He Created YOU...

I was standing in the toothbrush isle  the other day because...well, because our toothbrushes  wore out and we need new ones.  When I decided on the ones I wanted I began to pull them off the shelf looking for nine different colors... have you ever tried to find nine different colors in a toothbrush?
Not happening.

But farther on down the line something was happening~ people were starting to take notice. Two ladies were whispering back and forth and then a third stopped to watch as well.  Finally one spoke up "Is that a good buy?"

I turned to face my audience...

"What?"

"Those, if you are stocking up like that they must be a good buy!"

I shrug, not wanting to take the time to explain myself.."Sure, if you need toothbrushes."

but she continues "Are you going to take them all?"

"Nope, I'm done."  and off I walk shaking my head as they empty the shelf.
I should get a commission for that. Or maybe, a bad mark on my report card.

Why is it that we tend to feel like we are missing out.. or feel the need to run with the masses?  I meet mothers everyday that waste precious time comparing themselves, their money, their family to others, afraid that if they don't match up they are in some way inferior...  All I can ask is why? Do you not know that God formed you for a special purpose?  One that nobody else can fill? If you are pleasing Him, why worry about what any other mortal may think?
It is about time we take a stand and be the body God created us to be. To be anything else would be unwise.

OOOowww.

Oooh, I am so sore.  It warmed up to 36 yesterday ( today too but I am too sore to do anything about it)  The boys and I headed out as soon as school was over and began cleaning up around the barn and the hay stack.

I also cut down my willow trees, This fall, Jerling plowed through the electric fence that was protecting them and....well, let's just say my goats ate well this winter. Being willows I suspect they will grow up from the roots next spring but my arms are like jello.. I got all soft and mushy this winter and yesterday is really killing me today. It hurts to even type so this will be short.....don't sigh in relief like that.

This week has been long.. Monday, I got a call from my mom's neighbor... your mom has issues.  Then I rolled into Tuesday and it was my client having issues then Wednesday I started class and on and on.

This morning while I was milking,  Zac came out the back door and said "Momma, I've got some good news and some bad news for you."  I buried my face into my goat, she smelled of a barn that needed cleaning, but I kept my face there because I didn't want to hear the news........ He smiles "The bad news is ...there is no good news.  The good news is...there is no bad news."

I pat the goat as she jumps from the stand.  That was exactly what I want, a completely neutral day.  No good, no bad and since it is a balmy 36* I am going to brew my self a jar of ice tea and celebrate.

OH NO!!

Drat! It has started...

I had to go to town today and ship some of Cody's hides to Montana....while there I decided to go to to the store to take back a pair of Cody's pants that had unraveled at the seam.....while there...do you see where this is going???  It is all Cody's fault!! While there I walked over to the clearance section, or what use to be the clearance section, now it is the GARDEN!!!!section.

As I walked down the isles huffing fertilizer, sniffing the scent of new hoses and caressing the lawn mowers my addiction resurfaces... My mind KNOWS that there is four more months before....before ANY of this will be necessary BUT my soul drowns out my mind in a moment of passion as I spy the SEED RACK and I snatch from it a NEW! Burpee red sweet corn!!

At a dollar fifty for a hand full of kernels, I am certain that they are well worth it. First off it is a hybrid....
I don't buy hybrids... Did I check the growing season...are we long enough? Will a hybrid like that taste good?... I have not a clue, nor a care. The package is pretty and the seeds NEED DIRT!!!  Dashing to the check out counter I make my purchase and my addiction is abated for a single solitary moment. Clutching my trophy I let loose a huge sigh....

Shopping has now become a dangerous thing.....I am certain Shane will be confiscating my debit card.  Have no fear there is a five dollar bill stashed in the bottom of my purse, that is enough for 3 more packages........

if I'm careful.
 

For the last time......

This should be the last post on Zachary's arm.  We visited the doctor in Twin Falls on Friday and Zachary is allowed to go with out his brace, according to the doctor,  as long as he is not participating in any "boneheaded" activity.  Zachary gave a sigh and said. "That is going to be hard..."  So I told him to just put the brace on when he felt like being a bonehead. LOL! He will have follow up x-rays in May.

The Lord promises to work everything for our good, and while I admit I have seen very little good while walking this path for the last nine months.  Friday, I realized something that hadn't I consciously thought of   before.  Zachary is an awesome guy.   All my children are great and I love them all dearly.

Zac, however, is truly a middle child and an easy going one at that.  In a family with ten people in it, all competing for mom's time, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle if you don't exert yourself to attract attention.  Zac is content not to attract too much attention. Therefore, he was often on the sidelines.

I realized that we have grown closer to each other over the past year. The days of caring for him in the hospital and later as he slept in my room at home were days that I spent devoting myself to him exclusively. 
I remember the first day as through a medicated haze he said "Mom, if there was ever a good mom, it's not you".. then with a sigh he said " I think I said that wrong...I mean I love ya."

The hours that we have spent in waiting rooms have produced many uninterrupted conversations for me to get to know him better.  He is so funny, and can crack a joke faster than I can blink.  He also has great plans for himself and is ever concerned that his thoughts line up with those of his Saviour.

Now days, he walks up and hugs me out of the blue, he is more attentive to others at home and they are more attentive to him.  The accident ground us to a screeching halt and caused us to appreciate each other as well as each day more....And that is good.

