A Thursday morning update

 Tasha's hen Edmo keeps thriving! She loves living on the wild side though and will not go into a coop at night. 

The creek and the area surrounding it is just so gorgeous, especially in the fall. 

Tasha's good friend Lindsey spent last night with her in the hospital. 

Lindsey washed Natasha's hair through a cap today and brushed it, put it up in a bun. She sent me a picture and Natasha's eyes, coloring, and bun look great! 

Lindsey is an amazing "nurse"!

Tasha is on many meds - that is how it works, anti-rejection meds etc. 

They find what they need to add, take away, it's a balancing act. 

They seem to be removing a tube each day. She is at a great place being there at the University of Washington Medical Center. The staff is amazing. 

New heart, new start

I am so very humbled and SO GRATEFUl 

Natasha May has a new heart.

Organ donors are so very special. 

Natasha is able to continue living through being given a heart. 

🙏🙌🏻🙏

Praying for the family who lost a loved one, so that Tasha can live. 

Praying prayers of Thanksgiving!! 

And thank you so much!! All of you who have come alongside us on this journey!!! 

Your prayers matter. 

Please pray throughout her recovery. 

 

Saturday

Moses Lake Sunsets

My dear friend Lisa got married last weekend in this breathtaking country setting outside of Cle Elum

 I see so much of what matters in life through Tasha's experience

There is little hope without faith

There are struggles and illness that God allows

And then there are poor choices, hurt, and destructive behavior that are the evils of this world

If you are good to someone and treat them with respect, but they treat you poorly - time and time again - you can walk away

A long line at the grocery store, a poor experience in a restaurant, a traffic jam... these are small, small frustrations

Hard work pays off

A new house, a new car, fancy vacations... these are extras that don't make us happy but are special things that only some get to experience

This earth is not our home.

And PRAYER MATTERS

Friday

 Oren and I were walking through a store earlier this week. I was sort of trudging along

Finding and showing JOY has become more intentional, less natural.

My first two emotions right now are heartache and hope. Joy rests rather far beneath.

I told Oren I felt sad but just had to keep praying for Tasha. His words: "That's the thing about prayer. It never hurts. It only helps."

Each day I repeat that several times. 

Praying for a heart

Tasha flatlined during her lengthy ablation procedure at UW hospital. An epi in her IV and chest compressions brought her back.

The ablation could not, did not happen.

I find myself in constant prayer. 

We pray a heart comes available to her soon. Also recognizing the magnitude of this. Knowing someone will pass in order for her to get new life. So much though and prayer goes into that. 

 We bought several trees this week and will plant them all around the pond. 

Shade trees would be such a nice addition.

Favored Farmhouse Coffee and Cream now OPEN! 

For now, they are opening at 6:30 am!

Crab Creek

 Pool Pond

Practice Gratitude

 

Leaves turning and changing

Little girls in dresses and bonnets

Fresh pressed apple cider, quilts - beautifully displayed, food and crafts - I am describing the Mennonite Auction that happens near Ritzville every fall

I went at least once, maybe twice - over twenty years ago!

Wondering if it may work out to go this fall! It is October 1st and 2nd.

The Favored Farmhouse is having their Favored Farmhouse Coffee and Cream Open house! Today! 8-8

I am excited for pumpkin patches

Football

and fall ball baseball

I have to make a decision each day to face the morning with a grateful heart 

and to look forward to the many blessings of September and then Autumn

Merit's leaving has us feeling lonesome. Merit has given Oren some of the biggest, longest hugs over the past two weeks. 

This may have been one of the hardest summers we have ever had. And a small part of that hardship was anticipating Merit leaving. 

I am incredibly grateful for prayerful friends.

I am grateful that I am somewhat stubborn and don't give up quickly. 

I am thankful for organ donors. And am constantly in prayer over Natasha's journey.

I love the attitude of gratitude that can come when one practices gratitude.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ... 

Ephesians 3:17

Sunset

Moses Lake sunsets are the best! 

 

Walla Walla/Oren's first day of SECOND GRADE!

Walla Walla is such a fun town! 

Walking the downtown is so inviting!

There are a lot of nerves going into this move. 

Some excitement too. 

My brain is tired, so  tired. 

WWCC be good to Merit! :-)

Oren had his first day of SECOND GRADE yesterday!!

He cried a bit on the way to school today. 

But he did have a good day yesterday.

Last year he did not begin going full time until after spring break. Mid April! 

I would love it if this kid went to school 3 days a week.

But it is full time and we will make the best of it. 

 

All God's Creatures

Wild Will! 

California Beach Boy

Considerate Oren

Edna

formerly Tasha's hen

I joked and said her new name is Edna Moses

Tasha suggested "Edmo"

Edmo was one of our Grandma Dorothy's sisters!

I went to the shelter in search of kittens or ways I could help on Friday. 

They told me that all of the current kittens they have have ring worm. She did not want to send me with any for fear we would spread that to our people or animals. 

So here is the shelter... very busy with dogs and cats. And right now can't seek help for the kitties. 

Consider donating 

some cat food

dog food

bleach

A local coffee card (treat the workers):-)

 

 

My friend Marilyn told me she wanted a big project about the time her boys graduated from high school and were heading off... with one of her three boys they -she and her husbnand- took over management and ownership of a campground. 

This venture and purchase took up a great deal of her time... us moms are funny...  many of us mourn their leaving and we need to occupy the void. 

She has just one left at home... I wonder what big, cool thing she will do in three years when he takes off.

Side note; she is the one who blesses us with her horses! Marilyn is Hazel's riding buddy. 

I accepted my first sub job of the 2021/2022 school year and I took a leap out of my comfort zone and went for high school social studies. I have never subbed high school before. Then I signed on for four mornings of pre-school. 

Things are topsy turvy - I am going to mix it up and I think it will be  good, rewarding.

This is the strangest time period of motherhood that I have experienced yet. Having the oldest prepare to leave the nest...

Last week our family sort of lost our minds with the gold card fundraiser. The evening the $750 was due (yes, the sale of 30 gold cards at $25 each had us overwhelmed. Willem had sold $350 in gold cards, we ate the rest) 

Will could continue to sell. We had to pay the money but he still had the golf cards. Willem hit the streets the following three days with a decent amount of success. 

The night we sort of fell apart with gold cards, new schedules, new demands... I saw Willem walk to Merit for help and just understanding. I knew I would miss Merit. Then I realized just how much Willem would. We all will.

We messed up when we went there - to Walla Walla-  apartment hunting, we let the fact that there were so few apartments completely stress us out. Getting on waiting lists did not seem adequate enough. We left with a blah feeling and have not been back since. 

It is time to go back and get Merit moved in. He has an apartment! He really needs to BE THERE September 12th. Time to make the trek with a new mindset. 

Today, I could sense this stirring - missing him before he is even gone. So I hopped in my car and headed to the animal shelter, knowing fostering would be the right gig right about now. 

And then I discovered a two tier wicker cat bed on facebook market place! 😂

Covering him in prayer and looking forward to his visits, we will press forward. 

And we will hope and pray he learns and grows and has a lot of fun.

Chicken Love - September Days

Dust bathing

 Edna - our adopted girl!

First Day of school

First day of school for Willem and Hazel!!! 

Hazel is officially a middle schooler! 

Oren starts on the 7th! (second grade)

Could you pray for this guy? He has some big decisions in the coming weeks. 

The vaccine mandate has me heavy hearted.