Where have I been?

How is it already December? Worse yet, how have I missed blogging for most of the year?! I guess blogging is on the back burner when you're married and have a baby to care for. Not to mention all the craziness that's occurred this year. Living in Brodhead, WI in a camper while my husband worked on a job from May to August. Then house hunting, putting in three offers to purchase and having them all fall through.... only to find the most perfect 20 acre parcel of land to buy! Which we did.... with the help of our friendly, neighborhood banker. All resulting in moving out of our apartment and into my parents house. Perhaps that's why I'm drawn to blogging. Just being in the home where I grew up brings back old habits, routines and memories. Blogging has been a big part of my life. Why stop now?

But yeah, that's the big news of the day. Moving back in with the family. It's strange, and cool all at the same time. We have one room all to ourselves.... 13'x13'. It used to be the boys room, so you can imagine all the dust, dirt and boogers we had to scrub off the walls. Once cleaned and repaired we painted it a light, lovely color of pale, warm yellow with a milk white for the ceiling and trim. We managed to squeeze a futon bed, a bookshelf with a TV on top, two dressers, a recliner chair and Wright's pack-n-play that he sleeps in. Not bad for one little bedroom. Thankfully there's a closet to store our odds and ends in!

Anyway, now it's the Christmas season and I've been enjoying listening to the Christmas tunes and decorating the house with my sister Janelle! We have a good time together now. :)

A few thoughts on gifts.

I started writing for the newspaper again and I submitted an article on giving as it was for the December 2017 edition. I posted a picture of my article in the paper on Facebook to show people what I was up to and they all said wanted to read it! So here it is... better late than never.

GIVING FROM THE HEART
December 2017

Before Thanksgiving Day had passed, fliers and ads were filling up our mailboxes with holiday discounts and perks for the savvy shopper. A jaunt through the neighbourhood revealed homes adorned with Christmas lights and festive décor. Establishments and stores had likewise switched to a wintery theme. During a visit to the Post Office I noticed a postman bundled up against the cold wind, loading an open trailer with lots of boxes taped up with Amazon labels. The season of gifts had begun.

We’ve been conditioned by our society to find our giving spirit this time of year. We listen to the Christmas favourites, bake holiday treats, and put up a pine tree, bringing back all those lovely Christmas things reminiscent of our childhood. And yet, the wish to give gifts to our friends and family is likely the strongest tide pulling us to spend a little extra money this time of year.

While the commercial world makes gift giving a matter of necessity, a true gift is a rare and beautiful thing. In Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on gifts, he conveys, “Rings and other jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself. Thou must bleed for me. Therefore the poet brings his poem; the shepherd, his lamb; the farmer, corn; the miner, a gem; the sailor, coral and shells; the painter, his picture; the girl, a handkerchief of her own sewing. This is right and pleasing, for it restores society in so far to its primary basis, when a man’s biography is conveyed in his gift, and every man’s wealth is an index of his merit. But it is a cold, lifeless business when you go to the shops to buy me something which does not represent your life and talent, but a goldsmith’s.”

Emerson was correct in saying, “He is a good man who can receive a gift well.” We expect a lot in this season of gifts. We expect our bank accounts to keep up with our level of generosity, our gifts to be accepted with great appreciation and delight, and especially that we might receive the very gifts we desire the most as well. 2 Corinthians 9:11 sums it up, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Truly, the best gift we can receive or share with anyone is the gift of salvation.  Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

My family used to make Christmas a really big deal. Under a twinkling tree there would be piles of gifts. Eventually my parents became disillusioned to the ways of the holiday season. While we don’t bring a tree indoors or buy each other gifts, we still celebrate the joys of Christmas, and focus on the gift of family and the many blessing we’ve received from the Lord.

I propose an idea that is difficult to accept amidst the clamour of the commercial gift giving season: That your gifts be not out of necessity because a friend or relative has given to you or expects a gift from you, or because it’s a tradition that you’ve kept each year. Instead, that you’d give when you are able to give out of the joy of blessing another.  There is nothing wrong with a material gift. After all, the magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were material things. Perhaps we cannot all afford to bestow such extravagant blessings but let us remember that giving is not to be done because the season demands it but rather because we’ve been blessed and therefore choose to bless others in return.  

James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no

variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

But it Feels Like Spring!

