Something For Everyone

Flu is behind us....maybe a blessing in disguise. Now hopefully we all will be feeling well for the Christmas weekend.

I've finally got my mojo (?) back, and GirlKid and I hit the dollar stores for what I call 'accessory' gifts and stocking stuffers. I traded her rolled pennies for 'real' dollar bills and had her decide who she was buying gifts for this year. Grandma, Uncle Dwayne (and Poncho, his chihuahua), and Daddy. Luckily for her, her pennies added up to five dollars, so she also had one left for herself! Six year olds and dollar stores were made for each other. A buck for each gift...easy math.

It took about 30 minutes or more for her to make her final decisions. There was quite a bit of "I'll get this.....(put that down), no THIS...(put that down, too), now THIS is perfect." , with each persons gift. I was in the mood (rarely) to just let her take as long as she needed. If her choices were off the wall, heck, it's only a couple of bucks.

However, I was impressed with her choices:

Grandma: A calendar set
Reason: "So Grandma can keep track of things.....Like when I'm coming to visit, and when she has a doctor appointment, and to remember when the garbage man comes."

Uncle Dwayne: An ice scraper
Reason: " Because he has so many cars."

Poncho: Dog treats shaped like hamburgers
Reason: "So when he begs at the table, he can have his OWN hamburger."

Daddy: Zip ties
Reason: "Because I've seen them in his shop, and he doesn't have little ones like these."

Herself: A pair of 'el junko' mermaids
Reason: Because I wrecked my good mermaid's hair in the bathtub, and it won't matter if these get wrecked because they were cheap....and I really like them."

I had nothing but agreement to all of her choices, and to her great satisfaction she went through a checkout counter for the first time paying with her 'own' money, from her own purse and wallet, for gifts for other people. I was so tempted to help her get her money out of her stiff plastic wallet, as there was a line behind us, but I held off so I wouldn't squelch her first independent transaction. She carefully counted out the dollar bills to the cashier and then realized she didn't have any change for the 'extra' (tax). After a bit of a panic, she reached for her mermaids and said "Mom???" I told her I'd pay the tax and she could pay me when we got home. Relief flooded her face. A very quiet "I love you, mom." sealed the deal.

On the way out of the store, she said "Man, that was great, Mom. Five dollars, and I got something for everyone. I think I got my money's worth outta that place!"

I'm tempted to let her do the rest of the Christmas shopping!

I am so glad I am that kid's mom......I like the way she thinks, and I love the way she loves me.

Allll Aboard! The Flu sTrain!

Yup, you guessed it....we got it...two strains...three family members...two weeks. My goodness, it is hard to retain any sense of humor when you feel like crap, let alone get caught up in the Christmas Spirit.

GirlKid's gifts had been purchased before Thanksgiving, but are still in the bags they came in, hidden from sight. I have had enough time to question each one of them. "What was I thinking? Should I take it back and get something else? We already have too much plastic crap stuffed into every nook and cranny of our house! How many Barbie, Bratz, Winx, etc. is too much?" Whew, now that I have written my thoughts, I see how manic I have become regarding this Christmas season.

I feel paralyzed...I haven't bought any Christmas cards, let alone sent them out yet...so with each one I receive in the mail, I feel guilty and more guilty that I haven't gotten with the program.

I can't think of ideal gifts for friends, which usually comes easily. Nor for my husband, which is usually difficult.

Most of the dilemma is based on not having much money to spend this year. My recent root canal right after Thanksgiving sucked up all of our available funds. Also, the weather has been warm and rainy instead of crisp and snowy. And then, of course, the flu bugs that have been ravaging our household.

I know, MAKE something....couldn't come up with anything that caught my interest or didn't seem ridiculous (or cost too much).

Waaa, waaa, waaa, I sound like an infant who can't reach her binky.

I still have a few days before it is too late to recover from the Holiday blues....I am almost positive I will pull this off before it is too late. It isn't like me to completely succumb to hopelessness when the chips are down....

Chin up, Kath, grab the credit card and just GO to the store and buy stuff we can't afford because it's Christmas dammit!

Handsome Homer finds his forever family

Meet our most recent family acquisition! For two years I've been searching for a dog to help us take care of varmint control of our hobby farm after our beloved Aussie Dog passed away.

