Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Meet Laney & Clyde; The Two Newest Kids On The Farm


How do we always end up with crazy, loud, furry things running around the farm??
Surprisingly it happens without much thought.

On Memorial Day the Cowboy and I were sitting on the couch, he was drinking his coffee, I was drinking my tea when he said those crazy ten little words, "I think it's a good day for goats, don't you?"

I just smile and take another sip of my tea.

He's on his iphone doing something.
It turns out he's emailing this woman on craigslist who has four baby goats.

She calls.

We load up the kids.

We head to the goat farm in the pouring rain.
It's raining so hard that everyone stays in the car except for the Cowboy.

The kids don't know quite what to think when their Papa puts a cardboard box in the back of the van with two wailing baby goats.

The Spunky girl's compassionate side comes out, "Oh, they're sad cuz they're never going to see their Mama again." Her eyes start to get a little watery.

She reaches into the box and strokes their coarse hair and it doesn't take long for her to find her giggles again... she's in love with the two newest kids on the farm.

And that, my friends, is how we ended up with goats on Memorial day.





We tired to explain to the Spunky Girl that both goats are boy goats, but she insisted that one of them must be named Laney. We caved, cuz she's determined, and why not? 

On our ride to the goat farm we try to come up with a second name. It doesn't come as easily as the first. I don't remember who said it, but Clyde stuck. So there ya have it.

Clyde is the one with the black stripe going down his back.

They aren't milking goats. The goat lady called them weathered... I googled it on the way to the goat farm and found out that that's simply a nice way of saying castrated... poor little goats.

What's the use of having non-milking goats??

They eat our grass. 

And after the Cowboy spent nearly two days in a row mowing our farm fields, this Mama was delighted to bring in some reinforcement.


When we arrived back at the farm, the Cowboy and Siah found some old fencing in the stable and built our new little guys a nice little shelter in ten minutes flat. Have I ever mentioned that my Cowboy is the man!


 The Spunky Girl took a nap on the trailer while her Papa and brother did all the hard work...

Clyde...

 Laney...

 Scared to death of the dog...




Last night the kids stayed up late and before the Spunky Girl could go to sleep she just had to go say good night to the goats... I think the newest kids on the farm are already well loved. :)

Monday, May 26, 2014

A Foolproof Formula For Mothering...

 The Farm is turning green again and I can feel the weight of winter melting away. 
There are eggs right outside the sun room window that the treasures and I have been watching each day. 
The one-room-school house has turned into an art studio/library for the summer. The girls have been making all kinds of crazy stuff with paper and this morning the boys joined them on their quest to create. 



I know I have five children but I have actually found myself bored at times since school has ended.
I love the freedom that summer brings, but I guess I also appreciate the structure that comes with the school year. I'm a check list kind of gal and it just does my heart some good when I feel like I'm accomplishing something specific. 
Today the Cowboy took us all to town and we bought dirt and flowers and stuff to fix the tractor. The sun was out and I put on some shorts and a tank top and soaked it all up!!!







{Helpin Mama with the garden.}




I don't always know what to write in this space. This blog is a place where I scratch down our life, the good, the bad and the beautiful. There's stuff going on with a few of the kids that I don't know what to do with. Stuff I don't know the answer to. I'm thinking there will probably always be these kinds of things going on here, the kinds of things that keep one humble and remind us of how glorious it is to have Jesus always near.  

I've been listening to that song Oceans, by Hillsong and discovered that it just might contain the one and only foolproof formula for mothering...

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
I will call upon Your name

Keep my eyes above the waves

My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Doesn't that cover every single question we'll ever have as Mamas? 

When we think our relationship with our children is going well and we discover that they've been lying to us for several weeks, what we do?

Seek His face.
Call upon His name.
Keep our eyes above the sting and on the healer of all things.
Trust Him when He has us walking in places that seem to difficult to walk.

When we can't get that three year old to stop throwing tantrums...
When them and us, we both fall into the same old sins day after day...
When they look us in the eyes and tell us they're not even sure if they believe in God...
When they purpose to be a burden to their siblings rather than a blessing...

The answer is always the same...

Seek His face.
Call upon His name.
Keep our eyes above the sting and on the healer of all things.
Trust Him when He has us walking in places that seem to difficult to walk.

Maybe that's what I needed to reflect on today?












In other news, I found this lovely drink on pinterest last week and since I am quite in love with all things Chai it has been my delight each and every afternoon.
Summer is coming to the farm...
And my heart is grateful!!!!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Ten Months With The Little Man

The kids all call him "baby." Not Solomon, or anything short for Solomon. Just, Baby








I call him mooch. It might not sound like the most endearing word, but it has become endearing to me.

And quite frankly, Baby has turned into a fussy mess this past month. He had been so quiet and peaceful for so long it has thrown me for a loop. {It could have to do with the fact that the sweet little thing is growing SIX lovely teeth in his precious little mouth.}

He loves to be held... by the Mama... and often times, only by the Mama.


