Family Football Traditions

The November 'Today' Take 10 kit is full of color! In Nebraska fall is still in full swing but my mind has started to wander to winter thoughts. There's frost on the grass in the morning, the wind has a new bite to it and we saw our first flurry of snow this week. The November kit has that hint of winter too! The colors and patterns are the perfect transition from fall to winter.

If you live in Nebraska you're probably a Husker football fan. Or fanatic if you're in my family! And we always have a big game the Friday after Thanksgiving. Some people dedicate black Friday to shopping but in our family the afternoon is for football.

In this layout I documented the year we attended that game. It's not very often that I go to a game with my hubby, especially now that we have 3 kiddos. Attending a Husker football game at Memorial Stadium is one of my favorite things! Especially when we win! :)

I love how these 2 cards turned out together! I combined them to make my football time title with the clock embellishment.

I can't wait to see how you use the November kit to capture fall memories your thankful for. Happy Friday!

Love: Gratitude Documented Mini Album

During the month of November, I enjoy doing thankfulness activities with my kids. A couple years ago I realized I wanted to do something to anticipate Thanksgiving the way we do Advent for Christmas. So I went to Pinterest for ideas! Isn't Pinterest so addicting?! I found a beautiful thankful tree with real branches and paper leaves. But after using it for decor at church my branches appeared to have a bug so I had to toss them. And really that wasn't very kid friendly. But I knew I could tweak that idea to be the perfect fit for us. I drew a tree on poster board and cut a bunch of leaves with my Cricut Expression. (I have a Silhouette Cameo now and can do the same thing.) This tree is perfect to pull out every November and add more leaves each year as we remember what we're thankful for. And it's fun to look back at last year and see silly things like marshmallows!

I have often done an informal thankful project for myself this time of year too. I usually make a few journal entries and post a few pictures on Instagram without making it through the whole month. This year I was so excited to learn about the #GratitudeDocumented project from Illustrated Faith. They posted this list of things to focus your attitude of gratitude on for the next 30 days and also send weekly email updates with corresponding verses.

My ability to be thankful is completely wrapped up in my faith in Jesus! Without Him I wouldn't know true love and my thankfulness for the little things in life flow out of my gratefulness for His sacrifice.

I knew I wanted to create a mini album with this theme. I had this cute Insta sized teal album that I'd won in a giveaway a few months ago and when I saw all the colors in the October 'Woodlands' Take 10 Kit, I knew it was the perfect fit. The colors are a match and so many of the cards and pieces reflect thankful sentiments!

This page is about LOVE from day 8. I put down a thin layer of gesso on watercolor paper so I could get a nice creamy look with my gelatos. I combined 3 different shades and used water with my finger to get this gorgeous background color. I used pieces from the Woodlands glam bag and washi to embellish. The alphas are from a previous Take 10 kit. After adding the verse from Romans 12:9 I one bare corner that I filled with some hand drawn hearts. I had planned to use a heart stencil for a slightly different looking background but technical difficulties interfered. Now I'm glad because I really like how this turned out!

On the back side, I water colored a heart and some splatters with my gelatos. Then I used the 'love you' tag, label and leaf stamps to both cover and add interest to a space that I mostly filled with my personal reflections about love.

Thanks for letting me share this unique page with you! I will be working on this all month and look forward to sharing more with you! I'm so thankful for this scrappy community I can be apart of with you and hope you can find gratitude in today's big and small moments!

SSMT

I'm excited! I just committed to the Siesta Scripture Memory Team! 
Today I caught up on my Google Reader. I read Beth's original surprise post and thought it sounded good but I couldn't do it. I don't have time. I'm bad at memorization. I'm too forgetful already, how could I add to my brain list! I would fail anyhow.
I read on. The directions seemed easy and she sounded so excited. Maybe I should at least try this. January 1st post... Day 1 SSMT... I missed it. Surely I was too late so why bother. But as I read down through the comments to see what verses the women were memorizing, I saw a bunch of women just posted yesterday! And then I remembered this encouragement from Beth's first post...
one of the things we prioritize and love to do around here is memorize Scripture. It is a huge part of calling the mind captive to Christ (2 Cor. 10:3-5) and most of us know from experience that our battles are won or lost in our MINDS. I have been actively memorizing Scripture as a primary Spiritual discipline since my early 30′s. I am thoroughly convinced that God used it to bring immeasurable healing to my mind, my memories, and my thought life. I tend toward obsessive thoughts and fears and unrelenting replays of bad memories and, when I fall away from actively hiding God’s Word in my heart, they come back with a vengeance. Anybody else? There are no words big enough to express the difference Scripture memory has made in my life. God also showed me along the way how much accountability and partnership can enhance the success of the discipline. (bold mine)
I know I need to make my mind captive to the Lord!! This new year has started out with me taking on a load of worry, particularly about Olivia. So my first verse is...
Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) 
Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
So thank you Lord! Thank you for using Beth Moore's excitement and passion about scripture memorization to strike a chord in my heart and convince me to commit to memorizing Your Word this year. Here I come 2011!