I woke up this morning from a dream in which it was one of those dark, rainy, muddy and warm Spring days. The sort of day that brings green grass and lots of chirping birds. Yet it's the middle of December and Spring is a long way off. Weather is a funny thing though because the forecast for this weekend predicts below zero temps and right outside my porch door I see water generously dropping from off the roof. If anyone could really explain the vicissitudes of the earth and it's weathery forces they'd be worth a trillion bucks. But really all we can do is study it and try to predict it. 

Christmas is just a few days away! How fast it's come upon us and still if feels like years since last Christmas. One year can bring about so much change. Just last Christmas I was finally getting to officially meet the handsome fellow who I'd been conversing with online for two months. It's curious how quickly our two lives rolled into one and more curious still how perfectly right it felt then and still feels now. I can't imagine who or what I would have become if Jeff hadn't walked into my life and I'm so glad I didn't have to find out. He's my purpose and my friend and my leader. It's exciting to spend this next Christmas together with him as my husband.

We'll get to spend Christmas with my family and then we'll also get to visit with Jeff's family later in the week. As he can't go to Canada right now while we're waiting on immigration proceedings to go through, his family is coming to us.

The holidays make people a bit stupid. Though many in the extended family are sick or fighting off colds we still play to make Christmas cookies in all of their sugary glory as well as enjoy a Christmas feast. The cheer this time of year makes us do things we wouldn't otherwise do. Perhaps it's the jingly Christmas tunes that throw us back to our memories of Christmases past. Oh well.... what does it hurt to be a little silly once or twice a year? ...and how could you say no to Christmas cookies?! It's impossible.

Channing & Rachel's Wedding

As it happens, this past Saturday my little brother (though not so little anymore) was married to the sweetest gal he could have possibly found. The weather had been sunny and 60 degrees for days and then the day before their wedding we had a big blizzard. Go figure. It did make travel a bit trickier, especially since the bride and her family are 3 hours away and so was the wedding. Nevertheless, this weather didn't prevent the wedding.

It was a beautiful, joyous, God-centered occasion. Here are a few pictures.... if you click on them I promise they'll look more normal.

A Very Extraordinary New Year

It's a brand new year! Although it's an ordinary year in that there have been many years before it and there will be many years that follow it, it is unique because of the events that occur within it. 

For myself it is an extraordinary year because on the very first day of the very first month of this new calendar a wonderful man changed my relationship status from 'single' to 'in a courtship'. His name is Jeff and it's been quite a blessing getting to know him.

We changed our Facebook statuses. It now says that we're "In a relationship", but Facebook doesn't have a courtship option. The only other option that would even come close other than "In a relationship" would be "It's complicated". Perhaps, "It's complicated" would be the most accurate of them all, but it sounds too negative and therefore doesn't fit. Because there's nothing negative about this relationship. 

 *isn't his smile contagious?!*

There ARE a lot of challenges... but none that are the worrisome kind. Mostly challenges that have to do with him being from Canada and how far apart we are from each other. Oh, a long distance relationship is quite interesting. Dating a foreigner comes with a few road blocks... like visas, passports, immigration, paperwork, and enough laws and regulations to make your head spin. No just hanging out in our time off, meeting up on the weekends or taking things casually. Yet, these are merely challenges for us to work through that will only make us grow stronger together. 100,000 miles of distance wouldn't make me change my mind about this guy. 

  *you'll have to forgive our chill phone camera photos,
but we're both pretty chill kids so I guess it fits*

To be honest, I'd given up hope that there were any guys left in this world that would be willing to go the extra mile and go through the courtship process. I certainly didn't think that when I sat down at a table next to two Canadian fellows at an organic conference last February I'd be in a relationship with one almost a year later. And I was quite prepared to be one of those 40-and-still-single gals, clinging to her ideals and faith. I wouldn't have made a very good 40-and-single lady though, haha! I think God works these things out in His perfect timing. I feel very blessed that Jeff not only met my expectations but has exceeded them in so many ways! I could dedictate a whole blog post (or a ton) to the many ways he's not only fulfilled my dreams but continues to soar above my wildest wishes. And no, I am not exaggerating (yes, I can read your mind. haha!).

Anyway, without sounding too cliche, he really does inspire me to be a better woman. I can't wait to see where this journey leads.... but I think it's going to be a really, really long journey. This is our hope at least. You know, the "until death..." kind of journey. 

Happy 2017, Everyone! May we grow more each day in our understanding of God's goodness and grace.

Feliz Navidad

Christmas day, and it's rainy and windy outside. Very odd for a WI Christmas. I do remember a number of years ago when we had a thunder & lightning storm in December. I guess Mother Nature just likes to keep us on our toes.

