Look Out Mount

Chores were done and there was still three hours until dinner so we decided to go check the dry farms. It was hot and the breeze would feel good......

I love this time of year, I often wish it could be like this always. Shane says I would tire of it, and maybe so but I'd sure like a chance to find out.

What a beautiful view from up here.

The Snake. We have been blessed with an abundance of water.

Oh, here we go again. Two weekends in a row we've been chased by storm clouds. This one looks a little more serious than last week, though.

Heading for the shed as fast as a dirt bike will take you.

PLEASE make sure you slow down for the corners!

Just for the record ~we beat it. It was an amazing storm. Wind and lightning. Fun to watch, just not to be caught in.

~O sing unto the Lord a new song;

for he hath done marvellous things
Psalm 98:1

What a Nut!

If there is anything I have learned from raising goats it's that ~I have not learned anything about raising goats. Last November, Nutmeg gave birth to two little doelings. They were so cute and I was so excited because that meant Winter milk!! In March, after milking her all winter, I decided to let her dry up. The other girls had freshened so I had plenty of milk and maybe she would come back in to heat and we could have milk next winter too.

Last week I received a call from a lady looking for dairy doelings and ended up selling Nutmeg's two daughters. She was a little sad to see them go and that night I noticed her bag was really full. The next day she was worse, and looking miserable. I can be so heartless..."Serves you right lady for letting those gals nurse so long. Seven months old and they were still nursing~ shame on you!"

Monday, she was in terrible shape, sluggish and hanging out in the barn. Great! she's getting mastitis on me... what a goat! I went to the house for the meds and a bucket so I could milk her out. I got side tracked ( Never!) and ended up going out there about an hour after I intended to. Finding her.......and him. The poor gal was bagging up and sick because she was in labor. I was so stunned.
Nutty shouldn't have been pregnant. She would have come in to heat when her babies were two months old AND in the dead of winter. Dairy Goats do not do that....well, obviously they do BUT normally they do not do that.
Needless to say I am no longer disgusted with my little gal. Now I am impressed. Over the winter she had single handily (hoofedly?) raised two babies, gave her human family a half gallon a day and grew another baby besides. What a woman!
I wonder how many times in the coarse of my life I misjudge the actions of others... How many times have I rolled my eyes and judged another soul when the battle they are fighting may not be so obvious? How much better would it be to lend a helping hand instead of shooting a fiery dart?
Through out the bible, servant's of God pray for him to open the eyes of his people. That too should be my constant prayer. Let me see life through your eyes, Lord. Give me holy vision that my judgement might be perfect. Remove my blinders and let me see as you see.

....for the LORD seeth not as man seeth;

for man looketh on the outward appearance,

but the LORD looketh on the heart.

Trip to the Charcoal Kilns

We had worked so hard yesterday that we decided to take the afternoon and go for a quick ride somewhere close to home. The charcoal Kilns were on our list of places we wanted to visit this summer so we headed out. Saddling up. Helmets? check. Picnic? check. Wait is that rain???? Oh well, it will keep the dust down.

Zachary, because of his broken arm had to give up the idea of his dirt bike and ride in the granny wagon with mom. From that cheesy smile I'm a guessing he is not so sure he can trust my driving anymore than his.

These things were amazing 800 cords of wood turned into charcoal on a weekly basis.. and Berry forever fighting his shoe laces.

Wind blown but beautiful at the entrance to one of the kilns.

" Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?"

....... Okay, so it wasn't anything wonderful like that, just the top hole where they stuffed the wood in. But it was still pretty neat.

Beautiful scenery, wonderful company. Just truly a peaceful and refreshing day.

Thank you, Lord.

Grace's Picture

We spent all day, Saturday, cleaning the barn and corral. At the end of the day Moe rewarded us with a big thank you. A sweet little buckling. Grace was beside me the whole time practicing her midwife skills..yet as he hit the ground she popped out my camera and quickly became photographer. "Mom, I need one of these for my birthday!" I had to wait until I was thirty-five before I got my first digital camera, she is six.......my, how times have changed.

Milk

And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food,

for the food of thy household,

and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

We use our goats milk for everything. Drinking, cooking, and we even make our own ice cream, cream cheese and yogurt. Last year I tried all summer to learn how to make hard cheese. The only thing I managed to produce was something that was of a bouncy ball consistency and ~well, about as flavourful.... I'm going to try it again ~I think the family is begging for prayers here. I'll let you know how it goes.

Keeping Secrets

Shhhhh! Can you keep a secret? Should you? Okay, I'll tell you...... For Fathers day this year we want to honor Shane with a special gift. A recliner! I hate recliners. They are big and cumbersome and in my not-so-very-humble-at-times opinion....ugly.