The Cowboy came in late from mowing the farm fields last night and I had spent the afternoon listening to the baby whine off and on for a few hours. He asked how I was doing and I just stared while holding Mr. Fussy Pants. And that sweet man of mine said he'd take the baby in the morning and let me mow the fields. But I always feel renewed after a good night's sleep, so the baby and I have spent yet another day together, side by side. 

"It's a short season." The Cowboy always says. 

He's right. 

But the whining... oh man, the whining. NOT my favorite part of being a Mama.
{This is what he's looked like lately...}

In other news, Baby is not crawling yet. 

He's still the craziest eater that I've had thus far. It's been a process getting him to eat solids and sitting with him at each meal has been another means for this Mama to grasp what it means to live patiently... it's no joke that the word literally means, long-suffering...

I give him 2 or 3 bites, then he cries. Then he stops crying, takes another few bites and starts crying again. 
It's not every time now. He is getting better. We've actually had several meals this past week where he has not cried at all. Woot, Woot!
Joy all around.


He still has a million happy moments. I live for those moments.
He's handsome and healthy and precious.
10 months of sheer gift,
Even on the crazy days. :) 

Monday, May 19, 2014

Dreams



When she was small I always wondered if I would ever know her gifts, her passions, her talents.

How would I know if I should encourage her in ballet, or writing, or water polo?

Someone once told me, "Just put them in several different activities and you'll discover what they like."

But with many small treasures the Cowboy and I have to be wise, not only with our finances, but also with our time. 

We decided long ago that we didn't want to spend our days in the car toting the kids from one place to the next. Our desire for our family is just that, to do our best to spend our time together, as a family, not as seven separate folks all pursuing our own interests. And so over the years we have been cautious and prayerful as to what we do with our time, as to the commitments that we make outside the farm gates. Before we move forward with an activity we ask ourselves, "How is this going to bring our family closer together? Is this going to interfere with family dinners, our family worship times? Is this going to strengthen us or strain us?" And sometimes the reality is that sacrifice is necessary for a season in order to get to a place that will ultimately bless our whole family.




Sometimes when you look at your girl's face on the morning of her birthday and you hand her a brand new pair of boots and you tell her that she's gonna get to ride a horse and she just squeals and jumps and claps and grins from ear to ear, and all of a sudden her passions become clear as day, and you become glad that you and your man sat on the porch night after night and figured out a way yo make it all happen. 

All the kids love horses, but the Dancing Girl, LOVES horses. 

She's been in classes for six weeks now and this past weekend our whole family was able to come and watch her do all that she has learned. She really is a natural. She led that horse around the arena like she had been riding for years. 




I love that precious face of hers. I love the way it lights up when she rides. 

My Siah and I are next in line for lessons. 

And Lord willing, we will bring home a couple of horses of our own someday soon and I can hardly wait to see the look on my little love's face when we do. 

Such joy in discovering what makes these kid's hearts beat. :)

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

May My Trust Be Without Borders



Her and I we wiggled our toes together under the covers and sat there in my bed in gleeful silence listening to these words over and over again...

"You call me out upon the waters

The great unknown where feet may fail

And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

[6x]
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine"

Sweet girl of mine, when did your soul get old enough to soak in your Savior the way that you do? When did you learn to live extravagantly loved the way that you do? When did you learn to ask the heart-questions, the hard-questions? I'm aw-struck by the gift of glimpses into that precious heart of yours.

You and I we sat bundled up on a cool Spring night and together we sang it out. You and I asking the Lord to lead us to where our trust is without borders. We begged our Jesus to let us walk upon the waters wherever He would call us. Take us deeper than our feet could ever wander, and our faith will be made stronger in His presence...

We didn't say a word to one another, you and I. 

We just sang, there, together. 

When you were born sweet girl, the Lord was teaching me to trust Him without borders... to trust His plans and to surrender my own. And you know what? My faith has been made magnificently stronger since you came into this world, into my world. You are my joy and you testify of His love and kindness in the way that you love on our family, in the way that you love on me. 

Sweet girl it might be hard to believe in some of our moments that His plans are trustworthy. Sometimes they just might feel downright scary, impossible. But if we we let it all go, if we surrender what we think we know, for what He most certainly knows, our faith will be made magnificent. Our hearts will be radiant. And there is nothing on this earth more attractive than a woman fully surrendered to her glorious Savior. 

Nothing. 

You are off to bed now... And I am here half thanking the Lord, half begging the Lord. Sweet girl, may you have the courage to let Him take you where ever He would will, even if at first you feel afraid. His worst plan is better than your absolute best plan.

You are eight, and your heart is down-right gorgeous. 
I get giddy over the thoughts of witnessing what amazing things He has in store for your life if  only you are willing to walk with Him and not with this world. 

My Dancing Girl, thank you for sitting and singing with me tonight. 
You in my life, reminds me of His trust-worthiness, reminds me that when I think I can't, I can indeed, do all things through Christ who lives mightly in me.

"Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me

You've never failed and You won't start now...

My soul will rest in Your embrace

For I am Yours and You are mine..."