In spite of the dreary weather, we had a warm and cozy day inside. The twinkly Christmas lights glowing throughout the house and seasonal tunes streaming through the speakers.

There's a really pretty song I just discovered this season. It's so soothing, and almost haunting... but I can't find it on YouTube to share it with you. However if you can find it elsewhere I'd suggest you give it a listen. It's called, "In Winter's Cold", by Brittin Lane.

I hope your holiday was cheery and festive, full of all the seasonal blessings.

Merry Christmas, from my family to yours! 

 ...and here's a cute picture of my parents. Aww!

......AND... *drumroll*

Channing proposed to Rachel! She said, yes!

God has truly blessed our family this Christmas. We have so much to be thankful for and can't wait to see what the future brings. ...most especially a wedding this next year!

Birthday Surprises

This past Wednesday the birthday celebrations began. I met with my friends Sandy and Jae for a fun day of food, shopping and climbing a large hill overlooking the city! It was wonderful!

I had decided at the beginning of this month that I was getting too old for birthday parties and I didn't need to have any special attention on my birthday. I planned to let it pass like a normal day. Then on the 22nd, my birthday, I was able to spend the day skiing with a large group of friends! It all fell together so perfectly and unexpectedly.

Good friends from SoWis came up, and we carpooled together in their van up to the ski hill. A few other friends from my area met us on the slopes!

 With some of the group at the top of the "mountain". 

 My bros and I.

 The entire group of friends gathered for a picture at the end of the day.

They surprised me by putting a big birthday card on their van windows!!! It was very thoughtful!

We ended my birthday night with a little party of games and food. My sister Emily made cheesecake and lasagna!!! Then the next morning around 10:30, I was going about my morning routine when my very good friends Courtney and Chris (also from SoWis) surprised me with a visit.... and Dunkin' Donuts! I didn't think I'd get to see Courtney for a number of months due to our crazy schedules and  car problems. Chris had just returned home from a two year stay in Africa so it was an exciting visit.

We went out for food and beverages a few times. Visits with good friends are always too short. Oh, and did I mention... not only did my boss give me the day off but his wife made me a cake! She's a pro cake-baker so it was almost too pretty to eat.... but I'm glad we sliced in because it was the softest, most delicious cake I've ever had. It's been a birthday to remember and I feel quite lucky and blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

Wintry Days

Somehow these wintry days remind me of the bliss of my youth. Not that I'm old ...but I've been a lot younger before. I speak of the days when I was in school, when I'd sit in my room and attempt to study History or Math without getting distracted by writing a poem, listening to music, writing a song or some other form of pleasurable pastime.

 

The beams of morning sun on a January morning strike a cord of reverie it seems. Ahhh..... the days when there was no real responsibility or work to make you timely and always headed out of the warmness of the house.



Apparently, the middle of January can be the most depressing time for a lot of people. The bills from the holiday expenditures are coming in the mail, the stratus clouds keeping the sunshine in hiding and lack of hope for Spring. Maybe those people don't work enough or have enough excitement in their lives? Because it doesn't get me down.



Winter is the time when the whole family gets trapped inside with each other. Just enough to drive everyone nuts at the same time as finally catching up on life. Now that it's too cold to do concrete work the guys are around all the time. It brings a bit of balance to the household and lively fun as well.



I don't like how much cold weather the forecast is predicting. The below zero temperatures aren't very pleasant. However, the sparkly snow is quite lovely. There's always a silver liner if you simply look around and observe the beauty life has to offer.

 

Anyways, I'm off to go do something enjoyable. I crocheted a pair of slippers yesterday as my feet were cold. Maybe today I'll paint a picture....

Goodbye 2015

365 days already over. Well.... almost. There's only 4 hours left of the 365th. Good old December 31st, always bringing about a nostalgic, bittersweet end of a year.
I suppose some people will stay up to watch the clock change from 11:59pm to 12:00am, thereby heralding the beginning of a new calendar. But really, isn't that all this is? The celebration of removing a filled up and used old calendar for a new one with new pictures and altered numeric arrangements? I can't understand all the hype over such a simple and mundane ordinance.
Yet, maybe it is a big deal. After all, if we're here to put up a new calendar, we've just lived through 365 more days of living on this earth. That's 8,765 hours we've just survived. 525,948 minutes we've managed to encounter. That's 31,556,926 seconds that passed while our hearts ticked on.