My man, however, works hard to provide for us and at the end of a long day would like to come home and relax a bit before dinner. Yes, in a recliner. I have been saving for several months and decided I had enough that I could go put one on layaway and have it picked up in time for Father's day.

So, one day a few weeks back we took a holiday from school and went to "try on" some chairs.. Papa is a big, strong man so the chair had to have a wide comfortable seat. He is also tall so the back rest had to be tall too, tall enough that when he leaned back his head was supported without him slouching. The girls wanted to be able to cuddle with him in it so we needed one that the foot rest was as wide as the entire chair ~not one that just lifted out of the middle.

I wanted one that wouldn't consume my entire living room... and on and on the list went.

The seven of us had set out to try the patience of even the most sainted salesman.

We had tried several stores but none seemed to fit all that we wanted. Finally, when we stopped at Oak Ridge in Rigby we found "THE CHAIR" and a smart salesman... he sent us back to the recliner room and left us alone. Rows upon Rows of chairs to choose from and finally the one! Every requirement was met and now all that was left was.........what color?................... The sales man had peeked around the corner when he heard us declare we had found the perfect chair, but he retreated fast when the color debate began. Cream was certainly out,~ mom put her judicial foot down promptly on that one but the others were beautiful ~slate blue and sage green,light brown and a burgundy...just enough choices to split the vote. There was a lot of elbowing and good natured extortion going on as each tried to get the other to convert to his way of thinking. Finally,there were barely enough votes for the sage colored one to skim by. Then we looked at the price tag...."Oh! How in the world did we get to this decision and never once look at the price tag???" "We can't pay that children I'm sorry...."

Here is where the smart salesman came in. ~We had been in his store debating for over an hour, there was no way he was putting up with all of that and still loosing the sale..... "Ma'am, they go on sale for 40% off next Tuesday..I can give you that deal today if you like. We have to order you a chair, these are floor models, so it won't be here before the sale starts anyway."

Sold!

I payed my down payment and told him I would pick it up a few days before Father's Day.

Finally! We were back in the truck. As I buckled my seat belt I overheard Gracie say " I can't wait to tell daddy what we bought him tonight..."

Instantly there were five other distressed voices..."Gracie, you can't tell dad ~ it's a secret!"

I agreed with them until she turned to me with those clear blue eyes so full of trust " Momma! We can't keep secrets from daddy, that's a sin." At that moment, like so many times before, I knew why Christ told us that to enter into heaven we must become as a little child.

When is it in our lives that sin quits being black and white and starts to turn grey? Why at some point do we begin to worry about others feelings and forget about God's? How is it that we loose that simplicity of mind and life becomes complicated?

"Grace, this isn't a bad secret..."I began. After six children you'd think I'd have this one down by now but it always stumps me. "It isn't really a secret at all.."

"Then why can't I tell him?"

"Because...well, we want it to be a special surprise and he won't be surprised if you tell him. Kind of like Christmas ~I don't tell you what I buy you."

"Yes, but you tell daddy!" She exclaims.

Here, David takes over.."Grace, I tell you what. If daddy comes home and says "Gracie, did you buy me a green recliner today?" you can tell the truth and say "yes, daddy I did." BUT ...do you remember when David was anointed king and he didn't tell anyone at first but just went back to work? Well, the chair is like that~we don't want dad to know for a while so if dad doesn't ask then you can't tell him for six more weeks okay?"

She looked him over out of the corner of her eye, it was obvious she was seeing us for the first time as we really were ~ WE were all a bunch o' liars!

"Okay." she finally replies "But if he asks I'm telling."

That night when dad got home, Grace, true to her nature came bouncing through the house and right up into her papa's lap. He planted a kiss on her forehead and gave her a big squeeze. "How did my little girl do with her school today?" I knew she was going to tell him, and to be honest I wouldn't have mind if she did. "Oh, we didn't do much school today, just Bible and then momma gave us a holiday......" they both turned to look at me.

I shrug. "We need one every now and then..."

Dad still had his eyebrow raised but said " I guess you do, every now and then."

With that Grace fluttered off to join her sister at play and I gave a sigh of relief. Or was it? My daughter had just learned to use the "grey". It was almost enough to ruin the whole thing for me.

Child like faith ~ perfect obedience.....it's what I long for and here, I just took hers from her. I felt terrible.

I guess I could use that as a daily reminder... sin is sin ~there is never an in between....I wonder if they make that chair in grey..........

Patience

With nothing but the garlic and peas up, I sit staring at my garden. Waiting.......... waiting...... I am by no means wishing my summer away but Oh, the flavor of corn and tomatoes....... mmmmm. How would it have been before the fall of Adam and Eve to have everything ready and waiting all the time...and with out the weeds!

Zachary

Zachary shows much improvement today. Even got a smile!

