Saraiah Has Arrived!

Our new addition is here. She was born a full week early at 8 lbs 4 oz and 21 inches long. She is strong and healthy and has a combination of features of her brother and sister. She looks like she belongs in our family without a doubt.

Summer Update

It's been a busy summer of moving irrigation pipe, getting calves, traveling, and all else that comes with kids. We enjoyed lots of BBQ with our home grown beef. Joe is quite the grilling guy. He made more delectible meals that I did by far. It's so great having a husband at home for summer. Grace and Josiah did lots of time at the city pool. They helped us in the field. Grace mostly sat and cried about the tall weeds. Josiah on the other hand learned how to hook pipes together and carry them across the field. He is getting to be a more and more amazing help around the property. Both kids developed an obsessive habit of searching out puncture vine weeds. Josiah stopped playing when he went outside after about the first month of summer. If I looked out the window, he'd be hunting for weeds to pull. Grace would be close on his tail. They made their daddy proud (who had an even more obsessive hunt going all summer for the obnoxious weed).
Our dog almost died. He is now worth even more. Not because of almost dying, but because of the money we put into her to keep her alive. But she seems to be more bonded to the family. Either that or she's just spoiled a lot more. :)
Josiah is just starting up soccer. So far he loves it. He's only had one practice, but he was so excited he wore his shin guards and soccer socks most of the day before the practice. He is the tallest by far and the youngest on the team. He has another year before kindergarten, but we snuck him onto the kindergarten team because friends of ours are coaching.

It's been a great summer. Joe is now back to work and I am anxiously awaiting the next 5 weeks to pass so I don't have limbs jabbing me in the ribs and bladder. I am looking forward to meeting the newest daughter. The kids seem more and more excited all the time too. Especially Josiah. He told me this morning when he climbed in bed by us that, "the baby is in the way because she's growing and growing!" Grace is still convinced that my inside-out belly button is somehow "the baby." The joys of kids! I'm enjoying the last bit of time with two. They are a joy to take care of...most of the time. :D

Josiah's year of preschool is wrapping up. It's been a bit emotional for me. His school and teachers are just amazing. Josiah has bloomed into such a fun, eager to learn little boy. He's enthusiastic about learning his letters and sounds. The changes I've seen in him this year are so amazing. So thank you so much Miss Tonia and Miss Heidi for being fantastic teachers. The work they put into the kids and the patience they have is incredible.

Winter

Alas, it's time to post my quarterly (sadly so infrequent) update. We recently took some fun pictures in the heavy frost around our home. The frost lasted a few days and looked like snow. It was beautiful. The kids are doing well and more fun than ever. Josiah had a nastly flu bug today and seems to be feeling a little better. Yet another reminder that a new season has arrived. Not only with the weather, but with children and life. I will post a more in depth update in the coming month or so. Life is crazy and chaotic much of the time it seems, but it should slow down in a month. So, enjoy the pictures and hope all who read this are doing well!

Whom Do I Serve?

