A life of love
Everyone should have a Great Pyrenees
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Ordinary Hero!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Thursday, August 18, 2011
One of those days on the farm! LOL!
Well, it has been one of those days, in a humorous way.
The riding lawnmower - with the grass catchers on it that make our goats and horses very happy - has not been running well lately. I did some research online and found that maybe it was the air filter - so the kids and I located that and cleaned that. No better.
Then we decided to check the spark plug - well, that wasn't it either. At least I know where it is now.
My time has been pretty tight lately, what with play practices for Alex, two different opportunities for me to work (and both buildings are busy, which is really unusual, but a huge blessing at this time), and getting Kiley to the stable for her training, and the usual dentist and doctor appointments and what not. So, I hadn't done any further research. The lawnmower sat sadly next to the goat pasture. Sigh. While the grass kept growing and growing.
And growing. Can you tell that it is quite long in places? I even let the mini pony out and a couple of the goats (the ones that don't tend to wander) to try to work on some of the grass. Sigh.
So, beloved hubby came home from work today and fixed the lawnmower! Yay! We loved having him in the play, but oh, my goodness, did we miss him! Anyway, he fixed the lawnmower! Turns out that the fuel line was twisted and crimped. I hadn't gotten around to looking at that yet - yeah, that was it! Anyway, he got it fixed! I got home from work and was so excited! So, he took me over to the lawnmower to take a look and show me what he had addressed.
And this is what we saw:
Oh, look. Greta, the Alpine dairy goat, out and running around out of the pen because she keeps getting picked on by the others. Hmm... Smelling suspiciously like gasoline. The culprit has been found!
Hubby is now going to go the the hardware store on his way home - to get a metal gas line!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
The riding lawnmower - with the grass catchers on it that make our goats and horses very happy - has not been running well lately. I did some research online and found that maybe it was the air filter - so the kids and I located that and cleaned that. No better.
Then we decided to check the spark plug - well, that wasn't it either. At least I know where it is now.
My time has been pretty tight lately, what with play practices for Alex, two different opportunities for me to work (and both buildings are busy, which is really unusual, but a huge blessing at this time), and getting Kiley to the stable for her training, and the usual dentist and doctor appointments and what not. So, I hadn't done any further research. The lawnmower sat sadly next to the goat pasture. Sigh. While the grass kept growing and growing.
And growing. Can you tell that it is quite long in places? I even let the mini pony out and a couple of the goats (the ones that don't tend to wander) to try to work on some of the grass. Sigh.
So, beloved hubby came home from work today and fixed the lawnmower! Yay! We loved having him in the play, but oh, my goodness, did we miss him! Anyway, he fixed the lawnmower! Turns out that the fuel line was twisted and crimped. I hadn't gotten around to looking at that yet - yeah, that was it! Anyway, he got it fixed! I got home from work and was so excited! So, he took me over to the lawnmower to take a look and show me what he had addressed.
And this is what we saw:
Oh, look. Greta, the Alpine dairy goat, out and running around out of the pen because she keeps getting picked on by the others. Hmm... Smelling suspiciously like gasoline. The culprit has been found!
Hubby is now going to go the the hardware store on his way home - to get a metal gas line!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
So much, all at one time, and some times, so little...
It is mid August and things are at a sort of lull, at least as much of a lull as we ever get. Soccer is done, at least until fall soccer begins - and then one of our kiddos will start football too! Play (Phantom of the Opera) is done for hubby, but play (Bridge to Terebithia) has begun for Alex. Kiley has found her perfect show horse, bought him and we are working with a trainer for both of them. Thankfully, Kiley and I can work off his training and board, so it is all manageable. Yes, that means I am mucking out stalls and all of that. Amazing those things that parenting brings you to. Would I love the lottery, so I could pay for it rather than working it off - absolutely!!! But to see them together, to see what God has brought, yeah, I can muck out stalls a couple times per week!! And I get to learn how to drive a skid steer! Not to even mention that five years ago I had no idea what a skid steer was!
