just would not produce

how long could the farm withstandsuch abuse?

It wasn’t all bad. We did have some fun

likea trip to Gettysburg, then down to Charleston.
The time at the beach was so pleasant and warm

and hiking at Yellowstone tookus out of our norm.

Pop’s shoulder’s still healing, the house still in progress;

we’ll keep movingforward, ignoring the mess.
The days go so quickly, like reindeer they fly

so we do what we can as each daygoes by.

We decided against putting up Christmas lights.

“There’s no place to put up atree”, Grammy sighed.
So we hung up the stockings at DW’sand Doc’s

and gathered up our family whichalways rocks!

We’ve been working for years to simplify this season;

less gifts and less fussand more Jesus as the reason.
We got together early with a family mission

to share Christ at Christmas hasbecome a tradition.

We still dress in PJs as matching can be

from the smallest to tallest andgather near the tree.
The children listen quietly while Pop reads the story

of Mary and Joseph and Jesusin His glory.

The young ones play while their moms stuff the stockings

with candy and toysand other small gift things.
They help roll out dough, then spread on some butter,

then sprinkle on sugar andmake quite the clutter!

The sweet smell of cinnamon rolls lingers in the air

while the stockings areemptied and candy is shared.
We laugh, we love and retell some old tales

then we make some new memorieswithout fail.

We review the year past with a special edition

made by the Superheroes which is their tradition.
They will add a new baby to their precious brood

an awesome and wonderful littlesuper dude!

A baby girl is soon due to Romeo and Pretty Princess

They'll be the “Royal Family” then - that is our consensus!
The Farmhands, now city folk, due totheir move

are adding a sweet baby girl to their crew.

Next year, Lord willing, we will gather once more

with three babies coming, noone will be bored.
Four Sisters Farm is where we hope we will be

with some lights, decorations,and of course, a tree.

So we all send our love from our homes to you

as you celebrate Christmas withyour own loving crew.
May the coming New Year be cheery and bright.

Happy Christmas to all and to alla good night!

What's in a Name? Paint Colors...

2011-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

The time finally came to paint our main floor walls...we had survived the painful and messy process of tearing out yucky old paneling, moving a few walls, and the list goes on and on...frankly, I don't have the energy to type everything we have done...so, let's focus on the subject at hand.

When it was time to choose a color for the "lower level" (aka basement), I knew I wanted something neutral and warm...something that would serve as a sort of blank canvas to decorate and redecorate as I choose. As we painted the basement, Pop kept questioning me (and everyone who helped paint) about the color...he thought it was too dark. It did look dark against the stark white of the primed dry wall but everyone agreed it was a fine color. Success!

So when it was time to choose a color for the main floor I wanted to stick with what we had in the lower level but Pop questioned me about that...so...I began to look and look and look at colors. There are so many paint colors with so many different names that it is an overwhelming task. As I looked, my goal was ultimately the same...something neutral and warm. I found myself attracted to the same color family again and again. The "coffee with cream" colors with yummy names like "Mocha"; the "beach" colors with calming names like "Mesa Sand", the "nature" colors like "Tender Twig", and of course the "food names" like "Caramelized Onion".

I shopped all these colors and after puzzling over them all, I found one called "Warm Welcome". Perfect. Funny though, it is the twin of the color we already had. So I took my basement paint chip to the paint counter and asked the nice man to match the color of my basement paint and mix up 15 gallons of it.

Pop and I painted and he kept questioning me about the color because he thought it was darker than what we had in the basement. It did look dark against the stark white of the primed dry wall. (Are you seeing a trend here?) :-) I assured him it was the same color and now we are finished and love it. It is indeed a "Warm Welcome" color and we hope that is what folks feel when they come to visit.

Now, onto doors, floors, trim, cabinets, appliances, etc. Oh...and Merry Christmas in the midst of it all!

A Birthday Post and Link

2011-12-09T14:01:00.001-08:00

DW's birthday is today and I can't wait to hear all about how she celebrated it.

For now, check out her blog post at The Unconventional Doctor's Wife.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DW!

Adding More Christmas Stockings

2011-12-05T06:29:00.001-08:00

New Christmas Stockings for 2011

The Four Sisters Farm homestead is, of course, not ready for family gatherings on the main level just yet so The Unconventionals will graciously host our family Christmas gathering once again. The Unconventional Doctor's Wife (DW for short) was busy decking her halls as she does each year and she sent me a text message with a picture - both the picture and the message came across loud and clear - we were missing three stockings!!

So I pulled out my Christmas stocking sewing supplies (yes, I am prepared for MORE grandbabies at all times) and made the stockings for the babies who will be joining our family early in 2012. (Of course, the stockings have "real" names on the other side.) Life is precious and celebrated in the Four Sisters Farm family...even before birth...so we will fill these new stockings at Christmas in anticipation of their arrival.

First, Pretty Princess and Romeo will welcome a baby girl into the "Royal Family", then the Superheroes will induct another baby boy superhero, and last but certainly not least, The Farmhands (at The Growing Table) will be blessed with all the frills that come with a baby girl to add to their family of rough and tumble boys.

2012 promises to be an incredibly exciting and blessed time and the whole Four Sisters Farm family is grateful to God for His rich blessings. It's good stuff (contented sigh, and big smile from Grammy).

Love is a Sacred Trust

2011-11-28T04:40:00.001-08:00

Oh a whim, Pop and I called the Superheroes after we had enjoyed dinner out last night. We were not in need of any superhero feats; we just missed them and were not too far away. We had heard they were going to see Arthur's Christmas earlier in the day and hoped to hear what the "critics" had to say about it. So we called. They were home...but not alone...Romeo and Pretty Princess had come for dinner. BONUS! We got two of the four sisters in one "drive by visit." But that is not what this post is about.

When we arrived, the superheroes greeted us warmly as did Pretty Princess and Romeo. Then something amazing happened. Something that possibly only I caught. As I scooped up the Supergirl and talked to her, our eyes locked...not just for a second or two...but for a while. This little, tiny (not yet two years old) girl...sweet, sassy, adorable little girl looked deep into my soul as I gazed upon hers through the windows we call eyes. In just a minute or maybe a little more, we saw each other...completely...and loved each other.

This phenomenon has happened at some precious point in time with each of our children and grandchildren when they were small and it takes my breath away each time. With each child, it is new and different, yet old and familiar, warm and comforting, just as it should be.

I awoke in the wee hours this morning thinking about it and realize that the love I have for my family, my friends, my fellow human beings is a sacred trust...just as my precious little granddaughter completely trusts me and trusts in my love...I am obligated...by my love...the love given to me by our Heavenly Father that is true and good and perfect...to give my best. Not out of guilt. Not because I should. Not because of any outward manipulation. Simply because I love.

I remember the very first time I felt this kind of love for Pop. I was in the fifth grade and he was in the sixth. I had seen him before and knew who he was but one day as I met him on the stairs at school (for some reason it was just the two of us – we must have been running errands for our teachers), I saw him for the first time as someone I loved. I awkwardly said, “Hi” and he nodded. I was deeply impacted. I can still see the sunlight streaming in the window highlighting his blond hair, blue eyes, and strong shape. We didn't date until high school but God firmly planted something in my heart that day I didn't quite understand. I didn't chase after him or stake any claims; but I was filled with a sense of assurance in the way I felt about this handsome boy.

Before I give anyone the impression that I have some kind of super power on my own to love, let me just say that "We love because He first loved us." (I John 4:19) God IS love and love originates with Him. I am grateful for that love and grateful that He chooses to love others through us. God's Word says it best...I John 4:7-12 says, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us."

I am so grateful to God for His love and so grateful for the ways and the times that love is visible in my life. It is a free gift and there is a reader happening upon this post who hasn't experienced it, you are not reading by accident...God set it up...He orchestrated it...He chose to use me to convey to you right now that He loves you. Just say "Yes" to Him. You will never be sorry.

Renovation Progress - Part ... Aww, Who's Counting Anyway?

2011-11-22T12:14:00.001-08:00

Well...we have lived through tearing off the old paneling, adjusting things that needed adjusting/fixing, drywall, priming, and painting the ceiling. We will have miles to go but at least we won't be heating all 40 acres of Four Sisters Farm through the winter and while Pop's shoulder is healing. We are celebrating the milestones and this certainly marks one! Celebrate with us and stay tuned for updates over these cold winter days that will be perfect for painting, flooring, and trimming. Here are a few pics...

Dining Room - New Patio Door

Kitchen Window to Backyard

Kitchen with "Pass Through" to Living Room

Baby Bumps

2011-11-13T18:58:00.000-08:00

Today we celebrated Pretty Princess and Romeo's sweet baby girl. The little princess is due in January and we are all over the moon in love with her already.

We had so much fun planning and putting on this baby shower. What an exciting time! You should have seen all the pink. It was like an ocean of pink!

We love you baby girl!

So...if you remember. There are three pregnant sisters. Rock Star is due in February with a baby boy and I (Farm Chick) am due in April. We don't know yet if it is a boy or girl.

The only UNpregnant sister is DW. She is perfectly happy to not be with child. Here is the picture to prove it!

Here is the banter on facebook between the sisters in regards to this photo...

Rock Star: HAHA! The joke is on DW though because we all plan for her to babysit...a lot.
DW: Bring. It. On. The joke is back on you because I can send them home and sleep through the night! LOL
Rock Star: I meant OVER-Night babysitting...Hee Hee.

Who Knew Dry Wall Could be so exciting? We did!!

2011-11-07T07:22:00.000-08:00

Drywall Stacked Up - Ceiling Installation Completed!!

Progress!!

"Bunk Room" Installation Almost Done!!

Pre-Sheet Rock To Do List - DONE

2011-11-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

When Pop learned he had to have surgery he created a "Pre-Surgery To Do List" and nailed it (yes, nailed it with a big dog nail) to the wall. I had him remove it now that the list has been completed and dry wall is imminent. You can't really see it in the picture, but he has a sling on his arm since he is post-surgery. Hooray for moving on down the road and for checking things off the list!! Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!

No Use Crying Over Spilled Milk...or Coffee

2011-10-31T10:30:00.000-07:00

I try hard to take good care of Pop all the time; but with his shoulder surgery, I've tried extra hard to be helpful and get what he needs. Simple things like brushing your teeth are not to be taken for granted! I've cut up sandwiches into bite sizes and prepared foods at temperatures that wouldn't burn his mouth.