Thankful!

Most of all I'm thankful for family.
J and Millie. I love them more every day and I look forward to growing even more attached to them over the years. Being a mom has really solidified this family connection for me. I love spending my days with them. I love watching our family grow together and make new traditions.
Dad. Mom. Brother. Sister. This is my family. They're the best. I couldn't ask for a better family. They've shaped who I am today. I still love the traditions I'm part of. And I sometimes miss the traditions that I've outgrown.
All the rest. My extended family is much to large to list but I love them all dearly. 

I'm thankful for the cross. This is what I'm really the most thankful for but thankful maybe doesn't cover it. I'm grateful. It's hard for me to even put this into words. All I can say is Thank you Jesus! Thank you for willingly dying on that cross for my sins and rising again to conquer death. And offering me the free gift of eternal life through your sacrifice. My life is nothing without You. You are the greatest Blessing of all.

Thankful... Day 1

I'm thankful for heat! This has probably been the coldest this season. I think winter is officially here. So while Millie and I recover from our colds, we've been staying indoors enjoying the warmth. I've been particularly sensitive to keeping our house warm because Olivia has sock issues. Every time she notices she has socks on, she attempts to pull them off. It's kinda cute actually. :) But I want to make sure her tootsies stay warm!

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving. I like fall - the beautiful colors, the football, the sweaters. And for me, it all culminates with Thanksgiving. I realize that it's a made up holiday. In other words, there is no significant event that we're celebrating. But I"m thankful to have a day set aside to be thankful for all the blessing in my life. I often don't remember to count my blessings on a daily basis. So this day specifically reminds me to do it! I also love how this is a day for family and food. I enjoy spending time with my family. I love all the yummy, comforting food! At our house the standard fare might be a little different than you're used to. Thanksgiving dinner at Granny's house usually consists of...
Ham. Because Grandpa doesn't like turkey. And ham is better anyhow.
Verenika. Fried, of course. These little pockets of dry curd cottage cheese are a traditional german mennonite food. And they always go with...
Onion Gravy. All the men rave about this at our gatherings.
Potatoes. We either have holiday potatoes, sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes, sometimes even an augratin. They're all good but I like Gran's sweet potatoes the best.
Mos. Growing up I always thought of Pluma Mos as the regular, but now we have Cherry Mos or Apple Mos too. Apple is my favorite. Mos. Hmm how to explain that one. It's a funny kind of soup. It's sweet. Pluma Mos has prunes and raisins in it. You'll just have to try it sometime.
Zwiebach. No meal is complete without these little sweet breads.
Of course there are other veggie sides that we enjoy and there's always dessert but these are the basics of our meal. Just writing about it is making me hungry!

Thankful... Day 2

I'm thankful for my hubby, the great cook! For supper we had steak and butternut squash. I'm not sure what all he did to the squash but it was really good! And the steak... hmm he makes a good steak. He marinated it and cooked it to perfection and make a lovely sauce. He definitely has a gift and I"m happy to be on the receiving end. :)

I'm also thankful for my hubby in general. I am so blessed by his willingness to provide for our family. He goes to work every day and works hard so I can stay home with our baby girl. He excels at his job. His employer speaks highly of him as do his co-workers. I'm so thankful to have a husband that provides so well for us.

Thankful... Day 3

I'm thankful for sunshine! The last few days have been quite gloomy and I've been missing the sun. Today when I woke up and saw the sun was still hiding, I thought of one of my friends who especially misses the sun on gloomy days. She is headed to Texas today, where I'm sure she'll enjoy the sun as well as her grand-babies. :)

Thankful... Day 4

I'm thankful for naps. Millie has a stuffy nose and so she's having trouble with her nap today so I'm missing mine too! Sunday afternoons are made for napping. :)

I'm thankful for nursery at church. I was in nursery this morning and wow, we were busy. There were 6 infants and half of them were crying. And my baby wasn't even in there! I'm so thankful I don't have sextuplets. How overwhelming would that be!!