We have been so blessed, I have the opportunity for many extra hours at my temp job - which is great, except that I am tired! But it is helping us so very much, that it cannot be described. God provides, generally, in my experience, by work! LOL! Thanks!!! I love to be able to help!
We also suspect that we won't get a court date for our little girls until late November. Court closed yesterday and is closed until October third (in Ethiopia). I am working so hard not to be frustrated, all the delays, all the costs, etc. We are STILL waiting on our tax return! Sending more paperwork in to the IRS. I truly wish President Obama had not included it in Obamacare. It would have made my life so much easier. Oh, well, maybe we will get it in time for our travels! In the meantime, I make no plans for it, just plan to work my butt off and get it paid off that way. If it comes through - hooray!!!
I love summer in WI. It has been so hot this summer, following a great deal of rain - I literally gave up on my garden. I intend to feed the goats off of what is growing out there! Today we pruned some trees, cut down some burdock bushes, and the goats loved them! I hope to keep that going - it would be so much easier if the lawn tractor worked, but it seems to have developed a mysterious malady and isn't running right now. Sigh. I have been using clippers to get the worst of it done, thankfully, we live in the country.
We are watching our beloved Abby, our white German shepherd, decline over time. We got her from the humane society in spring 2002, when she was nine months old - my reaction to 9/11. She has been a great dog, but arthritis is setting in heavily for her, and today we realized that her hearing is going badly. She no longer needs to be on a leash, she won't leave our property any longer, and she won't even try to jump on the couch. We know her days are numbered. We keep giving her glucosamine, but it hasn't seemed to help. This will be a hard one, when we have to decide that she is suffering too much. We all love her so much.
Well, I have to admit that I am tired, and that I know that leaving for the stable at 6AM is going to be quite early! If I don't head to bed, I won't make it! I know that this is a phase in our lives, and I try to live out every moment, but sometimes I am surely looking forward to a slower pace! This is only temporary, I know this, but to be in the midst is tiring!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
We have been so blessed, I have the opportunity for many extra hours at my temp job - which is great, except that I am tired! But it is helping us so very much, that it cannot be described. God provides, generally, in my experience, by work! LOL! Thanks!!! I love to be able to help!
We also suspect that we won't get a court date for our little girls until late November. Court closed yesterday and is closed until October third (in Ethiopia). I am working so hard not to be frustrated, all the delays, all the costs, etc. We are STILL waiting on our tax return! Sending more paperwork in to the IRS. I truly wish President Obama had not included it in Obamacare. It would have made my life so much easier. Oh, well, maybe we will get it in time for our travels! In the meantime, I make no plans for it, just plan to work my butt off and get it paid off that way. If it comes through - hooray!!!
I love summer in WI. It has been so hot this summer, following a great deal of rain - I literally gave up on my garden. I intend to feed the goats off of what is growing out there! Today we pruned some trees, cut down some burdock bushes, and the goats loved them! I hope to keep that going - it would be so much easier if the lawn tractor worked, but it seems to have developed a mysterious malady and isn't running right now. Sigh. I have been using clippers to get the worst of it done, thankfully, we live in the country.
We are watching our beloved Abby, our white German shepherd, decline over time. We got her from the humane society in spring 2002, when she was nine months old - my reaction to 9/11. She has been a great dog, but arthritis is setting in heavily for her, and today we realized that her hearing is going badly. She no longer needs to be on a leash, she won't leave our property any longer, and she won't even try to jump on the couch. We know her days are numbered. We keep giving her glucosamine, but it hasn't seemed to help. This will be a hard one, when we have to decide that she is suffering too much. We all love her so much.
Well, I have to admit that I am tired, and that I know that leaving for the stable at 6AM is going to be quite early! If I don't head to bed, I won't make it! I know that this is a phase in our lives, and I try to live out every moment, but sometimes I am surely looking forward to a slower pace! This is only temporary, I know this, but to be in the midst is tiring!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Friday, August 5, 2011
A bittersweet, or not so bittersweet, day!
