Nibby Nosing

Not in my garden

2010-06-22T21:39:00.003-04:00

But I wish it was!

© 2010 All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
and protected by Federal Copyright Laws.
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.

Same View Yet Different

2010-06-13T00:52:00.002-04:00

It's the same view out my front door that I look at every day.
Yet I am continually fascinated by the creativity
of our Creator.

"For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities- His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God."
~Romans 1:19-20~ (NLT)

In The Garden

2010-05-19T01:18:00.001-04:00

Gardening and I are like a struggling romance.
I love gardens.
I love the colors and the textures.
I love the excitement of the first peek of a seedling.
I love the fresh growth after a steady rain.
I love the health it produces!

I'm not so fond of weeding.
I'm really turned off by ICKY bugs---
especially BIG, green tomato worms
and slimy slugs!
No!
On second thought, the tomato worms are the worst!
Nothing sends me far away from my love like those HUGE, ugly, green aliens!

Yet, the garden grows on.
And after my loyal husband defeats those green monsters,
I return to the romance.
I'm not looking forward to the invasion of those enemies
but for now, I'm enraptured by the beauty
of being in the garden again.

Dizzy!

2010-05-03T00:58:00.001-04:00

Sometimes life is like riding a tire swing.
You have to hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

And when it finally stops spinning around,
you're left so dizzy
that you can't help but to laugh!

Question is:
Do you want to get back on the swing again?
;o)

Pedicure, Elsa?

2010-04-23T20:06:00.002-04:00

Thanks!!

2010-04-20T20:48:00.002-04:00

Thank you, Mom & Dad!
I love you to pieces!
XOXO

Prince Milton

2010-04-17T19:08:00.001-04:00

♥

The "Cow Way"

2010-04-16T21:39:00.002-04:00

We live in rural America.
Our location allows us to have multiple routes
by which we can travel on our way home.

The girls have a favorite route they refer to as
the "Cow Way".
There is one particular intersection where I almost always hear,
"Can we go the "cow way", pleeeeeease!"
Today, I acquiesced to their request (name that movie!)
and they were rewarded!

This is why it's called the "Cow Way".

There are often cows in a beautiful, picturesque pasture (as opposed to the usual flat, drab lot) on this route.

And today the cows were joined by calves.
Isn't Spring wonderful?

Ok! Ok! It can be a little itchy too!
But it's still far more desirable than winter in my book.

"Wha' choo lookin' at, Willis?"

Wednesday Without Words

2010-04-14T23:37:00.000-04:00

HE is Risen!

2010-04-04T05:00:00.002-04:00

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

'He is not here, but He has risen.'

Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, 'Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ...'

(From Luke 24)

From the Archives

2010-04-02T08:00:00.002-04:00

The Trouble with Trash!

2010-04-01T01:27:00.002-04:00

When you get into it, it can be hard to get out of.

It has a way of sticking with you.

OH! Sooooooooo many applications!

*note: No kitties were harmed in the capturing of these images. Miz Peanut got herself into this predicament which was more cosmetic than anything. After showing off her styling self, we helped her return to normal kitty-dom. *

Goosey Expression

2010-03-27T18:20:00.001-04:00

This Goose...

gave real meaning...

to the expression...

"Really HONKED off"!!

Medicine for Monday

2010-03-22T15:19:00.002-04:00

There are at least 14 individual birds in this image
and 4 different species.
Can you spot them?
(hint: click on the picture for a larger view)

Spring Sign

2010-03-21T21:46:00.001-04:00

My mom's crocuses have started peeking out from
their blanket of fallen leaves.

I LOVE Spring!

Nap!

2010-03-19T15:26:00.003-04:00

I am thankful for the warm temperatures and sunshine
our area has been spoiled by this week.

BUT...

It has been a LONG week full of emotional anticipation
and stress for me.

A nap looks like a perfect way to finish off this week!

ZZzzzzzzzz.....

Eye Just Can't Help Myself

2010-03-16T20:44:00.001-04:00

Uninspired

2010-03-15T17:13:00.001-04:00

It's just drab looking out my windows today.

I'm feeling uninspired.

Maybe this will help!

From the Archives: Typo!

2010-03-13T17:13:00.000-05:00

Eyelashes!!

2010-03-10T21:48:00.000-05:00

Freedom For Feet!

2010-03-09T11:53:00.002-05:00

Just the other day, I was notified that I was infringing on
the Barefoot Club's
right to bare feet.

Spring temperatures have arrived
so I acquiesced to their request.

The Barefoot Club is once again
exercising their
right to bare feet.

Spring Climbing

2010-03-08T18:52:00.001-05:00

Some do Spring cleaning.
These two do Spring climbing!

Sunset on Another Week

2010-03-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

Facebook: A Blessing and A Curse!

2010-03-03T13:33:00.006-05:00

Facebook.

It is a strange and wonderful social realm.
The social platform has allowed me to reconnect with old friends. We can once again, engage in a form of daily friendship across great distances.
Of course, it truly only provides a glimpse of our lives but
friends are able to be encouraging and supportive to each other, even if only in words and prayer.
I love being able to pray for my friends and often very specifically
for them in daily circumstances.

But there's also a cursed side to facebook.
Any number of things, from ignored friendship requests to social inflammations, can very quickly throw one into a sense of being socially ostracized.
It is easy to forget that the typed word lacks vocal intonation and find yourself smack in the middle of an ugly exchange of words. (I blame my excessive use of emoticons on this.)
I've been told there are unspoken social "rules"- especially within the younger generations (highschoolers & college-aged).
What can I say?
I am a rebel.
I've never been good with social "rules" and some of the "rules" are downright idiotic.
Attempting a coup on accountability and responsibility doesn't fly with me and does nothing toward encouraging a new generation to be effective in society.
I stand against that and refuse to conform.

Then there are applications.
Oh yes!
The applications!!!
The latest application to show its face on my wall is an application called "Friend FAQ".
The premise is that one of my friends answered a question about me.
So I click the application and find a list of questions that the people on my friend list have answered about me.
The questions range from things like "Is Jodie cute?" to "Does Jodie dress well?" to "Do you think Jodie sleeps with a teddy bear?" to "Do you think Jodie is a good friend?".
The answers "yes" or "no" are listed after each question but in order to see which friend has answered each question, you have to have accumulated 50 points to redeem.
How do you earn such points?
By answering questions about your friends of course.

The potential for this application to send you into a downward spiral is great. In fact, I think it is almost guaranteed because all it takes is ONE question among an entire list to suddenly grab hold of you and send you spinning.
I think the question will be different for each person.
I could care less who thinks I am cute and who doesn't, but someone else might really be bothered to know who thinks they aren't cute.
And, of course, if you can't overcome the urge to know who answered that question, you will then succumb to answering questions about your friends until you've earned your 50 points.
Each question only earns you 1 point so you've got a ways to go.

I encountered this application recently and I had to really evaluate its value.
Some questions, while seemingly innocent, have the potential for much damage.
"Is Jodie hot?"
Well, my husband could answer that honestly without having too much concern for consequences.
But consider the dilemma another male friend might have.
It might hurt my feelings if someone says no but I'm also a married woman and consider it out of bounds for someone other than my husband to contemplate the question in the first place.
Sure, it's nice to see that one of my friends thinks I'm fun to be around.
And it's humorous to see that there's some disagreement as to whether I sleep with a teddy bear or not.
But none of this defines me or who I am.
And while, like many, I struggle with caring about what you think of me,
what you think about me doesn't define me.
When my feelings get hurt, I have to be reminded that what defines me
is who GOD has created me to be.
What He thinks of me and of the person I am is what I need to be concerned with.
What He has to say about my actions, attitudes and heart- THAT is what truly matters.
So, I determined to not be driven by the silly, junior-high-ish (call it a new word!) application.
After all, when I find out who answered that one question that got under my skin,
THEN WHAT?
SEE!
It serves no good purpose.
I feel the same way about the ranking friends type applications too.
There's soooo much potential for destruction to a person's spirit, that I cannot see the value in these.
I say, delete the application and remove it from your sight.
You'll feel better.

And just for fun, let me answer a few of those FAQ's about me:

Has Jodie ever been hunting? -- Well, I love fishing. I've been hunting with a friend once but was praying the whole time the deer wouldn't show up. The Lord heard my prayers! :o)

Does Jodie sleep with a teddy bear? -- This one made me laugh because one friend answered "yes" and another "no". The answer is NO. But I do have a favorite blanket I like to sleep with. However, I don't and have never sucked my thumb! Funny!

Do you think Jodie watches the TV show "24"?-- Yes but it's only captured my attention the last season or so.

Do you think Jodie has ever lied to avoid going on a date?-- For sure!! (don't judge people) I don't like hurting people and am definitely guilty of fibbing in this circumstance.

Do you think that Jodie would go bungee jumping? -- NO WAY!!! Sorry friend but you pegged me wrong on this one. Maybe before marriage and children, but not now. I think the reaction my heart would have would widow my husband and orphan my children.

Do you think Jodie can run a mile without stopping?-- I don't think so. At least, not in the current shape I'm in.

