Some more pictures from our fishing adventure…this week only Big Bro went with, but he had so much fun!
Big Bro loves fishing, but combine that with playing, and he was in heaven!
They made up games all afternoon.
I have to admit, sliding on the ice was one of my favorite things to do, too.
He was so shy about playing with other kids, but had a blast!
And a classic game of follow the leader...what a great day!
At the beginning of January, my husband and I had a little layover in California on our way to the American Farm Bureau National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. We stayed with some amazing friends of ours, and had a really wonderful time. Here’s a few of the photos I took while there.
Remember: it’s not always what’s around you that makes a difference…it’s all about how you look at it.
It reminded us a lot of home...warm, inviting, rural. And with the amazing winter we're having, it was only 5 degrees warmer!
Something we don't have in our front yard.
Taken through a knot-hole in an old barn. A different point of view.
The stark contrasts, even in winter.
Cattails, just like at home. But open water, not ice!
Sun peaking through the web of an old tree.
Sometimes the small stuff is the good stuff.
So do you focus on the small stuff...
Or are you looking at the bigger picture?
Great Christmas celebrations!
EJ lost a fingernail during a Christmas-gift-opening incident. Let's just say that it involved a concrete floor, knee-high boots and a hand. Needless to say, the fingernail was ripped completely out and EJ's days of being a hand model are over. Just when you thought you had your child's future planned. 😉
Scooter turned 8 on New Year's Eve. A tough time to have a party, that's for sure.
Grandpa tried to convince Scooter that he should share his birthday gifts...at least the cash ones!
I bought an economy-sized bottle of winter lotion. Never. Again.
Hmmm...
I'm thinking that there may be a trail...
Any idea...
How to get lotion out of carpet?
Well, at least it's not ALL in the carpet. I mean, there's some on the TV and remote too!
Any guesses on who was responsible? I’ll give you a clue. He’s cute, he’s two and he’s AMAZINGLY fast!
This summer we were hit hard by a storm. Although it was not ruled a tornado, just straight-line winds in excess of 125 mph. Yeah, the wind blew a little. There was not a building on the farm that wasn’t damaged…and Boss Man is lucky to be alive. You can read about it here.
Harvest finished early this year, giving us time to get things taken care of before snow flies. And here it is, almost Dec. 1, and still no snow. Amazing!
So Boss Man, his dad and a friend worked on repairing the damage.
This is the west end of the shop Mark was in when the storm hit. The whole side is caved in.
And now it looks like this:
Good as new!
The old wooden bins that used to set on the east side of the farmstead were blown away:
This bin should be sitting on the cement slab...the other bin is strewn across our corn field.
That area now looks like this:
EJ has instructed me that these bins are for his corns. Dad gets to use the big ones further east of the farm.
Sometimes, when we’re not ready to adjust to change, the decision is taken out of our hands. The best we can hope for is to hang on for the ride and sort things out when all is said and done.
We still have a few roofs to fix, garage doors to put on, fence to mend and a barn to put back together, but God has blessed us so far…and I know we’ll get it done. One step at a time, that’s the way it all goes.
Today’s post is mostly wordless by me…following you will find another survivor’s story, this one by Heather Von St. James. We are all given so much, and sometimes we don’t realize the “village” we have, until we need it.
And please, don’t forget to click on the blue angel in the right-hand corner! We need more angels and more gift suggestions! Let’s make this a season of giving!
The Strength of My Village
When a mother announces her pregnancy, a village surrounds her. Family, friends, co-workers and even strangers offer support and advice. This happened to me in 2005. On August 5, my husband and I welcomed our daughter Lilly into our family. Our village surrounded us in the hospital with well wishes as they met our daughter. In the months and years to come, I would realize how much I needed their support.
As the partial owner of three successful salons, I supervised 20 employees at one location and worked behind the chair until the day Lily was born. After a few weeks at home with my baby, I regretfully returned to work. Unenthusiastically, I accepted a location switch and a lighter workload. I really only wanted to be home with my child!
Motherhood brings health changes such as weight fluctuation, lack of energy and tiredness, but I soon began to experience severe symptoms. After losing an average of six pounds a week, I consulted my doctor. Blood work and a chest x-ray revealed fluid build-up around my left lung. The doctor prescribed more tests. On November 21, 2005, my medical team discovered the source of my unusual symptoms. In the lining of my lung, I had cancer called malignant pleural mesothelioma. Caused by asbestos exposure I had experienced as a child, the diagnosis came just three and a half months after precious Lily was born.