Today I write with sort of unusual feelings. It is a mixed bag of a day.
See, eight years ago today, Kiley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Our little, precious, energetic, challenging daughter was desperately ill. We knew at least an hour or so before we were told by medical professionals. She was very sick. She had been developing this for some time, no one was sure how long. I cannot even really put it into words, how it feels as a parent to look at your small child in what seems like a huge hospital bed, and know that their life has been forever altered, by the uttering of a few words.
But, that isn't really what I want to share with you today. That pain, described oh so briefly above, is not what I want revisit today. Today is Kiley's anniversary of her diagnosis. We call it her "diabetes birthday". At first we recognized it simply because we couldn't not forever hold that awful day in memory, we couldn't know when that particular date came. We had to recognize it, deal with it, get through it. But she, and another child newly diagnosed, really changed how we viewed it. He called it his "live-abetes day" because he was LIVING with it not DYING with it. We liked that thought. Kiley wanted to celebrate it with all those things that might have been denied had she developed diabetes years ago - with lots of ice cream!! So, to make a hard day easier, we started to celebrate it. And eight years later, we still do. Now, we have forgotten it once or twice, which tells you how lovely life is. But generally, someone realizes it and we commemorate it. Today we had ice cream and pizza. Kiley had totally forgotten what day it was, two of her siblings were returning from camp, two are still gone on a mission trip, and Dad is in Phantom of the Opera and off performing.
But I remembered. I remembered when I was at the post office and wrote the date for the first time that day.
My heart stood still. It was that day.
I will never forget that day. But what is best of all is remembering all the days since then. Yeah, I try to ignore the bad ones, the days that are real battles against this monster we live with. But diabetes is the disease. Life is what we live. Diabetes is what we take care of, or as we tend to word it - that we beat! - so we can live life well.
Today I celebrate my strong, vibrant, amazing fourteen year old daughter. I celebrate all the hardship she has come through because it clearly has helped to define who she is. I celebrate that she is so determined, and will push to achieve what she wants to achieve. I celebrate that she is a dedicated equestrian, and athlete of high caliber, an actress of great caliber, determined to always give a good show, no matter what. I celebrate that she can be a royal pain in her mama's backside - it tells me every day that she has the strength to get on in life. I celebrate this child who has never given up. Who has allowed us to carry her when she needed it, who is such a strong person to fight back when she needs to, who has the compassion of a saint (most times and always with animals, maybe not always with siblings), who is thoroughly enjoying having two of her siblings home, even though she won't admit it.
I celebrate quietly that her dad and I have managed to keep up the fight and to hide from her, some of the time, our fears. I celebrate that she is who she is supposed to be. I celebrate that while we may not have a cure for diabetes, we do have ways to LIVE with it. And this child is the poster child of that. She lives with it. She is not a "diabetic child", she never has been. She IS a "child with diabetes", though I likely cannot call this amazing young woman a child anymore, but you will allow me that grace, as I AM her mom, and I will always know that she is my child. I have to remind myself at times, a hundred years ago, I would be visiting my child's grave. There was no way to battle it, at least not for long. We may not have a cure, but we have the miracles of insulin, both fast acting and long acting, we have insulin pumps and pen needles, we even have continuous glucose monitors. We have hopes of much research in the works to improve my diabetic kids' health (remember, Aman has type 1 also), and maybe someday even find a cure, though what we have is good. We are so much better off than we were in even the 1990's. And that was while I was in college!!! New things being discovered and refined daily.
I don't know what the future will hold for my kids with health issues, but I so rejoice in them every day. So yes, we celebrate diabetes birthdays! Throw a big honking party! We beat it another year! Look at this kid! She is winning and it is a glorious day!!!!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
See, eight years ago today, Kiley was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Our little, precious, energetic, challenging daughter was desperately ill. We knew at least an hour or so before we were told by medical professionals. She was very sick. She had been developing this for some time, no one was sure how long. I cannot even really put it into words, how it feels as a parent to look at your small child in what seems like a huge hospital bed, and know that their life has been forever altered, by the uttering of a few words.