Do you think that Jodie has ever skinny dipped?-- Ha! Ha! Ha! Someone said no. YES! I have skinny dipped. It was fun too!! (don't judge people!) Ha! Ha! Ha! Too funny.

I'm not perfect and I make LOTS of mistakes.
I have so much to learn and so many areas that I need to work on.
I'm on this journey through life just like you.
The Lord is teaching me new things all of the time.
But I know who I am
and I know WHO defines me.
I am learning to be ok with that.

I love you friends!

Lucifer's weapons are largely unseen;
discounted by fools, they strike straight and true,
skewering the heart and piercing the soul.

Depression is his dagger, deceit his poison.
An efficient assassin, he slips in unnoticed,
Destroys a career with a well-timed lie.
With visions of grandeur he lays waste to nations,
With guilt and suspicion he undermines lives.

He understands the nature of mankind--
Spill a man's blood and he fights to live,
Wound a man's spirit and he prays to die.
(from a fictional novel by Jack Cavanaugh)

Fresh Air!!

2010-03-02T21:30:00.002-05:00

Gorgeous day!
Spring temperatures are moving in
and I LOVE fresh air!

Library- Learning to Love it... again!

2010-03-01T15:57:00.003-05:00

Libraries.
I love to go to the library.
I love the shelves upon shelves of books.
I love the organization of information.
I love the endless (seemingly) supply of stimulation available for the imagination.
And what about the smell?
Yes. The library has it's own smell.

The only exception would be when I HAD to go to the library.
Somehow the task of a daunting research paper took all the enjoyment
out of spending time in the library.
Being the over-achiever, perfectionist that I was (Boy! Becoming a mother has sure changed some things!),
I never attempted the easy, obvious subjects.
No.
I always seemed to choose the most difficult subjects to write about.
Of course, I wouldn't realize I'd chosen the most difficult subject until I'd spent enough time and effort pursuing it that it was impractical to change my mind.
Yep.
It was those times that the library did not equal enjoyment.

Then I had children.
I remembered the fun I used to have in the library
pre-research paper days.
I just knew my girls would LOVE the library too.
And so I packed up the diaper bag, buckled everyone into their car seats, loaded the stroller, and ventured off to the library.
After finding a parking space, I lugged out the stroller, unbuckled car seats, buckled a baby into the stroller, grabbed the diaper bag (that doubled as my purse), grabbed a toddler hand, instructed the oldest to hold the other toddler hand, and
traversed our way inside the library.
As predicted, they LOVED it.

Of course, trying to keep three young kiddos quiet, well-behaved and under control, soon thwarted my own enjoyment of the library.
But the girls were hooked.
It was hard to keep them from clearing off entire shelves of books.
Thank goodness the library put a limit to the number of books one could check out at one time.
Of course, twenty books can still be quite daunting.
And I thought it a wonderful idea to allow Industrious One to have her own library card. That meant our limit was doubled to only forty.

Books are wonderful!
Reading books can take you anywhere in your imagination.
The benefits are undeniable!

However, a deep dread soon overshadowed this wonderful place called the library.
One ripped book--- really, really ripped--- we're talking about several important pages of said book-- sent me to a dark place where the library was concerned.
Being a responsible, honest citizen and patron,
the image of an angry, unhappy librarian drove me into action.
I immediately went searching for a new copy of the beloved book for the library.
As Murphy would have it, the title was out of print!
::groan::
I finally found a used copy on the internet and purchased it.
The librarian was anything but angry with me over the ripped book.
She even seemed surprised that I produced a replacement.
Still, I was scarred.
Add to that incident a few times of forgotten due dates and large late fees,
and I soon found any number of reasons and excuses why we wouldn't be going to the library on that day.

But now my girls are a little older.
There are no more diapers, no more strollers, and no more paper-ripping toddlers.
Each one has grown to love reading.
Each one has their own library card.
And each one carries their own bag of books.
The kiddos still LOVE the library and fill their bags with their limit of books which promptly sweep them away to quiet places of imagination.

Library, I love you again!

Friday Fun

2010-02-26T17:12:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of our classroom board
following art class:

Ever feel like this?

How Cupcakes Saved the Day.

2010-02-25T19:09:00.002-05:00

The next Adventure of Bluebird and Ducky has just been posted!
You can read it here.

If you haven't met "the boys",
you may want to start at the beginning.

© 2010
All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.

Wednesday's Work

2010-02-24T23:38:00.000-05:00

Remember paper dolls?

True Colors

2010-02-23T19:29:00.002-05:00

We had some errands to take care of in town today.
I pulled into a parking space at our local Rural King
and noticed a truck nearby.
I was amazed at the MUD on this truck.
It was caked on the sides, the tires, the mirrors,
the windows, and even the roof.

We noticed people walking by and taking second glances.
People were pulling out their cell phones and taking pictures of it.
One gentleman put his purchases in the trunk of his car and then walked across the parking lot to look at the truck closer.

Of course, I also had the urge to capture the image of this truck.
I think it correctly represents Toyota's true colors.

That would be... D I R T Y!!!

Almost Over!

2010-02-22T17:50:00.001-05:00

It's the LAST week of February!

Winter is nearing its end!
Yippee!

A Backwards Glance: February 2007

2010-02-20T22:53:00.003-05:00

(The following is a journal entry I wrote in February 2007)

There are many things in life not worth remembering.
The things that are worth the effort are often forgotten.

These last days have been some of the most stressful days of our twelve and a half years of marriage. To begin with, I have been on "mare watch"- more fondly called "mare stare". My beloved mare and dressage partner, Pholly, is expecting a foal sometime between late February and mid-March. This means that I no longer sleep in my bed. Instead, I take up residence in the recliner. Sleep involves several forms of alarm clocks to wake me at various intervals depending on Pholly's comfort level. To my right are two monitors giving me a live visual view into the barn. To my left is a baby monitor giving me constant audio feed from the barn. Sleep deprivation becomes the main characteristic of any person taking on "the mare stare". Naps are a necessity.

Add to my own state of sleep deprivation, my husband's own state of exhaustion. Recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and heart palpitations, Steady-man schedule has been unusually tight between work and doctor's appointments. Throw lots of extra hours at work into the equation and fatigue is the result.

It is into this state of being that life hit hard. I woke up around 4:30, the morning of February 6th [2007], to do a quick roll-over check on Pholly. In my very, sleepy state, I remember thinking, "Gee, I'm cold". Then I blew into the air to see if I could see my breath. The very fact that I thought I might actually see it should have alarmed me. Instead, I snuggled deeper into my blankets and returned to the sleep I desperately wanted.

I was suddenly awakened at 5:30 am, by Steady-man's voice. "Jodie! It's ONLY 49 degrees in here!" Now, did I neglect to mention that our region of the world had just begun the first days of single digit high temperatures for the 2007 year? That's right! We were in the deep freeze and now our furnace wasn't running! All at once, the whole house was up. I told Steady-Man that I was thinking that I was awfully cold. Industrious One and Hair-tied-in-knots were both immediately awake and also cold. Tender-Heart emerged from her bed wrapped in a comforter- also wondering why it was so cold.

We began trying to get the furnace to run. After a few minutes, the furnace did start and we breathed a sigh of relief. Steady-man left for work, promising to check on us in a little while. The temperature rose but not very fast. By noon, the temperature was still only in the 50's and the furnace was running constantly.

The girls and I picked up a load of hay for the horses, unloaded it and stacked it in the barn. When we went to fill water buckets, we discovered the spigot (a freeze-less hydrant) was FROZEN! From frozen water spigot to cold house.

Steady-Man returned home from work and called our heating and furnace company. The technician told him that the house should have heated up by then. An appointment was scheduled for the next afternoon. At 6:00 pm, the furnace shut off and would NOT come back on. Steady-Man called for a technician. We were left with no choice but to have someone come out on an after-hours call. Fortunately, the tech was a very, nice, professional guy. The air flow to the furnace was dirty with spider webs. Apparently, the system is very sensitive. Instead of running on a blue flame, we were running a small, orange, candle flame. The blower fan is a little tight and might need to be replaced but for now, we have heat!

Steady-Man tried to thaw the spigot but believed it to be frozen down in the ground. Therefore, no water to the barn. Our only option was to carry water buckets from the house for our 7 horses, 2 outside dogs and barn cats. Thankfully, my father gave us a 35 gallon water tank several years ago. We could put the tank on the back of the truck, run a hose from the laundry room and then drive water down to the barn. It was a little work but far less back breaking than carrying buckets by hand.

In additon, the manure spreader broke and was parked in the garage for repair. Upon going to use the wheel barrow, we found it had a flat tire. The wheel was removed, fixed and wheel barrow reassembled.

Saturday, Industrious One's friend came over to spend the night. On Sunday, Steady-Man drove her friend home. When he returned, we filled the water tank and I drove the truck down to the barn. While I was backing up, I noticed someone's hair had been closed in the back window and was still there. Rolling the window down didn't free the hair so, I walked around, opened the door and window, removed the hair and closed the door. That's when I noticed the back tire- flat! REALLY FLAT!! Too flat to even risk driving back up to the garage and possible damaging the rim. Steady-Man put the air compressor on a sled and dragged it down to the barn. He filled the tire enough to get the truck up to the garage. Then he went to work changing the tire.