I recently set him up with some coffee - of course in a thermos-type mug with a screw on lid. He picked it up and took a sip and I watched wide-eyed as liquid dripped onto his shirt and noticed that the lid was askew. I grabbed it and quickly fixed it as Pop began to laugh...hard. Me too. I felt really silly and it felt good to laugh.

I hope we maintain a sense of humor about things that will most certainly come as we get older. Good thing the coffee wasn't crazy hot. No use crying over spilled coffee. I love Pop.

Vows

2011-10-27T10:29:00.000-07:00

I caught a glimpse of light reflecting off my wedding ring in the wee hours of the night.

I had been up giving Pop some medication following his recent shoulder surgery. He has been a great "patient" but the pain associated with this type of surgery is notoriously excruciating and we had been diligent to stay on top of the pain which means round the clock medications and the patient sleeping in a recliner.

I was settling back into my blankets on the sofa beside the recliner and a small ray of light from the night light found a way into the diamond in my ring, refracting a brief but brilliant light. As I snuggled in, I pondered the day Pop and I were married more than thirty-five years ago and about the vows we took that day. When I spoke the vows to Pop I did so unreservedly..."for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health, so long as we both shall live"...of course at a tender young age at the beginning of marriage, the understanding of what those vows truly mean is severely limited...I just knew that I meant what I said with all my heart, all my mind, and all my being.

Pop and I have been tested so much less than many couples and while we have no idea what the future will bring; the vows still stand. They are unconditional. Whatever comes, with God's grace and the help that only He can provide, we will figure it out. We don't have to do it alone and for that I am eternally grateful.

X Does Not Necessarily Mark The Spot!

2011-10-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Jewels and I were on a mission...Stop the ridiculous squeak in the floor of the master bedroom.

So we got out the screws Pop had purchased for this purpose and got started. We used math, we measured, we used deductive reasoning, we popped a chalk line, we used a drill. We even used the knowledge that in the room below (before it was finished) there was a neat row of nails that were intended to hit a floor joist but missed. We thought it would be a simple job that wouldn't take much time. After all, this task was on my "productive procrastination" list.

So we began. After screwing in a number of screws that seemed to help only slightly we employed the use of another tool. A long piece of copper wire. We removed screws and inserted the wire into the holes...if the wire hit wood we circled the hole...if it didn't, we marked it with an "X".

It might not have been the most scientific approach but we eventually identified the line where the screws SHOULD go. Now we have some extra holes in the sub floor now but they won't hurt anything...as far as we know, anyway.

Pre-Surgery To Do List

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

As you know, Pop is facing shoulder surgery. He is one tough guy. I am convinced that a lesser man would have already undergone the procedure but Pop (with his surgeon's permission) is doggedly completing the tasks on his "Pre-Surgery To Do List". He is nearly there. We have been blessed with family and friends who have chipped in to help.

When we began the main floor renovation, we could not have dreamed that the pace we were planning would have to be accelerated due to injury. We were thinking that we would just chip away at it. We planned to still "have a life" while we were rebuilding...after all, we have our living space in the basement that is comfortable and don't have to live in the sawdust. When Pop learned he was facing surgery we knew we had to at least put things together enough that we wouldn't be heating all our acreage this winter with propane. Because of the progress we had already made in tearing things down, we really had no wise choice but to "button things" up with insulation and sheetrock...so that is the goal. If we had had it our way, we would have taken our time and done most of the work on our own. Instead, God chose another way to rebuild our house and with His grace we are almost to get it done with the help of our precious family and friends. We are blessed and we are grateful! The Lord is indeed building the house and we give Him the glory. Our prayer is that it will be used to honor God and be a blessing to all who come here.

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

Productive Procrastination

2011-10-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

Old Insulation - after messing with it to get to things above it.

I totally dislike doing insulation. It is yucky. A mask is required which makes it hard to breathe and sometimes fogs up my glasses. Little particles of spun fiberglass and 35 years of dust fly freely and in our case, there are more things flying. I have chosen not to take pictures of the gross stuff. Some things are just better forgotten.

You see, in our "attic" space there was apparently a condo village for mud daubers as well as a large "herd" of mice at some point in the life of this house. We know this because as we have moved insulation to do wiring and to fix things "up there", we have been inundated with evidence...you know what I'm talking about...mouse droppings...but that is not the worst. We have even had mouse skeletons drop out of the insulation. Once I even accidentally picked one up thinking it was just a piece of insulation. I'm not overly squeamish but I almost threw it into the next room!

Newly Insulated Ceiling

So when insulating is the task at hand, I tend to procrastinate. My friend Jewels was working with me recently and saw evidence of this. When she tried to steer me back to the task (several times) I kept finding something else we needed to do BEFORE we got started on the insulation. You know...start the laundry, clean the mud room up after Pop and I had slung sawdust all over it installing a new back door...things like that...they HAD to be done! Even cleaning toilets sounds like a preferred chore. So even when I am procrastinating, it is productive. Do you get me?

Jewels

2011-10-15T06:03:00.000-07:00

This is my friend. I call her "Jewels" because that is what she has been adding to her crown lately...she has been a constant at Four Sisters Farm. She can manage power tools, staple guns, hand tools of all sorts, water hoses...you name it. She was raised on a farm and loves the farm life which is fortunate for me and for Pop!

She also recently celebrated her birthday here which I felt pretty bad about! We worked all day and evening that day. We did have a delicious dinner and some angel food cake to celebrate. She claims it was a good birthday but I think I was the one who got the gift!

Thanks, Jewels!!

Okay, Lord! Show us how You build a house. We're willing!

2011-10-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

This is Pop...he is many things...passionate...playful...powerful. I love him so much that sometimes it is nearly painful! If you know him well, you know that his passion extends to his family, his friends, his coworkers, and oftentimes even to some fortunate soul who simply crosses his path. He cheers for the underdog and encourages others to succeed.

Pop is facing a challenge right now that is really testing him. He has injured his right shoulder...seriously...he has seen a surgeon and faces surgery soon. The recovery will be long and difficult. I know he can handle it and will overcome. I've seen him ignore pain and carry on. I've watched him train for and run a marathon (among other races). I've watched him power through injuries to accomplish tasks that weaker men would have surrendered to. But this time, he must submit to the repair or suffer further debilitating damage. The repairs should be effective and Pop should soon be able to do all the things he has always done.

If you have been following this blog, you know that we are in the process of renovating the main floor of the Four Sisters Farm house. It isn't a good time for Pop to be injured. There is still much to be done before we can call in the drywaller. There are walls to be moved, wires to be run, a tub and a shower to be put in place, doors to be installed, and the list goes on. Pop continues to work, with pain. We knew the renovation would be a time-consuming challenge; but we didn't plan for Pop's injury. It is intensely frustrating for him.

Our precious sons (acquired through marriage to the Four Sisters) have all stepped in to help when they can. Their schedules are full, responsibilities heavy, and they take their commitments seriously. Pop and I know that it is a sacrifice for all of them to offer their time and abilities. We are simply grateful. Oh, so grateful...for them and for the friends who have helped off and on since we started "building" Four Sisters Farm.

In a recent post I stated my desire to allow the LORD to build our house. Since we took on the renovation, Pop has often looked at me and asked, "Can we do this or did we bite off more than we can chew?" My response is that we CAN do it...like eating an elephant...one bite at a time...Lord willing. I am watching to see God's hand in our lives...and specifically in the building of this house.

Stay tuned.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2011-09-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

Today is my dad's birthday. He is an incredible man with much to show for his years...a loving and beautiful wife, five children, twelve grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren and several more on the way right now. He and Mom have established a home for themselves and their continually growing family in their small rural Kansas town. They have tons of extended family and they continue the heritage begun by Dad's parents...they actually live in the home my grandparents lived in and where most of Dad's upbringing happened.

Yesterday, a friend of mine posted a beautiful note on facebook entitled, "My Dad's Face." While it made me cry, it also made me count my blessings. The love expressed by her father echoed deep in my soul as I am grateful for those same expressions by my dad.

Some years ago, I gave Dad a gift of monthly letters for Father's Day; and of course, there is a special one to be written each June on Father's Day and each September for his birthday.

As I wrote his letter this morning, tears trickled down my face and placed a wet pattern of dots on my pink tee shirt. I was glad I was alone and could write (and cry) with abandon.

I have loved having a monthly opportunity to tell my Dad how much he means to me and I want to share part of what I wrote to him with the readers of the Four Sisters Farm blog...

I amso grateful to have you…so grateful to be able to send you a letter today tosay, “Happy Birthday!”…so grateful to have watched your face all these years tosee the love and concern you have expressed to your family…so grateful for eachsmile and wink…so grateful for the contentment in just being alive…so gratefulfor the times I have seen you surprised and pleased…so grateful for the delightI’ve seen expressed over each pregnancy that has been announced, every baby thathas arrived, and all the ornery antics of all the little ones in our family.

I am alsograteful that I have seen love and acceptance in your face. I don’t recall ever seeing rejection…I know Ihave disappointed you over the years but the main thing I’ve seen expressed hasnot been disappointment even in my worst moments…it has been concern and lovethat I’ve seen. What a blessing! Because of your expressions, I view God inmuch the same way that I view you. I ammore secure in God’s love because of your love. Thank you!

So today, I say "Happy Birthday to you!" I love you and I love your face!! I love everything about you and I thank our Heavenly Father for the gift he gave me (and all of us) when He gave you life.

My hope is that today, as a result of reading this blog you will have warm thoughts of your fathers...if they aren't/weren't as gracious as my dad, I pray that you will remember all the good things and let go of the things that are painful as you rest in the love of the Father who loves us all the best.

Unless the LORD builds the house...

2011-09-22T07:23:00.000-07:00

I was awakened at about 2:45am yesterday morning and laid awake until after 4:00. What woke me up was a panicky feeling about where we had placed outlets upon a wall we were planning to place cabinets and because of space had made a decision not to. Yikes! Was there enough wiring to lower the outlets? Should we revamp and modify cabinets to make it work in the limited space? What should we do?
Seriously?

That should not keep a gal awake in the middle of the night.