But, that isn't really what I want to share with you today. That pain, described oh so briefly above, is not what I want revisit today. Today is Kiley's anniversary of her diagnosis. We call it her "diabetes birthday". At first we recognized it simply because we couldn't not forever hold that awful day in memory, we couldn't know when that particular date came. We had to recognize it, deal with it, get through it. But she, and another child newly diagnosed, really changed how we viewed it. He called it his "live-abetes day" because he was LIVING with it not DYING with it. We liked that thought. Kiley wanted to celebrate it with all those things that might have been denied had she developed diabetes years ago - with lots of ice cream!! So, to make a hard day easier, we started to celebrate it. And eight years later, we still do. Now, we have forgotten it once or twice, which tells you how lovely life is. But generally, someone realizes it and we commemorate it. Today we had ice cream and pizza. Kiley had totally forgotten what day it was, two of her siblings were returning from camp, two are still gone on a mission trip, and Dad is in Phantom of the Opera and off performing.
But I remembered. I remembered when I was at the post office and wrote the date for the first time that day.
My heart stood still. It was that day.
I will never forget that day. But what is best of all is remembering all the days since then. Yeah, I try to ignore the bad ones, the days that are real battles against this monster we live with. But diabetes is the disease. Life is what we live. Diabetes is what we take care of, or as we tend to word it - that we beat! - so we can live life well.
Today I celebrate my strong, vibrant, amazing fourteen year old daughter. I celebrate all the hardship she has come through because it clearly has helped to define who she is. I celebrate that she is so determined, and will push to achieve what she wants to achieve. I celebrate that she is a dedicated equestrian, and athlete of high caliber, an actress of great caliber, determined to always give a good show, no matter what. I celebrate that she can be a royal pain in her mama's backside - it tells me every day that she has the strength to get on in life. I celebrate this child who has never given up. Who has allowed us to carry her when she needed it, who is such a strong person to fight back when she needs to, who has the compassion of a saint (most times and always with animals, maybe not always with siblings), who is thoroughly enjoying having two of her siblings home, even though she won't admit it.
I celebrate quietly that her dad and I have managed to keep up the fight and to hide from her, some of the time, our fears. I celebrate that she is who she is supposed to be. I celebrate that while we may not have a cure for diabetes, we do have ways to LIVE with it. And this child is the poster child of that. She lives with it. She is not a "diabetic child", she never has been. She IS a "child with diabetes", though I likely cannot call this amazing young woman a child anymore, but you will allow me that grace, as I AM her mom, and I will always know that she is my child. I have to remind myself at times, a hundred years ago, I would be visiting my child's grave. There was no way to battle it, at least not for long. We may not have a cure, but we have the miracles of insulin, both fast acting and long acting, we have insulin pumps and pen needles, we even have continuous glucose monitors. We have hopes of much research in the works to improve my diabetic kids' health (remember, Aman has type 1 also), and maybe someday even find a cure, though what we have is good. We are so much better off than we were in even the 1990's. And that was while I was in college!!! New things being discovered and refined daily.
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Update and funnies!
Hi all!
I am sitting here, waiting for my dress pants to finish drying in the dryer, still in a bathrobe, thank you very much! Sigh. It is so humid that things are really having a hard time drying. But, that means that I have a few minutes where my choices are either to clean something, or give an update! It is only 7:15AM and I am opting for updating!!! It seems like lately we have been so busy with so many good things, that I just haven't had a chance until I am too tired to put a coherent thought together!