Yes, I supposed it is something to celebrate, the closing of a chapter in the time table. We've made it this far... so here's to the next 366 days... Yeah we have to make it through that extra day thanks to Leap Year landing in 2016. 

Here's to the rest of 2015. May this next year bring us closer to God, closer to our families and closer to our goals. Happy New Year's Eve! Cheers!

A Christmas Song

We listened to a number of Spotify playlists during our Christmas celebration yesterday. We all really like this song by Bahamas.



It was a very nice, relaxing Christmas day for my family.

When Your Neighbor's Barn Burns Down

Well, it's been crazy. Not just the usual kind but the wacko kind of crazy. Our neighbor's barn burnt down. 

We could see the huge cloud of smoke from our house.
Here's a picture I took from my bedroom window:

We rushed over there to offer them our farm facilities since they'd be needing somewhere to milk their 130 cows and we have 130 empty stalls. Ever since last Friday it's been a constant buzz of vehicles going up and down our driveway now that there's a huge herd of someone else's cows being milked on our farm. Holsteins, nonetheless. ;) We've had to change a few things in our parlor to make it fit the bigger cow breed, but otherwise it seems to be working out. 
Here's a picture of the other farm's employees milking.... I was helping out, showing them how to operate our parlor set-up.

Today the concrete company my dad works for came and they poured some concrete walls in the parlor. They'll hold the big Holsteins in better than the old, metal railings we had in place before. 

 Hopefully this cement wall will hold the cows in better. ;) Anyways, I thought I'd share this poem I wrote back in 2010. It seems to fit well with the circumstances right now.

The Farmer
 
the farmer labors harder and harder each day
he can't go on vacation when there are bills to be paid
the weather it seems just ain't on his side
when the corn needs rain the ground is dry

the house wife continues hard at her work
sweeping the floors and moping up dirt
her mind is always thinking and planning ahead
working out problems and fighting off stress

with the bank at their heel's and over-due bills
there's always that feeling of climbing up hills
there's never rest nor enough time to relax
just a glass of wine to get by or a power nap

reliable help is seldom to be found
and the few hired-hands are rarely around
they have their own lives and don't understand
the drive for the farmer to hold onto his land

holidays are simply icing on the cake
a bit of cheer to disguise the chances they take
a time to forget the problems outside
and visit with the family be it December or July

winter it seems is constantly hard
things never start up but instead fall apart
the farmer sees the sun coming up at dawn
and knowing it'll be 30 below, puts more layers on

every day he just keeps on moving forward
with his wife by his side and his kids for support
and through the moments of good and times of bad
the farmer cultivates the dreams that he's always had

2014: One Tough Year

It is the 31st of December, New Year's Eve, and so another year is coming to a close. It's been a really, really difficult year.... and yet at the same time I don't think I've had as many enjoyable days in other years as I have this year. It's odd how that happens isn't it?

Looking back there have been some big changes in these wee 365 days.
To start with my brother's engagement ended, which was a bummer to many, although everything happens for a reason.

Then my favorite cat, "Next Cat Stop - Twenty Miles" (a.k.a Cat Stop) died. The most rad cat ever.

Some friends gave us a bunch of kittens a few months after Cat Stop died... one of them was so cute and adventurous on the ride home, so I named it Shrapnel.

..."Capt'n Shrap" for short. Not a good idea though... be careful what you name your creatures because their names seem to come true. Shrap fell in a bucket of boiling water. Channing got it out pretty fast but it's hair started falling out and it died soon after.  =(

 Wax, the cat... 

...whom I have many nick-names for: Waxley, Waxford, Waximilian, etc.
But Cat Stop... never met a cat like it yet.... although I have befriended Wax now who is a pretty rad cat too. :)

Two friends from a family that attends my church decided to "come out of the closet" which was a big shock to the family and a sad moment for us all. We haven't seen them since.

Jake, our favorite royal fatness moved far, far away!!! I think we're still going through withdrawals.

 Meadow, Channing & Jake

                                                Jake, Jake!!!

My niece, Leela, left her family here on Earth for a better home in the sky with Jesus... 

Little Princess, Leela!

We held a benefit for Leela.... trying to raise funds for the medication to keep her happy and alive longer... but the disease she was diagnosed with had a 100% mortality rate. We cherished what time we did have with her.