Then I took it to God. I said, "Lord, this is getting to me. You are the one Who knows how things should be laid out. You are the One Who knows what we need in order to accomplish Your purposes at Four Sisters Farm. Please help us!" As I pondered what God might want, Psalm 127 came to mind:

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.

I want the LORD to build this house. I want the LORD to watch over our farm. I want the LORD to grant sleep to me (because I know He loves me). We do believe our children and grandchildren are a heritage from the LORD and we feel so rewarded and blessed by them. It is exciting to think about them being like arrows...shot out by us into this world to spread the Good News of God's love.

THAT is what Four Sisters Farm is all about! I don't have to know the whole plan right now. I don't have to second guess things. I know we have to physically do the work...but I don't have to worry or fret. That outlet is probably right where God wants it. We will see...He will make it evident. It will all work out and will be a blessing...and I will sleep better knowing that.

Blessings...Like King David!

2011-09-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

I feel a little like King David today!

Psalm 21:1-6

The king rejoices in your strength, LORD. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You have granted him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him— length of days, for ever and ever. Through the victories you gave, his glory is great; you have bestowed on him splendor and majesty. Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the LORD; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken.

This past weekend found us busy as most weekends working on the renovation of the Four Sisters Farm house. It feels overwhelming to Pop and me at times. We are grateful for the skills to be able to do much of the work ourselves, but with Pop's work and the fact that I'm a "girl" and don't know how to do many of the things that need doing, it sometimes seems like we will never be past this first phase of preparing for the sheet rocker to come do his thing!

Some weekends it is just Pop working, sometimes it's Pop and me, other weekends find our children and grandchildren in the mix. This past weekend, the main project was wiring (electrical, phone, antenna cable). We didn't get it all done but we came a LONG way with help once again...most of the day on Saturday and Sunday afternoon and evening as well!
Thanks to Doc, DW, EJ, and Farm Chick at Heart. The guys worked hard, the women rode herd on the kids and fed us. Lou also helped some - she pulled wire with her dad and picked up staples, screws, and nails with the big magnet. You all bless us!!

I feel a little like King David today!!

Encouragement

2011-09-13T07:23:00.000-07:00

Encouragement came to Four Sisters Farm yesterday evening in the form of help and DQ ice cream...my long time friend brought with her a mutual friend to have dinner with us and to help with some of the remaining demolition.

I've given this young man the blog name "Barnabas" because the name means "son of encouragement" and my girlfriend should have had a blog name a long time ago. I chose the name "Daina" for her for a couple of reasons but the main reason is that it means a form of music or poetry and Daina LOVES music in a huge way so it fits.

You can see that Barnabas LOVES to do demolition and I hear that he’s good at constructing things as well! We have known Barnabas for some years now...since he was a boy...literally. He has grown into a fine young man and we're blessed to know him.

If you have followed the blog, you have seen pictures of Daina before as she has been a long-time friend who seems to always show up and help with our crazy projects. God brought her into our lives more than ten years ago and she is the same now as she was then...she speaks encouragement to us even when she is in the midst of trial herself. She continues to choose to recognize that God is in control and she trusts Him. I'm grateful for her friendship.

The words of Philemon 1:7 sum up my feelings about their visit to Four Sisters Farm yesterday evening, "Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother (and sister, Daina), have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people."

We have had much encouragement from family and friends - but never so much as since we have been "living the dream" at Four Sisters Farm. Sign me "Grateful."

Group discount?

2011-09-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

Without realizing it, the three preggo sisters all scheduled OB appointments on the same day. That wouldn't be all that interesting except for the fact that we all go to the same OB.

We asked our Dr. if there was a group rate?

No such luck.

Hee Hee.

Babies, Babies all around!

2011-09-07T15:33:00.000-07:00

We have a little announcement...

EJ and I will be welcoming a new baby in April 2012!

I am sick and tired. Just like a pregnant woman should be.

Praise the Lord!

If you are keeping track, yes, that means 3 of the 4 sisters are pregnant.

We are each due 6 weeks apart.

This family better get ready for some serious baby cuddle time!

So far we know that Pretty Princess is having a girl.

Rock Star will find out in October and I will find out in November.

Exciting stuff!

Labor Day Weekend 2011

2011-09-03T19:42:00.001-07:00

We took the term "Labor Day" literally here at Four Sisters Farm and had a weekend extravaganza of hard work! If you are a regular reader, you already know that we are working hard on a renovation of the main floor of the farm house.

Pop is the "man with the plan" and Doc, PhoJo, and Romeo gave up some rest and relaxation time to join us in more demolition. We are ever so grateful for their help!

Farm Chick at Heart, EJ, and the cowboys had some family plans for the weekend so they missed out on the "fun". They probably are not as tired and sore as the rest of us...we sure missed them!

Pretty Princess, DW and the Unconventional kids were out to Four Sisters Farm to join in where they could. There was some time for go kart rides and some hammock swinging for the kids (I think I spotted Romeo and Pretty Princess in the hammock once as well). DW, Doc, Pop, and I talked through some kitchen design ideas...I know it will all be great but it's still somewhat up in the air!

For the record, we had a few muscle strains, one injury to a finger with a power tool, a broken pickup window, and a power saw that gave up the ghost. We feel blessed that with all we've done, everyone's health is intact and the window and saw can be replaced. God is gracious!

Pretty Princess got in on a wild ride with me from a nearby Lowes where we hauled a new one piece shower to the farm...let's just say, the guys loading it didn't load it right...the wind was blowing hard and we had to drive about 18 or so miles. Picture a Grammy and a pregnant Princess working the ratchet straps over and adding more tie downs so the shower didn't become a sail on the way home. Pretty Princess kept an eye on things as we drove. We prayed, the shower stayed, and Pop was amazed and relieved when he saw that we made it in spite of the way it was loaded! (Sorry, no pictures of that episode!)

However, I did get some candid shots of some of the work...

Go away unwanted walls! Your outdated paneling and 1970s wallpaper

(hiding behind the cabinetry) will not be tolerated

(even if Ladybug likes the flowers on it). It has to go!

Goodbye old cabinets. You've served the house well but you are worn out and your doors no longer stay consistently closed. Thank you for your service. So long. Your more intact pieces will find new places of honor in the shed so you will be seeing more of Pop and less of me.

So long harvest gold bathtubs. Enough said!

We will keep working and posting progress reports. Stay tuned!

The Old Homestead

2011-08-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

I am incredibly blessed to have both my mom and my dad still with us...pictured here with Pretty Princess and Romeo. They are in good health and I'm thankful they shared their hardy genetic makeup with their children, grandchildren, great grandkids, etc.

Earlier this month I was blessed to go to my childhood home for a reunion of sorts...only one brother and his wife were missing. Some of the next generation were there as well which added to the blessing. Pretty Princess, Romeo, The Unconventional Doctor's Wife, and The Unconventional Kids were all there!

There are many families who fuss and fight and refuse to be together and I count my blessings regularly! An extra treat was to have a special first cousin and her hubby there as well. Since her dad (my dad's brother) died some years ago, I hope we were able to give her a sense of connection to her Dad’s family while she was with us.

I am so thankful that Dad and Mom partnered to provide their family (and many others) with a stable and loving home. I know that doing so meant sacrifices on their part; but it has blessed so many. As Pop and I work on our “dream” here at Four Sisters Farm, our parents are the model we base many things on. We see the value of a homestead for our family and know that God gave us a home base with our parents in our old home town; and because of that, we had the luxury of moving our family to accomplish many goals and still have a model for our daughters of the value of putting down roots.

Ultimately, our roots are in our relationship with God…without Him there would be no good reason to place a high priority on family. Once again, I count my blessings.

It’s good stuff to have my children and grandchildren play in the same places I played as a child. It is awesome to watch them climb the same old cottonwood tree that their Great Uncle caught on fire with his "tree house fireplace" and their Great Aunt breaking her arm in that very creek bed and about my part in that. It is fun to retell the stories once again.

I loved being able to watch my niece pull out the yard games and play with the kids like we used to do with her and her cousins when we all gathered there.

I thank God for my Dad and Mom and for so many blessings that I lose count. It seems like we all say that we don’t often enough say “I love you.” Or “Thank you.” And I suppose that is true; but I try to make certain that they hear it from me often enough to have it echo in their minds and hearts when they think about me and about my family. I thank them on behalf of my family and our extended family who long for what they have created there with God as their foundation and love as their motivation.

Celebrating Every Age and Every Stage

2011-08-21T18:16:00.000-07:00

When our first daughter (DW) started kindergarten, I remember other mothers asking if I was sad that she was that old...it never really occurred to me to be sad...I was SO excited for her. I remember loving school and loving friends and loving my kindergarten teacher. I just figured she would feel the same way and she did.

I determined right then and there to celebrate each milestone in our childrens' lives. It was a good thing that life was progressing and my children were growing up. I wanted them to grow up. I wanted to be there to watch them and to help them navigate each new phase of their lives. I wanted to encourage our daughters to stretch and grow to become what God determined they would be. Pop and I gave them permission (just as my parents had given us) to be better than we were...better children, better young people, better spouses, and better parents. We realized that what was good enough for us could be improved upon and they have made us proud.

As each of the four sisters grew up and married, we have celebrated time and time again. Sometimes the celebrations have involved parties and other times the changes came about quietly and found me celebrating in a quiet place while shedding a few tears and telling God how grateful I am for His hand and help in raising our family.

Once again, we are celebrating another time of change with Farm Chick (at heart) and EJ and the cowboys having moved on from our multi-generational family home on to their own home (with a great big "growing table") and it seems like the perfect time to celebrate for them and with them.

We are grateful that EJ isn't overly traumatized by living above his in-laws for two years and grateful to have had the privilege of living so close to their family. We are also grateful that Farm Chick married a man who wants to lead his family and partner with her in this adventure we call life. We're glad they will be regular visitors, along with all the sisters and their families, to Four Sisters Farm and we look forward in eager anticipation to family gatherings, sleepovers, campouts, and whatever else Pop and I can dream up for some fun.

Pop and I will "hold down the fort" and continue to live the dream here at Four Sisters Farm. We will continue to blog here and hope that Farm Chick and the other three sisters will contribute often.

Live goes on. Good stuff.

(above picture: Four Sisters 1989)

The Growing Table

2011-08-17T20:41:00.000-07:00

Our multi-generational adventure at Four Sisters Farm has come to a close.

We moved to town and now we are starting a new adventure.