Tonight is opening night for Phantom of the Opera at St. Norbert's College - it is going to be amazing and I am so looking forward to it - especially because my favorite guy has a part in it! Steve is playing one of the new owners of the theater, Andre, and has a challenging part. That means that we really haven't seen him much for the last two months, and while I encouraged (read in here, really really bugged) him to do it, it has been a long stretch in our busiest season. We are all missing each other and ready for regular life. But in the meantime, there is a great ten shows to come!!!! I am so proud of him, and know that he has worked so hard and will be fabulous!!! Tonight we have nine tickets for opening night, so the kids and I get to go!!!! I am so excited! And in about two weeks, we will have him home in the evenings again!!!
Alex and Zeri leave this weekend for a mission trip to Joplin, MO (where the devastating tornadoes were). I am so proud of them, grateful that they got sponsors so they can go and help. They are both really hard workers and I know will be a great benefit to the team and the community there. We have really emphasized service in our family and outreach, but this is an opportunity on a whole different level, and I am sure it will impact them significantly. I suspect that my young men will return to us somewhat matured and molded by this experience.
Then Faith and Solomon have Bible camp next week too! They have worked and saved their money and are ready to go. How it all fell on the same week, I am still surprised by! They are very excited and looking forward to it.
So, it will be me and four kids next week! The shock on our faces when we realized that was hilarious! It will be a great chance for us all to have some special time together, and we are looking forward to it, though I am sure it will be odd to say the least!
On the adoption front: the homestudy is completed and in hand. We have to send in our immigration paperwork - and a check of course - sigh. At this point it is an impossibility I believe for us to get a court date before court closure - August 15th. That means that hopefully we will get one in early October. That places us bringing our girls home around Christmas or so. It is always unpredictable and anything can happen, but that is sort of the timeline now. I am going to be swamped this weekend with grant applications and our annual reports on the five kids already here! Paperwork, paperwork! I am doing everything possible to get all the needed funds, though I heartily admit that having our tax return would take care of everything! However, like most adoptive parents, we are still waiting on that, with absolutely no idea when or if we will actually get it.
So, we are doing the only things we know how to do to provide - I was blessed to be able pick up some extra hours at work, and some temp hours so I am doing that. We made a plan as a family on how to handle this so we can get it all done. It isn't ideal, I would much rather be home, but it is working, and the kids are great. We are selling whatever we can, including my precious spinning wheel, in order to fund this. My plan is to pay off everything we can, stockpile whatever we can, just do whatever can be done! If anyone in Green Bay or Denmark or Kewaunee would like to host a rummage sale, we would love to do one - just living as rurally as we do, it doesn't make any sense to do it here. But we have lots and could even consider taking donations, I just need a place to do it. God is good, has met us along the road, though it hasn't often been easy, it has continued to move. He has a plan and a purpose and all is to be done in His timing.
We still have puzzle pieces available - I will do an update on that shortly!
Take care and God bless!!! Enjoy the rest of the summer! It is hot and humid here, but we will take it compared to what we know will come in the winter! Well, the dryer is done, and I am off to work! Love to all!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
I am sitting here, waiting for my dress pants to finish drying in the dryer, still in a bathrobe, thank you very much! Sigh. It is so humid that things are really having a hard time drying. But, that means that I have a few minutes where my choices are either to clean something, or give an update! It is only 7:15AM and I am opting for updating!!! It seems like lately we have been so busy with so many good things, that I just haven't had a chance until I am too tired to put a coherent thought together!
Tonight is opening night for Phantom of the Opera at St. Norbert's College - it is going to be amazing and I am so looking forward to it - especially because my favorite guy has a part in it! Steve is playing one of the new owners of the theater, Andre, and has a challenging part. That means that we really haven't seen him much for the last two months, and while I encouraged (read in here, really really bugged) him to do it, it has been a long stretch in our busiest season. We are all missing each other and ready for regular life. But in the meantime, there is a great ten shows to come!!!! I am so proud of him, and know that he has worked so hard and will be fabulous!!! Tonight we have nine tickets for opening night, so the kids and I get to go!!!! I am so excited! And in about two weeks, we will have him home in the evenings again!!!