I'm also thankful for music. :) I love worshiping on Sunday mornings. I love turning on the radio and singing any time of day!

Thankful... Day 5

I'm thankful for my phone! I probably spend too much time on the phone some days. But I enjoy that connection. I've always been more of a home-body, though now that I'm at home, I find myself craving outside connection every once in a while. 

I'm especially thankful for clear nasal passages! Today Millie has a nasty cold and is quite stuffed up. Thankfully she's still been able to sleep. But she hates having her nose cleaned. J had a cold a couple weeks ago and so Millie started copying him by fake coughing. It was pretty funny! Sadly, now she really does have a cough. Colds are a part of life and at least they don't usually last too long. I hope Millie feels better by Thanksgiving because she's in line to get a bunch of hugs from family she hasn't seen for a while. :)

I'm thankful for Nebraska football! I may have already mentioned it but I love this time of year. I look forward to Saturdays game every week. In college I was in Wyoming and sadly didn't get the game most weeks. But my mom would either tape the game for me or record it off the radio. So by Tuesday or Wednesday I would get an audio tape or a VHS tape in the mail. I would excitedly take over the TV in the lodge or pop it in my tape player and start cheering. My roommate always told me I was crazy to be so excited because I already knew who won. But I couldn't help still cheering and yelling at every play. :) Now I have to admit that if the game isn't very exciting, I sometimes fall asleep. What can I say, I'm a mom now! Cool fall games are my favorite. I love pulling out my puffy red winter coat and bundling up. And I love squeezing into my seat at the stadium and feeling the warmth of so many excited fans. I love Nebraska football!

Thankful... Day 6

I'm thankful for Fridays! Fridays are the days that J comes home in a great mood. We can relax and look forward to spending the weekend as a family. He doesn't have to think about work until Sunday night.

I'm thankful for my parent's generosity. I know that Grandma loves to get outfits for Millie just because. But I am truly thankful that Millie can be well clothed!

I'm thankful for warm water! :) I love taking warm showers this time of year when the house is particularly cold. Simple pleasures are the best!

Thankful... Day 7

Thanksgiving is next Thursday. But I've already been noticing Christmas decorations everywhere I look. The mall is covered in lights and swag. Downtown has up the 12 days of Christmas decor. My neighborhood entrance has their wreaths hung. And Christmas sales are already in full swing. 
It makes me a little sad and mostly annoyed. What about Thanksgiving!?! I realize that Thanksgiving is about family and food and isn't commercialized as much so maybe that's why Christmas seems to come sooner each year. But I love Thanksgiving. I particularly love all the fall decorations. The colored leaves and vibrant colors are beautiful! Thanksgiving feels like the last hooray for enjoying fall. I also enjoying spending time with family. I enjoy this at every holiday but Thanksgiving in particular reminds me to be thankful for me. And Thanksgiving is about football for me! The day after Thanksgiving is always the the last Nebraska football game of the year. So this year, one way I'm specifically trying to enjoy this Thanksgiving season is to share what I"m thankful for in the next week.
Today I'm thankful for my wheels. I took our car in to get a few things fixed, including the breaks which have been setting off a beeping alarm whenever I turn right for weeks now. It was driving me crazy! So they gave me an old school ford Taurus to drive for the day. Wow, not even my Buick regal was this rickety. I am looking forward to having my Passat back at the end of the day!
I'm thankful for the words I get to enjoy spilling from Millie's lips. She has learned how to say mama and dada. And though I know she doesn't know she's calling my name, it's still a joy to hear. I love having conversations with her!