Don't worry.

We still make frequent visits to Four Sisters Farm!

Pop and Grammy are busy renovating the top floor of the farm. They are "living the dream" as they say.

Like a baby bird I am leaving the nest.

Or the blog in this case.

I have finally done it.

Come on over and sign up to follow me at The Growing Table.

We are growing our family and growing them up.

I can't help it...

2011-08-15T15:14:00.000-07:00

I am a proud Auntie. :)

Romeo and Pretty Princess are having a GIRL!

I can already tell she is beautiful. Just look at this sweet baby...

Thank you God for this precious baby girl!

Demolition Continued...

2011-08-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

In this process, I've learned:

the value of having the right tools for the job (good thing Pop knows what those tools are)
that even dirty work is somewhat enjoyable with friends/family
that not all surprises are nice (like mouse skeletons and mud dobber nests), and
not to sneak up and take flash photos when Pop is working with electricity. Hee hee.

It's slow going but when you have good help it goes faster and is a little more enjoyable. We're making progress...check us out...

Pop, Romeo, and EJ hard at work until I demanded a photo

PhoJo - he's not as dangerous as he looks!

Kitchen from the entry

Kitchen from the dining area.

Stay tuned for more!

Dames Demolition Day

2011-08-11T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have been blessed through the years with wonderful girlfriends who have joined me in crazy, hard work on projects that none of us are much qualified for and a day this past week was no exception...

We are in the process of gutting the main floor of our farm house and I'm trying to do my part while Pop is at work. So...Some of my friends joined me. They thought that it sounded like a great way to relieve some stress. I'm SO grateful for friends. We pried, pulled, picked up, pulverized, and piled stuff up high! One friend brought her hubby along with dinner for our crew. Pop arrived in time for dinner and smooched me even through I'd been sweating it out doing demolition work!

We're making good progress...stay tuned for updates! The goal is to go from tired, worn out farmhouse to Farm Charm!

Cowboys Visit

2011-08-09T05:43:00.000-07:00

Farm Chick (at heart) and the cowboys came by yesterday to see the progress made doing the demolition on the main floor of the farm house.

Bubba promptly found a locust and decided it was a "camo bug" while Wubba found a frisbee and showed off his throwing skills. Q tried hard to avoid the camera but his smile demands to be photographed!

I'll post about the "Dames Demolition Day" we had but for today, I must water the garden and sod and do more demolition!! Stay tuned!

Grammy's Garden - Weeds

2011-08-07T07:34:00.000-07:00

With record-setting heat, moles or voles, a limited amount of well water, and various trips out of town it has been hard to keep anything growing in the lawn or garden. Our instant lawn (sod) was so green and lush at the beginning of summer and the garden started off well with a bumper crop of radishes (which no one at Four Sisters Farm really likes except me) but went downhill from there. I lost all seven potato plants (a friend recently told me that it's so hot in Kansas right now that your potatoes come out of the garden already baked...yuk, yuk) and now I am watering twice a day in hopes that the tomatoes, green peppers, jalepenos, cantaloupe, watermelon, and pumpkins will actually produce a good amount when the heat lets up a little.

With all the time spent in the lawn and garden, I have had some time to ponder...especially about the weeds...

I noticed that even without water, early in the growing season, the weeds nearly took over the garden. As I've battled them in various ways I documented the most success when I literally pulled the weeds out by the roots...they ceased to be if I pulled them before they produced seed and the more weeds I pulled, the less weeds I saw. After one trip, the weeds appeared to have completely won in an unplanted section of the garden plot so I had Pop bring in the rototiller and chew them up...this really helped except that they came back quickly. Then after another trip, Pop brought in the bush hog and knocked the nuisances down...their response was to spread out their roots and dig in a little deeper. That got me to thinking...and as I pondered what God might be revealing to me, I realized that the weeds are often like sin in our lives.

All take root easily, at times without our even realizing they have.
Most have some sort of flowering stage when they look kind of pretty to us and we don’t overtly object to them.
Some come up and we question whether they are a weed or something that should be growing in our yard or garden.
Some of these weeds have been growing there for so long; we have given up on getting rid of them.

By the time we realize we need to do something about the weeds, the roots are often deep and getting rid of the unwanted growth is a monumental task. Sometimes we must dig deep into the soil to remove thriving roots often leaving a gaping hole requiring refilling. Other times, we are able to spray an herbicide on the lawn and the weeds wilt and eventually die. It's not a very pretty process; and it is obvious to our neighbors that we have had the weeds. Regardless of how we go about getting rid of the weeds, it is a task that usually takes serious planning and time. We have to get real and take a hard look at what is growing and make decisions about what to do.

Of course, we always have choices. Sometimes we ignore the weeds for a very long time and even convince ourselves that it isn't that bad - after all, look at our neighbors' lawns! We can even attempt to hide the fact that we have weeds by keeping the unwanted plants cut short so they masquerade as grass. When we get serious and think about what we want in our lawn, most would agree that a thriving, green, growing, healthy stand of grass is the best choice. Then we have to decide how hard we want to work at it. At times, a neighbor, friend, or relative will talk with us and point out things that have been helpful to them in getting and maintaining a great lawn. Sometimes we are receptive, sometimes we aren't - the choice is ours.

Like the weeds growing on the outer edges of our lawns, sometimes we allow sin in the outer edges of our lives - like maybe we act one way at church and an entirely other way at work or at home. We convince ourselves that it's okay - we don't want to be thought of as too righteous at work, right? Wrong! The reality is that we are called to be holy regardless of where we are or who we are with.

A weed is defined as any plant that crowds out cultivated plants. It is considered undesirable, unattractive, or troublesome, especially when it is growing where it is not wanted. It’s considered useless, worthless, or detrimental. It is interesting that one might consider certain grasses as weeds in their lawns while another person may welcome a fast growing grass that takes over everything in its path.

Now, let's liken our lawns further to our Christian lives...we know it is best to have a healthy, thriving relationship with Christ that is apparent to those we are in contact with. How do we keep the sin out of our lives? When we take a close look, have some sins begun to take root? Are we telling ourselves that it's not so bad? After all, we know people at church who do worse things than we do, right? Are there some sins that have been there so long that we have given up and decided we can never be rid of them? Do we tell ourselves that God can overlook the sins since He is such a loving God or maybe that it doesn’t matter anyway because our sins are so bad that God couldn’t possibly love us?

I’m not talking about perfection here. I’m talking about paying attention and inspecting our lives; about asking God to show us where we are allowing things to take root that will hinder our walk and our witness. We're talking about allowing God to discipline us for our own good and for His glory (“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:7-11 NIV). I’m talking about how roots like roots of bitterness, envy, and malice are much more easily destroyed in the early phases of growth. (“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:25-32 NIV)

In seeking the Father who is the Master Gardener and asking for His help in getting rid of the sins in our lives, we find that God disciplines those He loves and that nothing can separate us from God’s love. It stands to reason then that when God convicts us of sin, He is demonstrating His love for us. By God’s Holy Spirit, He will bring to our minds, the sins that we have allowed to remain in our lives and will convict us to get rid of those sins. When we seek Him, we find His grace and mercy and goodness as He forgives us the sins of which we repent. He may even use us to help our brothers and sisters in Christ to clean up their lives as well. We don’t have to be fearful about exhorting one another and spurring one another on to love and good works but instead, we can be experience freedom with one another and security in His love even when it is hard.

God can make our hearts fertile soil for growing the fruits of His Holy Spirit instead of weeds of sin. He can give us a genuine desire to be rid of the things we've allowed to take root that need to be uprooted. We can thank Him that He is faithful to complete the work He has begun in us.

Next time you see a beautifully manicured lawn or an empty lot overgrown with weeds, I hope you will remember this comparison and take it heart. Seek the Master Gardner with all your heart and He will be found and He will help.

New Grill

2011-08-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

So Farm Chick and the cowboys recently got me a grill for Father's Day! I was so excited because the last grill I had (which if you're not a guy is a necessary tool in your tool belt), rusted out. I got that one when Farm Chick and I got married about 9 years ago!

It's been soooooo hot here for the past 2 months that once I got this great grill so I didn't really want to even put it together for fear of heat stroke and then once I got it together it was another several weeks before I got the gumption to use it, again the heat stroke worry.

So the problem with this is that now for me the expectations just kept getting higher and higher to have a "perfect" first grilling experience. So I bought some hamburgers (the expensive kind that weren't on sale and we didn't have a coupon for...again a no no with Farm Chick's new passion). I got home and started grilling and took my time so as to avoid some of the issues of burning the articles on the grill. After a long time of making sure that I got them perfect...cheese perfectly melted on all six patties!

I took them off the grill and put them on the plate to go inside and partake in my wonderful first meal from my grill. I turned and started to open the door when in slow motion the burgers (ALL OF THEM) slid off my plate and drifted to the concrete patio...the dogs immediately ran up and ate like kings! I sat there and looked at Farm Chick (who was in the kitchen) and was totally ticked, I wasn't mad at her, or the dogs, but MYSELF! ARE YOU KIDDING ME???!!! I totally blew my first dinner from the grill!!!!!

This was the PITS!

***These are pics from the successful second grilling endeavour***

Happy 35th Anniversary Pop and Grammy!

2011-07-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Pop gave me some marriage wisdom several years ago that I will never forget...

"Your children will never understand how hard you had to fight to stay together. They will just be glad you did."

Pop and Grammy, thank you for fighting.

Your marriage has blessed your children beyond belief.

We thank God for you both!

Momma said knock you out

2011-07-29T21:18:00.000-07:00

Seriously, I nearly knocked myself out today.

One of my kitchen cabinet doors was open.

I didn't realize it.

I was leaned over putting dishes away.

I whipped my head up with full force RIGHT into the corner of the cabinet door.

It hurt so bad I dropped to my knees.

This incident reminds me to be super sympathetic when my kiddos get bonks.

A couple of special announcements...

2011-07-28T15:20:00.001-07:00

Coming in January....

Coming in March...

Slumber Party at Four Sisters Farm

2011-07-27T19:48:00.000-07:00

Maybe it's the heat? or playing with cousins? or the swimming? or lack of a nap? or our 8pm movie??? Whatever caused this scene, it sure is sweet. They stayed asleep while I carried them off to bed...well...except for Pop...I think I accidentally pulled his leg hairs moving little Ladybug. Hee hee.

