Simple Joys

We have had a great time the last couple days planting the garden. It has been relaxing, but hard work all at once. I have really enjoyed getting lots done outside, with all sorts of projects (see here for details). Wish housework was as energizing and enjoyable!

We have been doing basic stuff for school daily and then going outside to work and play. The kids have been happy to be able to play with the water hose a few times already this year. We will be doing some testing soon to see where we are with their learning and what we should work on over the summer and/or in the fall.

Tom and I (with Heather's help) have cleaned up our screen room outside and started enjoying sitting outside for our coffee in the mornings before he leaves. This always motivates me to read my Bible more regularly, having that quiet and peace in the mornings. My spirits are being lifted and my soul is at peace, I am sure the Vit D from the sunshine is really helping with that too! I have quite the tan going now. :-)

Tom recently found replacement parts for his grill and has it working quite well again. We LOVE to grill out in the warmer weather, use it almost daily - best Father's Day gift ever! We have also been enjoying hanging our clothes on the line to dry. Our washing machine is having problems remembering to spin out the loads, thankfully we have a back-up at the shop and will bring that home tonight and get this one repaired. We are also considering a new refrigerator, ours is 10 years old now and a fire hazard, doesn't seal real well and we really would like an ice-maker. Another thing we have been discussing is replacing our living room carpet with laminate... it really is time to get rid of that, blech!

The chicks are growing and ready to take over their whole house and have some new straw laid. We need to build their outside run very soon also. Carl and Molly are best buds now and Carl is growing up really fast. Cats and bunnies are doing well. Rose found a tiny turtle the other day and has adopted it for the time being. Liz, Will's lizard escaped on Saturday morning when Rose opened her tank - but was found again Sunday afternoon. We were very glad to find her, she is such a fun pet.

Our business is doing well right now. There is plenty of work for the 1-2 trucks that we are running now and bills are getting caught up on. Things seem to be stabilizing and I am growing accustomed to the added responsibilities.

That's really about it in our world right now - work and play, dirt and bugs, clouds and sunshine, animals and plants, rain and wind. Finding joy in it all.

Refreshment

It was very nice to get a break this past weekend and en joy some time with extended family. The kids and I drove down to Georgia and enjoyed camping i n the yard at my brother's for his 30th birthday party. There were 11 adults and 10 children there, we had a nice time catching up and the weather was perfect.

It was good to get a break from the grind here and it has improved my outlook, allowing me to regroup in a sense. We have accomplished quite a bit this week with school, house and gardens. Tom stayed home due to a dentist appt, and he did some housework for me, took care of the animals and put up some new backsplash in our kitchen to surprise me. :-) It is better than the icky walls, and nice to have a fresh look in there. Such a sweet hubby I have!

Things are finally starting to warm up here - this weekend should be perfect for yardwork. I am determined to get the fence around the big gardens so that I can plant them, the beds are all ready to go. Such fun and so invigorating to be accomplishing so much.

A low valley

It's been a hard week.  I was planning to write here on Tuesday but wanted to wait until I was in better spirits... hasn't happened yet.  :(  Nothing horrible happening, I just am overwhelmed and not feeling great and frustrated that I am not taking better care of myself.  I am a hormonal mess right now, blech!

We are getting ready to take a trip down to GA for my brother Ryan's 30th birthday.  It will be good to see everyone again.  I am praying that I feel better physically by the time we leave tomorrow morning and that I am able to relax and leave behind my list of to-do's and enjoy time with family.  Tom is having to stay home for a dentist appt and animal care, I will be taking the kids and car pooling with my sis and her hubby and family.  We leave tomorrow morning.

It's been cloudy and rainy this week, probably hasn't helped with my mood.  I haven't gotten a thing done outside all week, which is frustrating, though I am thankful for the rain.  I will try to get out and walk around the yard at least this afternoon.  I need to trellis the peas and fence the strawberries which shouldn't take long.

I've been working on the house and lots of paperwork and business website updating, all good stuff to get done.

That's all for now, will try to be more cheerful next week!  :-)

New life

Not a lot new to report on this week, I am learning where the new schedule is and is not working. General idea is fine, but need to switch office work to AM hours with school and then get outside, so a bit of re-arranging to do. It is helping me to remember what needs done, and helps to know that if I see that something in particular needs done... there is a day that week I will get to it and I don't have to stress over it. So that is where we are with that.

We have gotten lots done outside, today is too cold to do much so we are staying inside. I don't have much energy when there is no sunshine! I am pleased with all the green beginning to show up around the yard. Everything is budding and sprouting. We need to get the garden fence up soon so that I can put the seedlings in the ground and not fear the deer. Things are really shaping up outside. It is a bit depressing to come inside and see the mess waiting there, but can only do so much - this is a season.

Spring brings all sorts of analogies of new life and fresh starts. I have been having a fairly inactive day (more desk work, phone calls, less power tools and running around)... and looking out my window enjoying the little green things poking up all around has me contemplating much. I was musing today on how often the things that take the most attention and care and are the most "difficult" to grow are the most rewarding. I pray that is synonymous with our life right now. I know that no matter how difficult/slow/weedy/rotten things look to us, God will keep working with us and bring about something beautiful in His eyes. I need to remember this when training and loving our children too, it will be worth it one day! It is humbling to see these little reminders in the world and life God has given us. I am thankful for the new life He gave to me when He gave His Son new life. I seek to live for Him even when I feel like screaming that it's all too much. His strength is sufficient.