Remembering

Where were you on September 11, 2001?
Sadly I often forget the horrible events that happened that year, when 9/11 comes around each year. But today even as I listen to the Nebraska football game, I'm reminded of that day. I'm reminded I need to be thankful for each day here. I need to remember our troops and the sacrifices they're making everyday because of that day. 
In 2001 I was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming at Bible college. I wasn't quite awake yet when Jenny came into my room and said we'd better get up. Something happened and we needed to come over to Pastor Don's house and see. I got up and stumbled over in the pajamas. I sat there most of the morning just watching the coverage. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't look away. I was afraid. I wondering what this would do to the world I knew. What would change? I was 13 hours from home and immediately I wished I was with my family. If war ensued could I go home? No, if the fight spread across the nation, I would go home. I cried and prayed for anyone I could think of that was directly affected by this. 
Thankfully class was cancelled for that day. I don't think I could've focused even a little. 
Even today, as I remember, I can feel the emotion of that day bubble up again. I feel the fear and shock and sadness. And immediately my thoughts turn to prayers. I know that day still haunts the daily thoughts of many people in our nation. I'm looking forward to heaven. I'm looking forward to the day when sin doesn't destroy the world like that.

Our 2nd Father's Day

We celebrated Father's Day while in Colorado this weekend. It was sort of our 2nd time. Last year a month before Father's Day, I learned we were expecting our first baby. I went to the store hoping to find a creative way to share the news with J. For once I was happy that stores like to get the jump on whatever holiday is looming in the future so they already had the Daddy cards out. So last year I gave J his first Father's Day card and told him how excited I was for him to be a Daddy! :)
This year I went a little cheesy and ordered him a photo mug from Snapfish. J's not so into those types of gifts. But I know he drinks coffee at work and he needs a way to show off his cute little girl!

I also love Father's Day because I'm reminded to let my dad know how much I love and appreciate him. Sometime I think he out does me though! This year I just called to tell him 'hi'. I don't usually buy him anything because more than anything, I know he just likes to know I love him. But he always ends up telling me how much he loves me. It feels like Daughter Day! :) I love hearing him tell me how he loves me and loves Father's Day because he's reminded of how I made him a father.

So HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to my Dad and my husband. I couldn't ask for a better dad for myself or my daughter!

Happy Day!

Millie is making wonderful progress! Today we went to the doctor and she weighed 8lbs 10oz. I thinks she's gaining close to an once a day!! So this means we don't have to visit the doctor all the time and I don't have to pump.
As I think back 2 short weeks ago, I can hardly believe the turn around. Two weeks ago, she was 7.5 and not eating well. I was mess and really wanted to switch to formula because I didn't think nursing was going to work out. I was so discouraged.

But God has been so faithful...
He's brought encouraging people into our lives with just the right words to say right now.
He's laid it on the hearts of our friends to bring us much needed meals during this rough time.
He's answered the prayers for us from everyone we know!
He's brought us through our nursing challenges faster than predicted.
I know this progress is all God's handiwork!! Thank you Lord for watching over Millie and our family. Thank you for helping her grow in an amazing way!

Baby Girl

A lot has been going on and I know many of you have been praying for us. Since I have a minute I thought I'd update you on what's going on with Millie...

First, how she arrived... my water broke at 11am on Monday the 11th and we went to the hospital about 2:30pm. All was going well and I was happy that I was able to handle labor without drugs even though I was hyperventilating some. But by evening we found that Millie was not turning correctly and I was not progressing past 9cm. So after 3 awful hours of being stuck at that point, I needed an epidural. While waiting for it, Joanne (my midwife) and I tried everything to get Millie to turn. I wanted to die - it's not fun to dance around the room when you're in such intense pain! Once I got the epidural, we were hoping to get her turned and out safely. But her heart rate dropped and so we were immediately sent to get a c-section. I'm so happy we have modern medical ways like this for back up so she could get here safely! I'm also grateful that I can rest in God's sovereignty. I did not want a c-section but now looking back, I can rest in knowing that it was God's plan.

Her first week (at the hospital) we worked on nursing, but our first week (her 2nd week) at home was really hard and we found out at her 2 week appt that she was losing weight. I felt soo awful for not knowing that was why she was so fussy all the time. So since then I've been going in every 3-4 days to get her weighed and meet with a lactation consultant. Due to some challenges, we've had to supplement with pumped milk. This feeding schedule has been really really hard on me and at one point I was ready to switch to formula. But as of Monday she was nearly back to her birth weight! So we're continuing to make changes to the feeding schedule in hopes that I can stop pumping and giving her the bottle all together very soon. This continues to be a huge challenge for me as each change makes for a tough few days as we both adjust. This also makes it nearly impossible for me to get out of the house. So all your prayers, encouragement, meals and visits have been soo appreciated!! Hopefully Millie will continue to grow and feed well and we'll be able to start getting out soon! She's already growing and changing so much!