"Mom, are they in time out?"

2011-07-26T12:55:00.000-07:00

Basement Renovation Progress

2011-07-23T23:27:00.000-07:00

The basement renovation has been a long haul and we are nearing completion. Last time I posted on this topic, we hadn't started the basement guestroom redo (although Farm Chick at Heart let you know that we were making progress a while back) and now we are finished and ready for company in our "lower level"!!

We have been doing the pesky little things that have been on our "to do" list for a l...o...n...g time - like building window sills and frames and coming up with a remedy for the exposed plumbing by the rock fireplace (which was noisy AND ugly).

Check us out...

Aren't we clever?? We wrapped up the pipes to cut down on the noise and Pop modified the cabinet to hide the pipes.
I got really tickled at a good friend of mine who didn't think the guest room was too bad...I have to give her credit because the last time she saw the room, it was FULL of wedding stuff for Pretty Princess and Romeo and I must admit that all the sparkly, glittery, beautiful wedding things did take the focus off the state of the room.

Anyway...here's a before and after and I'll spare you all the ugly details except to say that it involved a complete and utter demolition before we put it back together. If you really want details, let me know and I can even show you some pictures (for some reason, I'm big on documenting the good, the bad, and yes...the ugly).

So...we are ready for guests in our basement apartment and looking forward to the renovation for the main floor. Mostly, I'm looking forward to having it all done! I can't wait until we are simply living and maintaining Four Sisters Farm.

I know there will always be special project and that's okay...we all look forward to updates and new things...but we've had more than our quota for a while. Check in on us later...we'll still be working.

Because your Momma should know exactly how you like your peanut butter sandwich...

2011-07-21T18:50:00.000-07:00

“Alotsa” Kids Have Birthdays on the 4th of July

2011-07-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Our grandson, “Superman’s” birthday is on the Fourth of July. He is a sensitive and handsome boy with blue eyes that rival those of big screen star, Paul Newman. He has been a superhero ALL his life. He comes by this naturally as superherodom runs deep in his father’s genes.

Superman is a typical five year old and his world is not complicated or confusing. It is quite evident that the fireworks displays so commonly seen around the Fourth of July are obviously for his birthday or for some other fortunate kid whose birthday happens to fall on the Fourth of July. We know this to be true because when Superman told the clerk at one of these fireworks stands that it was his birthday, she affirmed she knew that and that is why they were all there. In addition, when he sees other fireworks celebrations, he deducts that the fireworks are for some other kids’ birthdays. I would argue that this is pretty solid reasoning for a five-year-old superhero (specifically, Thor – God of Thunder, which was the superhero birthday party theme this year).

As a result, Four Sisters Farm enjoys an awesome Fourth of July celebration each year.

Grammy and Pop are blessed by little Superman’s fortuitous birthday. It is a sneaky way to get the Four Sisters and all their families to the farm. As we all know, God has a sense of humor and this year we got to experience it fully. The day started out more than warm and Romeo and Pretty Princess were at the farm helping Pop and Grammy make final preparations…there were pools to fill, hot dogs to cook, lemonade to make, swings to hang, grass to be mowed…all in preparation for Captain America’s, I mean Superman’s, I mean Thor’s birthday. Sometimes we get confused because so many superheroes come to the Four Sisters Farm and unbeknownst to the average citizen, most superheroes celebrate their birthdays here.

This particular day, the forecast called for 100 degree temperatures. Sunburns and superheroes do not go well together. Consequently, Pop went to the local hardware store and purchased a sun shade canopy with every intention of building a shaded oasis over the pool. He and Romeo set it up and Pretty Princess and Grammy were delighted! As final preparations were being made around the farm, Kansas weather once again reared its ugly head. The wind shifted to the north and in a matter of minutes was blowing in excess of forty miles per hour. Just as sunburns and superheroes do not go well together, high winds and sun shade canopies do not go well together. Pop was able to run down the canopy as it parasailed across the barnyard. This left Pop in a precarious position. He was hanging onto the frame of the canopy, unable to disassemble what had turned into a giant kite. Romeo had gone to town on an errand, Grammy was in the basement, and Pretty Princess was working in the kitchen. This left Pop hanging on for dear life and screaming for help. After what seemed to Pop like hours, Pretty Princess heard his cries and came to his rescue…which is fitting because we’re all about superheroes at the farm. However, we are not all about sun shade canopies any longer.

As the time grew near, the clouds continued to build, and shortly before “game time” (5 o’clock superhero time), it began to rain. And rain. And hail. And rain. You get the picture. This presented a conundrum as superheroes like hot dogs, hamburgers, and brats grilled outdoors. While superheroes are not scared of rain, hot dogs, hamburgers, and brats are. Unwilling (and maybe a little afraid) to disappoint Thor – God of Thunder (this year’s superhero birthday theme), Pop slogged the grill through the rain and opened up the big door on the shop, thereby preserving the menu and avoiding the wrath of Thor.

All our little superheroes, cowboys, dainty little girls, and team members made it to Four Sisters Farm in spite of the weather and we gathered in the house amid squeals of happy greetings frequently heard when the cousins get together. With our immediate family count now at 20, we are a crowd by ourselves…then for this occasion, we add some friends and Superman’s paternal side of the family which bumps the number up significantly. We rely on decent weather so we can utilize the 40 acres and spread out a little, but with the rain still coming down; we were in tight quarters for a while.

The rain finally did quit and the party went on. We were thankful for the rain dousing the lawn and the adjacent hay fields since fireworks is the big outdoor finale to this annual extravaganza. It was nice that Pop didn’t have to stand at the ready – waiting to extinguish fires while the dad’s shot off the plethora of fireworks they had purchased. It seems there is a bit of a pyromaniac in each of our daughters’ husbands.

When the rain finally quit, Grammy and Pop breathed a sigh of relief as the superheroes were released to the outdoors. It was a superhero’s dream…puddles to jump in, small buildings to climb (yes – literally – the well house is conquered regularly), bombs to throw (okay – hedge apples, but you have to give them credit for using their imaginations), swings to swing in, go karts to drive, and mud to be had by all. “Q”, the youngest of the bunch, ran unfettered until he had lost one shoe and was covered with mud spatters. We learned that our dainty little Super Girl has a need for speed and a penchant for singing while she’s driving. Pop called her “Danica Patrick” and says all the girls in the family inherited this need for speed from Grammy (which Grammy does not try to deny).

The fireworks finale was enjoyed well after dark without any fussing by even the youngest members of the family. When the last fuse was lit and the men cleaned up the mess, the mommies gathered their broods into the bath tubs to wash them up and put them in pajamas for the ride home. By that time, the Unconventional kiddos were hungry so some leftover brats were quickly heated up to sustain them on their journey home. DW is pretty sure they were stalling instead of truly being hungry, but she let Grammy indulge them anyway.

There is a deep sense of contentment and satisfaction to watch your children, your children’s children, and those you love at play. God gives wonderful “little” gifts. It is truly spectacular to have grandchildren who are superheroes. We highly recommend it. It is especially great to have a grandchild/superhero who has a birthday on the Fourth of July because you get to blow up stuff without getting in trouble from your momma. We all know you’re not gonna get in trouble from your daddy, coz he likes to blow up stuff too when your momma is not around. We look forward to blowing up “alotsa” stuff at Four Sisters Farm (when our mommas are not around).

Happy 5th Birthday, Superman!! You throw a "mean" party. Nicely done!

My super smart baby can already read...

2011-07-17T05:32:00.000-07:00

Free Toothpaste

2011-07-16T05:00:00.001-07:00

Dillons is running a deal where you buy 10 specific items and get $5 off at the register.

Colgate Toothpaste was priced at $2.19 but was marked down to $1.49.

$1.49 x 10 = $14.90

$14.90 - $5.00 = $9.90

$9.90 for 10

Now the best part...Dillons doubles coupons up to $1.

I had 10 coupons for $.50 each which doubled up to $1 each.

$9.90 - $10.00 = + $.10

So I made 10 cents on my purchase.

There should be no stinky breath in this house!

Boys + Mud = Good Fun

2011-07-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

MOM

2011-07-14T05:00:00.001-07:00

Remember that little man who wouldn't say "Ma Ma"?

For some time now he has been very good at getting my attention by saying "Ma Ma".

He has a set of lungs on him you would not believe.

You should hear him first thing in the morning. He hoots and hollers in his crib...

"MaaaaaaMaaaaaaaaa"

"MOM"

"MAAA MAAA MAAA"

"MOMMMMMMMM"

Good thing he is so cute!

Playing Angry Birds with Daddy

2011-07-13T20:18:00.000-07:00

This was the scene one afternoon while Q was napping and EJ was trying to keep the big boys quiet.

As far as I can tell, Angry Birds is a game where little birds are peeved because pigs stole their eggs.

As the player, you fling the angry little birds with a sling shot towards the pigs. Is that even close? I don't know.

I do know that they make really funny sounds when you fling them.

We use our manners around here!

2011-07-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

All three boys were in the bathroom brushing their teeth this morning. I walked out of the bathroom for a moment. When I headed back into the bathroom the following interaction occurred...

Wubba sternly said to me, "Get out of here!"

I said, "Excuse me, MISTER, you DO NOT talk to Mommy that way."

Wubba (in the sweetest voice ever): "Mommy, may you get out of here please?"

Not at all what I had in mind but I suppose it was an improvement.

cheap stuff makes me happy

2011-07-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

4 pack of Razors...$6.54 each x 10 = $65.40

5 buy one, get one free coupons worth $32.70

Target offered $5 gift card with the purchase of 2. So I got $25 in gift cards.

$65.40

- $32.70

- $25.00

$7.70 for all 10 packages

That means I paid .77 cents per package or .19 cents per razor.

Why haven't I been couponing all these years?

Oh. My. Stars.

2011-07-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

New Shoes

2011-07-09T21:36:00.000-07:00

His and Hers

Aren't we so cute!

Here is a random fact about us. EJ has purchased my tennis shoes for me for years. Site unseen. He knows to buy me something girly that I can exercise in. We have a local shoe store where we purchase our tennis shoes and if by chance he gets something that doesn't work they allow us to return them and try again. I think that has only happened once in 8 years.

I don't really know how it started. I think he was just in there buying shoes one day and decided to get me a pair too.

