Rebecca Birthday

I'm only 10 days late, but I realize I never posted a Happy Birthday to Rebecca this year. We always stay home and enjoy the day with the birthday child, but this year we did something different. Our gift to Rebecca was a trip to a beauty salon complete with new hairstyle and manicure!!! The day was rounded off with shopping, lunch with Dad & Mom, and a Starbuck's coffee treat (thanks to Sarah!). It was a fabulous way to mark the transition of another year for this dear child, but it threw out of my cycle. I do want her to know that late or not, she is still the same special friend to all of us.

We enjoyed cold, snowy weather off and on for the last 10 days, and it reminded me of that day 18 years ago when we welcomed her into our family. What naive but excited parents she had to train. We left the hospital with her in the middle of December and went shopping at the mall, showing her off to anyone and everyone that asked! Then, I begged John to find a Pizza Hut as I had craved that for months. Again, we practically begged people to breath all over her as we were just so proud to be new parents. Our next stop was a WalMart to get some much needed supplies (diapers, clothes, etc - minor things, haha) before we headed to Corona. We were smart by this time and kept her in the car. Well, actually, her Momma was tired and sore from walking all over the mall. Then, we headed out to take her to her new home in Corona - in the middle of the front seat as John wanted her right between us so we could touch her and look at her when we wanted to (no airbags, and again, I point out how naive we were). We made it home after a quick stop at a restaurant in Willard to show off our bundle of joy to Mom's coworkers celebrating a Christmas party. By the time this little girl made it from the hospital to her new home, she had met more people and had been kissed and hugged by more folks than I can add up. The amazing thing was that she survived that and many other "wrong" things that her parents did. Not only did she survive that, but she has managed to grow into such a lovely young woman through 18 years of guinea pig training by parents who still probably don't know how to do it "right".

What we do know, is that Rebecca has been a bigger joy and blessing to us than we ever imagined or thought possible. We've had the privilege of watching her become a composed, intelligent, thoughtful, caring, compassionate, hospitable, loving, witty (and such wit!!), wise, and Godly young woman. She has stretched herself in areas she needs to grow in while still standing firm in her beliefs. She has stood up to folks older and "wiser" than she is and graciously listened to their advice while testing it against God's Word. She has been the guinea pig for John and I - as she lovingly puts it - and has somehow managed to teach us a few things along the way. I can remember when she and all of my dear ones were little, and I wondered how in the world I could possibly enjoy them as they grew up as much as I enjoyed them when they were little. Now that she has grown into one of my best friends, I wonder how I ever managed to enjoy her so much when she was little because I'm having such a blast with her now. We have such lively discussions about books, movies, articles, ideas - the list could go on and on - or we can quietly sit and work on a project in the kitchen and sewing room and enjoy each other's company without a word being spoken.

18!!! WOW!!! They have flown by. She has survived. She is such a blessing to us now, and one day, she will be the greatest blessing to some lucky young man who is brave enough to come and ask for her hand. Until that day, I plan on enjoying the time I have with her! Late or not, we love you dearly.

Thanksgiving all year round

Isn't is wonderful when you start putting your blessings down on paper!! It is amazing how many things there are to be thankful for, and especially when we're to be convinced that the world is the worst it could possibly be. I realize that times are hard (boy do we realize that being in the mortgage industry), but I think so many of you hit the nail on the head with all the things that you are thankful for. We are taught in our society that it's the material things we should be proud of and work for and appreciate and consider important. The things most of you have listed are almost all about relationships. Those things are there during the good times and bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health....hmmm, that sounds familiar.. It's true, though. How easily I forget sometimes that it's the people God has placed in our lives near and far that make us who we are and make our lives worth living. I'm thankful for:

- my Merciful God and Savior. I cringe when I think about how quickly and deeply I fail Him in every aspect of my life. I feel like I try so hard to do what is right, and yet I blow it over and over again. What do I get in return? His constant love and grace over and over. I know where I'd be without Him, and I'm grateful I need never fear death because of what He's given me.

- my husband. I struggle with being the wife John needs and deserves, and yet he would never tell anyone that. He is so good to love me right where I am and is willing to try all of my wild and crazy ideas - and there are so many - he truly is the best thing God has ever given me.

- the 4 BEST children I could ever ask for. I have 4 NUTS in my house all the time, and I don't know what I would do without them. I was asked recently what I'd do if time and money weren't an issue, and I said......just exactly what I'm doing. I love being at home with 4 of my 5 best friends. They love me, make me laugh, make me think, encourage me, challenge me, cheer me on, and just love me more.

- my family. I hear so many people complain about family and want to be as far away from them as possible, and I just can't imagine feeling that way. I am surrounded by a love bunch of people that aren't perfect - and I LOVE it that way. They are real. They are there when I need them. They are all over this country, and even though we can't see each other often, we enjoy every minute that we do get blessed with.

- my friends. These are people that had a choice when it came to meeting me. Some of them may wonder why they didn't just walk away when they had the chance, but they didn't for some odd reason. Because of that decision, they have blessed me immensely through the years. I am so blessed to have friends that I can call on anytime for any reason and beg for any kind of help - and surprisingly, they'll come to the rescue. The best part of these wonderful friends is that they understand my crazy life. I just don't have the time I'd like to spend with each of them, and yet, when we do get together, we just seem to pick up right where we left off and take those nuggets of time together and cherish them.

- my home and life. My dad laughed once that this was not the laugh he had ever imagined for me - me neither. I really thought I'd be some famous actress on Broadway (that was my dream when I was a little girl - imagine that. haha), but you know, I can't imagine God giving me anything I'd love more than this home and life I have right now. It's not always easy, but I think God has used those times to teach me so many lessons on contentment and true joy that He would never have gotten into my thick head any other way.

- my country. We have problems. We are going through hard times. We have more hard times ahead. We are turning toward immoral things more and more and turning away from the morals this country was founded on. And yet.....I still can't think of any other country I'd rather live in at the moment. We are still blessed to be able to write about all the things we're thankful for. We can still worship God as He directs us. We can still say God bless you when someone sneezes or Merry Christmas this time of year whether the advertisements say it or not. We still are free, and I'm so very thankful to be here and have the opportunity to participate in a government that will be what I am willing to make it.

That's my list. I have so enjoyed reading every one's lists this past week. It has been wonderful to begin this Christmas season with our hearts focused on what matters the most. Thank you all for giving me that!!

In Him,
Prairie Momma

Happy Thanksgiving!
Have a wonderful week as we remember the blessing God has given us!
Love,
Sarah

I was in the house when from out back the hollar rang out "Quick! Grab the camera, and Rebecca come see this! It is sooo funny!" Well, who wouldn't drop and run? As you can see below our cat found a comfy place to sleep. We couldn't decide if he was enjoying the view of everyone (You could spy on the other cats from up there) or he got stuck somehow. This is on the south side of our house. He is sitting on the living room fireplace chimney.

Love,

Rebecca for the Herd

To the "Challenged"

Hello To my fellow Challenged!



Here is a thought......



With all the holidays coming up we tend (yes, even me. ;)) to forget what it is all about.



Thanksgiving: A time of celebration for the Pilgrims.

What were they celebrating? This was their time to give Thanks to God for helping them survive the harsh winter, and for giving them a bountiful crop.

So, what do we celebrate on Thanksgiving? Do people even think about it as THANKSgiving?

Lots of people, sadly, celebrate by watching their football team play a game. Some just like the food and the parades, but don't really know why they celebrate, other than the stuff they learn in school that has nothing to do with God.

Today, we live in a sad nation. "One nation under God" isn't what everyone thinks about when they think about the USA. Let us give thanks to God for letting us live in this free country where we can celebrate however we like, worship however we like, Homeschool if we want to, etc. Let us also pray for all of those people out there that don't really know what life is all about. Let us pray that God will touch their lives and soften their hearts towards Him. Let us be good examples of Believers.