The doctors gave me 15 months to live, and my thoughts flew to my husband and child. I wanted to do whatever it took to save my life. My husband and I decided to pursue drastic treatment. On February 2, I underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy in Boston. Specialists removed cancer-laden organs and tissue and administered heated chemo to remove all the cancer. I spent 18 days in the hospital recovering from surgery. Two months of additional recovery prepared my body for chemotherapy then radiation. I survived the horrid medical treatments with help of my village.
My parents took Lily to live with them in South Dakota where my childhood friends and people from my church surrounded my parents who both worked full-time. They babysat Lily and made meals. Halfway across the country, my baby learned to roll over and eat solid food. So we could watch her grow, my mom emailed pictures of Lily that my husband printed out. In black and white, I watched my little girl grow and change. I fought for my life because of my daughter.
Five years later, I rejoice that I can stay home to care for my child. As we embrace life, Lily has learned to give to others in need. She befriends everyone she meets and really thrives because of the family, friends, and strangers who surround us. Because of the cancer diagnosis, I remain thankful for my many blessings. With the bad comes good, and my family appreciates every moment thanks to our village who so generously supported us then and continues to support us now.
Mesothelioma: www.mesothelioma.com
Diagnosis: http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/diagnosis/
Heather Von St. James: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to write about today…but thankfully, I have a little guy in my house that usually makes these posts pretty easy to write. He didn’t disappoint today!
While I was checking email, and assuming George was quietly eating his breakfast, I found out he was really trying to make ME breakfast! Wasn’t that sweet of him? (I keep telling myself that.)
I was going through some of my older photos…and I realized that I hadn’t shared the shots that my 4-year-old took while we were driving truck for silage cutting. Some of them are so funny, that I have to share.
EJ definitely has an eye for photography!
Today's post, brought to you by 4-year-old EJ.
Chopper at work...well, actually at rest, but getting ready to work.
Self-portrait. We'll call this, "EJ - Through the Looking Glass"
Chopper, at work again.
Up close shot of silage flying around.
Well, where would we be without our hands?
Had to get a shot in of his favorite person/mentor...Mr. Shorty.
Just to prove it really arrived! I was so excited! Maybe I'll just end up buying one for myself. (Hey, Boss Man, that's a HINT!)
I was born and raised in Southern California and I am not where I am today because my plan went the way I hoped but because of unexpected events. I’ve learned that is what life is…just a bunch of unexpected events. Nothing ever goes to plan and that can still be a very good thing.My husband and I met in 2005 and what intrigued me most about him was that he lived such a different life than what I knew. His dad was/is a sheep rancher and he grew up in the country. Unpaved roads, knowing all your neighbors, no street lights kind-of-country and here he was in the big city of Los Angeles making snow action sports films.Five years later I’m married to the small town boy, settled and adjusted in the great state of Colorado and don’t plan on moving back to California.This past August 2010 my father in law had a bad fall. He tore ligaments in his shoulder and was put in a sling until surgery could be performed. While in a sling he felt a lump in his breast. Cancer. Breast Cancer. Between the shoulder injury and chemo treatments it would be months, maybe years before he’d be able to work on the ranch again.His parents asked us if we would help out on the ranch and work to eventually take over the sheep operation. They plan to retire and enjoy life after they kicked this cancer’s a**. My husband and I always knew there was a possibility to move to the ranch but never thought it would happen this soon. Within weeks my husband and I quit our jobs, packed our things in a horse trailer and headed to SW Colorado.From all this I’ve learned that it’s not about the things you have – your house, your car, your clothes or how much money you make. Life is about what you have in your heart and the love that surrounds you.
I say that and mean it 100% because I gave up quit a bit to make this move, but I gained so much more than I could have imagined in return.
It’s been a few days since I posted last…life has been on a roll again! When I say there’s never a dull moment here, I truly mean it! I’ll explain later, but for now, enjoy this photo:
The other day I opened the fridge, and was greeted with this:
Hmmm...wonder if this is a hint?
Call me crazy, but I believe someone may have been playing in the fridge! And for my dairy friends, half the sticks are real butter, half are the “other” kind. I don’t use real butter for George’s stuff, but Boss Man insists on it! 🙂 We’re a mixed house like that.
Today, I’m linking up with Katie over at Pinke Post for Wordless Wednesday. Go check her out and give her a follow, she’s amazing! (And a fellow Prairie Mama!)
Wag'n Tales 