Choosing a potential family member is serious business for me...I won't make a commitment that I am unsure of in 'hope' that it will all work out. I've witnessed hasty pet purchases turn to disaster in short order because the human did not do the research of which breed, age, and sex of dog would best suit their living situation. After experiencing life with the perfect dog for many years, it seemed impossible that we would find that perfect match again.

I would routinely visit Petfinders to see what dogs were available for adoption in our area and always checked the "Pets" in the classified ads. I almost purchased an older Collie pup from a local pet store, but couldn't bring myself to encourage the ' puppy mill' business that it originally came from.

It couldn't be a hunting dog (tons of mixed Labs desperatly needing homes in area shelters) because we have free range chickens and other livestock. But we really needed a dog to chase off wild critters that want to winter in our outbuildings....

And then I saw a photo posted by our Humane Society that showed a Treeing Walker Coonhound that was abandoned by a shattered divorced family that couldn't get away from each other fast enough, and didn't care if the animals left behind lived or died. After the family left the acreage, a neighbor noticed that the family dog had been left behind and for weeks would sit at the end of the driveway waiting for his family to come home. Eventually he took the dog home with him when he realized there was no food or water available and the dog was surviving on eating grass.

As a courtesy, the Humane Society agreed to post the dog's story on their website, but would not take custody of the dog as they didn't have any more foster homes available.

When I read the profile of this dog I began to get a strange feeling of knowing... knowing that I needed to respond. He was four years old, raised around a variety of livestock, got along well with cats and other dogs. Excellent with children and adults. Needs companionship.

I Googled the dog breed to educate myself on the needs of this kind of dog and found more information that convinced me that the dog, our farm, and our family would all benefit from being together.

I called Husband and GirlKid to the computer and showed them the profile and breed information. They agreed that this dog could be the one....so I called the number.

I thought that if the dog was still available the people would be eager to find a home for him. I asked a lot of questions regarding the dog's behavior and personality. I was surprised and impressed that when I was done asking my questions, THEY had even more questions for me. Where do we live? (in the country, Check). How many hours are we away from the home each day?(I'm a SAHM, Check) . Do we have any children?(we have GirlKid and I did childcare for two more children, Check). Why do we want this dog? (we need help with varmit control and livestock protection, and we really missed our old farm dog's company, Check).

Apparently the man had received many calls from people willing to adopt the dog, but most of them were living in town and/or were away from home a great deal each day. He felt a responsibility to find this dog a home that would meet his physical and emotional needs. His own family already adopted an elderly shepard and owned two or three other dogs, and quite frankly I don't think they could spend one more dime on dog food each week. After visiting a while on the phone the man had that knowing feeling too, and I was invited to make the drive to meet and/or bring the dog home the very next day.

It has been a couple of months now, and once Homer got over his intense abandonment issues with a little "Cesaer" training for me, I can't believe our good fortune. He loves the kittys, walks right by the chickens in the yard, liked to visit the pigs, chased off a woodchuck, racoon, and oppossum in the first two weeks, doesn't let the kids out of his sight if we're outside, and so much more. We love his gangly long legs, his smooth coat, and floppy ears. He is absolutely nothing like our perfect Aussie Dog, so there is no comparing the two. I think that is the way it needed to be, so we can fully appreciate him for being the best coon hound and family companion we could hope for.

And isn't he handsome...?

I was Tagged!

Kelley Bell and WM tagged me quite a while ago....Just now getting to it. Sorry it took so long ladies, but here it finally is:

1) Things that scare me:

* high fevers in small children
* dentists (Sorry Tom!)
* spiders...if they are on my body
* a child or animal in danger

2) People who make me laugh:

* my daughter
* my husband
* my girlfriends
* my blog-friends


3) Things I hate the most:

* my extra 15 pounds
* long periods of cold, wet weather
* my tobacco addiction
* being talked down to
* anyone who hurts children

4) Things I don't understand:

* religious wars
* how airwave transmissions work
(radio, sattelite, ect.)
* people who attack children

5) Things I'm doing right now:

* typing
* drinking a soda
* trying not to get frustrated that these simple questions seem difficult today
* wanting a cigarette

6) Things I want to do before I die:

* visit New Zealand
* see a real castle
* swim with a dolphin
* hold my grandbabies
* travel the U.S. with my family

7) Things I can do:

* help children learn
* grow plants
* cook
* raise healthy animals
* keep my husband happy in the sack
* listen

8) Ways to describe my personality:

* helpful
* both outgoing and shy
* cautious
* loving
* laid-back

9) Things I can't do

* brain surgery
* find enthusiasm in boring, repetitive tasks (laundry, dishes, vacuuming, etc.)
* fix my car

10) Things I think you should listen to:

* your intuition
* older people you respect
* music that soothes your soul, or picks up your mood
* the sounds of nature and the outdoors

11) Things you should never listen to:

* most politicians
* some organized religions
* angry, hurtful music
* my mother-in-law

12) Things I'd like to learn:

* how to earn a few extra bucks working from home
* how to sew
* how to retain happiness in each day

13) Favorite foods:

* pizza
* ice cream
* chocolate
* Chinese
* authentic Mexican

14) Beverages I drink regularly:

* coffee
* soda
* energy drinks
* tea (enough caffeine, yet?)
* spiced rum
* white russians

15) Shows I watched as a kid:

* Little House on the Prairie
* All in the Family
* Grizzly Adams
* Flipper
* The Jeffersons
* Gilligan's Island

Peek a Baaa

Daisy just can't help herself...loves the attention, and apparently the camera. She has the most demanding voice, and if I am late to do chores, her wailing BAAAA almost makes me begin to lactate. These lambs were born as quadruplits (quite rare), however one of them didn't survive.
They were bottle fed, and attached to humans quickly. My GirlKid and daycare kids handfed them for their first month with us. Daisy, Rose, and Delphinium are a treat to care for. The end of the season is coming far too fast, and my heart grows heavier by the day. Life on the farm is not always pleasant.

My Bonnie

Here's a photo of my best barn friend this year, Bonnie. She and Clyde are my first ever experience at raising pork.

I try not to get too attached to the animals I know are being raised for food, however I did not know how personable a coupla piggies would be.
And if you keep their potty area cleaned out, they don't even smell very much.

Bonnie loves being fed animal crackers by the kids, having her skin scratched by the leaf rake, and her favorite foods are apples off our tree, and summer squash.

In this photo, she had just gotten herself a big drink(hence, the goober-slobber under her chin), and seemed to smile for the camera.

My theory on raising livestock was to provide the best environment possible to have the healthiest meat for my family. Raised with love = sweet meat.

However, I think it would be in my best interest to not be home the day Bonnie, and her brother Clyde, are loaded up in the trailer to go to the meat market. This time I've gotten way to attached... 

Yikes! I have to give a Toast!

My very good friend is getting married to a great guy, and I have to give a toast after the ceremony before dinner. Gulp. This is what I came up with while I was in the shower, and wouldn't mind an opinion or two, as I hate embarassing myself in large -living- crowds, espcially if it could be prevented. I'm typing this one grouped in single sentences per line so I can hopefully memorize most of it. (ah-hem)


I met her in High School.
She was the 'new' girl in an old town.

Tristan came to school on her first day, not in a "cute new outfit", but in a thick, black,leather biker jacket...tight shirt...blue jeans, and either black biker boots or canvas high tops.

She walked with confidence and had a gleam of mischief in her eyes, she also had the best make-up and hair I'd ever seen.
I thought "Hmmm...I could learn something from this girl!"

We wound up sitting next to each other in a Literature class, and found we were practically the only two kids that enjoyed reading books.
It was there that our lifelong friendship was established...over a book.

She needed a ride home, I offered, she accepted, and to my surprise, this cool, outspoken, wild thing lived with her parents in one of the nicest townhouses the city of ***** *** had to offer!
On the golf course, even!

She was a Country Club girl wearing a biker jacket, and swearin' like a sailer...incredible.
I have always admired her ability to stand out in a crowd, and thoroughly enjoy it.

Tristan was brilliant...like a star.
I was the voice of reason...like the earth.
She could be difficult...like the ocean.
I was predictable...like the sun.

Given our differences, it would seem unlikely for our friendship to last a lifetime, easily lost along the way like so many do over time.

But when we would sit together at a kitchen table with our sodas, and later our coffee mugs, it seemed we were cut from the same cloth.

We explored each other's ideas and over the years found that together we could solve most of the world's problems, and occasionally even a few of our own.

We have seen each other through the best and worst of times, always hopeful for each other out of love and respect.

She and I followed very different paths to reach our dreams, and today we all have been led here to this beautiful celebration of love and courage.


Bill, you have the honor of beholding a brilliant star in your heart.
Her radiant shine will always light the way, and warm your soul.