Alex and Zeri leave this weekend for a mission trip to Joplin, MO (where the devastating tornadoes were). I am so proud of them, grateful that they got sponsors so they can go and help. They are both really hard workers and I know will be a great benefit to the team and the community there. We have really emphasized service in our family and outreach, but this is an opportunity on a whole different level, and I am sure it will impact them significantly. I suspect that my young men will return to us somewhat matured and molded by this experience.
Then Faith and Solomon have Bible camp next week too! They have worked and saved their money and are ready to go. How it all fell on the same week, I am still surprised by! They are very excited and looking forward to it.
So, it will be me and four kids next week! The shock on our faces when we realized that was hilarious! It will be a great chance for us all to have some special time together, and we are looking forward to it, though I am sure it will be odd to say the least!
On the adoption front: the homestudy is completed and in hand. We have to send in our immigration paperwork - and a check of course - sigh. At this point it is an impossibility I believe for us to get a court date before court closure - August 15th. That means that hopefully we will get one in early October. That places us bringing our girls home around Christmas or so. It is always unpredictable and anything can happen, but that is sort of the timeline now. I am going to be swamped this weekend with grant applications and our annual reports on the five kids already here! Paperwork, paperwork! I am doing everything possible to get all the needed funds, though I heartily admit that having our tax return would take care of everything! However, like most adoptive parents, we are still waiting on that, with absolutely no idea when or if we will actually get it.
So, we are doing the only things we know how to do to provide - I was blessed to be able pick up some extra hours at work, and some temp hours so I am doing that. We made a plan as a family on how to handle this so we can get it all done. It isn't ideal, I would much rather be home, but it is working, and the kids are great. We are selling whatever we can, including my precious spinning wheel, in order to fund this. My plan is to pay off everything we can, stockpile whatever we can, just do whatever can be done! If anyone in Green Bay or Denmark or Kewaunee would like to host a rummage sale, we would love to do one - just living as rurally as we do, it doesn't make any sense to do it here. But we have lots and could even consider taking donations, I just need a place to do it. God is good, has met us along the road, though it hasn't often been easy, it has continued to move. He has a plan and a purpose and all is to be done in His timing.
We still have puzzle pieces available - I will do an update on that shortly!
Take care and God bless!!! Enjoy the rest of the summer! It is hot and humid here, but we will take it compared to what we know will come in the winter! Well, the dryer is done, and I am off to work! Love to all!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Friday, July 15, 2011
Today....
I think I will be Scarlett O'Hara - not the nasty icky one, but the one that is determined and resourceful and persistent.
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Happy Fourth of July!!!!!
I know that it isn't the fourth, but I thought I would post while I could. Technology is amazing!!!! I am sitting here around our bonfire and putting together a post! LOL! The kids are currently joking about the size of vehicle we drive, what might be next. There is lots of silliness going on.
You have to understand, it has been a long couple days, and my thought processes may not be up to normal. Can I back up???
A dear friend died a few days ago, and the funeral was on Friday. Our best man's dad passed away and we were blessed enough to be able to be of help as they work on the next steps. It is hard to see, and reminds us all that there is some point at which we will be doing the same thing for our own families. At this point, our parents are independent and healthy, but we are not foolish enough to think that this will always be the case. it was a reminder to take advantage of every minute we can have with our loved ones. (LOL! The kids just were being silly and erupted into a version of "In the Garden! - turns out we do know it by heart!!!!)
And also we were reminded of our own frailties! I was riding one of our horses, and he was doing really well, I was beginning some early lessons with Tsion and just about to consider putting her on him, when we realized that he was kicking at flies on his belly. So I asked Kiley to spray him for me - well, I was on him, had been riding for some time. Turns out he doesn't like fly spray - he seems to think it is something that will eat him.
Riding a horse, you always have to recall that you are riding a prey animal. In other words, when something scares them, they are convinced that whatever it is is going to eat them. And they tend to respond fairly dramatically when something scares them that bad.
