oh, what a beautiful morning...

It was a gorgeous morning! The sun was bringht, and the kids were itching to get outside and run off some excess energy. So my sister and I decided to pack them up and head on out to the park. A lovely time was had by all... on days like these I cannot imagine living anywhere else! ~~~

We also have a new addition to our little funny farm in town... Meet "Flopsy". My hubby has been working long and hard on the bunny hutch; it's finally done and the bunny is here! The little lady is oh so proud of her little pet, which she bought with her very own Christmas money. She makes sure that Flopsy has plenty of food and water several times a day, holds her so she doesn't get lonely, and carefully protects her from Ziggy (the miniature daschund who would love nothing more than a taste of that rabbit.) She's even excited about cleaning the cage! Who knows how long that will last, but we'll definitely enjoy it for now! :)

So Thankful...

"He tends His flock like a shepherd:

He gathers the lambs in His arms

and carries them close to His heart;

He gently leads those that have young."

Isaiah 40:11

I love my family beyond what words can express... yet I'm so thankful that God loves our families even more than we do. He directs their every step and holds them always. Praise Him for that!

the latest from the little farmer...

This little guy is cracking me up lately. He L.I.V.E.S to be outside... preferably with his dad. When he gets up from his afternoon nap, he hurries out of bed and grunts for his coat, shoes, and hat. And he wears them until Eric gets home, in hopes escaping the house. And no, Eric doesn't normally get home at 3:00. The Little Farmer will wear these around the house for 2 to 3 HOURS waiting for him if I'm not able to take him out.

His dad really likes his hat in this picture... the Tinkerbell blanket belonging to his sister, not so much!

Ride 'em Cowboy!

He loves his sister...

And while he hardly utters a word, he manages to say "too-tee"... cookie. He scrambles for a chair and promptly pushes it right up to the counter anytime he hears the mixer start.

He's lovable and sweet. Spunky. Mischievous. Determined. He's soft-hearted and compassionate. We love all of him and are thankful to God each day for the gift he is to us!

gifts

Sometimes when I look at this girl, I think to myself, "Is this really the girl who was placed in my arms for the very first time... 5-AND-A-HALF years ago already?" She stared right at me with the biggest, most beautiful, dark eyes... I am so humbled and thankful that God has given me the priviledge of being her mom. Every first-time mom is a true rookie... and my firstborn has had to put up with a serious learning curve! From not knowing what babies do, how to teach them as young children... all the mistakes I've made---oooooh! I don't want to even go there!

Yet God has given so much grace! Grace for me to be her mom, and grace for her to love and forgive me inspite of my mistakes. I'm thankful beyond words for both her and for her little brother. And for Eric... (there's a whole other blog post on HIS patience with me, though!:) In a world where there is much heartache, God is good. Our children, our spouses, our dear families, loved ones, the sunshine, each new day - they are gifts from Him; they're not ultimately ours, but HIS. And He commands us to think about whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. And I know I've mentioned it before, but that list of things we're to think about follows the verse that tells us: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

I guess with the recent heartache in our community...little Cash and Melanie who are now in Heaven, and Jensen who continues to suffer... it's once again my tendency to be anxious. But I know that is not the answer. All of these children are so precious to Him. And their presence in our lives is truly a gift from Him.

prayer requests

To anyone who ever reads this blog, I have a request... please pray especially for the following 3 people and their families. It sure seems like 'rough patches' come in waves, and this is a wave alright!

1) Jensen Anderson... most of you probably know about him. He's a 6-year-old boy with cancer in his spine and he has been in incredible, excruciating pain. Pray that God has mercy on him and his dear family. (You can follow the Andersons on facebook if you look up Jensen Anderson Updates.)

2) Cash Parriera... he is 2 years old and has cancer as well. While it doesn't seem as though he is in a lot of pain, he is increasingly fatigued, and there is nothing more the doctors can do for him as far as treatment goes. They so need our prayers as they walk through this valley. (You can go to acashofhope.blogspot.com for updates.)

3) Melanie Plagerman... she has battled with Cystic Fibrosis her whole life, and is once again in the hospital. She has had 2 lung transplants in her life, and a third cannot be done. Her lungs are only functioning at about 10%. She is also unable to undergo any more significant treatment now... time will tell whether she is able to come home or not.

My heart just aches for these families. And I wish there was something to lessen their pain or get rid of their diseases. I thank God that they trust in Him and that this life is not all that there is to them. Their hope is in the Lord. I know that each and every one of them would covet our prayers on their behalf! For peace. For God's love and mercy to surround & sustain them. For healing, whether here or in Heaven.

I'm so very thankful that "the Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."

And I pray that each one of them finds comfort in the words of Isaiah 41:10: "Do not fear for I am with you, do not be dismayed because I am your God. I will strengthen you and keep you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Health Food

I have a few friends who like to think that I can justify almost anything as "health food." I'll let you be the judge...

First of all, I actually do like to steer clear of hydrogenated oils where I can. I hear that stuff clogs your arteries. Anything that molecularly close to plastic probably shouldn't be consumed excessively. Soooooo, I make my all of my cookies with real butter. Yes, I'm a dairy farmer's daughter and the "M" word is not allowed in my house. Plus, it makes my cookies classify as health food if I use REAL butter.

Another example: Basically anything with chocolate chips is loaded with antioxidants, right? My grandma makes an unbelievable fudge at Thanksgiving. There is no margarine in it, and it's packed full of delicious, antioxidant-filled chocolate chips! My grandpa, who is just turning 80 years old claims that Hershey's chocolate has been a large part of his plan for healthy living.:) Anyways, Grandma's Fudge=Health Food.

Finally, my friend Dana makes an amazing sour cream coffee cake. This coffee cake is unlike anything I've ever tasted in my life, for not having chocolate in it. It gets a little harder for me to justify this one... (There might be about 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup sour cream and a 'few' cups of sugar in it...) BUT, this delightful dish is LOADED with dairy. Very important for strong bones, especially for us women. And, sugar is so much better for you than that fake stuff. So Dana's Amazing Sour Cream Coffee Cake=Health Food. What do you think? I think it works.

As you can see, my dietary plan has not been all that helpful in shedding holiday pounds. But it sure tastes good!

it's just january!

oh how i'd love...
to be in the mountains

camping with eric
and our two sweet kids

to make breakfast on a griddle...

bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes
all smothered in maple syrup

and enjoyed in the sunshine

to ride horse through

mountains, streams, valleys

meadows of lupines

and soft lush grass

to soak in hillsides

covered with indian paintbrush, bright yellow daisies

the smell of sage

and a faint trail

to enjoy time

unhurried, uninterrupted time

with my family

the people i love the most.

...better stop my daydreaming and remember, it's just JANUARY!