Christmas: A time to wish and hope that Santa will come down your chimney, right? WRONG!!!

CHRISTmas is a time to remember that our dear Savior was born and came to the earth to save us, these sinners that we are. We are celebrating that God loved us enough to do that!

Sure it is fun to give gifts and such, but lets remember the REAL reason for the season!! :)



How is everyone doing with their challenge?

Love to all,

Sarah The Challenged

Learnin' experiences

Well, friends, it has been awfully cold, but I braved the weather yesterday to work with "my baby". :) I was able to put the halter on her for the first time yesterday!! She tossed her head a bit and didn't like it, but she didn't give me any trouble. We worked in leading sections of two to three steps in between me telling her "good girl". I think she enjoyed me scratchin' her on her favorite spot more than anything!! :) Then today, I bundled up and went out again. Apart from almost being blown down in the wind, I made the ten steps to get to our corrals. Freckle hardly recognized me at first, as I was all bundled up. After she realized it was me, I put the halter on her again and was able to lead her the entire way around the pen, only stopping once half way through to let her know that she was a good girl. :)

Every day I am able to lead her around larger areas. She is rather smart (bragging again) but gets easily scared fairly by things she has never seen before, as I found out the other day while I was leading her. :) A tumbleweed next to the fence stirred in the wind, and she bolted. I had to let go of the lead rope. After reaching the other end of the pen, she ducked her head and came back to me. I let her know that she was OK, and then of course, she had to see what scared her. She felt rather silly when she found out what it was (I could tell by the way she was blushing. ;))

Now I have to tell some of the irritations of training a baby horse. :) First, I was offended when she wouldn't let me come near her when she was first born. After a month I was able to walk right up to her or she came to me. Then I worked with her (picked up her feet, rubbed her tummy, tried to touch her face, etc). She was fine with picking up her feet, but she didn't like it when I touched her tummy. (She tried to bite me). So we had to learn that you can't bite. :) She is making great progress each time I'm out there, and I enjoy watching her learn.

Freckle was very cute the other day. We had penned up the horses for a couple of days and had just let them out. We kept Leo, our oldest horse, in so that we could fatten him up. Queenie was out in the pasture already, but she heard me pouring some cubes into the metal feeder for Leo and came trotting back to the house. Being the kind hearted person that I am :), I decided to get some cubes for all of them. By the time I came back out, Queenie was already in the corrals, but Freckle had stayed back out in the pasture. She was quite a distance out, so I whistled and called to her. She lifted her head and came running!! Now, I don't know if she was coming to me or if she just realized that mommy was far away, but I do know that she is one smart little girl. (and I still think she was coming to me. :)

Queenie has been rather jealous about every one paying attention to her baby instead of her (she used to be the "baby" until Freckle came along!). In fact, the other day she blocked me from going any where until I scratched her! HA! She is rather smart. :) I guess I can see where Freckle gets it.

Alright, enough of the bragging. Just trust that I am enjoying her immensely. :)

Love to all!

Fiddlin' Girl

Happy Birthday to my Young Man

It's official. I can no longer call Joshua my little boy - he is now 13 years old, and in our home, he has become a young man. We are so proud of the man he is becoming. He loves God and strives daily to become the man God wants him to be (even when it's hard). He has grown into a young man that shows hospitality to anyone that knocks on our door - he always has a handshake and hug for anyone that lets him. He loves to be outdoors just enjoying the space or visiting with the horses or cows or cats or chickens. He is the first one up in the mornings (usually) and is ready to greet everyone with a smile and a kind word. I can't begin to count the number of times he's opened gates and broken ice to be a good steward of the animals God has given us as well as to serve Mom or Dad - and he does it without complaining. When I say it's time to dump trash, he quickly grabs his gloves and starts loading stinky bags into the back of the truck without grumbling a bit, and he always assists the trash guy in unloading. I could go on and on with my "bragging", but I think you get the point. He is proving once again that becoming a teenager is not a bad thing. We have heard so many comments from folks that we'll have another teenager in the house, and we rejoice. It's not a bad thing. Instead, it's such a precious time to watch them grow into their own. I am looking forward to seeing how Joshua continues to grow in his areas of interest. It won't be long before we'll have a plane flying, blacksmithing, gunsmithing, taxidermist working on motors - and as long as he stays the loving, kind, welcoming young man that he is now, we will be thrilled. No matter what he does become, we will always be proud and blessed to call him son. We love you!!!

PS - a little bragging time - this is the deer that he shot in Tucumcari last weekend. It's a 9pt deer with a 30" spread. We will again be eating venison for his birthday dinner.

Encouragement for "the challengers".

This is for those of you, and others, that have decided to take my "challenge".

I received this email, and I thought that this might really encourage you (or it may just really hurt! I had a hard time reading it!! :)). This is so true for many of us, definitely me!! :).

I hope that all of "the challenged" are doing well on the challenge! I am afraid that I am not very regular, and I am still so quick to forget that worshiping Him is more important than worrying about our daily life all of the time!! :)

I also must confess that I have been rather worried and a little scared about this election. Thankfully, God has blessed me with such a peace that I know that whoever wins, God is in control! It has been so wonderful to not worry about whether or not so and so is going to win. Whoever wins, God has a plan, and we can only see a very small portion of it, while He is looking at the whole of it!! (He is probably laughing to Himself thinking "You silly people! I have it under control!! I know the whole plan, you don't! Why do you run around like chickens with your heads cut off when something you don't like happens? I am in control!!" don't you think? :))

(Romans 13:1)


I knelt to pray but not for long, I had too much to do.

I had to hurry and get to work For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer, And jumped up off my knees.

My Christian duty was now done My soul could rest at ease..... All day long I had no time To spread a word of cheer No time to speak of Christ to friends, They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do, That was my constant cry, No time to give to souls in need But at last the time, the time to die I went before the Lord, I came, I stood with downcast eyes.

For in his hands God held a book; It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said 'Your name I cannot find I once was going to write it down... But never found the time'

Now do you have the time to spend with God?


RE AD THE FIRST LINE CAREFULLY. . If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

Love, Sarah

Challenge for Friends :).....

Hello to all!

I was sitting outside this morning reading my History (I tend to get more done when I am alone. That is, if the kittens don't bother me, or maybe I should say, if I don't get distracted with those cute little darlings!! :)), and it hit me that it is almost November. AHHHHH!! was my first thought, but I had to sit back for a moment and think. Why do we get so wrapped up in our own selfish doings and ignore what God is doing in our lives? I am the worst at it I am sure. I tend to get wrapped up in thinking about getting Christmas presents made, or dreaming about the future, or wasting my time thinking or getting mad at things that don't really matter.



I think that we all tend to do that, but here is a verse that I found that has been very helpful.

Psalms 106:1 "Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. For his loving kindness is everlasting."



When we are praising the LORD at all times, we don't have time to wallow in self pity, or think about useless things. Besides, aren't we trying to live for the LORD? If so, then we should think this is something wonderful to do, but we don't. We don't because we are sinners and need the LORD, and it is our sinful nature that doesn't want the good.



I have just finished reading a book called The Chosen by Chaim Potok, it was very good. It is about a boy named Reuven who is Jewish. He ends up becoming friends with a Hasidim Jew through an interesting set of circumstances. As I was reading it, I was thinking the whole time how funny it is that we all have different ways of viewing the Bible, but the Bible stays the same.

If the Bible stays the same then God definitely stays the same. So, we should worship Him the same as people did thousands of years ago. I tend to think, "well, that was the way those people worshipped back then. Times are different now." But if God is the same as always, then why should we change the way we worship to ten minutes a day when people would do it all day long?