So, I went from a very gentle, simple ride on a very gentle horse - to suddenly being launched all over the place - I hear he bucked or jumped or whatever at least five times. I recall at least two or three, at which point I realized that I could not grab anything to hang on to, and I wasn't quite sure how to get off. In all the haze, I do recall that.
I understand from the kids and hubby that I was unconscious in our round pen for "three minutes!. I really don't remember much until we were on our way to the hospital. For me, as a speech therapist, it is scary to realize how little I can recall. I do those tests on folks all the time. It was spooky to not be able to tell someone what day it is or whatever. My memory has come back for things that are going forward, but that period of time is missing. The doctors say it is normal, I tell people about that all the time, but it feels way different when it is me. (No, I wasn't wearing a helmet, but I didn't hit my head according to everyone - I know that I am justifying it, but anyway....)
So, I have all sorts of pain medications to get me through - makes me totally useless, but comfortable through the headache. Ugh. Having to concentrate hard on things but can get it done. I know that it will be okay, but it is frustrating. I have been banned from horseback for two weeks - they don't want me to fall again and jarr my head. Sigh.
Anyway, the end of the story is that we are sitting around our fire pit, roasting marshmellows, and my laptop signal reaches this far! Yay! No one will let me do anything much right now, keep trying to get me to sit down, and even encouraged me to take a nap today. The headache comes and goes, but does seem to get better slowly. My elbow is really bruised, and my right ankle definitely took some of the brunt of the fall.
So, that is a very disjointed introduction to our evening. A bonfire, burning up branches from our yard clean up, marshmellows, hot dogs and lawn chairs. The kids are in fine form, very silly. It is a lovely summer night. It really got dark at almost 10PM. The kids are laughing, Steve is home with us, I am planted here, there are barn kitties visiting us, life is good. Steve took some photos of Alex today: Take a look!!!!!
Aren't they great? Doggone it, he looks older and older all the time. Not too ready for my firstborn to be growing up so fast! I don't know if you ever get used to it. We are doing portraits on July 10th, check out our facebook page "portraits for a purpose".
Well, I hope that this wasn't too disjointed, I know it wasn't my usual style. I am tired and ready for bed. Only a slight headache which is a good improvement. I think a nap will help.
Tomorrow we get a replacement washing machine - used, but new to us, and as long as it washes clothes, then I am good! A month without a washer - for a family of ten - is a very long time. The laundromat costs a fortune, and still only does some of our stuff. I will happily be washing and hanging things on the line - drying whatever I need to, letting as much line dry as will fit. I never took it for granted before, but I surely won't at all anymore! Imagine the joys of being able to do laundry as we go through life! Many loads of laundry going through!!! Yay!!!!
I have kombacha going too! The challenge is that several of the kids love it! One of those health drinks that I expected to have to bribe the kids to try, now they drink it all down! I have to limit them to one a day! So, I got three batches going now - I love the pina colada batch, that is my favorite so far, but I tried a cherry juice one - will try that tomorrow. Three more batches going, ready tomorrow! And the same friend who started me on that, has got me gleaning whatever I can from my fairly unsuccessful garden this year. Dandelion root is my current thing. Supposedly I can dry it and grind it up to brew with coffee (or instead of it) and it has great health benefits. I would settle for finding something useful in that mess that is supposed to be my garden.
Well, I am about done, headed to bed. My kids are very funny, but I am beat. Life on the farm never ends in its entertainment!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
You have to understand, it has been a long couple days, and my thought processes may not be up to normal. Can I back up???
A dear friend died a few days ago, and the funeral was on Friday. Our best man's dad passed away and we were blessed enough to be able to be of help as they work on the next steps. It is hard to see, and reminds us all that there is some point at which we will be doing the same thing for our own families. At this point, our parents are independent and healthy, but we are not foolish enough to think that this will always be the case. it was a reminder to take advantage of every minute we can have with our loved ones. (LOL! The kids just were being silly and erupted into a version of "In the Garden! - turns out we do know it by heart!!!!)