Tris, see the man beside you and know you have found your rock.
You have struck gold in this man's presence.
Relish in your good fortune.

Your hearts have found their way, and all of us who love you take great comfort in that.

To all of you here, who love this couple as I do, raise your cups to honor this marriage and bless them with your love.




Arg, I think I edited it to smithereens, and now seems choppy. Or maybe I am too blasted tired to make sense of it anymore. Any constructive criticism?

I am a Rainbow....Awwww

You Are a Rainbow

Breathtaking and rareYou are totally enchanting and intriguing But you usually don't stick around long! You are best known for: your beauty Your dominant state: seducing

What Type of Weather Are You?

Yikes! I can't let my husband see this.....my dominant state is seducing! He thinks it's my cooking! Ha Ha! Can't be giving away all of my secrets to him!

Yet Another Batch Of Canning

Here's a photo from my porch, facing the gardens and garden shed. The running gear you see in the yard is a rolling picnic table my husband made for me several years ago.

Needless to say, we have ample tomatoes and scalding, peeling, chopping, and slow cooking these beauties is not as satisfying as it was earlier this year. But, as with every year, I will be grateful throughout the winter that I took the time to make sauce so I don't have to make a trip into town to buy something to make a quick supper with.

The steel wheel behind the tomatoes is our porch steps handrail. Another cool addition to the Rusty Wheel Acres theme to our home.

Off I go....the boiling water is ready for the tomatoes.

Chickens for Writer Mom

Took the camera out with me during morning chores. These shots seem a little blurry, but it was windy, and the birds just didn't know that they were supposed to hold still.

This is my oldest hen, who is a great leader for the rest of the flock. She never takes them out on the highway, where a few of her peers have met their waterloo. She is a barred rock hen, and must be at least 8 years old.






This is a photo of my banty rooster, who has also been on the farm for more than 8 years. He may be smaller than the other roosters, but don't tell him that....he has the largest group of hens that he looks after. Hmmm wonder what he's hiding under those feathers?! 

Double Edge Sword

Sometimes, do you ever wonder if maybe you're just a little nuts? I found myself wondering this again yesterday when it was my last day of daycare in my home for the summer.

Up to this point, I was eagerly waiting for this day, fantacizing about the idea of spending time with my friends and husband without interruption of a butt needing wiping or something.

I would say to myself "Soon, my dear, a bit of privacy will enter your life...hang on!".

I dreamed of going to the grocery store unattended and unstressed, making leisurely choices, instead of herding anywhere between three to six 6 year olds through the isles, grabbing only necessary items that require no lengthy decision making.

The last day came, and instead of feeling elated, I was intensely forlorn. I love these children, and found personal value in the fact that they needed me. They brought me a hand made card that read "Thank you for helping us bloom", along with a gazing ball for my garden to replace the one that was shattered in a bad hailstorm recently. Yes, I had several minutes of sniffing tear snot until I was able to regain composure.

When their mother came to pick them up, I had to go through the house and gather things that they had brought from home to play with at my house. I grabbed their swimsuits, toys, extra clothes and craft supplies(all stuff that I had complained about picking up), and felt a de ja vue of 'cleaning out my desk' at the end of a 'real' job.

Their mother reached over and hugged me tightly and expressed her gratefulness for how her children were cared for over the summer, and for the experiences we provided for them. It was a better compliment than any 'boss' has offered to me in the past, and was truly sincere.

No one will be coming today. The summer is over. I am not happy.

I should be, I've been complaining for weeks now about how emotionally fatigued I am. These children wore me out with their questions and need for one on one contact.

One girl has a voice that resembles a clarinet with a split reed. However, she was the one who never missed a day of helping with barn chores, singing all the way through. Halfway through the summer, she knew exactly how to take care of everthing in the barn, and how to do it, and being happy to do it. Now I will walk to the barn alone, with a bit less enthusiasm for my hobby. I will gather my eggs, knowing that none of them will be broken before they reach the house, but I won't feel happy about it.

There are so many other examples of how we enriched each others' lives, but yet we took it all for granted that it was 'just another day'.

How can we miss something that drove us nuts? How long will it take to get used to my 'Fall -Winter' schedule, while GirlKid and everyone else is in First Grade? I guess I'll have plenty of time to can those damn tomatoes, after all.

Fair Thee Well

How awesome it was to be at the Fair this year with my family.