Fall

I think I'm ready for Thanksgiving...
I've been dreaming of cheesy potatoes, corn casserole and ham. Oh I love ham. Yes, we have ham at Thanksgiving. Papa doesn't like turkey and he's boss. And I'm not complaining! :) Speaking of ham, the first thing I"m eating when I'm not pregnant is a deli ham sandwich and an over-easy egg. I miss runny eggs.

This cool weather we've been having makes me sad that I won't be wearing my trusty sweaters this year. I do not want to stretch them out in hopes that they'll fit again next year!

Yearly Flowers

Our 4th Anniversary was July 2nd. Sadly that morning came and we both forgot to say "Happy Anniversary Honey. Love you". Only 4 years in and we're already forgetting. And I forgot to give him a card. This year I've been really bad at the card thing - birthdays, anniversary - you name it and I forgot. So part way through the day J emailed me a reminder. And I asked if we were doing anything and if he remembered our deal. Yes and he did.
About 5 o'clock that afternoon these beautiful flowers showed up at my work. I love getting flowers at work!! I get to show off what a thoughtful hubby I have. I'm sure you're wondering what 'the deal' is. Well my practical husband thinks that flowers are a waste of money. They cost a lot and they die after a few days. I know it's true but I still want flowers. So the deal is that I get flowers once a year for our anniversary. Valentine's Day is ten times more expensive and my birthday is a close second to the anniversary. I'd say it's a good deal! :)
Our joint gift was going out to supper. We went to The Dish. Have you ever been there? The food is very good. But it's a little pricey. I expected a huge plate of food for the price and just got a fancy regular sized meal. So I'd say it's a good place to go for special occasions once in a blue moon. We love trying new food places and revisiting old favorites. Since I've know J, this has become one of my favorite things about going on vacation. He always researches the best places to eat wherever we go!
So it was a happy anniversary and I got flowers! :)

Presents

Here's the pictures I promised of what else I got for my Birthday. :) I have great friends and family!

First a nice sports watch from my husband. I know it's not the best picture and could stand to be cropped. I'm still sharpening my blogger skills and photographing skills.

Also Marshmallow ear buds from J. As you can see he's helping me in my running ventures. My little ears are excited about these mushy buds!

Biscotti from Granny and Papa! Yum!

Cards and money from my parents, Grandpa and Grandma Fisher and people at work. Plus Mary Kay lotion from my supervisor, Kari. My co-workers Melissa and Fran are also taking me out for lunch this week.

This really cute card is from Kari as well. Aww-some! I heart kitties!

So it was a great birthday and turning 25 isn't too bad. I actually do feel older this year. Whenever someone would ask me that I would always smile and say not really. But this year I do feel a little older but I'd say in a good way.

How Time Flies

I can hardly believe that summer is nearly over! This summer has just flown by. Three years ago when we got married, I remember feeling like the days just flew by for the next year and a half. Then, finally life began to slow down. I felt like I could enjoy my days and moments again and not fall into bed exhausted or overwhelmed every night. This summer the pace picked back up! Summer is my favorite season and I'm sad to see it go.

Recently I read a friend's blog as she reminisced about where she was 7 years ago. I thought about it and couldn't believe that 7 years ago I had just graduated high school, was working at Timberlake for the summer and was preparing to head out to WY for college. Seriously?! I could hardly believe that it had been that long. That part of my life still feels like it was just yesterday. When people ask me how it feels to be married for 3 years, I say a day and a million years both in a good way. I can't imagine my life without J always there but yet I still feel like a newlywed. (Picture from our honeymoon when we really were newlyweds.)

I remember my parents and other adults telling me to enjoy junior high or high school or whatever other event I was complaining about. I never understood why I shouldn't want to skip a few moments of growing up misery. But THANKS! I get it now! Every time I hear a co-worker complain and wish for the weekend, I remind myself that THIS is the day the Lord has given me. I try to enjoy lazy evenings at home or crazy days of busyness. I've realized that is not easy. Our world doesn't encourage it at all. Just listen to the radio. Every day they countdown to 5 o'clock. And every week they countdown to Friday and the weekend. How do you remind yourself and encourage others to enjoy this moment? Isn't this the challenge every believer faces? Enjoy moments here on earth but still live with eternity in view. I recently heard a song that says "we all want to go to heaven but we don't want to go right now". How true is that! I still want to accomplish things on earth before Jesus comes or takes me home. At nearly 25, eternity seems a long way off most days.