A frustrated man came into the house sometime later. No, the tire hadn't been changed. The switch on his air compressor had broken (remember: FRIGID temps!) and he had to fix that first. Then his heavy-duty, professional grade jack would not work. And now, he could not get two of the five lug nuts off the tire. Not only could he not get the lugs to move, but they were now quite munged up!

Panic began to set in pretty fast now. Both of our parents were out of state. Steady-Man's brother was able to offer some words of advice. Working together, we were able to remove the lugs. A plan was formulated. The spare was put on and Steady-Man went out to buy replacement lugs. You would think in a "Dodge" town, finding replacement lug nuts for our '06 truck would be easy. Not to be! They were not to be found. He bought much needed groceries instead.

The next day, (Monday 2/12/07) Sidekick drove the Neon to work with our Big Horn truck tire in his back seat. On his lunch break, a friend drove him to the tire place to drop off the tire and then to the dealership to buy lug nuts. After work, he picked up the repaired tire (punctured) and returned home. The spare tire was removed and the repaired tire replaced. It took a little extra effort to get the spare tire put back in place under the bed but we eventually discovered our mistake and got the job done.

We drove water down to the barn and gave all of the animals fresh, hot water. A huge snow storm- possible blizzard- was forecasted to move in late that night. After dinner, we settled in to relax and enjoy the evening. Sometime around the middle of the evening, I used the rest room. The toilet plugged up- unusual in itself- and no amount of plunging was working. I soon discovered that all 3 toilets in the house, would not drain. This was the eve of a blizzard too!

This becomes a story in and of itself. After several phone calls, a local company's employee returned our call. Feeling we had no choice based on the amount of snow we were supposed to receive, we asked him to come out that night. It would be an hour or so, but he agreed to come.
The fellow hadn't been here long when Steady-Man came into the kitchen with a worried look. "I don't know that this guy knows what he's doing. He thinks our septic tank is probably full and they don't do pumping. Right now, he's trying to get the lid off the tank". What a desperate feeling! They were predicting 12 to 16 inches of snow for our area which would paralyze this area. We might not be able to get anyone out ot us for several days! The snow was now falling!

In hind sight, this fellow lacked a lot of skill. He could not get the lid open. Steady-Man tried to help him and even provided some of our own tools for his use. At one point, the guy was blow torching the septic lid. This didn't seem too wise considering the contents of the tank below. The fellow even suggested breaking the lid but could not tell us where we would get a replacement. We decided against that option. When asked about snaking the system, the guy was pretty negative about it and said he really thought the problem was a full tank. In the end, he left, having charged us $185- $112 of that for labor. The ticket said he "determined" the tank was full. (Huh?) Our toilets were still backed up! This is a time when you actually wish you did have an outhouse. It was now 2:00 am. It was enough stress to give ME heart palpitations!

At 4:30 am, I woke up to check on Pholly. Steady-Man was also up and when we looked outside, we knew we had to bring at least two more of the horses into the barn. The wind was awful, temps at zero and lots of snow- LOTS!

We worked quickly to prepare stalls and brought the two horses in. MaGee promptly laid down to roll in the fresh stall and immediately became cast! He tried a few times to get up but was not successful. Then he just laid there, as if waiting, wither for a hero or for death.
It took some doing, but Sidekick and I were able to roll him over. Of course, now he was stuck worse! The position he was in now put him with his rump against the short, front wall with his hooves in the air. We rolled him back and Steady-Man pulled his chest away from the wall enough for MaGee to get up. MaGee then shook off the straw and wanted to know where his hay was. Silly Haflinger!!

Early in the morning, Steady-Man called Roto-Rooter. They were still working and would put us on the list. We were number 23 in line. Thirty minutes later, they called back. "This must be your lucky day", the guy on the line said. "Not a single person answered the phone. We'll dispatch someone to you now". THAT is The LORD! Our driveway was getting bad, so I drove the truck up and down it to help open it up some. A field supervisor and a sidekick came. Within 20 minutes, not only had they opened the lid but they had also cleared the CLOG! The charge was $73. God is awesome and so full of grace! [post-script: we were refunded $112 from the first company.]

It was still snowing and the wind chills were expected to be -20 (that's MINUS 20) by the next morning. Steady-Man, Industrious One and I bundled up and went out to drag down round pen panels from the back acreage to the barn. The snow was very deep and the drifted places even deeper. It was slow going and hard work. Using two regular panels plus the gated panel, we rigged a make-shift stall in the aisle, enabling us to bring all of the horses inside.

By Wednesday, we had over 14 inches of blowing, drifting snow. Surrounding areas had 17 inches. Steady-Man missed two days of work. We paid a farmer down the road to come dig and clear out our driveway. Times like these remind us to be thankful every day for even the seemingly small things God takes care of. We still had a frozen spigot but all other issues were resolved.

[The story should end here, but...]
Wednesday morning, I ate an english muffin with peanut butter on it. By 11:00- 11:30 am, I had intestinal cramps and accompanying symptoms. I didn't feel well at all and feared I was coming down with a stomach virus. Steady-Man and Industrious One kept watch over Pholly and I went to bed. Hair-tied-in-knots had been having stomach aches for a few days also. I advised them to disinfect and be sure to practice good hand-washing.

Thursday, the news reported a recall on Peter Pan Peanut butter with #2111 product coding. There was a problem with salmonella in some! I'd had food poisoning one other time and immediately suspected what caused my problems. Sure enough!! Our jar had the #2111 code! Perfect ending! Thank The LORD! He protected us from serious illness. We eat a LOT of peanut butter [or did!] and this jar was almost empty. We pray daily for His Protection and are so thankful that He hears our prayers!

(Ten crazy days! It was so crazy, it demanded to be written down. I am thankful for the journal reminder of God's Everlasting Faithfulness to us.)

Evidence of Humanity

2010-02-18T22:10:00.004-05:00

Laundry.

We all have it.
It's almost universal... at least, for all of us cloth bearing individuals it is.
It has to be done.
If it isn't done... well, that could be bad- very, very bad. (not to mention, smelly)

This basket is a basket full of CLEAN laundry.

Here we have DIRTY laundry on the floor, CLEAN laundry in the dryer,
and laundry in limbo inside the washer.

Oh no!
There's more!
That is CLEAN laundry on top of the washer & dryer.

You've got. to. be. kidding. me!!
More?
That is also more CLEAN laundry.

***GASP!***
I see another lump of laundry!
That's it!
I must put the camera down.
I can't show you any more!
I have laundry to do!

CASE CLOSED!

Wednesday Without Words

2010-02-17T22:06:00.002-05:00

By the Light of a Laptop

2010-02-16T14:10:00.001-05:00

Milton, you need a haircut.
Too bad your mom is so far behind.

Because Learning Should Not Be...

2010-02-15T15:03:00.004-05:00

...memorizing dates and facts
to be tested
in order to obtain a grade

so that one can move on
to the next set of dates and facts to be memorized
to be tested
in order to obtain a grade
...

Because learning should encompass
understanding the struggles and experiences
of people in history.
It should involve braving the depths of human emotions
and soul-wrenching trials.
It should include opportunities to view another culture
from the other side of our observation point.
And maybe even going beyond viewing to actually touching
the experiences of history through the fingers of imagination.
Because THAT is where true learning is found.

That is why we have chosen this road.

Affection

2010-02-13T20:11:00.002-05:00

Frosted Friday

2010-02-12T18:09:00.003-05:00

We woke up to a ...

frosted world.

Hooray for FRIDAY!!!!

Let's Go For a Walk

2010-02-11T16:57:00.002-05:00

A Little Consideration Goes a Long Way

2010-02-10T20:48:00.004-05:00

Industrious One is taking a cake decorating class.
She's very excited about it.
Class #2 was scheduled today.

Winter Storm #2-10-2010 was also today.

Before she started baking we called the organization that holds the class
to confirm whether the class would still be held or not.
They did not know.
Bake the cake.
Call the instructor.
No answer.
Sent to voice mail.
I leave my message & phone number.
Keep my cell phone at my side all day long.
No call.

So Industrious One works hard all afternoon to prepare her icing and cake.
She iced the cake beautifully.
Then she turned around and the cake plate fell over!!
We salvaged the cake- now a little lopsided & definitely crumb-y- and transferred it to a different cake plate.
Rushed around to pack up all the supplies needed.
Grabbed a quick-- very quick-- bite to eat and ran out the door to brave the snowy & drifting roads.

Arrived on time.
Filled our arms with basket, box & bags and dragged everything inside to the classroom...
a dark classroom... very empty classroom...
::bad feeling::
Management approached and informed us that the instructor was there earlier in the day and canceled the class.
::sigh:: ::grumble:: ::growl:: ::bite my tongue::

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt, to extend a little grace to others (after all I've received MUCH grace myself).
But I'm human.
I'm a mom ... a tired mom.. a stressed mom...
a mom with other stuff going on...
A mom with a cell phone ON all day long that was NEVER called.
A frustrated mom.
A mom who is tired of being walked on by others.
A mom who would like just a little consideration...it would go a long way.
A mom who should end this post.
A mom who is getting whine-y.