Then around this Thanksgiving my parents decided to quit dairy farming after 21 years. We are shipping the cows either tomorrow or the next day. What are we gonna do without cows? For me it's more like identity crisis. I've been milking cows since I could start working.

 "Look at all this milk! I'm gonna make me a fortune!" - Mitchell and Webb

 Jersey's are the cutest!!!

Well... I fed calves before I was milking cows but milking cows was more to my liking. I would even get my friends to milk with me just to show them how awesome it was. Not sure if it worked but I tried to convince them. Haha!

 Myself, Patrick and Channing

It's been a hard decision to make, but I think my parents are super brave for taking this step. It's hard when your business and your home-life are connected. A person with an average job can lose their job and find another one. It's a different matter when you ARE the job. Being a farmer is a unique and important occupation. I guess my time being a farmer will make me an "AGvocate" for the rest of my life.

Nevertheless, the cows are going (although we're keeping 8 calves and 4 milk cows for now). It's really happening and who knows what will happen next. There are so many options. Obviously I still have my milking job at the neighbors so that will help me make the transition, but it won't be the same anymore. 

The bumper sticker I put on my car.

I guess I won't miss having to round up all of the cows who enjoy escaping on a daily basis! (....well, I'll even miss that a little.)

On the bright side... there have been a lot of fun and enjoyable moments this year.

I had my golden birthday and turned 22 in January! There was a casual birthday party where people played games and just visited. We took wax off of a New Glarus beer-wine bottle and rolled it around a napkin 'wick' to make a candle, lit it and they sang happy birthday to me! So random! :) ANDD... my good friends decided to give me a surprise party on my actually birthday!!! They brought gingerbread cookies to decorate and snack on! Good memories!

My very oldest friend (as in I've known her the longest),

 Sandy & I, (with KayLee who was taking the pic)

 out for my b-day.

 Making cookies with my family and the Forsters!

In April I went to the 40th Annual Viennese Ball with Channing, Hannah, Robbie & Courtney!!! Who doesn't love to dance the night away. ....and Hannah & were proud of ourselves as we found Channing a suit at a used store two days prior to the ball and tailored it to fit him!! He looked very sharp in it!

 This is the lot of us getting ready to leave for the dance.


At the ball getting ready to return home.... One. Last. Picture!

My friends Sandy, KayLee and I decided to start spending more time together so we'd get together on our birthdays or once every-other month.

Sandy, KayLee and I

My friend Hannah moved up around the end of March/beginning of April and she lived with me for a month. You should have seen my little bedroom with the two of us crammed in there!

We did everything together... milked cows, went shopping, did work, planted flowers, took walks... LOTS of stuff!!! =)

 Hannah and I milking cows in my barn for the last time.

We nick-named the milking parlor, "The Womb" ...since it's dark, warm and is the birthplace of Hannah's milking career! ;) hehe!

She moved out after a month of living with my family. She got an apartment and jobs on some farms not too far away so we still get together on occasion and we have a good time!

Hannah and her boyfriend, Mike, gave me a "So God Made A Farmer" sweatshirt just last night!!! =) ....I think I'm gonna wear it forever.

Man's best friend is his dog... so here's a pic of my dog Jess and I. She's getting so old!!

This Spring a friend gave us a baby goat. It was sick so we nursed it back to health. It couldn't even walk because it's joints were so swollen...

We decided to name it Goatleigh, and it's more like a pet dog than it is a barn-yard animal.

Now she's running around, eating everything in sight and is back to normal although she still has a slight limp!

There have been many enjoyable days of working at the neighbor's farm. Some mornings Hannah would bring me coffee. There was no milk at the house, and I usually take my coffee with cream, so we'd squeeze some goodness from a teat!! :)

All Summer while the weather was nice I would bring in the cows for morning milking. This one, red heifer kept following me around so I snapped a few pictures. I felt like "Mary had a little lamb" ....except for with a cow!

Hannah and I even planted flower's in the farmer's flowerbeds! He was a bachelor at the time so things needed a little sprucing up!! ...and my view while milking was much improved once the wildflower mix bloomed.

One day I saw a double rainbow at 5:30am on the way to milking for Tyler. Then that same day on the way home from milking for Tyler in the evening I saw ANOTHER double rainbow! It doesn't get much better than that!

 In July we had the Redneck Hay Wagon Dance! Got to hang out with awesome friends, and dance to our crazy tunes!! 

 Gettin' their groove on!!!

 Gotta love the Christmas lights!

Just a few of the crazy peeps!

