Short and Sweet

Thanking God this Monday evening for:

*Daughters. 2 of them!

*Sleep.

*The clearance rack at Old Navy

*A date night with Ken to look forward to

*Wisdom and creativity

*Healthy kids

The Day the Butterfly Came to Visit

We played with a butterfly the other night, Andrew and I. Or rather, the butterfly played with us. Fluttering ever so close, landing on our arms, our heads, my neck! It came and stayed for over an hour. I felt like a little girl again, giddy with the anticipation that it might just land on me one. more. time. So much fun!

We like to grow things

There is a bit of the farmer in Ken, a desire to see things grow, to help things grow....to grow things. And this is what it looks like here on our almost farm...

Wheat! Our farming friend grew wheat in our fields! I hope to bake some bread with it soon!

A rock garden that I finally paid some attention to this spring. And Ken stands guard against the weeds....

Pigs to be taken to the butcher in the fall.....

He likes to grow other things, too. We both do.

Children...Minds...Spirits...Vision...Dreams...

We may not always be able to measure their growth, but I know our efforts are not in vain. God will complete the work begun in each one!

Somehow it's been a week since I last sat to write. Time flies and yet stands still for me. My day flurries by and the sun goes down and I realize I never did make it outside to smell the fresh cut grass, or watch the hawk that flies overhead, crying for some unseen companion. And yet, there are things like diapers and sleepless nights and laundry piles and meals to be cooked...endless work that's never done even though I may be "done" and it all seems to be going so slowly. But today, as I sat and nursed Little B, a delicious breeze of summer drifted in through the window beside me, and I looked out to see the most beautiful green field and barn and thought, "My life is perfect." And I know you know it's really not. But for that moment, with babe in arms, smell of summer drifting in...it really was.

So I'm thankful today for

*a new co-worker to brainstorm with

*26 chickens in my freezer

*Delicious summer breezes

*6 blessings

*a football league for two rough and tumble young men

*the coaches who spend so much time teaching them how to be rough and tumble the safe way!

And that's all...for now.

Thankful....

I know full well that if I can just get my eyes off of the annoying, the ugly, the imperfect, and focus on the good, the noble, and the beautiful, that my heart will become light as a feather. But knowing something and doing it don't always seem to match up. So, I join the multitudes giving thanks on a Monday for:
*Cool breezes* Baby kisses* Uninterrupted conversation* The love of my husband* Peanut Butter Pandemonium ice cream* New school books* Fly swatters
It's odd, it's random, and it's a start! :>)

Where's Oma?

As I tucked Matthew in tonight, he asked, "Where's Oma?" It's a question he asks me sometimes once a day, sometimes once a week.

"In heaven," I answer, tears just under the surface of my words.

"Oh." And he rolls over and closes his eyes.

He asks the question that is on all of our minds.

"Where is Oma?" A redundant question, really, for we all know the answer. She's in heaven, with her Father, a comforting fact, to be sure. But what we really are wanting to know is, why isn't she here? All I could think on Saturday at her memorial service is how much she would have loved it. Her whole family at church together, with dainty morsels and strawberries and coffee to enjoy with friends afterward! And all on her birthday. It was the perfect day....except she was missing and we all felt like she should be walking in the door any minute. How could she possibly be gone?

Reminders of her are everywhere...a wooden spoon, a favorite mug, her pin cushion and notebooks-right where she left them, awaiting the return that was not to be. It's all different now. Which is not bad, I know. But it's also not easy.

"Oma died." Daniel says out loud, less often now than when it was fresh and raw.

"Yes, I know sweetie." It's as if he needs to remind himself. Saying it out loud makes it real. Because it is a bit surreal. Life is odd without Oma. And I know we will see her again.

But it's not easy.

Many hands make light work..

chives in the foreground, will bloom any day

nothing like a yard just after mowing--so clean

I discovered something yesterday. I actually like gardening. As in, truly enjoy it. But for a long time now I thought I didn't. What I don't like, is starting and stopping a gardening project. Like what you have to do when a young one is helping, or the baby needs to nurse, or the phone rings, or it's time to make dinner, or.....well, you get the picture. Once my hands are dirty-- I just want them to stay dirty until the job is done. I was delighted to finally make that distinction. So I spent yesterday afternoon in my rock garden, where I nursed a hungry baby (literally sitting in the dirt), directed helpers, and visited with various children as they came to check things out or lend a hand. And after 2 hours of gloriously uninterrupted work, the rock garden now has a new look. As does the yard. Everyone pitched in yesterday to beautify things around here. Andrew and Ken mowed, Jon whacked some weeds and planted flowers, Emma and Matthew cleaned up toys, picked out flowers, helped me weed. The satisfaction felt after spending the afternoon working together as a family was felt by all. With ice cream to round out the day.