Dig deep.
Use this as a chance to learn a little and practice a lot.
Share the skills already in possession.

A little rainbow to brighten the end of a frustrating day.

Good job Industrious One!

Announcement!!!

2010-02-09T15:31:00.005-05:00

For some time now, we as a family have discussed capturing in writing
The Adventures of Bluebird and Ducky

Bluebird and Ducky are such a regular, imaginative, part of our lives that they almost seem to be real members of our family.
"The boys", as I sometimes call them, are constantly curious, always adventurous, maybe mischievous, and heartily humorous.
We love them and I hope you will too!

Love to Learn

2010-02-08T17:41:00.003-05:00

Since I love to learn new things,
I have been working on learning a new method
for black and white image conversion.

I was going to vent about the widespread unwillingness to lend a hand to others, but ... well, I just won't.
That attitude is everywhere, in every circle and my venting won't change the way it is.
It's sad and experiencing it on the receiving end motivates me to
try that much harder to be willing to share with others.
How to be open and sharing with people WITHOUT also
being used & abused... something else I still struggle to learn.

But... I said I wouldn't vent.
::chuckle::

Too bad learning this thing we call LIFE
isn't black and white!!

Eavesdropping??

2010-02-07T19:04:00.004-05:00

Overheard today:

"You don't OWN the snow!", says one child to another.

Dog Tired

2010-02-07T00:54:00.002-05:00

Snow Storm Anyone??

2010-02-05T21:23:00.004-05:00

These two were SO HAPPY to go in the barn this evening.
I don't blame them!
Stay warm tonight!

From the Archives

2010-02-05T00:16:00.002-05:00

From a wonderful spring day in 2007:

If you....

2010-02-03T20:46:00.004-05:00

...give a mouse a cookie...

If you teach a boy to fish...

If you teach a girl to crotchet a hat...

... you'll warm her and many other heads for a winter!

I didn't make these hats.
My Industrious-One did!
I think she's hooked.
:o)

A few thoughts from my heart.

2010-02-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

I was working on a purple crotcheted hat when I looked down and saw this pink heart on my lap.
I have no idea how it got there. It had been 24 hours since I had worked with that color. And I certainly hadn't shaped it there on my lap.
Funny how things just happen.
Life is like that.

I don't generally subscribe to resolutions because we all have the choice to make a change at any time. That being said, we gladly left 2009 behind and hope that 2010 brings encouragement, hope, and changes in positive directions for us.
Of course, change doesn't always come easy and many of the changes we hope to make in 2010 are going to be difficult-- but necessary.
And we pray the end results will be positive for our family.
We've just left the first month of the year behind and not much has changed for us. In fact, I declared, between sobs last week, that I feel like we're spinning our tires in deep, thick mud! We've attempted to make some moves but seem to have only encountered slammed doors. Now we're looking for windows.

One BIG CHANGE for 2010 we've already set in motion is that we are placing all three of our horses (Pholly, MaGee and Kid) for sale. We hope to find new homes for them quickly. My heart needs for this to just happen so it can heal and move on. We'll be sad to see them go, for sure. We've agonized over this decision since last summer. I've cried-- sobbed- felt the pain in my heart- put it off & tried to ignore it but... It is just necessary. There are positives on the other side of the decision that I'm hanging on to. Finding great new homes for them will ease the pain.

Parenting is certainly changing its face for us. It's one crazy beast that morphs from one form to another. We see areas we need to change, mistakes we've made and need to fix quickly before it's too late, things we are happy we're doing and would like to do more. I plan to blog more on this soon.

Speaking of blogging: It is my goal to keep this up to date this year. I have some personal goals where my love for photography is concerned that I hope to incorporate into my blog. One task I've set before myself is to capture ONE image from my day to share here. The idea seems to be in keeping with giving you a peek in my windows. That's not always easy because there's the risk of vulnerability. A friend shared a great quote today that says it best:
"A dog has lots of friends because he wags his tail and not his tongue."
So true.

We've reached 2010 and we're into our late 30's... supposedly "all-grown-up".. and we're just now figuring out what we really want to do "when we grow up". ::insert laughing here::
That's not really fair, is it? I mean... what we really want to do is a far cry from what we are doing! Sheesh! (And thus we encourage our kiddos to take their time! There's no hurry when you're in your late teens and even your early twenties- I mean REALLY!)
So 2010 will involve much research... much pondering... some simplifying and hopefully putting some "ducks in a row". Whether we make drastic changes in the end or not only The Lord knows. But it can't hurt to take steps toward improvement- right?

And back to that heart...
next to pursuing wisdom (Proverbs 4:7)...
I hope to guard mine well and in turn encourage my children to do so as well.

"ABOVE ALL ELSE, GUARD YOUR HEART,
FOR IT AFFECTS EVERYTHING YOU DO."
~Proverbs 4:23

Now how did that pink yarn heart get there?

It's February.... Already?

2010-02-01T18:52:00.003-05:00

Whoa!
It might be time to take these down.

Even the Christmas Tree?
Yes.
Maybe even that too.

Maybe tomorrow!

More Kleenex & A Hat

2010-01-30T18:47:00.003-05:00

Yep!
More Kleenex.
Add some Tylenol.
Plus yarn & an easy pattern
Times a comfy couch.
Equals
A Hat.

Cake and Kleenex

2010-01-29T18:58:00.003-05:00

Tis the season!
The season for birthdays and
the season for colds!
It's no fun to have both
but tis the season!

(btw... those are running horses on the birthday cake!)

Behind

2010-01-26T14:20:00.004-05:00

I just seem to be running behind the pace life has been setting. I intend to get back to this soon!

For now... this image from our Christmas adventure.

We have a discussion in progress here about what emotions this image draws.
Here in our family, it draws surprisingly varied feelings.
How does it make you feel?
(let me know in "comments")

September Grass

2009-09-21T15:00:00.001-04:00

Fall

2009-09-20T17:56:00.003-04:00

Do Over

2009-09-01T00:26:00.004-04:00

My Sailor-man & I have entered into a new stage of parenting called "Parenting teenagers". We entered this stage with our knee pads strapped on tightly. We know they'll help ward off the ache and pain that comes from spending much time down on our knees. Suddenly, we don't have the same amount of cushion around those joints that we used to. Bummer! Hopefully, no medication will be required to bring us out of this stage! (I jest!... hopefully!)

Months ago, I came across a piece of wisdom from another parent who has successfully survived parenting four teenagers across these churning seas. They explained their greatest tool- the DO OVER.

It makes sense. During this heightened time of change, our children are trying to become adults. It comes with much trial and error. And one of the areas that seems to be universally difficult is communication. The child now stretches his arms and attempts to express his own ideas. The problem is that they don't always express themselves in a manner that is truly "adult". When it comes down to it, some adults are still struggling to express themselves with maturity. So how can we expect them to get it right the first time? They need practice. And so...
the DO OVER!

Our teenager's failed attempt to express herself has a natural tendency to produce a response that might sound something like this: "How DARE you talk to me that way? I brought you into this world and I'll take you OUT!" (hahaha... I loved The Cosby Show! Do you remember that episode where Bill Cosby tells Theo that? Hilarious!) And of course, what this produces in an already explosive set of hormones is worse than the original failed attempt. Typically, fires flare up like wild fire and before you know it, someone is running for the closest fire extinguisher. It's not pretty.

But with this great tool called the DO OVER, a parent can simply remain calm and grant this "adult-in-the-making" a DO OVER. There are many ways to successfully activate the DO OVER. You can be long winded..."I understand you're trying to explain yourself but that wasn't the best manner in which to do it. How about a DO OVER?" This is good when you're feeling patient, having a great day, and in a nothing-can-make-me-mad mood. BUT! The DO OVER also works in a short version... "How about a DO OVER?" or simply "Wait. DO OVER." This is good when your day hasn't gone so well, you've next to no patience left, and you feel your blood pressure rising rapidly. Just take that one quick breath needed to get "DO OVER" from the tongue and past the lips.

And even better...
There are NO LIMITS to the DO OVER! I mean... this isn't baseball where it's three strikes and youuuuuuu'rrrrrrreeeeee OUT!
NOPE!
You can give as many DO OVERS as needed.

What a wonderful gem!
Give it a try!

© 2009
All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.

P.S. DO OVERS don't have age limits either! They're like Roll-over minutes! They never expire!

Understood Milton.

2009-08-27T00:14:00.004-04:00

I may not "get" cats but I do understand dogs.

I understand my little, Milton.

He doesn't miss much around here.

Not even a cat under the bushes escapes his watchful eyes!

Yes. I like, love AND understand Milton.

Copy Cats

2009-08-16T21:10:00.006-04:00

Admittedly, I'm not a "cat person".

Don't get me wrong. I like them... even love them... but I don't understand them well. So when Hair-tied-in-knots yelled for me to come watch her climb a tree, I giggled.