If you know me well, you know this is a weird phenomenon. I like to pick everything out. I may have a bit of a control issue. But when it comes to my tennis shoes I am perfectly happy to be surprised.

Today, EJ, the cowboys and I happened to be down town near our little shoe store. He mentioned that it was probably time for new shoes for both of us.

Would you believe I picked out my own shoes?

Ironically, they were the female version of the ones he chose for himself. I didn't know that when I chose them.

It was fun to shoe shop together for once but I don't think I want to make it a habit.

I like being surprised by the shoes my sweetheart buys me.

It is kind of romantic even.

Who knew tennis shoes could be romantic?

Summer Days at the Farm

2011-07-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Pop and Grammy have a hammock these days.

Pretty fancy!

The kiddos love it.

They take it as a personal challenge to get themselves into it and then to stay there.

I was impressed to find four of them on there together.

The silly babies were busy playing in the back of Pop's truck.

I love their facial expressions in this pic.

They are so funny!

That's right...

2011-07-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

I jumped on the coupon bandwagon.

I've always wanted to figure it out. I have finally realized that it is all about stocking up. That way you can buy things super cheap and access them when you need them. No more paying full price.

I am building up my "store" with all kinds of stuff.

Today I got my first FREE deal.

Walgreens was selling these toothbrushes for $1. They are normally $2.99 each.

I had a coupon for $2 off two of these toothbrushes.

I had 10 coupons so I got 20 FREE toothbrushes.

Holla!

(P.S. I didn't realize you have to pay tax even when you get them free. That means I spent $1.40 in tax for $20 worth of toothbrushes. The bill would have been $64.16 if they were full price)

Say What?

2011-07-05T22:11:00.000-07:00

EJ and I were having a conversation about a friend who was ill. One of us said something about the friend having an infection.

Bubba heard us talking and asked, "What is wrong with your friend?"

EJ, "She is very sick. She has an infection in her body."

Bubba, "So someone peed on her?!?!"

Say what? How did that possibly connect?

Exhausted

2011-07-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who is just plain exhausted?

Summer is supposed to be a time to slow down.

It seems like we have been so busy lately.

I guess I better coffee up because the summer is only half way over.

There is a lot more fun to be had!

P.S. Happy Fourth of July friends!

Ninja Turtles and other "good things"

2011-07-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Bubba: "Mom, I had a bad dream last night."

Me: "You did. I'm sorry buddy. When I have bad dreams I pray and ask God to help me think of good things. Did you know there is a verse in the bible about thinking on good things?

It goes like this...

8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (Philippians 4:8)

Me: "Does that make sense? Think about good things?"

Bubba: "Yes. Like Ninja Turtles!!!"

Hmmm...

Not exactly what I was thinking but it made him feel better.

Look out Four Sisters Farm...

2011-07-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

Fireworks are gonna be fun this year!

The finale is in honor of all the mommas.

Hee Hee.

Isn't that a hysterical box of fireworks!

4 day get-a-way

2011-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

Recently, EJ and I got to sneak away for a few days.

Pop and Grammy kept the cowboys. The fellas had been hoping for a a Four Sisters Farm sleep over since we moved. Word is they had a fantastic time.

Here is their visit in pictures

They did some swimming with cousins...

They did some go-karting...

They played some dominoes...

They helped Grammy in the garden...

They wrestled with Pop...

They went on adventures with Pop and cousins...

EJ and I had a great time too. We got to relax and have lots of fun. We always miss our little cowboys when we are away. We are so blessed to have fantastic grandparents on our team!

Here we are all dressed up after a special dinner. Don't we look rested and refreshed?

Thanks so much Pop and Grammy!

What are Pop and Grammy up to?

2011-06-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

Working on the farm house, of course!

They have been too busy to blog and I have been taking over the world with all of our moving/new house drama.

So here they are. In all their glory. Living the dream.

P.S. In a month or so I will launch a new blog and leave Four Sisters Farm for Grammy. Don't worry, we can all continue to post here as well.

The AC Saga of 2011

2011-06-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

We moved in over Memorial Day weekend. The weather got extremely hot shortly after we moved in. The AC unit was not keeping up.

So, we called our home warranty company. They assured us that they would send someone out.

A few days later a repairman came and "charged" the AC unit.

A day or two later it was not working again.

We called the warranty company again.

They sent someone out a few days later.

The repairman discovered a broken part. So, he ordered said part. He told us it could be several days for the part to arrive.

Several days later, the part was shipped...to the wrong town.

Finally the repairmen had the part in their possession. They called to see if they could come out a few days later. We informed them that we would be out of town. Could we do it as soon as we returned? No, they couldn't put it on the books. The scheduler would have to call us. EJ gave the scheduler our cell phone number and asked them to PLEASE call us and set up a time ASAP. No call. When we returned we called and got on the schedule two days later.

Today is that day.

The AC saga of 2011 was supposed to be over today.

Unfortunately, when the repairman arrived he discovered that he did not have the correct part.

EJ and I are so done with this.

EJ called our warranty company and explained to them what a terrible experience this has been. He asked them to expidite the part or lower our out of pocket amount or both.

They agreed to expedite the part. Win.

They agreed to refund our service call fee. Win. (we still have to pay our part of the repair)

Then he called the AC repairmen and asked to be put on the schedule ASAP. We are still waiting for a confirmation on that one.

Praise the Lord this house has two AC units. We can sleep in comfort. However, we cannot cook, eat, do laundry or entertain in comfort. On house work days I literally sweat all day long.

I do not want to be a big whiner. There are much bigger more important issues in this world. I am just tired of being hot.

I notice I am a little grumpy in this heat.

Hmmm....perhaps that is why EJ is a little more likely to work evenings. :)

Country Dogs turned Town Dogs

2011-06-27T20:47:00.000-07:00

Huckleberry and Daisy are farm dogs. We got them from a local shelter as puppies three years ago. The 40 acre farm is all they have known.

When we moved to town we knew there might be some adjustment difficulties.

The good news: they don't bark very much.

The bad news: they like to escape from our backyard.

First it was a gate latch issue.

EJ fixed that.

So, Huck and Daisy found a new way.

They gnawed on the wood gate until they could escape.

One would assume that they are headed out to live exciting lives. You know, sow their wild oats and all that.

Nope, they just get out and then go sit on our front porch.

Weirdos.

Four Sisters Play Date

2011-06-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day.

I spent it with these women.

We don't all get together was much as we would like. Life gets in the way.

DW and Pretty Princess hadn't been to my new house yet so this play date was way overdue.

We drank some coffee and ate some tasty food.

We talked and laughed.

We just enjoyed being together.

The kiddos had fun cousin time. We were just missing Lou Lou. She had her own commitments today. We missed her sweet face.

The babies waited until everyone was done with lunch and then they joined forces.

They may be naughty but they sure are cute!

P.S. Grammy we hope you had a good day with your friend today but your presence will be mandatory at the next play date. :)

Father's Day Funny

2011-06-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

The cowboys and I got EJ a really cool tie for Father's Day (with our favorite college team on it). We actually bought it over a month ago.

This morning the boys and I made EJ breakfast and put his tie in a really cool gift bag.

When breakfast was ready, I had the boys go wake their Daddy up.

When we all gathered at the table it was time for EJ to open his gift.

Before he could open it, Bubba said, "Hey Dad, do you want a tie?"

So much for surprises.

Silly boys!

Happy Father's Day to all!

Wisdom

2011-06-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life is tricky.

Sometimes navigating a semi-open adoption is really tricky.

Sometimes knowing what to do next is overwhelmingly tricky.

I am so grateful that God's word says this...

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

James 1:5

Father, give us wisdom.

A PF Chang's Memory

2011-06-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last night EJ and I had a tasty Anniversary dinner at PF Chang's. (Thank you to my sweet girlfriends who gave us the gift card!)

While we were enjoying the delicious Lettuce Wraps and Kung Pao Shrimp, I reminded EJ of a special PF Chang's memory.

April 26th, 2007...my due date with Wubba.

I was one swollen, emotional, exhausted pregnant woman.

I was feeling sorry for myself.

I wanted this baby out!

Since it didn't look like he was coming anytime soon. I asked EJ to take me, Grammy and little Bubba to PF Chang's. If I couldn't get my baby tonight could I at least get some tasty Chang's?

EJ said, "sure." Anything for the crazy pregnant lady.

That afternoon, while Grammy watched Bubba, I started getting ready for dinner.

While I was showering I starting having some crazy contractions.

Then all the sudden...POP! My water broke.

Do you know what my first thought was, "Oh no, now I'm not going to PF Chang's for dinner!"

What is wrong with me?

Needless to say we went to the hospital and not to PF Chang's.

EJ's folks brought me some delicious Chang's to my hospital room the next day.

A new baby and a tasty dinner.

Life was good.

wedded bliss

2011-06-15T11:49:00.000-07:00

Today EJ and I celebrate 9 years of wedded bliss.

You are laughing already, right?

Honestly, who made up the phrase "wedded bliss"?

Clearly they were never married.

Marriage is messy.

It takes tons of commitment, prayer and WORK.

You have to compromise and fight and grow.

The process can be painful at times.

Honestly, EJ makes me crazy and I make him crazy.

Like I told you in our love story, Grammy often uses the phrase, "iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17) in regards to marriage.

That makes EJ and I a very SPARKY couple.

You know what?

Sparky can be kind of fun.

We are both passionate people who have a lot of spunk.

The passion comes from a deep love for one another.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

Good thing because we are two imperfect people.

The goal will never be perfection.

The goal will be transformation.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Romans 12:2

I know that God uses our marriage to grow us.

I know I have a lot more growing to do.

But today is about celebrating the adventure so far.

It has been an amazing 9 years!

I am beyond blessed by EJ.

I am so proud to be his wife.

I am so grateful that God gave him to me.

Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!

Thank you for loving me at all times.

Thank you for forgiving me when I need it.

Thank you for bringing indescribable joy to my life.

Thank you for laughing with me.

Thank you for dreaming with me.

Thank you for choosing me.

I love you like crazy.

Even when we make each other crazy.

May we be blessed with many more years to celebrate our anniversary!

Welcome...

2011-06-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Our new place has a beautiful entry.

We just love the light fixture and the big door.