Zig don't Zag

Zachary was coming around the left corner, crossed the road and went down the embankment. He was laying at the base of the curved tree that you see in the upper right hand corner.

Landing Safely

Zachary was laying between the stump and the tree to the right. The paramedics had to cut some of the branches to get him out.

Lest Thou Should Fall

For he shall give his angels charge over

thee to keep thee in all thy ways.

They shall bear thee up in their hands...........

I received the best present for mothers day today. My son Zachary, ran his motorcycle off the road and down a deep embankment, smashing into a stump and throwing him self over the handle bars with the bike falling on top of him. He stopped a few feet from the canal that runs behind our house and at some point his helmet flew off. He rode to the hospital in the back of an ambulance with all his clothes cut off. His right wrist has a compound fracture with damage in the growth plate, his left eye is swelled shut and when the doctor pried it open it is bloody and bruised on the eye ball it's self. His chest, neck and chin have road rash, the rest of his body covered in bruises and right now as I type he has been in surgery for over two hours.

So, why was this the best mothers day present?

Because he lives. MY SON LIVES!

In a breath, I could have lost him. In fact when I look at the spot where he landed..it is only by God's grace that my son is alive let alone able to walk and talk.

The story is so full of blessing that it must be shared. Zachary had been riding alone all day. Something that will never happen again with any of my children. He decided that he didn't want to ride Andrew's smaller bike anymore, but his bigger one. Cody, overhearing him said "If you're riding that bike I am going with you..."
He tells me now "Mom, I'm glad I listened...God was telling me and if I hadn't of listened ~ we wouldn't have found him. I knew I had to go, I just didn't know why."

Every thing went fine until the return trip home and approaching a pretty sharp curve in the road, Zac, not expecting the power of the bigger bike did not slow down in time. Where he landed is unseen from the road. It would have taken a lot of precious time to simply find him if Cody had not been there.

Cody was able to reach him seconds after he hit, there was a lot of blood coming from his mouth and where the bike was on his chest, Cody feared lung damage. Running to the nearest house he called for help and Mrs. Sutton, who came out, was a nurse...... She grabbed blankets and headed for the spot.

Cody was already back there and had flagged down another car who called the ambulance. Before the ambulance could get there, however, two bikers stopped to see if they could help...they were EMT's from Rigby just out for a Sunday drive.....

Somewhere in the middle of all this someone thought to call our house, Shane left without saying a word to anyone. I realised what had happened when Andrew came in saying "Mom, I don't know where dad went but Cody and Zachary have sure been gone for a long time..." I flew out the door and jumped in the truck headed the direction I had last seen them, only to get there and remember I had left Tammy, my cerebral palsy client, at home with no adult there to watch her.

It took everything I had to tear myself away from that place, but I had to go back home, I think it helped Zachary better anyway, always the little gentleman he was so concerned about the fact that I might see his bone sticking out and he didn't want me to.

A short time later Romma came to sit with Tammy and I joined Shane at the hospital.

We prayed before they took him to surgery. Asking God to guide the doctor's hands as he repaired the damage. praying that he would give Zac comfort and peace and thanked God for this opportunity to trust him. I could barely breath as they wheeled him away for surgery and Zac said " Thanks mom, I love you...."

I had to go home and Shane stayed at the hospital, Zachary was in surgery about three and a half hours, we are told that most of this time was taken up by flushing the dirt and sticks and grime out of his arm so there would be no infection. They left two drain tubes hanging out that would have to be removed at a later time.

Monday morning, after I got Tammy and Berry(both developmentally disabled adults I care for) on the bus to their day care programs I returned to the hospital to sit with Zachary. I was amazed at how fast the swelling in his face had gone down in less than twelve hours. Though weak and tired he began wondering how long it would take for his arm to heal well enough that he could ride his bike. Holverson to the core. He was released that evening but was sent home with I.V's and the drain tubes still in place.

Tuesday, his throat was very sore from the tube they had placed in his throat while preforming the surgery. So he lived on ice cream. Later that afternoon we returned to the doctor and he pulled the drain tubes. I have never had a drain tube pulled from my body but from the sound of Zachary's screams ~ if they ever have to put one in me it will become a permanent fixture. Then we spent the next three hours at the hospital getting his I.V. changed. By the time we got home he was so wiped out and sick. He slept until noon the next day.

Wednesday afternoon I decided I was not taking him back to the hospital to remove the I.V. ~ that place is a joke and poor Zac is just not strong enough to sit there until it is convenient for them to help him. I removed it myself and he says I did alright.

He had been seen by his regular doctor and was put on an oral antibiotic and nasal spray to try to clear up a sinus issue that the cat scan picked up in the ER room.

Later that night he made a statement that caused no little stir around the house. "Everybody! I used the bathroom all by my self!!!" A sure sign that he is on the road to recovery.