Seems she had competition for my attention.

Little copy cats!

© 2009
All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.

Benched

2009-07-31T11:05:00.005-04:00

After a long, rainy day, we took a walk in the lingering mist.

Quiet fog and mist rose from the lake and surrounding landscape.
Refreshing!!

We've been spotted.

2009-07-28T11:26:00.004-04:00

A phone call first thing this morning.

The front page. My little lawyer says her elbow is "now famous". LOL

We really admired watching the K9 unit.

Oops! Something is wrong with this picture.

Lights on + engine off = dead battery.

Everybody needs a little help from time to time.

Adventures Abound at the Library

2009-07-27T20:56:00.007-04:00

This is the last week for the summer reading program at our local library.

The girls have been reading passionately and having the best adventures this summer. They've enjoyed it so much that we plan to have our own reading adventures incentive "program" this year.
But I digress... today brought the most unexpected adventure.
And I'm pretty sure that adventure isn't the most appropriate word for it but it is the word we're using.

We spent almost an hour inside the library- each girl choosing books to read this week. Some days I have to work hard to be patient while they make their choices. Today, I didn't have much trouble giving them each time to explore and choose just the right pieces of literature they wanted to dive into. Finally, arms full... and carrying the extra stack that wouldn't fit into their library bags... we huddled together to organize for the checkout desk downstairs.

Unexpectedly, a voice was heard over the P.A. system. "Attention! We need everyone to exit the building immediately." Something was mentioned about "code black" but I'm not even sure if anything more was said. There we were, arms FULL of books and the girls full of questions and confusion. I think I heard, "What's going on, Mommy?", "What do we do with our books?" and a few dozen more questions. But like a German Shepherd diligently herding its flock, I kept the three of them in front of me and instructed them to just do as we were told. "Hang on to your books and follow everyone OUT."

As we descended the stairs, I noted the lobby was FULL of police officers. MANY thoughts swirled in my head (Is there a fire? Has someone decided to use the library to hide? Bomb threat?) but my primary goal was to get my kiddos out together and safely.

Exiting the doors, we immediately discovered the block was closed off and there were police and fire trucks everywhere. (Gosh! I guess I was really focused because I don't recall hearing sirens) We were sent across the street. Everyone was calm and everyone exited the building exactly as instructed. It was all very quick. Fortunately, I recently decided that I should start the habit of always having my camera with me. Today I debated it but am so glad that I stuck to my new resolve.

We patiently watched and waited with no knowledge of what event had led to our unexpected evacuation.

At least they had something to read! ;o)
Others waited as well.

The whole group of us were instructed to move across the street- a little farther away from the building.

And we watched and waited some more... lots more! We had no choice! Look at the stacks of books- unchecked!

I noticed the "bomb squad" when they arrived- now called the Hazardous Devices Unit- and the K9 unit was also on the scene. We sat and admired the obviously dedicated dog as he entered the building with his partner.

I entertained myself with my camera!

An hour later the library was "re-opened". We checked out our books without discovering anymore information but thanking the Lord for watching over us and keeping us safe.

Adventures in reading!!! LOL

© 2009
All images property of Jodie L Hemersbach
Do not copy, capture, print or steal.

End note: As it turns out, there was an explosion in the library. Here's the link to a local report of the incident. Thanking the Lord even more!

Sharing Humor

2009-07-07T00:41:00.002-04:00

And without hearing,
I'll bet you still felt it.
And then you smiled too.

The Master's Canvas

2009-06-30T01:04:00.002-04:00

Eyes Again

2009-06-25T20:06:00.002-04:00

They are just so expressive.

So Intelligent.

So full of words!

Happy Heart

2009-06-24T13:57:00.001-04:00

Dog Capers

2009-06-13T20:00:00.003-04:00

Apple Duchess and the ~~Silver~~ Sand Spoon

Perspective

2009-06-11T08:00:00.001-04:00

What I see

2009-06-09T23:24:00.003-04:00

Mother Mourning Dove

2009-05-14T12:09:00.003-04:00

Life is Hard

2009-05-08T17:04:00.006-04:00

Earnest Hemingway once said that when you're having a hard time writing, start with one true statement.

Life is hard.

It is just simply hard.

Life has no respect for stages.
It is hard to be an infant and to be completely reliant on others for your needs. That is especially difficult for the neglected, abused and abandoned.
It is hard to be a child (although I rather relish my childhood as a time when life was easy). But there is a struggle to conform and comply without complete understanding.

It is terribly difficult to be a teenager- excruciating! No money in the world could get me to relive those years. The only value in that would be to correct the many mistakes I made. It is a time caught between childhood and adulthood that my own father has coined "the inhuman stage".
It is not easy to be a college student with the demand of decisions, assignments and responsibilities weighing you down. And the burden is further augmented by the constant reminder that "the direction of your life is dependent on the decision you make".

And then the school of "Real Life" looms ahead. And the twenty something stands at its gate armed with all the education packed in their bag and the misconception that they now "know how" (at least, that's what I thought). Why do we not warn them that they may have mastered the art of education but they are now beginners again as they enter this thing called "Real Life"? Life does not conform to text books. It just does NOT!

And truthfully, we never stop being beginners in this thing we call life.

I have not yet reached the latter years of life expectancy but one thing I am sure of is that life will continue to be hard. And as one who has always been rather independent, I've no doubt that an elderly return to dependency will not be easy.

Life is hard!! It's extremely hard.

And I've struggled with keeping up this blog for that very reason.
To open the curtains and allow others to peek in my window requires a willingness to be somewhat vulnerable. And life is already difficult without allowing others to look in.
And I don't want to sound like a constant dripping. I know all too well how whining can wear on the nerves. We need optimism and hope.
And quite frankly, my life is none of your business. You have your own life to deal with.
By opening my window, I become vulnerable to your opinions, your assumptions and possibly your criticism. Life is already hard enough.
We need camaraderie.

And as much as I have an aversion to being criticized, judged or looked poorly upon... and as often as I feel like locking the windows and closing the curtains... somehow, I still have this deep compelling urge to open the curtains (if only a crack) and unlock the window so that you can peek inside. So that you can see that indeed, my life is hard too.

Our family sits on the uncertainty of job security in an industry traveling through bankruptcy courts. And our cushion is a budget squeezed to choking (a product of our own decisions- mistakes and all). We're uncomfortable and yet we gain wisdom. We're concerned and even scared and yet we gain confidence. We're angry and yet we gain grace... compassion... understanding.

Because when I look around me I see a true statement:

Life is Hard.

For me, only one thing remains constant...
I cannot be separated from the Love of God.
-Romans 8:35-39

Royal Transportation

2009-05-07T00:23:00.004-04:00

Around here, he is sure he is a prince!
One of royal blood
Destined to be a show dog
Who also loves to watch "Animal Planet" at Gram & GDude's house.

"Milton! Do you want a ride?"
"Come here Milton! Hop in!"

He seriously gets in that truck by himself.

And he happily sits while his royal transportation
takes him wherever he desires.

I think he knows that TRUCKS RULE!

But then again....

It could be that he prefers the drivers!

Sand Plum Scent

2009-05-02T00:56:00.004-04:00

I wish you could scratch & sniff these!

The smell is heavenly!
Its scent holds just the right amount of sweetness
without being over powering.
And there's the slightest hind of ...hmmm...
the scent of sand... beach... earthy-ness?

Sadly, their bloom is short-lived
so you must spend as much time as possible
with your nose in the bush
while it's in bloom.

Just watch out for the bees!

Abated.

2009-02-19T23:59:00.006-05:00

So... I've been paying close attention to the current events of the day, as are you. I hear the media (bleh!), do my own research (often disputing the talking heads) and shake my head. I don't want to be an alarmist, but I am alarmed! Nor do I wish to fall into some category of "kooky conspiracy theorist", but shall I be so naive as to believe there's not an abundance of deception in the events of our world today? No. I think that belief would lack all manner of discernment.

These are difficult times. More layoffs in our area have targeted people I love dearly. It is frightening... uncertain... VERY stressful. And while we're concentrating on our daily struggles, our government seems to be sneaking around behind our backs. Truly! I won't list them all here... if you go nibbing around the internet, you'll find it all. But I have to say that there's very little, if anything, in that giant "stimulus bill" that will add one penny to our pockets. (Forgive me... I'm a busy mom & I haven't reached the end of those 1000+ pages... I think it's something like 1464 pages and I'm not to page 50 yet!!) Seriously! Do you know how many dollars that $800 tax break will add to our pockets? It's a joke! Did you fall for it?

And I'm done with the whole democrat-republican thing. REALLY DONE!! Don't ask me which I support because I no longer support either based on their "camp". D.O.N.E. Just give me one upstanding, honest, ethical American who cares about this country more than any label! (Ok... that's just one among many of my wishes) No more politically correct letters for me thanks! I don't do gagging and vomit sends me RUNNING!