One big improvement this year: My parents bought me a little ceiling fan!!!! My bedroom faces the North... so it's the coldest room in the winter with it's drafty, old windows, and it's the hottest room in the summer.... as even the humid Southern wind doesn't reach my little room. SOOOoo..... the fan makes a nice breeze and keeps me from cooking alive while I sleep at night. :)

...and in case you're wondering, yes, I still draw on my walls, and yes, my room is still a mess!

I had fun writing to my friend Christopher, who is stationed in Uganda, serving in the Peace Corps. Got away with sending a few letters with only one forever stamp on each envelope and then one day the post office figured me out and told me I had to start paying the $1.45. Hehe

I also called him early this year (January maybe?). He told me of all the banana plantations, the warm weather and about the people there and how they focus on family more than material things which is a totally different mind-set compared to most of us Americans. It was fun! ...but after we received our phone bill I decided letter writing was a cheaper option. lol
Nevertheless, I'm pretty sure Chris is enjoying himself over there. :)

As far as friends go, I was able to see a lot of good friends that live far away and spend time with good friends that live nearby.

The Gitto girls, Rebecca and I

 Got to spend time with Sarah, Sandy and Josie!!

 Courtney & I

The morning Courtney surprised me by riding 

                            a bike down to the farm I was working at!

My dad's family all came up for a vacation right around the time of Leela's funeral... so in spite of the sad events we had a wonderful time with relatives which really helped to cheer us all up.

 Some peeps visiting outside in the nice summer air.

 It's been 25 years since my parents moved to WI and bought the farm. This was the motel they stayed at when they first moved here!!

 Here's the whole lot of us at a Leinie's tour!!

Because my brother Isaac was no longer engaged he quit his job working for the frack-sand mining company and started doing concrete again. I ended up getting to see him more often and we had many awesome days of hanging out spontaneously. I even helped him on a few of his landscaping jobs!

Road trippin' with my bro!

Then I took an awesome vacation with my friends Matt and Sandy to visit our friends Courtney and Robbie!

 Laser tag group!!!

 Courtney& Robbie, Me, Sandy & Matt

Makin' waves!!!

Boy! did we have a blast together! ....quite literally, I suppose, because we did play laser tag on the first night for Robbie's birthday. :) We also went swimming in Lake Michigan which was epic as well.

My brother Isaac and I also spent Labor Day weekend with Courtney's family!!

Bonfire on the first night at camp!

Robbie, Court & I after swimming!

Packin' up and headin' home after a fun weekend!

Biggest Bestest News of the Year:
I've had TWO new nephews born this year! Oliver and Christian. =)

 Bradford (last year around his 5th b-day)!!!

 Meadow.... this Christmas with her missing teeth!!!

 Dexter on his birthday... with a gun, of course!!!

 Alice, already such a character!!!

 

Leela... we miss her so much!!!

 Oliver, just a day old with the softest skin ever!!!

Christian: the best Christmas present!!

I'm a blessed Aunt to have 3 nieces and 4 nephews. Bradford, Meadow, Dexter, Alice, Leela, Oliver, and Christian. Such a lucky girl, I am!

Anyways, I'm sure all of this info has made you bored stiff.... as stiff as the concrete my Dad pours. The picture above is a large manure pit my dad's crew poured at the farm my friend Hannah works at! Pretty neat!

ANYWAYS...........
With all of the depressing things that have happened this year it's hard to look on the bright side and be positive about the future.

I try to drown my troubles only to discover there is a cow on the bottle!!! (That's a joke by the way... alcohol in moderation only!!!)
 So as Mr. Rodger's says,

But really... the most important thing is the strength God's given my family to make it through these rough times. I know that He has a greater plan, His thoughts are higher than my thoughts.... and a little prayer and supplication with thanksgiving will give us the peace and calm to survive even the darkest moments. I know we're not Israel and God doesn't give us signs to follow.... but I don't think he'd mind us following this one....
So we just have to keep doing what this sign I saw said to do:

I'm sure I've missed a great deal of things that have happened this year, but one cannot blog about everything. So  with that I'd like to wish you the best for the coming year and share with you a neat version of "For Auld Lang Syne"....

My sister-in-law, Kendra (Leela's mom) said that this would have definitely been Leela's favorite version. So give this one a listen for Leela... for old time's sake.

So from our cute calf, "Bubbly"....

...and from my family, we hope your 2014 was a good year... and...

We'd like to wish you a Happy New Year!!!!