I know that we all have things to do during the day that need to get done (washing the dishes, cooking, cleaning, etc.), but what if we try to take five minutes out of every hour if possible to just say a prayer of thanks to the Giver? I want to do this as a challenge to those who want to do it with me. Of course, we may not be able to do it every hour, and it doesn't have to be five minutes only either. Sometimes you might find your self in a situation (washing dishes, driving by yourself, getting ready for bed, etc.) that you could pray for longer. (I especially like to pray while I am washing dishes. :)



I hope that you will want to do this with me!! Please post comments as you do it, and let me know what God shows you during that time!

I would love to hear your comments on this!

Sarah for the Herd

The "latest" update

Hey all! Here is a little update!


First off, last weekend we shipped all of the yearlings! We run some yearlings on our ranch for Mr. Mackenzie. He will then pay us, at the end of the year, by how much they weigh. He then sells them to someone else for beef. So Saturday we woke up at 5:00 (even though we are ranchers, we are not accustomed to waking up so early....:)) and got started on the very busy day. After eating breakfast, Becca and Josh headed out to saddle up the horses while mom and I started getting as much food prep for lunch as we could. When the other riders got here, they all headed out to get the 500 head of cattle. Around 8:00 or so, Mr. Mackenzie and the buyer showed up. While we waited for the riders to come with the yearlings, we sipped coffee, ate coffee cake, and visited. When all of the yearlings were in, they headed out to help weigh while mom and I cleaned up from the mid morning snack and started getting food heated while watching the eight semi trucks line up for loading. By 11:45 the round up crew had finished and were HUNGRY. Everyone left after lunch and the rest of us rested. Needless to say, we slept in the next morning. :)



We are all making homemade gifts for Christmas, so we have that to finish up as quickly as possible as well! The gals will get to work on that while our guys go hunting November 1-4, in Tucumcari. We're all excited for that for different reasons. :)



Well, that is the "latest" update!! Hope to hear some comments from y'all!


Sarah for The Herd :)

Rebecca's Trip

Here is the big long account of my trip!

(Sept. 30) I left my house on Tuesday- the start! - and went home with my Grandma and spent the night there.

(Oct. 1) We got up the next morning, and my Papa took their van into the shop to get the oil changed. He got home, we took off for Dallas, TX., and we arrived in Wichita Falls, TX and got a motel there. We then went to the new movie that is out "Fireproof" (EXCELLENT movie!!).

(Oct. 2) We got going on the road the next day and arrived in Dallas sometime around lunch. We found where our hotel was, then we went cruising around downtown Dallas looking for all the places we were going to so we knew how to get there.

We then went to the John F. Kennedy museum- which was lots of fun. It is at the old schoolbook warehouse where the murderer was when he shot JFK. They showed movies and pictures of the evidence that John Wilkes Booth killed him.

We then went to the hotel and changed clothes for the evening and went to the High Kings concert. Grandma had bought Valet parking because she wasn't sure what the parking would be down there. We arrived at the Majestic Theatre about an hour before they started, and they took our car. We asked what restaurants were close by, and they suggested this hotel restaurant just across the street. It was a nice place, and we had fun deciphering a message that was written backwards on a wall. We then went to the concert.

I had been hooked on the High Kings by some friends, and we listened to their CD about every time we cleaned house and had it pretty much memorized. That made it fun at the concert because I could sing along. It was lots of fun seeing (and hearing. :)) them sing and do a little Irish dancing. They sang a couple of new songs but mainly the ones already on their CD. I bought a couple of CD’s which they signed.

The Majestic Theatre was a gorgeous place! It looked like it stepped out of some movie of the olden days. We couldn't take our camera in, so we did not get any pictures of that.

After the show we got in the line for Valet parking. We were near the end of it, and after a while the guys came along grabbing tickets from the people in line. We moved slowly up the line till we were at the front. And we waited. And we waited. People trickled past us. And we waited. We and some ladies were the only ones left. And we waited. The ladies got their car and left. Papa asked the Valet people who were standing around counting their tips if they had our car. They got this look of “Oh no” on their faces and started looking for the key on their holder thing. Nothing there. Looked in the top where they kept their stuff. Nothing there. WE were getting worried. Grandma’s key was in the car, and they had Papa’s! It was already 10:30 and we did not want to be up all night waiting for a locksmith. They started looking in their little grocery trash bag- and found it at the bottom! Luckily the boss, who had just left, did not grab the bag and take it to the dump. Phew!
(Oct. 3) We got up and went to the Creation Museum in Glen Rose, TX. That was a pretty cool place. They have a fossil of a human footprint with a dinosaur footprint over it. (The picture is my Papa, Grandma and I in front of the fossil mentioned above.) Pretty cool. They have created an environment that is the condition like it would be before the flood. They have had smaller animals in it, snakes, mice, etc. The poisonous snakes in there, after growing up in this environment, have venom that is not poisonous! It was really cool! They had animals that were growing much faster then any animals now- growing much bigger than we have now.

We went straight to the Medieval Times restaurant and jousting place after the museum. We got there an 1 ½ before the show started and waited around. They recommended getting there an 1 1/2 before the show started to see everything. The horses were behind glass which I thought was a bummer, and all things they recommended getting there early for was the stuff they were selling, which was expensive. When it was time for the show they seat you in your knights section, and you eat without any forks, knives or spoons. Messy. They then jousted/ fought while you ate. Boy! At times they were hitting so hard there were sparks flying everywhere! Then at other times, it was slow and funny as they acted out the movements behind or ahead of the other person. They did do the jousting where they ride at each other with the long poles and hit the other person. Those sticks would splinter. Then they would fight on ground after having been knocked off with swords or other weapons of the time. I think they really could have been hurt by each other if they didn't pay attention. We really enjoyed the whole thing.

(Oct. 4) We then traveled to Odessa, TX , we and had dinner with relatives down there. We had a good visit and spent the night there.

(Oct. 5) Went to church Sunday in Kermit, TX, with a pastor of Grandma and Papa’s who had moved there. We had lunch with them and a good visit. We then traveled on to Alamogordo and spent the night with relatives living there.

(Oct. 6) We then traveled to Corona and stayed with my Grandma’s brother and his wife, Uncle Mac and Aunt Betty Ann. They showed us all around their ranch, which is pretty. We got to see some petroglyphs! Aunt Betty was so cute. She had left me/us a snack in a bag in a tree so surprise! we had a snack! Then left donuts in a rock they called the “donut hole”, and a message near a long tunnel of rock. That was really sweet and fun. The message was to Sunflower Girl, and because she couldn't’t decided which other name, also to She Who Sews wishing me a happy early birthday. She signed it from Walks with Bulls (Uncle Mac) and Always Hunting (Aunt Betty because she is always hunting for keys, purse, etc.) That was so cute and thoughtful! Spent the night there and enjoyed a leisurely morning then hit the road home. (Oct. 7)
Well, how’s that for a LOONNGG post?

Rebecca
There’s No Place Like Home!

Newcomer (well, not so new now!) Freckle

Hey All!

Sorry that I was so late in getting this posted! The baby horse's name is Freckle! As you can see in the pictures that Rebecca posted earlier, she was born a light brown color. I noticed a few days after she was born that she had a dark spot of fur right behind her ear. So, she had a freckle! Now she is changing color to a darker brown. I was hoping that she would stay the same color that she was originally, but I guess not! Oh, well!

I am having lost of fun training her. I have recently taught her (it is still in the learning process) to come when I whistle! She is doing better every time we work on it. She is lovable and just so cute! i can't wait until I can ride her, but I also want her to stay a cute little baby! She is growing up so fast!



Rebecca has been away fro a week on her high school graduation trip with my grandparents (although she's not officially graduated, yet). She came home today, and we are all enjoying having her back! She will post some of her trip highlights later.

See you later, Gator!
Sarah for the herd

Guess what finally came!!