I'm not just alarmed. And I'm not just skeptical. I am ANGRY! I am angry that the people I love.. friends and family alike... who have worked HARD... who go to work everyday,- get their hands dirty- engage in hours of hard physical labor, -pay their bills (& their taxes!) - are being thrown in the mud. I am ANGRY that our American soldiers are risking, and some losing, their lives for FREEDOM while our greedy, dirty politicians are taking FREEDOMS away from Americans. ANGRY!!!! FURIOUS!!!

Oh! And don't forget to pay YOUR taxes lest you be thrown in jail... unless, of course, you are a person of prominence. But wait! Martha Stewart went to prison... hmmmm... guess she didn't have the right connections. Sorry Martha. I guess you're more like the rest of us than you'd probably like to believe.

Sigh....

And then I go to tuck my kiddos into bed this evening...

We're still answering lots of questions about what happens to our animals when they die. LOTS of deep thinking goes on in this house. That makes me happy because my desire is that my children learn HOW TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. They must! And when it comes to matters of faith, it is imperative that they think for themselves - absolutely IMPERATIVE!

I tend not to give answers... rather, I ask more questions. I ask them to share their ideas. Eventually, I do share my thoughts and what I believe are the "answers" to their questions. Sometimes I don't know the answer to their question- and I tell them that too. We talk about the possibilities and we discuss what we DO know. Often, we resolve to look into a matter further. I LOVE learning! I hope they catch that love too.

But I stray...

Tonight the conversation was deeply thought provoking... profoundly so for an eight year old and a ten year old. They were very engaging. The conversation ended with a request to read about Jesus' birth tomorrow. (I swear the Spirit danced within me!) Of course!

"Night-night... sleep tight.... don't let the bed bugs bite.... "

I quietly made my way downstairs and immediately sought my Sailor-man. I had to share our conversation with him... even if he was almost in dream-land. He never begrudges me for such things. (He's awesome!)

Suddenly, two little girls appear. They want to know if they can read their Bible before they go to sleep. (Yep! The angels rejoice- I think I heard them!) I had a better idea... we didn't wait until tomorrow to read their requested passages. They even wanted to hear both accounts of Jesus' birth (Matthew & Luke).

Abated....

"For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.
His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him."
-from Luke 1:46-55

And for my friends and family, whom I love dearly!!!! - We're in this mess together! I am praying continually!

"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life- whether you have enough food to eat or clothes to wear. For life consists of far more than food and clothing. Look at the ravens. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to HIM than any birds! ...

...And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you?" - from Luke 12:22+

Opposite

2009-02-11T20:28:00.002-05:00

Broken Hearts

2009-02-06T00:01:00.003-05:00

In Loving Memory of
Meah
unknown- January 27th, 2009

Not so long ago, if you remember,
our family was given a wonderful gift pony.
Meah was instantly... and I do mean INSTANTLY...
adored by our sweet, tender daughter.

Immediate and Intimate friendship.
Every girl ought to experience that incredible bond with an equine
at least once in a lifetime.

Meah would stand for hours to be groomed
and have her mane braided.
Our Tender-heart practiced plaiting Meah's tail for days on end.
Sometimes they would just walk together.
Mostly, Tender-heart would hop on bare back and
wander the depths of adventure and imagination...
all shared with her most beloved pony friend.

Hair-tied-in-knots also loved Meah deeply.
Meah gave her confidence
and earned her trust.
Meah took care of my girls.
To me, Meah was priceless!!

A Terrible illness robbed sweet Meah's body.
We fought for her
but her body continued to fail.
The worst decision ever was necessary.

In the end, good-byes were spoken and shared
while tears fell.
All those who witnessed it were deeply affected
and none will ever question the bond
that was inscribed on the hearts of my girls.

My sweet Tender-heart is incredibly courageous.
I wanted to buffer the pain and offered to turn Meah over to our vet
in that final decision.
She chose to lead her best friend to the finish line.
More unspoken goodbyes hung in the air.
Quietly, and gently, she removed the halter she'd chosen so carefully
for her Meah-girl only a short 11 months ago.
She rubbed her muzzle and said goodbye.
It was the courage of love...

When I took this picture, my heart swelled because it perfectly
captured my daughter's heart.
And now, it rips my heart out.

And still.... I am ever so thankful that my tender girl
can say she's experienced
that unspeakable, heart-wrenching bond.
Her heart is broken but
she knows what it is to love deeply.

Trapped in Fuzz

2009-01-21T15:17:00.002-05:00

That's how my brain feels today.

I'm just taking a brief break in my day to tell you that!

I'm swimming in a sea of completed assignments waiting to be checked, laundry waiting to be washed, laundry waiting to be folded and put away, toys waiting to be picked up, decisions waiting to be made, finances to be updated, business to be completed, contracts to be written, emails to respond to, an uncertain schedule to continue working with and an uncertain future.

The only thing saving me from drowning is my faith in THE Unchanging, Always Faithful, All-Knowing God of the Universe!

Waiting

2009-01-17T01:29:00.002-05:00

I haven't felt like writing for a while.

It seems life has filled with turmoil and my brain has become quite noisy.

And so I wait. I don't feel I'm a patient person. Waiting isn't easy. And it's hard not to pout.

The problem is that I've waited too long for words to get in line and all of my ideas are a jumble.
The only solution may be to start cleaning out some of the rattling pieces. Maybe then the brain freeze will thaw?

A New Year

2009-01-07T23:54:00.002-05:00

A new year has begun... 2009.

Selective Coloring

2008-12-10T23:57:00.003-05:00

I'm learning how to work "selective coloring" into photographs and having too much fun! Thought I'd share some of the fun with you.

I thought this was cool....

... but the kiddos asked me to do this...

And ya know... this is a little addictive!

Finishing Touches

2008-11-23T21:04:00.003-05:00

Remember the progress we'd made on the house we've been working on? (See my previous post with before & during pictures.) Well, we've been working on the finishing touches! I thought you might enjoy seeing the finished results.

Here's the open concept view so you can see the breakfast bar:

And the pantry side of the kitchen with fridge & work desk:

And the wall side: stove, microwave, dishwasher...
Everything is brand new from the ceramic floors to the lighting.
The cabinets are Hickory.

And then looking back over the breakfast bar to the back of the house:

What do you think?

The Other Guy's Shoes

2008-11-20T22:41:00.004-05:00

Recently, a friend expressed the hurt of her day by asking why "Christians" feel they have the right to judge.

I don't know why that is. I know and understand the hurt of it. I've been on the receiving end of those judging attitudes. It leaves you feeling alone, unloved, misunderstood, and deeply wounded. ..... Unfortunately, I also know the critical spirit that inflicts a person with the "judging" syndrome. I've done it too and I am sorry for it. ... deeply remorseful.

The fact is, we often don't truly know what another person is going thru in life. We don't stop to consider a walk in another man's shoes. We might gain a whole new perspective and more importantly, a whole new capacity to love one another. My good man often reminds me, "you never know who might just be fighting to get out of the bed in the morning". So TRUE!

Have we forgotten how much grace was extended to us when Jesus put Himself in our place and served the sentence we owed for the things we've done wrong? None of us deserve it. Yet, HE loves ALL of us. Loves us beyond what can be truly comprehended. (I can think of some really unlovable characters! Yet He stood in their place too- wow! I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that!)

And I should be concerned about the day *I* stand before God, the ONE True Judge. And each should be concerned with their own turn before HIM.

As Christians, should we not be consumed with knowing The Lord, Jesus? And as a result, we should be fully motivated to LOVE each other, understanding how desperately we all need HIM.

And leave it to God to say it perfectly... (hehehe)
"No, O people, the LORD has already told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8)

Do what is right
Love mercy
Walk humbly with God

I need that in indelible ink on my heart.

I venture to say that when we're NOT doing those things, we will fall into the hurtful behavior of judging.

There's enough criticism, divisiveness and hurt going around these days. What that epidemic needs is a shot of "Just-Humble-Mercy".

This song makes the medicine go down for me. ;0) (often I cry, but it's always good for me)

Ten Years!

2008-11-05T19:59:00.003-05:00

Ten years ago today, She-with-once-skinned-knees (also fondly known as, The Suit), insisted on exiting the womb 4 weeks ahead of schedule.

Life was waiting folks!
She was not to be deterred!
She had a LOT of living to do!

Today marks 10 years of her wonderful determination, courage and brains!

Today marks 10 years of sensitive compassion, quiet thoughtfulness and sweet affection.

You bring so much joy to our life!
We're so proud of the person you are
and we love you so very much!
Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

Ever get the feeling...

2008-10-17T14:21:00.002-04:00

...you're being watched,

...mocked,

...ignored!

Cats!

Such unique creatures!

Fun Friday Foto

2008-10-03T12:38:00.002-04:00

Too close?

2008-10-01T00:27:00.006-04:00

The other day, Industrious One decided to take her camera out in the pasture and take some pictures of our haflinger, Mr. MaGee. Anyone reading this who owns a haflinger is already laughing!

Here's why....

First, Industrious One had to show her credentials to the herd boss....

that would be Pholly- - why yes! She IS my mare. Why do you ask? Certainly you're not suggesting that she suits me well because of that trait, would you? --- Hey! I am a first born! - 'nough said! ;)

Upon passing the security check, Industrious One set out in her attempts to get some good shots of Mr. MaGoof... oh! I mean MaGee!