I purchased this piece of art from the previous owners. Do you remember that I told you they were an adoptive family? The Momma painted this verse while they were waiting for their daughter to come home from China. I wanted it to be in a prominent place while we wait for the rest of our children to come home.

It makes me smile every time I read it.

Dirt Shirts

2011-06-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

My Mother-in-law returned from a work trip to Arizona last week. She brought with her some souvenirs for the boys.

Red Dirt Shirts.

EJ and I watched an episode of Dirty Jobs about the making of these shirts. It was really neat to watch.

There are special directions for these shirts.

Wash them first by themselves in cold water.

Did that.

Then I dried them.

The dryer buzzer went off.

I opened the door and discovered...

my BRAND NEW DRYER was a lovely ORANGE color!

Seriously.

Come on!

It didn't say anything about not drying them.

Geez.

Several magic erasers later...

The dryer is mostly white again.

Mostly.

In honor of big transitions in life

2011-06-08T20:16:00.000-07:00

Moving away from Four Sisters Farm felt a lot like when I left for college. I was so excited but also sad to be away from my family.

Rock Star wrote me a poem before I left that fall. I laughed my head off when I found it while unpacking last week.

It was written in 1998. She was 15 and I was 18.

If You Stay Here With Me...

I'll let you listen to your Judds tape and even let you sing along,

and once in a blue moon I'll admit when I've been wrong.

I promise I'll try my hardest just to make you smile,

and maybe make you laugh but only every once in a while.

I'll tell you you're a goddess and remind you how beautiful you are,

and I promise not to ask anymore if I can drive your car.

I'll wake you up every morning with breakfast in bed,

and if you want I'll paint your toenails with the very brightest of red.

I'll run you some warm bath water just so that you can relax,

and while you're working hard at that I'll make you some yummy snacks.

I'll listen to your stories and pretend that they are true,

even if everyone knows you made up at least a few.

I think it's fair to warn you what will happen if you leave me,

I'll shut you in my closet and never let you free!

You probably think I'm joking and this poem is pretty cute,

but I'd really hate to see you end up blind, deaf or mute.

So to make things easier just stay right where you are,

because I love you and I'd miss you if you traveled very far.

I'm just sayin...

2011-06-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Little Q's sippy cup. Mommy's sippy cup.

Hot Mess

2011-06-06T20:15:00.000-07:00

Bad news: the air conditioner in our new house quit working.

I am literally a hot mess.

Good news: we have a home warranty that will hopefully cover a new one.

Praise the Lord!

This was NOT what I had in mind...

2011-06-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

...when I asked for a big table with mismatched chairs.

I will be SO excited when the big table is finished. I better get busy finding, sanding, painting and recovering 16 chairs.

The new, new house!

2011-06-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

Wubba sings the song, "Big House" in reference to our new house. He likes to say, "new, new house" instead. So cute.

You can see the video of the song here.

These are the lyrics...

Big House

I don’t know where you lay your head

Or where you call your home

I don’t know where you eat your meals

Or where you talk on the phone

I don’t know if you got a cook

A butler or a maid

I don’t know if you got a yard

With a hammock in the shade

I don’t know if you got some shelter

Say a place to hide

I don’t know if you live with friends

In whom you can confide

I don’t know if you got a family

Say a mom or dad

I don’t know if you feel love at all

But I bet you wish you had

Come and go with me

To my fathers house

Come and go with me

To my fathers house

It’s a big big house

With lots and lots a room

A big big table

With lots and lots of food

A big big yard

Where we can play football

A big big house

Its my fathers house

All I know is a big ole house

With rooms for everyone

All I know is lots a land

Where we can play and run

All I know is you need love

And I’ve got a family

All I know is your all alone

So why not come with me?

Obviously our new house is not the same thing as Heaven but we sure do feel blessed!

Check out these pics of the boys enjoying the swing set.

Even their Daddy got in on the action.

I know you are all waiting for pics of the inside of the house. But I'm just not ready yet! I finally got furniture delivered on Thursday and honestly, I haven't even taken the tags off. Life is crazy. I promise to get things in order soon and take some pics.

Do I have something on my face?

2011-06-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Moving Day!

2011-06-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

EJ backed the 'ol moving truck right up to the front door.

The cowboys had to play in the empty truck. They stopped running around long enough to pose for this picture with Pop and Grammy.

Doesn't it look like Grammy should be saying, "Ya'all come back now, ya hear!"

We had an awesome moving crew!

My favorite chair was sitting in the perfect location. I could sit on my throne and direct my minions to do my bidding. Hee Hee.

We paid our crew in doughnuts for breakfast and pizza for lunch.

Thank you to everyone for getting us moved in! Also, a big thank you to Aunt Rock Star who watched the cowboys that morning!

I wasn't kidding

2011-06-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

More Feathers in my Empty Nest

2011-05-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

In July 2008, Pretty Princess graduated from High School and moved from where we were living back to our home state. Pop and I thought we were experiencing an empty nest permanently at that time. I blogged about it then, as I sorted through my youngest's things. At that time, I never dreamed that our we would move back home where our girls' and their families live, and settle into a multi-generation home...full of life, noise, fun, and sometimes chaos. Happy, crazy chaos.

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you already know about our multi-generational family living arrangement for the past nearly two years. This past weekend, it came to an end...not in a dramatic, sad way - but in a happy, watching-to-see-what-God-will-do kind of way. EJ and Farm Chick are being blessed in a big way with the house they have just bought and moved in to. Bubba, Wubba, and Q are going to LOVE their new house and probably will grow up with very distant memories of living with Pop and Grammy. It's good stuff.

Two days ago, I quietly worked away doing things that would help facilitate the farmhands' move to their new home in the "city" while Q was getting a nap in his pack'n'play and everyone else was somewhere else. As I washed down the dining room table and chairs, I was reminded of all the meals we had shared - usually cooked by Farm Chick. I used a thumbnail to scrape off a little bit of brownie and thought about how much fun it has been to be a part of a daily ritual that many have discarded as old-fashioned...we call it dinner. I thought about all the laughs we have shared as we watched the boys antics and the events of each day were reviewed. What a privilege.

God gave us this precious time and my hope is that EJ and Farm Chick and the cowboys will have great memories of our "great adventure" at Four Sisters Farm together. EJ and Farm Chick, you have helped make our dream of a place for our family to gather come true. As I've read over old blog posts and realized all that has been accomplished here, I am reminded that we have much to be grateful for...you have contributed much. We choose to think upon good things, but we have weathered a few storms as we learned to make our living arrangement work. I pray that you will reap blessings and benefits from living at Four Sisters Farm and have wonderful memories that you will share and laugh about long after Pop and I are gone...now about the future...

We're looking forward to many more gatherings - with all the four sisters and their families - all at one time or one at a time - each gathering will be a blessing to us. I thank God for our Four Sisters Farm family and friends and while it will quieter than we're used to, Pop and I will enjoy each and every moment here...living the dream.

As I said the last time our nest became empty, "The house is more quiet than ever before...emptier than ever before...but my heart is more full than ever. Thank You, God!"

Random Moving Notes

2011-05-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

1. My beloved Keurig stays UNpacked. I will need my coffee on moving morning. She may possibly ride in the front seat of my car...right next to me...with a seat belt on...

2. My children can definitely feel the stress of moving. They have zero patience for each other. It is my job to make sure my patience level does not under any circumstances fall to zero. That would be a catastrophe.

3. EJ and I are sleeping on a Queen size bed this week. Our King is prepped to move. Now I remember why I love the King. That is all I am going to say about that.

4. Poor Bubba has developed a wicked rash. We are unsure at this point if it is Chicken Pox or just a random virus. He is being super tough through it all. I am assuming it will spread through my boys like a wild fire and then head straight for their cousins.

5. We ordered the Big Table from a local wood worker/carpenter. (more like Artist who makes furniture) He will have it completed later this summer. We are thrilled. Once we get moved in, I need to start finding the dinning room chairs. I can't wait to have that project completed.

6. I finally talked EJ into a new Washing Machine. I have hated my washer for four years. I am certain that it hates me back. I asked Grammy if she wanted to keep it. She said "No Way" and ordered a new Washer/Dryer for the farm. She is a smart lady.

7. Daisy and Huckleberry are moving to town. Turning country dogs into town dogs makes me really nervous. I told EJ they have to have a visit to the vet before I will take them into town. They need an update on their vaccines and a good scrubbing.

8. I am pretty sure the kitty cats are all staying here. They are barn cats. They like the country and they roam around. I don't think my new neighbors would love them roaming around like a bunch of hobos.

9. I got a steal of a deal on my new refrigerator. It was marked half off in the "scratch and dent" section of the store. I could care less that there is a dent in the freezer door. My children will bestow a whole lot more dents on that thing immediately.

10. I have managed to keep the eating out to a minimum by cooking last weekend and placing the food in disposable containers. Now we are just two days away from the move. This will no doubt begin the week long eating out extravaganza. Don't judge me.

That is all for now.

No, it's not. I forgot to say...

The twitch in my eye that took up residence about a week ago shows no sign of leaving. Clearly I have stress issues.

He understands.

2011-05-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

I would have been 20 weeks pregnant with the twins by now.

I would have known if they were boys or girls or one of each.

I would have been more than half way through their pregnancy. (A normal pregnancy is 40 weeks but twins are delivered earlier than that).

I was sitting here tonight thinking about what it was like when I was pregnant with them.

Sometimes I just miss them.

I miss my other baby too.

I have three babies in heaven.

I know God has a plan and I trust Him.

I am so grateful for His comfort.

I still miss my babies.

I'm certain my God understands.

Bubba on his trusty steed Huckleberry

2011-05-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Prayers of an obscenely honest man...Part 2

2011-05-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

"Dear Lord, please help us to all sleep in our own beds all night long so we can be rested and ready to play tomorrow."

This is a common prayer before bed at our house. Subtlety I hope that the cowboys realize that God wants their daddy to get sleep so that he can fulfill his duties as dad, and when they get me up that I can't do that....at least not very well!

Adoption

2011-05-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Have you ever looked at www.adoptuskids.org?

I think everyone should look there.

At least once.

Once you see their little faces they are real.

Real children in need of real families.

I can hardly stand the reality that we have children growing up in the US (or anywhere for that matter) without permanent families.

It breaks my heart.

