Barefeet...

 The mild weather has given all of us spring fever!  As soon as school and inside chores are done they all want to be outside!  If at all possible.... without shoes too! :o)

 

Macheus is enjoying his new sandbox.  Of course, being a little boy he doesn't play with regular sand toys!  He hauls sand in his trucks and I can see we will be replacing a lot of sand this summer.

 

 We invested in a really nice swing-set when Mariah was little, but the boys would much rather play with the homemade swings we have around the property.  This rope swing is one of their favorites!

Always funny when we get a tiny egg!  Someone was slacking. :)

For whatever reason (and I am not complaining!) our hens have laid well all winter!  We usually don't have a lot of extra to sell over the winter.  These girls have laid like crazy!  We have sold a lot and eaten lots of omelets and quiche!  Really looking forward to the goats being back in milk.  We have been buying from a local Mennonite dairy farmer since Christmas.

We always know Madeline's birthday is close when the daffodils bloom!

 

           Daffadowndilly                                               
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet,
She wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour:
"Winter is dead."

A.A, Milne

Thinking Spring!!!

We have had the most delightful weather lately!  It has caused us all to want to be outside as much as we can! 

 

 

Myles spends most of his days outside!  He hangs out with Barnabas.  They sort of keep each other out of trouble! :o)

 

Our goats will start kidding in a few weeks!  It is a bit overwhelming.  We have six does that we are pretty sure are pregnant.  It will be a VERY busy spring!

Matthew doing some much needed repairs on the horse stalls. 

Mariah perched on the roof of the barn basking in the afternoon sun.

Our free range hens are greedily trying to steal the goats' food.

 This is Mariah's prissy little cat "Oreo".  She stays in the barn or in trees most of the time because she hates Barnabas. :o)

 

Where is Myles?  There he is... in the horse food!

 

Headed to bed.  Long day and busy Saturday planned for tomorrow!

~Goodnight

Moving Grandpa

Two weeks ago we moved my 90 year old dad to live close to us.  My sister and I have worked hard the past almost four years since my mom died to take care of him.  It hasn't been easy, but life isn't always easy. 

The summer following the spring that my mom died my oldest sister and I took turns going back and forth to the town where they lived.  We were trying to clean out their home and get it ready to sell.  The trips were exhausting as we were mourning the loss of our mom, taking care of our own households and children, and trying to take care of our dad too.  We stayed at his house some and also took him to our homes. It was a challenge because he was so much older than our mom and didn't need to be driving.  I got pregnant with Macheus that summer and that added to an already really tough summer.

 

We did a variety of living arrangements trying to make him happy and also trying to share the load of caring for him.  It has been HARD!  He was in a retirement duplex for the past year and a half and wasn't happy there.  It was expensive and he wasn't utilizing the food or enjoying the other residents.  My sister was weary of caring for him, so I started looking for an apartment close to me.

We found a cute two bedroom apartment that is in a safe area and a good size for his stuff.  McKenzie and I busted our tails a couple weekends ago working until almost midnight two days to get him settled.  I had no choice because I needed to home school on Monday!  My kids have always been so willing to help with their grandparents.  Honestly, I don't think they think a whole lot about it.  I'm thankful they are learning to sacrifice and serve, and that life isn't all about them and their comfort.  Serving others is never easy or convenient. 

Last Friday evening we took him to a local church for a concert.  When we took him home Mariah asked if she could spend the night.  He was tickled that she wanted to and we ran to the store to get her a toothbrush.  She cleaned his apartment while she was there.  Saturday I grocery shopped and then went to his apartment and cooked some food for his week.  That night when I got home I wanted to cry.  It was a long tiring week and it all came crashing down on me.  I know God will give me what I need each day to do this.  McKenzie and I are going to come up with a master list for his meals and hopefully we will get into a routine.  She is a huge help to me, but with a  baby coming soon I know her flexibility won't be as easy.

This is our mission right now.  It is not always fun and it certainly isn't glamorous.  You don't have to go on a summer mission trip to do missions.  Sometimes it is right in front of you.... sometimes it is even your own dad.  And if you can't take care of your own... you really don't have your priorities right anyway. :(

"This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness." ―Elisabeth Elliot

Do The Next Thing

From an old English parsonage,
Down by the sea,
There came in the twilight,
A message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend,
Deeply engraven,
Hath, as it seems to me,
Teaching from Heaven.
And on through the hours
The quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration-
DO THE NEXT THING

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment,
Let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity,
Guidance, are given.
Fear not tomorrows,
Child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus,
DO THE NEXT THING

Do it immediately;
Do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence,
Tracing His Hand,
Who placed it before thee with
Earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence,
Safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all resultings,
DO THE NEXT THING

Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
(Working or suffering)
Be thy demeanor,
In His dear presence,
The rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance
Be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness,
Praise and sing,
Then, as He beckons thee,
DO THE NEXT THING

-Author unknown

Happy 3rd Birthday, Macheus Trust!

His last night being 2! :(  He asked to go to bed in my bed.... and I let him!

 

Madeline fixed homemade sweet rolls for his breakfast.  He was pleased. :)

He was so cute looking at the birthday cards that came in the mail this week.  They were a bit tattered when he finished with them, but he enjoyed them!

The weather has been like spring lately, and it was a beautiful sunny morning.  He played outside and then I put him in the jogger and let him go running with me.

 

We went to Chick fil A for supper tonight.  He had fun on the playground and always loves his chicken!  McKenzie and Daniel brought balloons for him.

Waiting patiently on our huge order!

 

He doesn't normally look like Myles to me, but he looks so much like him in the next picture!

 

We moved my dad down to live close to us last weekend.  Sweet that he will always be with us to make special memories.

 

I think all of the excitement was a bit much for him! :)

He is crazy about "Thomas and Friends"!  He pronounces it, Tay-us and Fwends".  That is pretty much all he plays with these days.

A friend of McKenzie's makes cakes and she did this for me.  She does amazing work!

 

 

The traditional kids picture that we always take on birthdays!  You can't even see the birthday boy because he is too busy licking icing.

Showing Grandpa some of his trains.  I bought six new trains a while back for his birthday but couldn't think of anything else to get him.  Last night we finally went to Toys R Us and bought him a new sand box.  I think he will have fun with it this spring.  The last one we had was bought when Madeline was tiny and it bit the dust last summer.

He played in his bed for a long time tonight. I guess it was a combination of sugar and the new trains in the bed with him.  He finally crashed about an hour later.

It is hard to believe that he is already three years old!  He has been such a blessing to our family.  I miscarried before him and didn't know if we would ever have another one.   What a precious gift he is!

Happy Birthday, sweet boy!!!