And wherever she went...
... there he was!

She even tried changing directions... He just followed suit.
when she stopped, he stopped...

If she walked, he walked right beside her... never wavering.
Does she look a little defeated?
Well.... since she could not get any distance between them, she figured she might as well hug him!
'Course... then he wanted to know why she wasn't taking more pictures of him!

Me?

Why yes! I got some GREAT pictures! LOL

Can You Feel It?

2008-09-24T05:00:00.001-04:00

Awwwwwww......

Progress!

2008-09-22T05:00:00.001-04:00

Before and After pictures are so much fun to look at, don't you think?

Thought I'd share some "In Progress" pictures with you. The kitchen of our current investment property is quite different that other kitchens we've encountered. This one is located in the middle of the house with no exterior walls and thus no windows to the outside. It made this kitchen DARK- very dark and very gloomy!

This is the day we purchased the property... before trash removal and renovations began. You are looking into the door of the kitchen from a room off the back.

Dark, eh?

Here's a view from inside the kitchen looking back to where the previous picture was taken from:

The rest of this house is light and bright... lots of nice windows and natural light. This kitchen was just ODD.

On the other side of this kitchen (front side of the house) is a dining room. We needed to lighten up.... brighten up this room. The room needed to become a functioning part of this home instead of a cave inside a house.

Here's our progress from last week:

We opened up the wall and this half-wall will be a breakfast bar when we're finished. We added can lighting above this area too and we opened up a window pass-thru to the family room off the right of the picture above.
Much better, don't you think!

I LOVE progress!

I am a Misfit!

2008-09-20T13:57:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty sure of it! And since posting that on my facebook account, several people have asked, "Why are you a misfit?".

Well.... I'm just not normal. My good-man-charlie-brown... my always-by-my-side... often reminds me that I'm just not like everyone else. More and more, I find myself in the minority of life... whether it be my thinking, my convictions, my likes & dislikes... I'm just not normal. And yet... I am still LOVED! ::insert huge grin::

So- we're working on our current real estate investment. When our team purchased this house, it had been disassembled... and disassembled in a fashion resembling that of She-with-once-skinned-knees' attempts to remove her training wheels by herself at two years old. Catch my drift?

The process of bringing this house back has been an involved process. And the time finally came when we were ready to run the plumbing (yes! The copper had all been removed underneath... I wasn't kidding! DISASSEMBLED!). A conversation, months ago, with a friend in a similar business, turned us on to a product- not really new- called PEX. The Lord had a hand in that conversation because just a few weeks later we acquired this house. PEX research was at the top of the list.

In true misfit fashion, I was completely intrigued with the idea of putting the plumbing back together and learning all there was to learn about running PEX. Years ago I was hooked on a puzzle game called "Pipe Dream". Maybe that's where this excitement over assembling PEX circuits for an entire house came from. I don't know. But I LOVED it! I think it was even FUN!

And it's not just the flexibility of the product but the COLOR CODING too! Blue lines for cold water.... Red lines for hot water... White lines for main lines. And OHHHHH... then there's the manifold where it all comes together! It's just the COOLEST!

See! Not normal!

I'm a misfit!

There's an island out there for people like me!

And SANTA comes ESPECIALLY for us! ROFL!!!!!! ;D

Yikes!

2008-09-16T23:43:00.002-04:00

I haven't blogged since the 3rd!!! How in the world did that happen?

Ok... I'm just a tad swamped right now. We're schooling again and teaching 2nd, 4th & 7th grade is taking a little more brain power than teaching all elementary grades. We've added some additional classes thru our local support group that keep us running more than I prefer. And we are all adjusting to the "back-to-school" schedule. ::sigh:: Summer was just TOO SHORT this year!!

And in our spare time, we've been working hard on our real estate investment. Last week we ran PEX ... a wonderful alternative to copper plumbing... for the entire house. I swear, I had sooo much fun learning and running circuits. And the satisfaction of turning the water on and having it all work- no leaks!- what a blast! It's a beautiful thing... I have pictures to prove it! ;)

But alas... it's too late tonight for me to even consider preparing pic files to post here... so that must wait. I promise that I will try to share them soon. You must see what we're doing to the kitchen in this place!!! I know everyone enjoys before & after pics! I'll share some of those too!

And then there's horses, dogs, cats with kittens... rain... the grass is growing again (oh no! When will I mow?)... painting our classroom... laundry (goodness! That never goes away!)... Fall is on our doorstep (I want summer back!)...facebook (will I EVER figure that out?)... and...

PS - I discovered another family member has taken the plunge into blogging. Check her out! Isn't It Amazing?

Look who's grown!

2008-09-03T23:29:00.002-04:00

Remember this tiny gal?

Here she is the end of May.

And then the end of June!

And now look at her!
She's a Puppy Pre-school grad now!

And she's even earned her Camping Badge!

A Team Effort

2008-08-29T23:13:00.005-04:00

We're back from another family camping trip!!

We LOVE camping! It's a great way to spend time together as a family.

Camping is a family tradition that my own family had growing up. We spent at least one whole week out of every summer camping on the shores of Seventh Lake, located just outside Inlet, NY. The very special part of camping on Seventh Lake is that the state owned sites are boat (or hiking) accessible only. There are no roads leading in... no modern restrooms... no electricity... only two pit toilets located near the 2 sites with lean-to's (meaning you dig your own hole if you camp at any of the other sites)... it's truly CAMPING!!

I have the BEST memories from those family camping trips. It's one of my favorite places to be and someday I hope to take my girls there too.

But after our 3 day camping trip to Raccoon Lake, here in Indiana, something important has occurred to me. Camping is truly a TEAM EFFORT!!! That's the only way that I can imagine my mother ever got us there with all the necessary supplies for survival. We always had enough food & drinks for the week. We always had the right clothes. We always had toilet paper... ALWAYS!!!

And when I consider the preparations, the planning, the packing and foresight that mom had to have, I am in awe of her skills! (There were no Walmarts nearby folks!) While Mom & Dad always held to the motto that "we are a team" and Chad & I were always given tasks to pitch in on the work, I realize now that Chad & I didn't carry the "heavy end" of that load. NO indeed!

We were able to go on those wonderful family camping trips because Mom and Dad were... and are... a TEAM. They are a beautiful example of marriage. They work TOGETHER. They each SHARE the load. Mom worked hard to prepare for camping. And Dad didn't come home from his day job, plop down on the couch and expect her to wait on him... nope. He pitched in too. They WORKED TOGETHER. There was never his and hers - never! Not in jobs and not in possessions. It will always be OURS in their book.

And so we went camping this week and worked TOGETHER as a family. We drove in to our camp site and used the modern restrooms nearby (not quite the same as my ideal camping trip to Seventh Lake) but... We did the work TOGETHER and then we played TOGETHER.

Today is Mom & Dad's 38th wedding anniversary. And today I am so very thankful for my parents and their wonderful example to Chad & I then... and to us, our spouses and children now.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Mom & Dad! We LOVE YOU TONS!!!

P.S. I would be remiss not to wish my mother and father-in-law a HAPPY ANNIVERSARY also. Today they celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

(... some day I'll tell you readers about my good-man-Charlie-Brown's & my weird number thing ;) )

Rockin'!!

2008-08-24T00:37:00.003-04:00

Last night we took the girls to a ROCK Concert!

We drove an hour with our tailgate down on the truck... never losing a single chair. We purchased seats on the lawn of the Verizon Music Center and thought we came prepared. Security informed us that chairs only 9" or smaller (think beach chair) were allowed. So we prepared ourselves to just enjoy the lawn. We paid a pretty penny to see this concert and were not to be deterred by the possibility of rain nor the prospect of grass stain.

We found a decent spot on the lawn and settled in. Another security officer appeared and hollered in my ear (it was a ROCK concert folks... think LOUD!) that we could move forward into the seats up to a certain mark. Hesitate?? NO WAY! We promptly found a great spot in the seats!

Even Bluebird & Ducky came along (they got in free you know!!! Flew in, I'm told!)

What a blast! It was four and a half hours of great Christian rock bands!

Jars of Clay!

R.Randolph and The Family Band!

We'd never actually heard of this band before but completely enjoyed them. Amazingly talented! We even came home with their newest cd!

They were followed by Switchfoot.

Crazy, wild but completely passionate!

Switchfoot fans... name that song... ;)

The girls were in to it!! Rockin!

And last, the band that drew us to this awesome gathering....

THIRD DAY!

But the really COOL thing..
...really awesome thing...
....the thing that the wagging fingers don't understand (they're too busy wagging those critical fingertips)...

WORSHIP!!

There was prayer!

There was fellowship!

There was sharing... a message!

There was Worship!

Hymns even (with electric guitars, drums, singing & dancing)...

But the most important thing was ... the presence of the LORD! All else paled to His Presence.

No boundary lines drawn by denominations or theology or doctrine
Rather a gathering of people with a common love for Jesus, Lord of my heart,...King of Glory!

