Crazy Days!

The weekend after McKenzie's birthday just she and I took off for Stone Mountain. We had fun and I worked very hard to keep up with her the whole time! It was amazing what we crammed into two days, we even climbed the mountain.
On top of the mountain.

Life has been anything but dull lately! The day of McKenzie's birthday my husband drove over an hour away to buy two new Nubian goats. One of them is a pregnant female and the other is her mate. I have discovered that I don't like goats! The males smell bad, and they jump all over you. They make very strange noises and just aren't very cute! We were eating with grandparents this past weekend and Mariah proceeded to hold up a black bean and announce that that was what goat poop looked like.

Last week my very pregnant sister came to visit with her five children. Ten children and two pregnant mamas under one roof. We had a good visit and it really wasn't too much of a zoo. The worst thing that happened was Matthew hit a baseball and cracked our van's windshield. He now has a list of jobs to pay his dad back for the damages. Hard life lessons! The children all got along great except for a few minor incidents when her two year old clobbered our two year old. Malachi still talks about "Lebi (Levi) hit my head!" I guess he will be scarred for life! :>)

CousinsPregnant bellies!

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Today we all loaded up to go to piano lessons and run errands. Our very wild yellow lab was tied out on a stake. We bought a long heavy duty dog cable that was supposed to be made for large dogs. She either stays in her pen or has to be tied out because she will chase the chickens. We pulled up in the driveway and saw her sitting there. When we got out we discovered she had gone for a swim! We have an above ground pool and there was a cover over the top of it. I have no idea how she jumped in (because of the two year old we don't leave the stairs in it) and can't believe she didn't get tangled in the cover. She did all of that with the heavy cable still tied to her! We now have two holes in the top ring of the pool. Hmmm........ I guess another job to add to Matthew's list!

Some days you have to laugh to keep from crying. I think this is why the Lord gave us Mariah! Here are some of her latest.

While shopping for groceries I jokingly said, "Should we get some eggs?" (We have 40 laying hens.) She said, "Oh, our chickens would be SO jealous!"

We (or more accurately our ten year old) are potty training Malachi. The first time Mariah saw me take him tee tee she was mortified that I didn't wipe him. I told her a little boy doesn't wipe tee tee because they have a "hose". She said, "I wish I had a hose."

Today she was looking out the window just in time to see her white rooster "Tom" jump on the back of one of the hens. She shook her head with her hands on her hips and said, "Oh, that Tom! He is trying to make eggs again!" I have no idea how she even figured that much out! Nothing like animals to teach your kids the facts of life!

Happy Birthday McKenzie!

Sixteen years ago today I became a mom. My husband and I married while we were in college. I was only nineteen and he was twenty-two. I had big plans to finish college and go on to get my Master's in Early Childhood Education. The fall of my senior year I found out I was expecting a baby. I was very surprised and wondered how it was all going to fit with my plans. The last day of my senior year instead of being at college I was in the hospital giving birth (eleven days late!) to a beautiful baby girl. Until you become a parent I don't think you can even imagine what it is like to lay eyes on your first baby. Everything changed the day she was born. It no longer seemed important to be a school teacher and it definitely didn't seem important to go on and get my masters!

It is funny thinking back on those early days as new parents. I remember changing her outfits several times a day just to see something new on her. I took pictures and videoed everything she did. I remember my husband racing home from work to see her because he was afraid he was going to miss something! We have videos of her laying on a pallet with music playing and both of us talking to her as hard as we could. It is a wonder that she isn't a nervous wreck to this day!

I am so glad that the Lord had bigger plans than I had. I often wonder what my life would look like if I had gotten my way and started teaching school. It is sad to think of the blessings I would have missed. Each one of our children are unique and have a special place in the family. I am SO thankful as our family continues to grow that He knew I would need McKenzie to be the first-born. She is a huge help to me and a blessing to the entire family!

We love you McKenzie and hope that you have a wonderful Sixteenth Birthday!

Farmer Malachi

Malachi loves to help water the garden. We have called him "farmer Malachi. Last night when he saw me watering he came running saying, "I be farmer!" (Notice the plant he is watering OUTSIDE the raised bed garden. This is a result of him dumping my seeds out when I was trying to plant. We now call those plants "Malachi's garden".) It is kind of funny, you are so careful to have your dirt just right and plant the seeds perfect. His seeds were just dumped on top of the ground and the plants are beautiful!