Where are you headed?

Where you finish tomorrow depends on how you start today........

Back 2 School 2

Well, Cody and I are taking online courses at the same time.....as we only have one computer this should prove interesting.  Cody is taking his final class for Veterinarian Assistant in hopes of getting a job after he turns 16. 

I am taking accounting classes to learn how money works... I always though money disappeared but it turns out that is not it's only talent.  Who knew?   As a side note if you have any money laying around that I could practice with,  let me know and I will get you my address.......come on.... you can trust me! LOL!

All the men in my life are in Salt Lake for the Hunting Expo at the Salt Palace.  This morning as I was doing chores I heard birds... It's funny how in the summer birds are just a back ground noise but that first time you hear them after a silent winter they are almost deafening. Made me sigh...

I am done kidding until about mid March.  There are babies everywhere.  I can't wait until Spring, so they can play on the clean grass instead of the dirty snow.

Well, I am going to get some cleaning done while the guys are gone.  Have a beautiful weekend.

Oooohh.......

LOOK! What my hubby brought me for valentines day!! It is the prettiest thing and smells soo good. You cannot see it too well in the picture but the stem/trunk is braided. He was at the hardware store of all places picking up some bolts for a piece of equipment...
Beautiful! Now.....to keep it alive.

How Do I Measure Up......

A good wife is heaven's last best gift to man;
his angel and minister of graces innumerable;
his gem of many virtues; his casket of jewels;
her voice his sweet music;
her smiles his brightest day;
her kiss the guardian of his innocence;
her arms the pale of his safety,
the balm of his health, the balsam of his life;
her industry, his surest wealth; her economy, his safest steward;
her lips, his faithful counselors:
her bosom, the softest pillow of his cares;
and her prayers, the ablest advocates
of heaven's blessings on his head.
~Jeremy Taylor

I want to go back...

No..I really don't.

But do you remember the song? I wanna go back...go back.... and do it all over.....but I can't go back, I know....

Hmmm. now I am showing my age. As if having a 17 yr old son didn't already do that for me!
  

My children and I were playing the Ungame today. Great game. Stirs up a lot of meaningful conversations, we use the Christian version.

Anyway, one of my questions was."If you could go back and live one year over again, what year would it be?" Now, I always try to make my answers deep and meaningful but for this question.... I could not come up with one. My answer was none.

Not one? Nope. The reason being that TODAY is my best day. Today is as good as it has ever been. I wouldn't go back and do any of it over. Today I am one day closer to heaven, one day closer to leaving all the cares and troubles that Satan sends my way behind me. Oh, there are many things I wish I would have done differently, even many things I am ashamed of. But I would not go back to revisit them for anything. My trials and failures are what have caused me to grow but the best~ as they say~ is yet to come.

Maybe it's my fast approaching birthday, that causes me to be more sentimental but the gray that now fringes my hair and the laugh lines that crease my eyes are hard earned. Hard earned and yet they stand as a testimony that I am more than a conquer through my Saviour Christ Jesus. Proof that I am pressing toward the mark and little by little making headway. Positive affirmation that if He can save me.......... well, then He can save anybody.

So, I want to hurry to tomorrow,or maybe relish today, but I never want to move backward... I want to see what other great things the Lord has planned. I want to laugh with my children and love with my man.... the pastures He leads me beside are green indeed.

Otter

I was in the kitchen when I heard a whine, growl and I don't know what else... Otter had been carting around a hanger and I was afraid he had hurt himself.....

It begs the question...is he playing with the hanger or is the hanger playing with him?

I really should allow Cody to make him an inside dog...he keeps me so amused.

Today.....

Stunk.

Woke up this morning to-4.....sigh, it was bitter, bitter cold and I didn't cover my baby rabbits. Grumble, Grumble.....stupid woman. I figured I had lost both batches that were already born and who knows how many kindled during the night.

To my surprise babies were wiggly warm under the soft comforter of their mother's fur. Sigh of relief. But then it was chore time and Cody came knocking on the back door. Thinking he was just letting Otter in for breakfast I went to the back door. Two...count them... two dead baby goats. From two different momma's. They had been squished in the corner of the barn. I am guessing that as the night temps dropped the goats crowded closer and closer to keep warm and the two little dears were caught in the mob. So I woke up $150 poorer today. Both were doelings.

Shane called at lunch and our one sided conversation went something along these lines....

Hi baby, I lost 2 @&%$ kids this morning. I am so tired of fighting this #*%$^@(#$^$@ weather in this arm pit of a State. #*$^@()#&@@!! and @#($&#^@*#^# ..........

Seriously if I would have been on T.V. I would have been one continuous bleep.

But this is what I love about my husband, he gives me his sympathy, dusts me off and sends me right back at it.. "Sorry, to hear that Shell, how are you going to prevent it in the future?........... Good, glad to hear you have it figured out. Love ya girl. Bye!"

No matter how much money I cost him. No matter how hard I fall on my face. No matter how my temper shows. He simply dusts me off, gives me a kiss and a pat and sends me off to my next self inflicted disaster.

He believes in me when I want to quit. He loves me unconditionally. He's a great guy. I just wish I didn't give him so many opportunities to prove it....

Where???

..............Is my pellet gun.......................

Anyone up for groundhog jerky?