Moved and Thankful!

Well, we are all moved in but now I need to organize everything! It has been a very busy last week. J and I both took off last Thursday and Friday as part of moving and I was off Monday as well. I am so thankful for our friends and family! Everyone has been so helpful during this moving process. I can't imagine having to move a longer distance or having to move by ourselves. It's amazing how much junk 2 people can have in such a short time!

On Thursday morning we offically became homeowners. Closing was way easier and less intimidating than it appears on TV. We've been watching HGTV programs about being new homeowners. They always close in these huge conference rooms with a bunch of lawyers. We were in a small room and there were a few other people but they were all so excited for us so it wasn't scary. But apparently I looked nervous because the seller's realtor, who is also now our neighbor commented on it. My parents came up in the afternoon and Abby came over as well. The boys spent the day doing minor repairs as the house while we cleaned. It's nice to start out in a clean house. This is just the beginning of all I now owe Abby and my mother. They were so helpful! Abby put her hands places to clean things, I would never dream of! Thank you Abby! And they were both super fast cleaners. J and I left to get lunch and run errand for a couple hours and they were practically done when we got back!

On Friday my mom and my sister drove up to help us pack. I was so not kidding when I said we were procrastinating. Mom and A packed up our kitchen and half of the living room while we focused on packing everything else. It's too weird to let someone else pack up your bedroom or bathroom for you. The highlight of the day was Sonic!! Yum, Sonic!! I am very happy that Mom and A are obsessed with Happy Hours (1/2price drinks) at Sonic. If it's between 2 and 4 and we drive by a Sonic, we will be stopping! I recommend the Lime Creamslush. It's very refreshing. I think I need to go to Sonic because that day I got a Orange Creamslush instead -on accident. When I heard they were stopping there I requested the Lime CS and was really looking forward to it. A happily presented me with my drink and it tasted orange. I don't think she believed me so she tried it, and yes it was orange. But she rather surprised because she had already tired it and commented about the refreshing flavor and the green color. Hmm, doctor needed? Or maybe just a return to her blonde roots? :) Needless to say it was a fun and productive day.

Saturday was the big move day. We started at 9AM and I was up at 7. Yes this is early for those of you that know me. The guys (J, my dad and our friends) started loading all the big stuff into their pickups and cars. Mom, Aud, and Abby stayed at the new house to direct traffic and unpack my kitchen for me. What a huge help! And my brother, A and I stayed at the duplex to help load boxes, finish packing and move boxes to the front room for the guys. Normally A would have been helping load and unload with the other guys but a recent motorcycle crash landing has him limping a little. So I was happy to have his company! After we moved everything over the house and had some pizza for lunch, we started cleaning a the duplex. We made a pretty good start before we went to my great aunt's for the 4th annual Family Picnic.
She's my grandpa's sister and has her 6 siblings and all of their families over every summer for a potluck style picnic. It was so good! It's another reason for me to eat holiday foods like deviled eggs, sweddish meatballs and roll kuchen. (Yeah, I think I spelled that wrong but most of you have no idea what I'm even talking about.) My aunt also brought my cousin's wedding dress by. So pretty! I think women should be allowed to try on wedding dresses even if we're not getting married, like prom dresses. But I think they frown on that.

This post is getting really long so short(er) version... Sunday were J had a mountain bike race in the AM and we napped in the afternoon. After 3 days of craziness we needed a break. Congrats to my hubby for getting 3rd place!! He was covered in mud and sweat and had to run a mile because of a flat tire. So it was well earned.
On Monday, Mom and my friend A helped me clean the duplex. Dirty, dirty. I have a new resolution even though it's not January. I need to be a better housekeeper in the cleaning department! Thank you A for being a farm girl and not afraid of bees and grasshoppers. Thank you Mom for driving up for a 4th day! I owe my mom big time - for the whole live-giving thing and now for moving. I'm thinking we'll be even when we have grandkids and start taking care of my parents because they'll be stubborn old people! :) love you mom!

So in wrap up...
Thank you MOM and all my family.
Thank you friends and flock and especially Abby.
Thank you LORD for safety in moving and this huge blessing!