God is calling EJ and I to adopt more children. We have known that for a long time. Last summer we participated in our state's course on adopting from foster care. It is the course required to foster and/or adopt from the system. It takes 30 hours of class time as well as homework and home visits.

For nearly a year, we have been saying to any adoption caseworker who will listen, "WE ARE HERE." We have put our names in the hat for many different children and sibling sets in several different states. So far, we have not been selected.

God's timing is perfect and we will continue to trust Him to bring our children home.

He is preparing our hearts and the hearts of our children to receive them.

Just the other day, I was looking at the picture of a little girl in need of a family. Bubba climbed up in my lap and asked about her.

Bubba: "Mom, does that little girl need a Mommy and Daddy?"

Me: "Yes, she does."

Bubba: "What happened to her Mommy and Daddy?"

Me: "I don't know. It is sad that they can't take care of her anymore but I think we should pray that God will bring her a new family fast."

Bubba: "Does she need us?"

(Cue the tears in my eyes and the lump in my throat)

Me: "I don't know yet. Let's pray for her and tell God that if she needs us, we are here and we are ready."

Bubba: "Mom, I would be happy if she was my sister."

My life with boys...

2011-05-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

Meet George the worm.

the end of an era

2011-05-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

My special coffee cup C.C. is broken!

One of the boys accidentally knocked over my fancy coffee cup with a toy.

At first I thought the only issue was the coffee all over the place.

Then I saw this huge crack...

C.C., you have served me well.

Farewell my friend.

Prayers of an obscenely honest man... part one

2011-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

"God, please let my kids like radishes..."

So it's NOT why you think.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE CORN. In fact, if I were a bachelor, I would probably fill my body with so much corn that does so little for my well being.

I always wait until everyone has gotten the corn that they want on their plate before I will get mine; and usually what I do is just take the whole corn bowl and eat from it, because I will finish it up.

So yesterday my lovely wife made corn for dinner and the boys are starting to become like their dad, however I hadn't started in on mine and they had already finished their first round of corn. The problem is that they wanted MORE! As I was judging how much that would/could leave me I started to think how much nicer it would be if they just like radishes. Then I would be able to just eat almost as much as I wanted of the delightful yellow veggie.

Cloth Diapering Success

2011-05-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have been cloth diapering for 1 whole year now.

Go me! :)

I am going to miss this.

2011-05-14T09:45:00.000-07:00

It is starting to feel real.

The boxes are stacking up.

The moments of this season in our lives are flying by all too fast now.

It has been nearly three years of living at the Four Sisters Farm and nearly two years of living here with Pop and Grammy.

My head knows that I am only moving fifteen minutes away.

My head knows that I am the one who initiated this move.

My head knows that we need to have more room to welcome the children who are coming.

My head knows that this is a good thing.

But my heart just doesn't get it.

My heart, that stinkin' heart. It loves so big and it feels way too much.

I am going to miss this.

I will miss cooking for everyone.

I will miss coffee chats with Mom.

I will miss watching my boys scurry to the back door to greet Pop and Grammy.

I will miss stolen moments with my Dad when it was just us even in a house with this many people.

I will miss Buzz Lightyear pancake mornings.

I will miss walking to the pond when I need a little time to myself.

I will miss the front porch.

I will miss being in the middle of all the action.

I will miss lingering after dinner with EJ, Pop and Grammy while we solve the world's problems or maybe just laugh our heads off about something that happened that day.

I have to remind myself that Pop and Grammy will still be here.

The farm will still be here.

I can come out anytime I need to.

I can drop off my boys so they can soak up special time with Pop and Grammy.

I am not losing them.

It is time for the next chapter and I know good things await for all of us.

That doesn't mean there won't be tears. Change is hard but God is good.

Pop, Grammy, and EJ,
I love you each so much. Thank you for this adventure. I am proud to have been a part of it.
Love always,
Farm Chick

Gettysburg - The Battle Comes Alive

2011-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Pop recently attended a leadership institute in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and I was blessed to tag along.

Neither of us had been there before and it was truly amazing. The Battle of Gettysburg came to life for us. Pop is a bit of a history buff but a love of history eluded me when I was a kid...it just never seemed to stick. I always learned enough to pass the tests in school but it wasn't meaningful to me. Gettysburg changed me...history came alive while we were there. It wasn't a reenactment of the battle that brought it to life. Instead it was brought to life by Abraham Lincoln and a young woman named Jennie Wade.

We lived in Charleston, SC for about four years and heard how some folks there still call the Civil War "The War of Northern Aggression". I always knew there were people who still fly the Confederate flag but I thought it was just for fun. I had no idea that there are people who don't hold to the notion that "all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" as our Country's constitution states.

As I pondered the historical events of 1863, I became convinced that President Lincoln's motivation was love for his fellow man and his heart's desire was for our Country to be unified. In spite of much opposition, he held firm to his belief that slavery was wrong. He was a wise man and the words of his Gettysburg Address are powerful even today. I didn't retain from my girlhood history lessons that Lincoln's speech on November 19, 1863 was part of a ceremony commemorating a burial place for the soldiers who gave their lives that others might know freedom. He must have been heavily burdened as he led the Union during war time. The weight of all the men who died surely rested squarely on his shoulders.

Then there was Jennie Wade - the only civilian who was killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. She was shot by a sharpshooter's rifle through two wooden doors as she was making biscuits for some Union soldiers. I toured the house where she died and learned that in her devotion that morning, she prayed a prayer asking God that if anyone had to die in their house that day, she wanted it to be her.

Abraham Lincoln was the right man, in the right place, at the right time to ensure freedom for all in this great country. Jennie Wade was also where she was meant to be - feeding soldiers. Both of these people are heroes in my mind - both motivated by LOVE for their fellow man - both died having fulfilled God's purpose for their lives.

I know there are many other "players" in the drama of war whose hearts were and are pure...whose motivation was and is love...who unselfishly gave and are giving of themselves. I am grateful.

John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

Diaper Pancakes

2011-05-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Grammy is cool. No one would argue with that. She has proven it over and over. Her pancakes are the boys preferred pancakes. Who can blame them when she makes them into superheroes?

This morning I was making them pancakes. They know that Mommy doesn't do shapes. Just plain old pancakes.

One of them was a little misshapen.

Bubba: "Look Wubba! Mom made DIAPER pancakes!!!"

Bubba and Wubba: "HA HA HA HA HA"

Little stinkers! They ate them anyway.

Ahhh - Chocolate

2011-05-11T05:25:00.000-07:00

After spending time in Gettysburg, Pop and I drove an hour to Hershey (also in Pennsylvania) to visit The Hershey Story which is a museum all about Milton Hershey and his work that has made so many of us so happy! I LOVE chocolate and the museum did not disappoint - neither did the chocolate. I would have brought some home for everyone but it wouldn't have been safe with me on the trip.

We learned that Mr. Hershey and his wife never had children and invested their time and resources into their factory, their town, and the people who lived and worked there. They were good to their employees and made the work place a good one. The town of Hershey, PA was Mr. Hershey's concept and it boggled my mind thinking about all he did to make it work.

The museum showed off technology used in making chocolate through the years and Pop and I attended a "lab" to learn more - well - and to get some chocolate.

Hershey was ahead of his time in many ways - he was "green" before it was the thing to be. The Hershey Company wastes next to nothing in the chocolate making process and even uses the hull of the cocoa seed as mulch. :-)

I asked one of the museum employees what was wrong with Mrs. Hershey (Kitty) - we had read that she had an illness and she died early...this employee was an adorable, young gal - sweet as she could be. She told us that they didn't know for certain but some thought that Kitty had "MD" (ummm...maybe MS?) and that the cause of death was listed as "ammonia" (ummm...maybe pneumonia?) on her "birth certificate" (ummm...maybe death certificate?).

Anyway, it was fun and the chocolate was tasty. There is a lot to do in Hershey, PA and we highly recommend the chocolate!

Stink Bugs?????

2011-05-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

Pop and I recently took a trip to Gettysburg, PA which I'll blog on later; but for now I wanted to share a sign with you that was in the elevator of one of the hotels where we stayed. The sign from the General Manager warned people not to kill (smash) stink bugs because that is when a terrible odor is released. Thankfully we didn't see any but we got tickled about it....here's what the sign says...

"The Stink Bug is a common problem in this area (and many others).

THEY ARE HARMLESS, THEY DO NOT BITE OR STING. They are just UGLY!

Although we do our very best to keep these bugs out of the hotel, some do get inside. They come in when doors are opened, on luggage, and on people. They like WARM AREAS (windows) & will come inside if they can.

If you encounter a Stink Bug, either pick it up with a tissue & flush it or call the Front Desk & someone will get it for you.

DO NOT KILL IT! IT WILL STINK (I.E. STINK BUG).

We apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause now or in the future."

When love takes you in

2011-05-06T18:43:00.000-07:00

When Love Takes You In is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman. I think it has been around for a long time but I heard it for the first time on the radio recently. It is a beautiful song about adoption.

As we wait and pray for the rest of our children to come home this song touches me deeply.

Here are the words...

I know you’ve heard the stories

But they all sound too good to be true

You’ve heard about a place called home

But there doesn’t seem to be one for you

So one more night you cry yourself to sleep

And drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong here

The loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in

And somewhere while you’re sleeping

Someone else is dreaming too

Counting down the days until

They hold you close and say I love you

And like the rain that falls into the sea

In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

When love takes you in everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you go

There is nothing that could ever

cause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in everything changes

A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

When love takes you home and says you belong here

The loneliness ends and a new life begins

When love takes you in it takes you in for good

When love takes you in

As Mother's Day approaches I am so grateful for the sweet boys God has given me. I look forward with anticipation to the day I meet the ones yet to come.

The Chair

2011-05-05T22:33:00.000-07:00

I saw this chair while we were furniture shopping and I wanted it.

But...it is not practical to spend hundreds of dollars on a chair that is just for fun.

So, I chose more practical furniture but I did not forget about the chair.

Then today, while perusing craigslist for used furniture I came upon this beauty.

Holla!

I am picking her up tomorrow.

Often God blesses me with the little things. I feel extra loved today.

a lots

2011-05-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

Wubba likes to eat just the insides of the cookie. I looked over and realized just how many insides he had eaten. Wow. In his own words...

"I eat a lots!"

"Four many..."

"Five many..."

"a lots!"

I love that kid!