My husband was in his glory with all of his antique tractor buddies showing off their hard work to everyone. This year he was asked to bring 4 of his latest completed projects, which are rare, OLD steel wheel Twin City tractors. The tractors were petted, talked to, and photographed by countless visitors at the two Fairs we attended. My husband glowed with pride from all of the attention. I even felt a little more smitten towards him after hearing all of the wonderful things people were saying about and to him. Oh, my Hero.....

GirlKid was at the perfect age to completely enjoy the Fair this year, too. She lost all fear of the rides, and was able to enjoy them thoroughly. Thank goodness for 'armband day', or we wouldn't have been able to master the Midway.

The burlap bag was a magic carpet on the HUGE slide.

The Fun House only stumped her the first time through, then she was helping others find their way...over and over!

The Gator rollercoaster was exhilarating, rather than frightening this year. I think she has found the power of the adrenal gland! Adrenaline is our friend! Ya Hoooo!

She made friends with her favorite pony, BlackJack, at the pony rides. He reminded her of our beloved pony that passed away two years ago. My heart ached as she said goodbye to him with real sorrow in her eyes.

At the animal barns, she was full of intelligient questions.

At the Kiddie Barn, she was full of intelligient answers.

I enjoyed the Horticulture building, smugly thinking to myself that I could have won the blue ribbons with my houseplants, outdoor flowers, and garden produce.

The animal barns were a source of information for me, as I am an amatuer at raising livestock. How on earth do they get those pigs so docile and clean? And how about those gigantic cattle tied up with a mere rope in open stalls! What did they do to the lambs' tails? Mine were docked, but they at least have a bit of a stub. The ones at the fair, and I mean every one, was completely gone, as if they never had a tail...Weird, kinda. And the Nubian goats (I think) --the ones that have no ears...why are they bred to have no ears? They reminded me of a cat I once knew who's ears were frostbitten off. Gotta love the animal barns. They make me wonder about so much.

Fair Food..........the smells, the flavors, the colors....say no more, I gotta lose 5 lbs. now.

The absolutely best part about the fair was watching my daughter and husband together on the Tilt - A - Whirl. Their grins were as wide as the seat. Wish I had some high speed film with me to share the moment. They both looked so grown up, and they both looked like little kids.

Lucky Me

The following is something I wrote waaay back in 1990. I was becoming aware of the cause and effect of my peers choices, and how we allow others to effect us. Reading this today, I'm a little proud of myself for understanding this influence at such a 'young' age. I still try hard to stay in the middle and surround myself with people who have healthy spirits. Although I think I deny myself quite a bit of adventure by making the choices I do, I guess my inner safety switch will not be quieted. As a newbee 40 year old, this poem seems applicable to me in more ways than before. Our people really ARE everything at the end of the day.

Lucky Me

There once was a girl
who's now become a woman,
She struck out blindly
reaching out for anyone.

Lucky as she is
She came upon some people,
Who, with a little time
made life seem simple,

Questioning life often
but not doubting what it is,
Gliding UP the hills
avoiding the rough edges.

Fear plays a part
in her struggle against time,
Is she performing the
prophecies of her 'life-line'?

Like gently being guided
through a maze of paths,
Here I am today
what's tomorrow's task?

June 21, 1990

06/06/06 is my 40th Birthday.....Yikes!

Here I am, the big 40 staring me in the face, and I don't feel any of the forlorn feelings I expected to feel. I feel happy, lucky, comfortable, and glad to be exactly where I am. Maybe it's because my life has been leading me all this time to where I am supposed to be...right here, right now.

My husband (great guy that he is) and one of my close girlfriends got together and planned a big surprise birthday party for me last Saturday. It felt really weird to have all these people I care about here, in one place, together, all being happy for me. They worked hard to keep it a surprise and had the whole place decorated like crazy. With all of the variety of people here, some friends from long ago, some from far away, some recent close friends.....I felt like I was on the old show "This Is Your Life"! Needless to say, I went to bed feeling 16, and woke up feeling 65. Today, I think 40 is just about right. However, at 40 years old, I have to realize that I am not a rock star, and I have no business partying like a rock star! Lord, have mercy! My family and friends are the best people in the world. I am so fortunate to have had the relationships throughout my life to help me be who I am today. The acts and thoughts of kindness brought me to tears several times throughout the evening.

My wishes for the future are simply more of what I already have. I hope for health and happiness for all those who have a place in my heart. The older I get, the more value human friendship has over any other riches in the world.