And also we were reminded of our own frailties! I was riding one of our horses, and he was doing really well, I was beginning some early lessons with Tsion and just about to consider putting her on him, when we realized that he was kicking at flies on his belly. So I asked Kiley to spray him for me - well, I was on him, had been riding for some time. Turns out he doesn't like fly spray - he seems to think it is something that will eat him.
Riding a horse, you always have to recall that you are riding a prey animal. In other words, when something scares them, they are convinced that whatever it is is going to eat them. And they tend to respond fairly dramatically when something scares them that bad.
So, I went from a very gentle, simple ride on a very gentle horse - to suddenly being launched all over the place - I hear he bucked or jumped or whatever at least five times. I recall at least two or three, at which point I realized that I could not grab anything to hang on to, and I wasn't quite sure how to get off. In all the haze, I do recall that.
I understand from the kids and hubby that I was unconscious in our round pen for "three minutes!. I really don't remember much until we were on our way to the hospital. For me, as a speech therapist, it is scary to realize how little I can recall. I do those tests on folks all the time. It was spooky to not be able to tell someone what day it is or whatever. My memory has come back for things that are going forward, but that period of time is missing. The doctors say it is normal, I tell people about that all the time, but it feels way different when it is me. (No, I wasn't wearing a helmet, but I didn't hit my head according to everyone - I know that I am justifying it, but anyway....)
So, I have all sorts of pain medications to get me through - makes me totally useless, but comfortable through the headache. Ugh. Having to concentrate hard on things but can get it done. I know that it will be okay, but it is frustrating. I have been banned from horseback for two weeks - they don't want me to fall again and jarr my head. Sigh.
Anyway, the end of the story is that we are sitting around our fire pit, roasting marshmellows, and my laptop signal reaches this far! Yay! No one will let me do anything much right now, keep trying to get me to sit down, and even encouraged me to take a nap today. The headache comes and goes, but does seem to get better slowly. My elbow is really bruised, and my right ankle definitely took some of the brunt of the fall.
So, that is a very disjointed introduction to our evening. A bonfire, burning up branches from our yard clean up, marshmellows, hot dogs and lawn chairs. The kids are in fine form, very silly. It is a lovely summer night. It really got dark at almost 10PM. The kids are laughing, Steve is home with us, I am planted here, there are barn kitties visiting us, life is good. Steve took some photos of Alex today: Take a look!!!!!
Aren't they great? Doggone it, he looks older and older all the time. Not too ready for my firstborn to be growing up so fast! I don't know if you ever get used to it. We are doing portraits on July 10th, check out our facebook page "portraits for a purpose".
Well, I hope that this wasn't too disjointed, I know it wasn't my usual style. I am tired and ready for bed. Only a slight headache which is a good improvement. I think a nap will help.
Tomorrow we get a replacement washing machine - used, but new to us, and as long as it washes clothes, then I am good! A month without a washer - for a family of ten - is a very long time. The laundromat costs a fortune, and still only does some of our stuff. I will happily be washing and hanging things on the line - drying whatever I need to, letting as much line dry as will fit. I never took it for granted before, but I surely won't at all anymore! Imagine the joys of being able to do laundry as we go through life! Many loads of laundry going through!!! Yay!!!!
I have kombacha going too! The challenge is that several of the kids love it! One of those health drinks that I expected to have to bribe the kids to try, now they drink it all down! I have to limit them to one a day! So, I got three batches going now - I love the pina colada batch, that is my favorite so far, but I tried a cherry juice one - will try that tomorrow. Three more batches going, ready tomorrow! And the same friend who started me on that, has got me gleaning whatever I can from my fairly unsuccessful garden this year. Dandelion root is my current thing. Supposedly I can dry it and grind it up to brew with coffee (or instead of it) and it has great health benefits. I would settle for finding something useful in that mess that is supposed to be my garden.
Well, I am about done, headed to bed. My kids are very funny, but I am beat. Life on the farm never ends in its entertainment!
"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans for hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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