It was ROCKIN'!!!!

P.S. I've never seen a crowd that size exit a packed... PACKED parking lot in such a civilized manner. I pray the Lord's Glory seeped out of that place last night! :)

Going under water

2008-08-17T21:10:00.003-04:00

Hair-tied-in-knots showed me her process for going under water.

This is the breathing preparation.

And now you hold your breath like this...

And I think this is sighting the point of entry....

And then you get in there quick before you run out of air and have to start all over....

And when you're done you pose for mom so her heart fills with mommy-love-and-pride.

::big grin::

Not to be out done!

2008-08-14T00:25:00.002-04:00

My little Westie boy begged to be in the spotlight again!

He loves to pretend he's a "show dog".

And he also loves to watch "Animal Planet" when he stays at Gram & GDude's house!

It's NOT My Fault!

2008-08-08T21:49:00.002-04:00

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

Meet Mr. Banks!

He'll be climbing aboard our trailer tomorrow morning and coming home to be doted on & loved by our girls!

What happened to the week?

2008-08-08T11:59:00.003-04:00

Here we are... it's Friday and I feel like someone hit a fast forward button on my week. Did I miss a few days? I'm pretty sure I did.

Monday morning started with our farrier, David. The horses were mostly well-behaved for him. Mr. MaGee always has to test to see where the limits are. It's become more subtle than when he was a yearling. Now as a four year old, he is more devious about it. But David feels it all. MaGoof shifts his weight around in an apparent attempt to test David's weight limit. When he attempts to put most of his 1000 pounds in David's hands, David scolds him and he straightens up for a few minutes- gives acting a try while portraying an innocent angel pony-- then finds a new way to test the limits of David's strength. It's never overtly naughty... rather like he's messing around.

Of course, David's not so innocent. He's gotten me into trouble this week! .... more on that in a minute.

Tuesday was semi busy. A trip to town to review kitchen designs for the house we're currently renovating. Ugh! You gotta love the way designer creativity adds to the bill. In this case, the creativity was going to add over $1000 to the overall bill. We decided the creativity -while creative- was not practical. Scratch the creative and stick to the practical -- go for quality.

Wednesday morning I awoke to swollen hands, knees & feet topped off with red, itchy blotches and painful joints. This is not new for me. I've probably had this happen half a dozen times since high school. And yes... I have seen a doctor for it several times. It's always the same answer... "we don't know", "you must be allergic to something. Think about what you ate", "take some Benedryl". I go home, take some benedryl and slip into a coma for the next 12 hours. I'm a freak of nature. Who knows? But I suspect my missing week has to do with this mystery relapse and benedryl. I've eaten nothing out of the ordinary and haven't done anything that I don't do in my daily living. Why the sudden flare up? No clue! I'm a freak!

I am better today and ready to get in trouble. I'm blaming it on David, our farrier! As you may know, we have 4 horses... one of those being a miniature stallion. When the 4 of us ride, we have 3 horses to ride. Do the math! We're short a mount. So David "innocently" inquired whether I might be looking for another pony. LOL I haven't been actively shopping but I have been watching. I figured that taking my time would allow the right pony to come along. So, of course, I could only answer, "actually... yes, I've been looking". Well! You guessed it! David knew of a very nice pony that one of his other clients has for sale. (Jason thanks you David!!! LOL)

Finding a horse that fits your needs and is known by someone you trust is always a valuable thing. And even better... your farrier who handles the horse/pony regularly. So this afternoon we'll be meeting this pony. He sounds like a gem... a been there, done that gentleman who is well rounded and versatile.

::giggle::

I'll keep you posted... and maybe even have pictures to share later!

P.S. Hair-tied-in-knots told us Wednesday that she had her outfit all picked out for when she gets to meet the pony! She very promptly put on said outfit as soon as she was out of bed this morning. Riding breeches & a "horsey" t-shirt! ::more giggling::

It's a Date!

2008-07-29T14:29:00.004-04:00

This pretty gal has been a guest at our little farm.

She's on a quest for motherhood and is dating our mini stud. ::wink::wink::

I feel the need...

2008-07-27T19:57:00.003-04:00

Moms!

Are you having a rough week?

Kids whining all day? Endless bickering and arguing getting you down?

Are you pulling your hair in an attempt to anesthetize your mental state?

If an overdose of the darkest chocolate available has failed to bring relief, and a bubble bath has only left you wrinkly.... If shopping only increases your blood pressure while decreasing your account balances and you've already spent time with your favorite equine... Your therapist is out of town and you don't drink lest you add to your problems with another strong addiction (remember the chocolate?)...

I may have another solution for you!

SPEED!!!!

NO! I'm not speaking of drugs folks! ... remember, you don't need bigger problems! LOL

I'm talking speed!!! Legal speed!!!

That's my dad! He's screaming around an "S" curve in second gear while racing against the clock.

This is AutoCross!

And this is FUN!!!

Filled with adrenaline! It's a closed track with a set course. In this case, each driver is on the track alone... only him, his car, and the clock running. The goal... get around the course in as little time as you can. Hit any cones or drive off the course and seconds are added to your final time. You want to be quick, smooth and clean!

And THAT is ME!!! Yep! Also racing against the clock... also around that "S" curve... but not screaming quite like Dad!

Racing against myself and the clock... My first time was 56.13 seconds. My best time was 48.37 seconds.

and it was a BLAST!!!!

I didn't kick many butts...best time for the day was 44.84 seconds... but that's not because I wasn't trying! (The average best time was 48.42! )

Fragile

2008-07-23T00:19:00.003-04:00

A young teenage boy is riding his bicycle. To where? I don't know. Apparently listening to his ipod, he was possibly in his own world with a favorite song in his ear. It was a great summer day for a bike ride. And then....

...he crossed the road without looking... or listening. In a moment- gone!

A man is going about his afternoon doing his job, I imagine. He's driving a heavy tri-axle dump truck loaded with gravel. Tons of gravel. I don't know what stresses his daily life holds but I know the nature of life. They are there. It was a great summer day even if he had to be working. And then....

...a boy on a bicycle turns right into the path of his truck. In a moment! There's no time to stop, 'tho he tries. The truck screeches and leaves a black path of rubber before stopping in a soy bean field.

It's not the opening for a novel. It's a true story that transpired just yesterday afternoon. It was around 2:30. The girls and I were checking out some groceries at our local small town IGA. We heard the sirens from the fire house across the street. Looking out the glass windows that are the front of the store, the cashier and I saw several emergency vehicles go screaming around the corner heading south. Both of us were concerned. Something told me that whatever call for help they were answering was BAD. The cashier expressed the same concern. I told her that it causes me to pray hard. She agreed.

As we pulled out of the parking lot, I glanced down the road headed south and saw the lights south of town. That feeling still lingering... it's BAD.

Today we got hay. We purchase hay from a gentleman who has become a dear friend to us. He and his family are wonderful people who are like extended family to us. He asked if our girls rode their bikes much... "yep"... "On the road?"... "no. Around the yard and on the driveway.".... He was sitting at the intersection waiting to turn when the boy crossed right in front of the gravel truck. A witness to that horrific event. He did not sleep well last night. Shaken to the depths of his soul is not an exaggeration.

Fragile.

Life is so very fragile.

In a moment, EVERYTHING can change.

Yesterday, our sweet Hair-Tied-In-Knots was pushing a bicycle over a landscape timber.. just to get it to the other side so she could ride it. It bounced up and attacked her. Her poor sweet smile was now covered in blood. I still don't understand how that thing did the damage that it did to her mouth. It was just one of those things... a freak thing, I guess. But she's now worried about smiling and someone seeing her bloodied, torn up gums. Her teeth are sore and she suffered some chips. It hurt and still hurt my mommy heart... and Gram's heart... and GDude's heart... and Daddy's heart --- Probably not as much as her mouth hurts. But chipped and bloody... we still have her here with us.

Oh Lord! Be quick to comfort that boy's family! Give them peace that ONLY You can give. Be with that man who was driving. Be with our dear friend who witnessed the accident. Give them Peace... Comfort... and Your Love!

It was a great summer day!

In a moment...

FRAGILE!!

Camping

2008-07-18T23:19:00.002-04:00

Summer Reading

2008-07-11T23:36:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year... time to ESCAPE!!!

This time, I had to escape via some great summer reading. So I hit my favorite book source and picked up several titles I'd been wanting for a while and couple that I stumbled upon in the process. And when they arrived, I ESCAPED when time presented itself.

Usually when I go on one of my book ESCAPES, I really do just put everything aside and bury my nose in a book. Life has been so busy, so crazy and has had some unique stressors lately that haven't allowed me to simply be buried. But between the busy, the crazy and the stress... I dove into my books.

I have two more to go and may find time to actually bury myself in them this week... I hope! But the two I read were good reads... one was soooo good that it deserves a plug here.

"The Shack" by William Young.... this is a fantastic work of fiction! It is a story that grabs you deep in your spirit. You will be riveted... you will cry... laugh ... and be moved. So if you're looking for a great read, I highly recommend this one!