He has many more Dr. appointments in the days ahead, including a small surgery in about 6 weeks to remove the pins in his wrist but my son is doing far better than I could have ever hoped for.

When Zachary was born we named him Zachary Dean. In his book is written...

Zachary

Hebrew: remembered by God

Your name was give to you as a reminder that God's eyes are always upon thee. He sees and will forever protect. Walk boldly before him.

Dean

Hebrew: A valley

This name was chosen by your father, drawn from a dear friend in his childhood. "Uncle" Dean was very caring and kind.

Remember you are seen of God even in the valleys and the God who see sees will never fail to uphold.

His life verse was given as Psalm 118:6,10

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them...

Praise God! Praise God, that he not only sees in the valley but that he also sees along a brier filled canal bank where no one else would have been able to...

Morning Glories

My goat Mopsey, is special, she is a morning glory. I love her for that because I too am a morning glory. Every morning when I head out the back door for milking Mopsey is standing ready at the gate. Nickering and coaxing me to hurry, she just HAAAS to get on that stand!
So, I let her out and away she goes jumping up on the stand as if she could live there forever. Mopsey, however, has an irritating habit, half way through milking she tires of standing still and jumps ship. This has happened day after day, year after year. In fact it is such a common occurrence that the first time she shows up at the gate to be let in, the boys don't even ask they just bring her back.
I don't know what it is that sets her off...maybe she hears her babies in the barn and decides that I have had my share or maybe her oats run low or are not as good as she remembered them being the day before...For what ever reason she has had enough and quits. That is why she is my morning glory.
Have you ever watched a morning glory flower? First thing in the morning ~while the rest of us are still chugging down coffee~ they are up with every ounce of energy they have blooming, but then when the heat hits and life is a little uncomfortable they wither and hide. They quit before the day is over.

How many times do I have a morning glory attitude?

When I start a project am I determined to see it through? Or when the going gets rough do I pack up and head out? When Satan attacks and sends arrows of doubt do I turn and run or dig in on my knees where I belong?
The Christian walk is not easy. It is full of trials and temptations. We will fall on a daily if not hourly basis but if we give up, remember~ Satan wins.

There should be no morning glories in Christ's service. We, like the apostle Paul should declare.."but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
The prize....eternal peace.... let us press forward.

Now, Mopsey's habit would be easy enough to fix. The solution was given to me over and over by my boys..."Mother, you need to tie her....tie her mother and she won't do that!" They became so disgusted with me that I finally had to tell them my story. Now, our "Morning Glory" serves as a daily reminder.... when she jumps ship we feel the frustration and are reminded of our own failure and vow to do better. We vow to press forward.

Before ye ask him...

David turned sixteen this February. I wrote in an earlier post that he had become a man... well, a man wants a job.
We have tried through out the coarse of our children's lives to make every minute meaningful. We want them to enjoy life
(and they do) but do not want them to waste time on mindless pursuits. We have never allowed in their play life that which we wouldn't allow in their adult life....okay except for the time I dressed them up like wild Indians and let them run all over the yard....that was a history lesson~ still had a purpose!
So with this in mind how does one go about allowing a boy to "work" as a teen? Standing at the end of a counter bagging groceries or passing burgers out a window just does not fit the ideal of time spent in meaningful pursuits.
Moving pipe allows for great physical exercise and time spent with God's creation but at sixteen when the mind moves on to "preparing for the wife of his youth and his fields" the pay is too nominal to amount to much through out the summer.
I guess I should add here that, while a paying job is nice, we would have been perfectly willing to allow David to work for no wage if he would have been able to learn a skill or a trade that would have helped him as an adult. Knowledge is of higher esteem than money.

We had discussed putting in an application at Bear World ~ he has skill in working with animals, however, they take interns from the collage to do the actual work with the animals and leave the hired youth to muck stalls and pass out tickets at the gate.... again not an option.

We had reached a standstill.... is it not amazing that when we stand still ~ God moves best?
Two weeks ago, Shane traded an entertainment center for new rain gutters for our home. He had all four boys working with him at the home while he installed the entertainment center.
Last night, totally out of the blue, the gentleman stopped by and offered David a job over the summer.... He was impressed with our boys and wanted to teach David the trade, and pay him as well! In the blink of an eye our problem had been solved and we hadn't lifted a finger.

Does God want David to install rain gutters for a living? I have not a clue..but I will tell you. The machine that makes the gutters was $8,000 from that small investment this man makes a nice living and has the flexibility of being his own boss and scheduling jobs around his family life...

Today, however, I am not thinking about what David will do for a living, that decision is in far better hands anyway. Today I am working on standing still and praising God!

.......For your father knoweth what things ye have need of,
before ye ask him.