After Daddy left for work today, he gave us a call and said "Queenie's had her baby". The connection wasn't very good so we all thought- ah ha very funny Dad. He wasn't kidding!!!! We all loaded in the car and headed that way with lots of shrieks and "oh my goodness". The Baby girl was already walking and seemed real spunky and Queenie looked just fine. Queenie was too excited for more than letting me petting her head before she took off with her baby. We pushed her and the baby back to the corrals and penned them up. Queenie has no problem with us petting her or the baby. She is also doing really well about the baby nursing as some mares are really ticklish and won't let the baby nurse.

As I said, Queenie is really relaxed with having us around (well, as relaxed as a new horse momma :)) until the daddy, Buck, arrived to take a look. She got a little more antsy but is still nice to us.

We are all bummed that we weren't able to watch the foaling but with this cute new baby- who could stay bummed for long???

Sarah is still unsure of what to name her, so I will post that later.

Rebecca for the Herd

Happy Birthday, Fair Maiden

Dear Sarah turned 15 today!! I keep saying "where does the time go", but I really don't no where it's gone. I can't possibly have two children over 15, but now I do.

On the bright side, though, I am blessed with two wonderful maidens in my home. This one is full of exuberance and is willing to tackle just about any adventure. Most of the time, she wakes with a smile and a bright face ready to see what the day will hold for her. She is friendly, loves animals (especially kittens), is creative, and Loves The Lord. It's amazing to me that we can have four children that are all so very different, but we do. I am thankful that God blessed us with Sarah all those years ago, and I look forward to seeing how He changes her this next year as she continues to submit herself to His plans for her life. Happy Birthday my Sweet Girl!!!

Riding Queenie

Sunday after church Dad came out, and we started working with Queenie a little- reviewing what she had already learned. Then Dad asked if we wanted to ride her, helped us saddle her up and Joshua climbed on carefully. (I was too chicken to be the first one bucked off - teehee) Daddy walked Queenie around while Josh sat there. Then Josh started using the reins and was "directing" as Queenie followed Dad. She stopped as soon as he asked her to stop and was doing great!! So I decided to give it a go and hopped on. After a while Dad took off the lead rope and stood back. Queenie promptly stopped and wouldn't move for anything!!! Well, I would rather have a new horse not go and stop nicely than go and not stop!!!

As you can see in the picture above, Queenie is ready to foal!! She still has a month to go and we can't wait to see how big she gets then!!!

Chance is our new rooster. We got him from some friends after he had started to attack them- even the Dad. We wanted a rooster, and they wanted to get rid of him. We figured we would give him a "chance", and he could straighten up his attitude with more room and chickens or find his way with the coyotes. So far he has been OK. He has flown at me a couple of times, and I taught him a lesson nicely. Since he has so much room, he seems to have changed. He is very pretty, and I love to hear him crow as I walk to and from the barn.

Rebecca for the Herd

Happy Birthday Young Man

Today our little guy became an 8 year old. He really isn't the baby anymore, and as you can see, he is quite goofy and fits in well with our family. He is such a blessing and brings a fresh perspective to our family. He is the first one to share a new joke, or tell a funny story, or come in and share an adventure he just had in the barn. He loves the ranch - especially the farm animals. The chickens and ducks are probably his favorite - well, maybe the kittens.......or possibly just whatever animal he can catch at the moment. I often will look out the window to see him just skipping to the barn or from the barn or just around the barn. He is probably one of the few people who would like to live in a barn - in fact, he and Joshua have both been asking to sleep in the barn. Wherever he spends his time, we love him dearly!!!

We have an addition to the family

We have been anticipating the arrival of Clarice's calf, and it finally made an appearance yesterday evening. We were disappointed because we honestly thought that she would let us watch if we were around, but for some reason dinner and clean up took precedence over a new calf's birth. As Joshua said, "We've seen it before."

Joshua climbed in the pen with Clarice to check on the calf, and then we were hit with disappointment number 2 - it's a bull. We were really hoping for a heifer to one day become the new milk cow, but it didn't happen THIS time. There's always next year...... I digress, though.... Here are some photos of the new little fellow - and we love him already. How can you not love something that cute!! We've decided to call him Peanut - although Nana was voting for Jellylegs. Caleb shared this morning that Peanut was doing well. He thinks that it was a big shock for him because, "He was all nice and warm in there. He probably can't believe how big this world is because I bet he said to himself, 'I'm so big I can't fit into this world' - and then he was born. I know he was surprised to find out he was really small after all." What more can you say.

Joshua's great adventure.....

It seems that Joshua and I seem to be attracted to adventures when we go out to check tanks for John, and today was no different…….

We were in our final pasture and still trying to find the bull, when I thought I saw a pair of coyote ears popping up out of a bush. Instead, it was a baby antelope. We quickly drove up to where we saw the baby hiding, and Joshua hopped out with the camera phone to see if he could get a couple of shots. Quick disclaimer, Mom is not that adventurous and made sure there were no adult antelope around (of course, I did wonder what kind of Mom would leave her sweet, little baby out there –but I’m glad she did this one time J). Joshua got about 10 feet away from the baby when it hopped up and ran off about 30 feet away and laid down. Joshua had turned his head toward me so he didn’t see where it went, but I did!! I directed him toward the baby until he spotted it, and then he quietly (and that was a chore for this gangly, young man J) and slowly made a circle around the baby. He got 5 feet, 4 feet, 2 feet, and then, he was just standing right over it. I could tell he was having the hardest time not screaming with excitement, but he quietly took a picture and then leaned down to pet the baby. It quickly hopped up and ran off, and even from that distance, I could see the BIGGEST grin on a young man’s face. You just don’t get that kind of excitement at the petting zoo……… We hope you enjoy the picture, and no animals were injured in the making of this adventure – but one young man will have a hard time going to sleep tonight.

Belated yet again....

I laughed when I read my cousin's blog and found that she procrastinates. I guess it runs in the family as I have procrastinated and find myself writing another belated birthday wish. This one goes to my oldest child. Rebecca turned 17 this Monday, and I am in an emotional state of depression. Where did the time go?? If I'm enjoying her so much, why is she growing up so quickly? What can I do to stop the flow of time?? Nothing. That's the depressing thing - in a bitter, sweet sort of way.

I can honestly say that I have not had a little girl Rebecca living in my home for some time. Instead, I look at a lovely, young lady who continues to grow daily into a young woman after God's own heart. She blesses her family with her smile, her servant's heart, her cheery attitude, her sense of humor, and her willingness to reach out to those who are hurting. It has been so precious to me to have had all these years at home with her. I know that we started out to homeschool for academic reasons, but I am now realizing the blessing of spending time with my children as they grow and mature into young adults far outweighs any academic gain. I am so enjoying seeing our relationship change from being one of mother/daughter to one of best friends who also happen to be mother/daughter. What a joy that is and will continue to be for many years to come.

This last year has brought excitement as she acquired her driver's license which has meant that Mom has had to start letting go - hard, hard to do. However, it didn't take long for me to be able to see the benefits of having another driver in the family. I'm just so thankful that she takes this new responsibility so seriously. She is very careful when she's out there which I appreciate, and I am enjoying being able to do other things like read a magazine article as we tootle down the road to music lessons. It won't be long before my dear child will one day be Queen of her own home (if Prince Charming can get past her body guards :)). Until that time, I am going to just keep gathering these wonderful memories and storing them up for that day when I'll need them. Happy, happy day, Sweet daughter!!

Happy Birthday Young Man

Hate to say it - but I am EXTREMELY belated in wishing Joshua a Happy Birthday. I don't think he even noticed because unfortunately, this year we all celebrated his 12th birthday being sick with the flu. He was down for a week, and I don't think he even ate two bites on his big day. He has since enjoyed his gifts and will celebrate later this month with a few friends, guns, lots of ammo and clay pigeons! It's nice to have children who can go with the flow.