Today as I struggle with a wound from a friend who unjustly accused my husband and rejected our family because of it, I've been praying. I want to reject back. I want to defend my husband. I don't want to give to her. I want to take back. Im angry. Through it all, I know I am wrong. Right now, I am wrong. As I was feeling this, a few minutes ago God reminded me of an experience I watched my Dad deal with.
My Dad was driving me home one night in his small pick up. We lived about 8 miles out of town up a large, curvy hill. About a 20 minute drive from town. We drove by the gas station along the highway and saw a couple in sitting in the rain and dark. They had two dogs and looked very obviously homeless. My Dad drove me home and prayed about the couple. He felt like he needed to pick them up. He dropped me off at home and went back to town. He said if they were still there he was going to pick them up and bring them home. They were and he did. They stayed with us some number of days. A nice enough couple, but both showed signs of paranoia and possible mental illnesses. They spent evenings telling us about their lives and places they'd been. We fed them, provided shelter and spent several rough sleepless nights listening to irrational and paranoid fights and dogs barking.
One Sunday my dad and I went to church. My mom stayed home sick. The man drove in with us, if I remember right, and stayed in town at a restaraunt drinking coffee. That's how I remember it anyway. When we picked him back up after church he attacked my dad. He accused him of gossiping and lying about him at church. I don't remember all the accusations, just that he was leaving because of it. My dad didn't defend himself. He didn't attack back. He didn't even get angry. We got back to the house and instead of kicking them out, offered to take them anywhere they wanted to go within a 5 hour drive. It was at least noon when this started. The man named his desired destination, a four hour drive, and they loaded up and left sometime in the late afternoon. My dad drove his biggest gas hog, our truck, so he could carry the couple and their dogs. He dropped them off and got back home very late. Slept, then went to work the next morning. Never did I see him defend himself or get angry. He sacrificed that day for people who'd made him an enemy. He never heard from them again.
I realized today that that was the best representation I've witnessed of Christ's sacrifice for us. When "religion" is represented by murder, violence, judgement, rejection, hate...you remember that it's not Jesus. It's not Christianity. It's not representing God. The Jesus I believe and serve, the Bible I read and follow and live my life to represent is the same God and man my Dad represented that Sunday. He calls us to be used, rejected, judged, hated and some even murdered in His name and in the name of true love. Anything else is not Christianity. We wont always experience those things, but when we do how we deal with it will show who we serve.
So God gave me my answer today. I will open my heart and home to this friend again. And again. And hopefully in the end she will feel the love that I have for her. That God has for her. That kind of love, I pray, will melt all her pain and attacks and lead her to the only God worth serving. The love that has melted away my humaness (not that I live perfectly and don't still react wrongly) and has allowed me to spread it. It's the Love I serve. My God is love.

Preschool

Josiah has been absolutely loving preschool. He has no behavioral complaints coming in from teachers (which because of his energy and aggression when excited, we did anticipate it as a possibility). This is the first song or memorized thing he has come home with. I heard him singing it in bed the night before I recorded this. He is a calm and mature little boy when it comes to school. He seems to love the positive praise he gets for being successful. He genuinely loves learning new things too, and always has. So that's a big help. So here is Josiahs "Weather Song".

Family Update

Hello all family and friends! I like to periodically throw random posts on here to see if anyone still looks at it, as I am incredibly inconsistant on posting. So, here is the most recent random post.
God is putting us through what we feel is a bit of a trial/learning phase right now. At times it's very challenging, but also very rewarding. We've both felt challenged to step up many areas of our lives in intensity. Seeking God, exercising better (mainly Joe) and being more purposeful in interacting with the kids on a quality level. That is the "big picture" update.
One random event from our home was the slaughter of our flock of chickens. Unfortunately not by us, nor for any useful purpose. A skunk got into the coop through a weak area in the fence. We woke up this last Saturday morning to the 11 dead chickens. While it felt like a gut punch, it has had a very positive effect in making us think about how and what we value, God's control of all and our choice to have faith in Him. It's also taught us how to construct a slightly more skunk-proof coop...we are young farmers with many more losses and failures to come I am sure. :)
The kids overall are doing well. Josiah is in his first year of preschool and loving it. He is a socialite and loves people in general. It's a blessing to us. Grace is developing a mind of her own and in the last night or two has decided sleeping is something she no longer likes. So we have heard A LOT of crying the last 48 hours or so. Joe was a great husband and got up with her at 4 am this morning. I am praying to not have a repeat of that episode.

In all, as a summary to our lives right now: we are young, with young kids, stumbling our way along with our amazing Lord by our side and learning much along the way. So you more seasoned land owners, animal owners, and parents...please feel free to throw out any valuable tidbits of advice. Hope life is well with you all. I miss those of you I don't see often and Im sure you are in prayers and thoughts often.