I only hope others like me are blessed with the love of others, and are able to flourish as I do with their support.

Field Trip to the Nature Center

Today was another great day. I volunteered to accompany GirlKid's kindergarten class to the Nature Center. As it turned out I was the only parent that was able to make the trip, which made me a bit uneasy at first. Nineteen kids, three adults, and 28 miles of trails......

Of course, everything went well. The Nature Center guides were excellent, and even brought out their 26 year old red-tailed hawk to show the children. It had been raised with the Nature Center since it was a fledgeling, and was the longest standing employee of the Center. She was a beauty, and had no fear of all of us standing before her with our mouths agape. Most of the kids hadn't even seen a parakeet up close, let alone an adult raptor. It was inspiring. I wish I could fly for a day, and see what she is able to see. I think I would look at the world much differently.

Then we explored the 'hands on' portion of the Center. Inside their building, they had pelts of many various animals, and we were encouraged to touch them all. GirlKid was able to feel what a bear, wolf, coyote, fox, mink, and buffalo(bison, to be correct) fur felt like. They also had stuffed owls, beaver, rabbit, and deer that we were welcome to touch. We spend so much time asking our children not to touch things, that they were unsure at first if they heard us right. After they saw that no one was going to get into trouble for handling all this stuff, they explored every feather, antler, hair and toenail in the place. They had the most interesting questions that I hadn't thought anyone could think! "Is an antler a bone? And if it is, why does it fall off and grow back...why doesn't it just stay on?" Hmmm...where IS that Nature Center guy?

After all the touchy feely portion of our visit was done, we were escorted by another guide out on the trails, where we were able to learn about some of the native plants that grow in our area, and why they are important to our earth. Then he scooped some tadpoles out of the pond, and showed us the pond food chain. Poor tadpoles.......Even the dragonfly larvae like them for a snack!

On our way out of the trails, the main guide had us play a game of "FLOOD". He explained that without the trees, we could get swept away in our imaginary flood. So when he shouted "FLOOD", we all had to run to a tree so we wouldn't get 'swept away'. It was so much fun watching all these kids scrambling to find a tree to hang onto. Before we left, though, the main guide confessed that the trees tought him that game, because they grow better after they've been hugged. The children actually looked at the trees differently after that. I hope they see the life force within the many living things, including the trees, and treat them with respect.

The bus ride home felt different than the ride there. The children had so much to think about, and so many 'after the fact' questions. We all shared our favorite part of the trip. Most liked the hawk, others liked the "hands on" place. My favorite part was seeing the children learn and having some of them changed a little from the experience.

Thank God for teachers that reach for tools to show our children different ways to solve problems, and provide opportunities to learn in and outside of the box. Some teachers really DO see the future in our childrens' faces. I felt lucky to be with them today.

So, take it from me, if you ever get the opportunity to go with your child on an educational field trip...GO! Whatever it takes, get the day off, call in sick, get a sitter for the younger one...whatever. Just go and see the children grow right in front of your eyes. You won't get a second chance....Kindergarten really is a garden for children....and they're growin' like weeds!

Quote from Kahlil Gibran's "The Prophet"...On Children

Whenever I find myself in a difficult position throughout life, I like to sit down with this book to find some inspiration. Writer Mom's post inspired me to pick it up again to put my 'mother ego' in check. I hope others experience similar peace after reading this:

"And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.



You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.



You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."



It was hard for me to internalize some of this, as I once thought myself an archer. However, the more I look around this world, we really are the stable bow, the foundation of the archer's aim. None of us can know who our children will be when they become adults, we can only imagine and dream, and provide them with the best environment that will enable them to make the best choices to help themselves thrive. As experienced parents with grown children must know, we parents of young children need to know we are not, nor should be, the sole influence that shapes our children's lives. When they are little, we have absolute knowledge of whom they are exposed to, but as they age, the many tiny strands of parental influence are snipped ever so slowly. Hopefully those first few years provide the security and education for a strong moral foundation that holds our children up to eventually provide their lives and children with strength and integrity. Bless the parents that know their 'job' is incredibly important to the structure of our future. Someone has to hold a few of the living arrows carefully, so they may go swift and far. Bless you Angie and Tom, and all their insightful blogger friends for caring so much. You make a difference.

Home...At Last

All possesions gathered
making this house our home,
It's become quite obvious
I'm no longer a rolling stone.