Besides being flexible - which is an absolute must if you're going to be a rancher - Joshua has really grown into his own this year. He is wearing a size 11 shoe - yes, you read that correctly. I might also add that's not a youth size but a full grown man's size!! He definitely has his daddy's feet and hands, and he's proud of that. He has his own herd of cattle that he helps to care for not only financially but by planning the breeding and selling of the offspring. He also received a high honor this year at the county fair. He won the Novice class (youngest group) in Showmanship for showing cattle. This meant that he received a ribbon and went on to compete against the winners of the Junior and Senior classes - one of which was a 15 year old and a 19 year old. Both of these other exhibitors had shown cattle for years, and the chances of a novice beating the older ones is pretty slim. No big deal. However, the judge was so impressed not necessarily with his showmanship but with the information and knowledge that he had about his heifer and her breeding. So, rather than awarding one of the older more experienced youth, he named Joshua the Grand Champion in Showmanship. The thing that impressed Joshua the most, though, was that the judge said he was not only a showman but a true Stockman. What a compliment for a young man with his own little herd. :)

We are truly proud as we watch him grow and become the man that God has made him to be. We know that God has big plans for him, and we look forward to seeing him continue to grow in maturity, wisdom, and patience. We LOVE you!!!!!

Happy Birthday to the love of my life

Happy Birthday to the best friend in the world - my wonderful husband!! After today, John and I can proudly say that we have both spent more of our lives on earth married to each other than not. That's kind of exciting when you think about it. Yesterday was 21 years of marital bliss, and John turns 42 today!! He's pretty excited about that fact, too. We are prepared for our traditional breakfast in bed (for some reason, though, John didn't order monkey bread, hmmmm), and we will go around the family and share what we like about John. It may take a while for us to get through our lists as everyone has been giggling and whispering about what they're going to share when it's their turn. This has truly become one of our favorite traditions in our family - to bless the birthday person by sharing what we like about them. If you've never done that, I highly recommend it.

I also would like to thank Harry and Dixie for giving me this special man. They poured their hearts into him and made him the person I've been able to love and enjoy these many years. Thank you for giving me the love of my life!!

Happy Anniversary

Believe it or not - and I'm not sure I can - today we celebrate 21 years of marrital bliss - well, we argued about whether or not they were all blissful years. :) Actually, we both agreed that we've had a few rough years because we were both so darn stubborn - imagine that. Our children love when we talk about those years and share that had we not been, we might not be together now. We were both too stubborn to ask for the divorce and determined to wait for the other one to ask first. Yes, that was us. I can look back now and Praise God that He showed us another plan for our lives and our marriage. We talk about this every year on our anniversary because we want our children to know that there may be struggles, there may be disappointments, and there just might be a few bumps in the road when they are one day married. However, there is One who wants to be a part, if they'll let Him, and when He is it is wonderful!! John and often laugh as we recount those years and realize just how close we came at times to throwing in the hat because it just was too hard or it seemed that it would be easier to quit than to pick up the pieces and try again. Now, we can't imagine any other choice for ourselves. Those years of working- truly working -toward the couple we are today was well worth it. We pray that our own children can walk away with some wisdom gained by our own mistakes and one day be able to say - HAPPY 21st ANNIVERSARY!!! I love you more today than I did 21 years ago and much less than I will in another 21 years!!!

Sarah turns 14

Here I am a day late - yet again. The story of my life, but I'm thinking this may just be the way things go with all these young, busy children I have growing up all around me. I am here to wish my dear daughter a very Happy Birthday as she turns 14!! I can't believe she is that age, but as I have watched her mature and become such a beautiful, Godly young woman these past few years, I can't believe I'm blessed to be her momma. She has blossomed and has discovered ways to serve and love others above herself, and it is so obvious that her heart belongs to Our Lord. We laughed tonight as we went around and did our traditional "what I love about the birthday person". Sarah is just not the same young lady that she was a year ago let alone a few years ago. Numerous comments were made on what a servant's heart she has now as well as how her attitude is so positive and compassionate. I know that this is the work of the Holy Spirit in her life as she continues to become more devoted to God, and I can't say enough what a blessing it is to have her in our home and to know that we shall be dear friends forever. I look forward to seeing how Our Lord uses her as she continues to grow closer to Him and finds ways to reach out to others. Of course, we must be honest and share that one thing she still reaches out for is an animal just wandering around in need of some lovin'. Her love for animals is something she will never outgrow, I'm guessing. She enjoys snuggling with kittens, cats, dogs, the chickens, the ducks - even her steer, Buddy, has become the recipient of many strokes of love. She still doesn't enjoy being around the bulls (and at 2000 lbs. each, who can blame her ). She continues to enjoy playing the fiddle and entertaining Momma throughout the day as well as sitting and sketching the sunsets and mountains around us. I am looking forward to one day reading her books as she publishes them, but in the meantime, I enjoy the privileged position of being her editor.

We Love you sooooooo much!!!!

Happy Birthday

I'm a little late (well, since he came early, I figure I can be a little late every now and then......). I still want to wish my handsome, young man a Happy 7th Birthday!! I can't believe it's been 7 years since we were given the biggest surprise of our lives - a baby a little over 12 weeks early! God certainly blessed us in a big way, and we are grateful that He was in control the entire time. A bit early, a wee bit small, but oh, wow, not so anymore. He is missing a tooth here and there, has lots of scratches from this cat or that kitten, a few mosquito bites from hunting tadpoles in the pond, and all the other stuff that goes with a 150% little boy. He is truly a blessing and as everyone agreed the other night, he always has a HUGE hug for anyone that needs it - which is usually Momma early in the morning. This birthday has probably been a little more melancholy as he's my baby, and I definitely am not ready to move completely out of the baby stage. However, he insists on growing up, so what choice do I have?? Actually, if I'm going to be honest, I hope he gets a job soon as it's getting harder and harder to keep him in clothes that are long enough. Good thing he doesn't care about fashion. Lucky for him, neither do the chickens and ducks. You heard me; chickens and ducks. This little guy is happiest when he's holding some kind of bird. He will be showing a Deleware hen, Black Australorp hen, and a Rouen duck at the county fair this year, and I have a feeling he'll be hauling one of those birds around the entire fair just so he can snuggle with them. He is up in the morning and ready to head to the barn just as soon as I let him. These birds have certainly been a motivator for him to finish house chores as he much prefers the barn chores. I'm just thankful he's here and so healthy, and if he wants to strengthen his immune system by loving on those birds, that's fine with me.

Kill the iPod

This was a great article!! I have to say I agree with the place where our society is. I've been there. I'm still there.

Our tv met an untimely death a few weeks ago, and I can't believe the withdrawal our family went through, and we hardly watched the thing. We don't have cable. We don't have our must die weekly shows. We hardly watched the news except for weather. We watched videos or school curriculum pretty much, as we really would rather play cards or read. However, when the death of the tube came, we mourned more than I thought we would. Somehow, without us even realizing it, we became addicted to entertainment, even if it was in a small way. It's been nearly a month, and Caleb just told me today that he doesn't even miss it anymore. WOW!! It took 4 weeks to get past he addiction!! However, I still can't say that we sit and just relax and let our minds dwell on nothing. How many times does God tell us to sit and wait. He never says, "Go entertain yourself for a while until I get back to you." No, it's usually, sit and wait, be still, wait upon The Lord, etc. Well, we own one iPod only because John won it, and then it sat on our shelf for nearly 6 months because we just didn't really know what it was good for or how to use it (what techies we are :)). We might not kill it, but after reading the article, I do want to focus more on each of us spending more than our morning time in solitude. Quiet. Stillness. Waiting. Patiently, waiting.