When my day is done
and the evening begins to pass,
Is the time for longing
to be home...at last.

Coming to cherish
the quiet of the night,
With only my lover
and the stars above in sight.

Relishing the fleeting moments
just before sleep,
Bring joys of solitude
as unconciousness creeps.

6-21-90

Years ago I wrote this when I realized that all the partying and running weren't providing me with the peace that I was to crave in the future. I needed roots. I am so glad I grew some!

Mother's Day Weekend

Hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. I sure did. My hubby and GirlKid certainly went out of their way this year! Mother's Day turned into Mother's Weekend! After their shopping expedition, my shower of love and appreciation began shortly afterword.

Upon arrival, my GirlKid came to the door bearing the prettiest Gerbera Daisy plant and Fairy Castle cactus WalMart had to offer. She was beaming with pride as she explained how she came to her choices. Dad was in the background with a bit of a beam himself.

Next I was allowed a long warm tub with only one interruption, when I was a hand delivered an invitation to 'formal' dinner, or supper of my choice....dress required, which was hand made by my Husband and GirlKid. After my tub, I rummaged around in my closet to find a suitable dress for my dinner. GirlKid was estatic that I took their invitation seriously, and I'd actually dressed up for the occasion. She too, put on her finest, as well as Hubby.

We ordered three big platters, and shared them all. How enjoyable to share food among family. On our way out of the resturaunt, my husband even splurged on a delicious strawberry pie to take home! Full bellies, pie in hand we made our way to the car.

On our way home, Husband said he needed to stop at our neighbors house to get a tractor paint chip sample for one of his projects. When we pulled in, he stopped next to several giant lilac bushes, and went to the house to borrow a scissors. Ten minutes later, I had a 'huge-mongeous' bouquet of lilacs in my hands. Awww.... It was enough to have flowers in every room of our main floor.

I'll skip the details of the next several hours.... let's just say my husband wasn't quite done with me yet. Earthshaking.

On Mother's Day morning, I woke to the smell of coffee, and came downstairs for a cup. It was then that I received additional love in the form of a giant bag of self feeding potting soil, a bag of chocolate stars, some 'dress up' necklaces that GirlKid just knew I would love. Also included in their shopping purchases was some Black Flag flying insect spray to protect me from the wasps that are interested in our garden shed and my hair.

These acts of kindness were of the sort that let me know how well my family knows me, and yes, they did give me all I need to be filled with joy. It truly is the little things that give us acknowledgement. And plus, they DID have to scour the store for these several things that jumped out and said "PICK ME, she'll Love it!" If there was any shopping sufferage that happened, they never let on. Now I feel really guilty about my previous post....sort of.

What Do You Want?

Hubby and GirlKid are running errands today. Before they leave, Hubby asks "What do you want for Mother's Day?" Hmmmm....Hm....I didn't know how to answer.

First of all, I had to overcome my urge to eat the "Burnt Toast", as a certain Desperate Housewife puts it. Where is the greedy part of myself who can whip out the "I WANT" list on demand? I couldn't find it anywere! The words "Something useful" darn near slipped from my lips. Six years as a mother, and fifteen years as a wife has consumed a large portion of my personality! Yikes! I don't know what I want anymore!

Secondly, I had to overcome my urge to say "It's Mother's Day, I want YOU to LOOK around, struggle over choices, and find that one thing that jumps out and says "Pick Me, She'll LOVE it!", just as I have to do for every Birthday, Christmas, Wedding, etc. No one ever tells me exactly what to pick out for their gifts, therefore, I want Hubby and GirlKid to experience the same agony I go through every time I enter any kind of store. Clothing store: does it fit?, will they like it? is it on sale?, can we afford it? Grocery store: is it the best deal?, does it fit into my haphazard meal plan?, will they eat it?, is it healthy? You know what I mean, I don't really need to go on any further. Yes, I want them to suffer the same pain. Horrible, isn't it?

I ended up saying "Something pretty, or maybe something nice for my garden." Pretty vague, however. I wonder what it will be. This is the best gift...knowing that they are out there in the multitude of choices, agonizing over this or that, having differences of opinions, and together coming to a compromise....over me! Now, why didn't I say chocolate? Why? Momma LOVES chocolate!

Welcome to my World

Yippee! I now have my own place to share my perspective, interests, family, and photos with anyone who cares to see. This is a test post to see how things look.