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/beta/god_article.php?id=7302%20&print=true

Chickens, chickens, who's got the chickens

We are now gearing up to bring on the chickens. I am really excited as I love fresh eggs fried in bacon grease in the morning. Not politically correct, but it's my favorite way to eat eggs. So, we are venturing out in the chicken world and trying to learn as much as we can. There is a lot to learn. I remember Granny having chickens, but I didn't learn a thing at that time in my life other than you shouldn't poke a stick at the chickens (not one of my nicest moments in life ). If any of you know anything about chickens and care to throw some advice at us, please do so. Rebecca is taking the chickens on as her 4-h project, so she has been doing most of the research - or as she puts it, she's been "pecking" everybody's brains. We are looking forward to the eggs and possibly at some point, we'll even look at raising broilers just to butcher them. Joshua is begging for turkeys, but one fowl animal at a time, please.

By the way, I've had calves in the tub, and I just finished having two cats neutered on my dining room table. Yes, you heard me. We had the vet out fertility testing bulls, and as we mentioned we needed to bring the cats in to be neutered, she offered to take care of them right then and there. They are recovering in the bathroom right now, but I thought I would just add one more bizarre thing that has occurred in my home. If anyone had told me 20 years ago this would be my life, I would have laughed until I passed out. At least no one can tell me they told me so!!!

PS - we did put a trashbag and old blanket down for the procedure, and I have used a washcloth soaked in bleach to clean that table. I might be up for trying these strange things, but I am all for sterilizing after....... I wonder if any of you will still come join us for a meal????

Birthday spa

Hippo Birdie Two Ewe - that was the song my family sang to me as they brought me breakfast in bed. I was given coffee with heavy cream (whipped cream, actually) apple turnovers, eggs over medium, roses in a vase (silk roses in an old wine bottle, but I loved the creativity :)), cards and cards and cards. Then, everyone grabbed their plates, and we all piled on the bed and enjoyed our meal together. That was a wonderful way to start the day. 14 years ago when I started this tradition with my children, I had no idea it would come back to bless me as it does every year. I can remember when they were younger and couldn't cook, yet, they would always make sure Daddy bought Captain Crunch cereal and bring me a bowl of that for breakfast (I confess I do like that sugar filled cereal ). I am still wearing the smile I've had since this morning. Children are truly a blessing from The Lord!!

Now to the spa, we have had 3 calves enjoying our luxurious set up here at the J-C Bath and Day Spa. So far, all are doing well and back with Momma. I am posting some pictures so that everyone can see that we really have had calves in our tub and sleeping in front of our fire. The calf last night was so precious. The children had all gone to bed, and John and I were reading in the living room. The calf stood up precariously and then started bawling for his momma. Since no one came to him, he started walking toward John and me. We loved on him but had no nourishment (we try to make them wait until they go back to momma so they are good and hungry). He then proceeded to bump into the furniture all over the living room and dining room until he finally came back and plopped on his blankets. John and I just laughed and laughed. What a sight! When you're in the area, do come by for your own special treatment!!

Feeling like Job

It's very easy to praise God when things are going well, but we are beginning to experience just a taste of what Job must have felt (nothing more than a taste, maybe only an aroma....). We have had an abundance of snow that has made it difficult to get to the cows. We have run out of hay reserves and can't find any at decent prices. We have had 1/3 of our calves die (that's bad when a normal year is only about 5%). Plus, the dishwasher is giving us fits along with our water softener (and we really, really like our water softener). Now, while we are already feeling down , we find ourselves dealing with a transmission on the 4x4, feed pickup that has chosen this moment in time to begin gagging and taking it's last breath. We don't know how much longer it will work for us, but we are really starting to worry. As John sat the other night wondering what we were going to do as we won't have money from bull sales until late March, early April, I couldn't help but wonder what went through Job's mind.

He endured more than we've even begun to fathom, and yet, he continued to praise God. How often do I praise Him when things are going well - lots of rain, lots of grass, an air conditioner that works, vehicles that work, school going smoothly... etc..... How often do I praise God when I burn the bread, have a stuffy nose and just can't seem to get things done? Not often. Now, here I am finding myself anxious about so many things that I just can't control (that's a whole other issue), and am I easily praising God? I must confess, no. I immediately cry out to God, which I know He does want us to do, but I'm crying like a big baby because things aren't a bed of roses right now. Why is it so difficult to cry out to God with a voice that praises Him for all the things I do have? For all the health we are blessed with? With a family that is willing to work hard together? With friends that are willing to offer their hands wherever needed? With a Savior that was willing to lay His life down for mine? How did Job do it?

Did God show Job He loved him more than He shows me? Definitely not. Was Job less materialistic than I am? Maybe. Was Job's a closer walk than mine has been lately? Probably. Or maybe Job just chose to praise God no matter what. Job's walk was probably much closer than mine has been lately, and because of that close relationship he felt with God, Job knew he could trust God to only allow what was best - even if Job couldn't understand how all of those events could be best. Job knew God's character so well, that he knew God would not desire to harm him or hurt him in any way - it goes against God's character. Often, I've lived through difficulties and wondered how it could be best - such as with Caleb. We can look back now and see that it was best that Caleb was not only conceived when he was but born when he was. At the time, though, we simply had to trust. We are now facing another one of those times. We don't know what the best is going to be out of all of this, but we can trust that God's character has not changed. He is still a loving, righteous, just, giving, caring, compassionate God that desires nothing for us but what is best. Maybe what Job did was to make a conscious CHOICE to praise God no matter what - not because he felt like it, but because he knew that was the best he could give to God. That's what we will try to do, too.

Now, Here Comes the Sun!!

For the first time in I don't know how long, I woke to the sun shining brightly. There were no clouds in the sky at all!!! We are praising God and are beginning to feel the warmth pouring down on us to melt this snow. Yesterday, we woke to a dead calf right outside the kitchen window. Poor thing was born in the night with the chilling winds. Next to that calf was another calf just born that morning and struggling to get up and move around - which I had a hard time myself with the fire for warmth. My children watched that other calf all day to make sure he stuck with momma and was moving and nursing. As much as I hated losing the other calf, I shared with John last night that the good from that loss was the desire it placed in our children to watch even more carefully on the other calves out there. Numerous times they would go search for the calf and felt satisfied when they saw it nursing or snuggling with mom. The desire to care for those less fortunate in any way is something you can't be taught from a book but have to learn through experience in one way or another. I hope yesterday planted one more seed for them.

Also, we are still baffled by the deaths of a couple of these calves and have come to the conclusion that the crows may have killed them. Apparently, after talking to some of the other "older" ranchers around here, the crows have been known to go right down and attack a calf and kill it. After a calf is doing well, often the mom will go looking for a little nutrition, and that's when they come in. So, now we're not only on calf patrol, we're on crow patrol. I always found those birds to be a little creepy (maybe it's a Poe thing, who knows), but now I may be finding a valid reason to dislike them. We'll keep you posted..........

Here it comes.....oh, please let them be wrong

Here is my contribution for the day. Below is a little verse I've quickly written while looking out my window this morning. Sometimes these things just come to me in a weird sort of way. This one is sung to the tune those wonderful BeeGees sang, Here Comes the Sun.

Here comes the snow, Little Darlin’.
Here comes the snow, and I say, it’s all wet ( da da da da da da)

Little Darlin’, it’s been so long since we’ve seen grass.
Little Darlin’, I never thought the white could last, but
Here comes the snow……….
Here comes the snow, and I say, it’s all wet……

We are praying that we only get 1-2 inches this time as we still have not seen the ground (except the mud on the road) since December 28th. That's right-3 WEEKS!!! YIKES! It's not that we mind the snow, but it sure does get expensive when you have to feed 3-4 tons of hay a day. We are almost out of our entire winter stock of hay because feeding 21 days is more than we normally would. John tried finding some more around here, and there is none. What he did find was running 133% increase over what we paid a few months ago. We do have lots of cubes, and they love eating those (high in protein, sweet tasting little cigar shaped food supplements), however, too much is a little hard on their systems without the roughage of grass or hay. So, we continue to pray for the snow to melt and more hay to be found at a more reasonable price. It has just been funny to be in this situation after all the rain we had this last year. We ended up with so much left over grass on the ranch we were actually looking forward to winter for once because there was plenty for them to eat - go figure.

However, on a brighter note, we have about 8 calves on the ground so far, and today is actually the due date for calving to begin. God is so caring and good. He knew that we really needed to see those sweet babies out there to remind us that things do not come to stay - His Word always says, "And it came to pass". Life does not stand still even when we are in a panic, and He once again brings forth new life. So far, Rebecca's herd has increased by a little bull calf. She plans on raising out her calf and selling it next year as a yearling (they learn the value of that dollar early and good business practices as well). Sarah's herd has increased as well with a little heifer. She is happy about that because it means more potential calves in the future. Joshua is still waiting......

I am also grateful for a huge wood pile, lots of meat in the freezer (guess what kind???), food in the pantry, games on the shelf, and lots of great company to fill up the next few snowy hours. What more can we really ask for. Even when we can look one way and possibly become anxious and overwhelmed, we can always turn back to Him and be reminded that He is in control. It's almost as if He says, "These are my cows, and I'll take care of them. In the meantime, go enjoy your family, eat some good food, play some games, read some books, sew some quilts, and trust in Me." Ahhhh, now how easy is that...

Let it snow!!!!!

I hope all of you had a Blessed Christmas as you focused on the gift of Our Savior. I also pray for God's abundant blessings on all of you in 2007.

We ended and began the years with lots and lots of snow. More snow than I remember seeing in a long while. Here are some photos the children took. We ended up with 22" at the house and up to 4 or 5 feet in certain parts of the ranch. The cows would like to have been given B & B treatment, but we were not willing. :) Wonder why! John was able to get to the cows and feed hay as well as cubes, and he eventually got them all moved closer to the house in a smaller pasture. We were thankfully not calving, but we will begin in another week and a half. So, I am preparing the bathtub for cold calves if this weather continues throughout the next few months. If we do have a calf in the tub this year, I promise to post the pictures. Ahhhh, the life of a rancher's wife. If only I'd known..........I'd still have married that wonderful, handsome fella!!!

Another Happy Birthday!!!!

I want to wish my oldest angel a very Happy Sweet 16!!! It's hard to believe that tiny little baby is already 16 years old, but what a blessing she has become through the years. She has grown into a lovely, young woman that has a heart for The Lord and desires to serve Him where He leads her. I am enjoying my time with her as she shares her heart, her frustrations not only with "things" or events but with herself. As much as she blesses me and so many others, she is also still so very humble and willing to look at her faults and try to make changes. What I would have given to be like that when I was 16 - in fact, I'm not sure I'm like that at 40!!

Our time has gone by too quickly, and I know in my heart that the rest of her time in my home will go much faster than I want it to. However, what a joy it is to know that this young lady is preparing herself more and more every day for the service He has for her.

I love you, Dear daughter!!!!

Happy Birthday!!

OK. Way too long since last blog. Now have something really wonderful to blog about.



Today is Joshua's 11th Birthday!!! WOW!! How did I get children this old already? Time is going by too, too quickly for this mother who is having more fun than any person should be allowed to. You will see my handsome little man is showing off his 11 pt. buck he was blessed to shoot his very first hunt. He actually missed a 6 pt. buck an hour earlier and was very bummed and ready to go home. They looked in one more pasture and came up on several large bucks. He and Daddy both shot 11 pt bucks, but Joshua's was the biggest (and he's very quick to point that out, too). We are going to enjoy some venison BBQ tonight to celebrate his birthday. What a deal. Have everyone celebrating your birth while you know that it was your effort that is providing the meal. I can't think of anything that would make him feel more masculine than that.

More pictures

I couldn't get Sarah's birthday picture to download, so here is a picture of the birthday girl, Sarah. She is modeling her Regency tea gown she made for the Cotton Extravaganza (and took first place at County (brag, brag)).

Here is Rebecca modeling her outfit she made for the Cotton Fiesta. She won at County and Distric and will be competing at the State Fair in September.


I can't leave off this picture of my two Knights. These dashing young men caught the eye of a photographer at the County Fair. He was very kind to send us a copy of this photo. I must confess I think these are the four loveliest blessings in the world - that's my opinion, and I'm going to stick to it.

Happy Anniversary

The most important post that should have been made a week ago is a huge big I LOVE YOU to my dear hubby of 20 years!!! Hard to believe he's put up with me all these years, but he has and deserves a medal. I wish I could tell you they have been 20 years of bliss, but some of you would know that was a lie. I will say that we received a gift from our children that made those years of working through difficulties worth it. Our children gave us a piece of paper. This piece of paper was a Marriage renewal that John and I signed as well as "the four witnesses that know us better than anyone else" - our children. They also shared with us how much they appreciate our working on our relationship and giving them a home where they know they are loved. WOW!! Again, there were tears everywhere - including John (mine were a given). I can honestly say that after 20 years, I would still go back and marry him all over again - struggles and all, and I look forward to the next 20, 30, 40 and beyond years of marriage!!

I love you, John, and I dedicate this song to you!!

IF I HAD TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN

We’re not as young as we used to be
But baby I don’t mind
'Cause growing old with you is gonna be
Full of life and good times.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you.

Looking back on life I can’t complain
It ain’t been easy but don’t you know
We still had sunshine even when it rained
And we’ve shared a love few have known.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you.

And if I had it to do all over again I’d do it with you
I wouldn't want to miss a thing that we’ve been through
Baby nothing can compare with the good love that we’ve shared
And if I had to do it all over again I’d do it with you...

Belated birthdays

As many of you have emailed and reminded me, I have been very delinquent in my blogging. Let me take a quick moment in the midst of my chaotic world to at least catch up on my birthdays. Caleb is now the big 6!! Way to go my little energetic, bundle of encouragement. It's hard to believe that 6 years ago we all wondered if he would even survive let alone whether he'd have any disabilities. Looking at him now, I just have to laugh at all the worry.

Next, we need to welcome Sarah as a new Youth (she doesn't want to be called a teenager). She turned 13 a few weeks ago, and we were blessed to celebrate with the Heckendorn traditional 13 year old evening (I can only whisper this as I don't want the boys to find out what we do until they turn 13). Let's suffice it to say that the evening is filled with blessing and welcoming our newest young lady. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner in a very special place, shared lots of encouraing words, and shed tears all around (yes, even Daddy.) It was just wonderful.

No regrets...

My dad was visiting a while back and commented that this life was not what he thought I'd be living. He then asked me if I was happy I had chosen this path instead of the "my dreams" path. It was so easy to say yes. I can honestly say that I don't regret giving up the things I did at all. I wanted to "be somebody". You know - play at Carnegie Hall, be an actress, write a novel - be somebody "important". Well, I do get to play at the J-C Ranch, do the voices for numerous characters in novels, and write lots of lists and assignments. Maybe a bit different from MY dreams of long ago. The best thing is, I am SOMEBODY. I am IMPORTANT!! My face will never grace the cover of People magazine, but my portrait has been drawn by all four of my children. In fact, it usually is drawn with beautiful hair, a huge smile, a tiny waist (thank you for that boost), and at least one child in my arms. I don't think they would have chosen that pose for People. I have received the best reviews from my critics when I read a book out loud and give each character their own "sound". I might add, too, that my critics typically bless me with hugs and kisses as well. Not sure John would have appreciated that from the "important" critics in the other arenas. As to Carnegie Hall, I don't want to take the time I would need to in order to be that good anymore. I would miss out on too many precious moments snuggling with these sweet angels God has blessed us with.

I find it so interesting to talk with so many other moms that say the same thing. Those dreams of long ago seem so undesirable compared to these little people in our lives. That's not to say that we can't keep dreaming and shoot for those things later in life. I know I still want to write a book, I even have it started, but it just has taken a different direction than what I would have written about 20 years ago. I still consider the possibility of acting - for all of my grandchildren one day. I have even toyed around with the idea of putting some really great literature on CD. We love that and can't ever seem to find enough for these long NM trips. As to playing in Carnegie Hall, well, my wrists just can't take it anymore. Instead, I'll just humm along with children and enjoy their concerts. Much less practice time that way.

Whatever the future holds, as long as we can take where we are right now and be contented, we can move forward without regrets. It's the regrets that hold us back, not the lack of dreams. Life might not be everything we imagined, but maybe we just never imagined the life we're leading could be this good!

More rain .....

God continues to bless us!!! Sunday evening we received an inch of rain. I know that's not a lot for you wet weather folks, but you know what that means to NM!! John and the boys were actually out checking cows, tanks, and stalking rabbits when it began. They had made it to the barn just before it really hit hard. They didn't care, though, and the boys begged Dad to let them run around in it. He did. :):)

The girls were inside finishing up some dresses for a contest this week. I'll post pictures after the contest. They were also delayed in their sewing because they joined the boys in the rain. As the storm was subsiding, we were blessed with not one, but two full rainbows. The children were ready to load up and get that pot of gold as it was obviously right in the middle of the Mesa pasture. Dad did not consent to this hunt at 8:30 pm, so maybe next time.

What an Awesome God we serve......

IT RAINED!!!!!! Last night about 11pm, John and I were blessed to still be up talking, and we heard the pitter patter of rain drops. We both went outside and just took it in. The lightning was glorious, the air smelled so intoxicating, and I as I stood there with the man I love looking out at the rain nourishing this dry land, I could not help but start singing "God will take of you". He does. We have been praying for rain for months and months (years, actually), and we have no sold any of our cattle as an act of faith. Yes, they are skinny, but they are still really doing well. We are amazed that we can still go out in the pastures in the late afternoon and see them lieing down chewing their cud (a good sign that they are getting enough to sustain themselves). John had just mentioned a few days ago that if we didn't have moisture by the end of June, we would have to pull the yearlings off. Let's keep in mind that we just don't get rain in June. It hits hard in July, but not in June. Well, once again, God provided. In about 1/2 an hour we received 2/10 of an inch!!! That may not seem like much to some folks, but when you haven't seen more than an inch in 10 months, that is a huge gift in water. We stood there a bit longer, and John started singing "Our God is an Awesome God". We both sang it at the top of our lungs. I'm surprised we didn't wake the children up! :)

This morning, everything just looks cleaner. I don't know what it is about that rain, but it just feels that way. The sky is a gorgeous blue, and in no time at all, this wonderful New Mexico grass will start to pop up. The cows will begin to lose that burned look, the calves will start filling out, and once again, we will wonder why we ever doubted.

Great news if you're a male Heckendorn....

After waiting and talking and waiting and discussing and waiting........we finally found out yesterday that John drew for an elk hunt in September. Joshua is beside himself with excitement. He has been anxious since May when John applied for the hunt, so I thought we might have a respite from the hunting discussions. Not to be. Now, he is already planning what Momma needs to make for him - all in camo colors of course. :) It will be a bow hunt which means chances will be a bit slimmer of actually bagging an elk. John has explained that, but it has dampened the excitement one bit. This hunt is a cow or bull, but John has already told Joshua that he will only kill a bull. That is fine with him as he plans on breaking all hunting records for the largest elk, and then we will proudly mount the head over the fireplace. Not sure how that will fit, but I suppose we can solve that issue later. In a lot of ways, I hope they get an elk. One, I would like some sausage from the elk. Better for you than pork, but tastes better than deer. Second, John is really hoping that Joshua sees that hunting isn't all fun. Yes, it provides food for the family, but it is a lot of work. Mostly, though, we want him to fully realize that an animal dies when you hunt. That sounds funny, but I am so shocked and amazed at how many young people do not fully understand where that burger or those chicken nuggets come from. They don't realize what it takes to get that milk or those eggs to the store. As far as they're concerned, that food simply comes from the market. When we have friends over, their children are amazed that we can get milk from a cow, but they're even more amazed that we drink it (this is especially shocking if they have seen the calf enjoying a bit of momma before we milk her). Our children have talked about butchering so and so, only to find out their young friends have no idea that we would really kill that four legged critter in the corrals. One friend asked them why we don't just go to the store instead. My children said it's the same thing and explained the beef market plan of America to them. I shouldn't be surprised, though. The first time we fed corn on the cob to our children, one of them asked how they get the corn on there. John realized that we hadn't done a very good job explaining all those veggies we eat (I never can get the corn to produce in the garden, so I take full responsibility).

I suppose it's just a sign of the times. We have become such a specialized nation with each of us only doing that one thing that we're good at - mortgages, teaching, music, banking, business, engineering, etc, that we have forgotten so much of what takes place each day in other sectors. I'm just as guilty. That is why I do hope that Joshua can get a bigger picture on this hunting trip. It will be fun. We'll enjoy the meat, but I pray that he sees things a big differently after September and can keep things in perspective. Just one of the many things in life to learn.

What we learn from our children.....

OK. I must confess that God blessed me with children only to teach me a lesson. How frustrating it is to see all of my irritating habits present themselves in one or all of my children. Arrrgghh!! I know that I must give God a chuckle when I yell at my children, "Why are you YELLING!!!!" Many a times I've looked up and knew the answer to my question - they learned it somewhere. Now, I'd like to think they learned it from John, but that only delays the inevitable. OK. I take responsibility.

Lately, though, I am beginning to see someone else have an influence on my children's behavior and how they view things. Our Lord. I am constantly amazed how He speaks to them in such a different way than He does to me. In fact, I love it when they share what He has taught them because it usually makes so much sense to me - better than anything I could have thought up. For example..........

We have been reading our daily Proverb together before we start our book lessons, and as we try to read the Proverb chapter that corresponds to the day of the month, we've just started at the beginning of Proverbs again. As we were discussing the first two chapters over a couple of days, we talked about how God was clearly showing us our choice of following Him, gaining wisdom, turning away from sin or walking head long into the darkness. I'm focusing on the ways that God shows us to stay focused on Him, and my children are following along and adding their thoughts here and there. As I also try to do, I pointed out at the end that no matter how far away we turn from Him, we can always repent and He will be waiting to forgive us. Caleb then picked up this piece of paper he had been messing with and showed us what repent "looks" like - he had taken that paper and shaped it like a J so that when you laid it on its back, he said repent is when you zoom back to God! Yeah! He gets it! I'm satisfied and ready to pray when Sarah pipes in that she thinks about it like a dog going after a porcupine. That dog knows what will happen, but he chases that porcupine and gets sprayed with quills. Joshua added that the quills they get sprayed with aren't the ones you see, though. The quills that we see aren't really very bad at all. Then, once you're in the middle of the fun with that porcupine, the tiny quills with barbs like velcro are released, and these are the ones that really stick and hurt! Isn't that just like sin -it never looks that bad and you have no idea the pain it will cause until it's too late. Rebecca then chimed in and reminded us that the dog's master is always ready to pull those quills out and love the dog - just like God is willing to love and care for us as the wounds from our sins slowly heal.

I have to tell you I cried. Once again, God used those blessings of mine to teach me a lesson. How many times have I chased that "porcupine", found myself full of "quills", tucked my tail, and came whining back to God. I can't say, though, that I've always viewed God as the loving, willing Master that was ready to gently help me begin the healing process. Maybe I don't see Him that way because I'm not that way? As much as I'd like to think I'm loving and merciful, I find myself too many times focusing on the consequences of the sin and hoping the lesson was learned rather than focusing on the forgiving aspect. Ouch. I think that was a quill. I do thank God for these children, and I pray that He never stops teaching me through them.

In the meantime, I have some quills that need to be removed.......